CV Boot Metal Clip - Sanity check required

944psi · Jun 26, 2006

Evening All,

I've just been fitting new CV joints onto my driveshafts. Lucky Mrs Phil is away otherwise she'd slaughter me for messing up the kitchen table!

Just need a second pair of eyes to look at the clip that secures the narrow end of the boot to the shaft. It's a metal ring that hooks over itself. I've pulled it tight and hooked it over. I was now thinking about applying more pressure by pulling the inverted 'U' shape together with a pair of pliers. Should I or shouldn't I?

Thanks, Phil

BTW the CV joint kits were from ECP - just in case anyone has fitted the same.

Fen · Jun 27, 2006

Wait for more confirmation (please!), but it looks like the kind of retainer ring that you are supposed to nip with special pliers. I haven't seen one that big before, but they are on things like the screen washer hoses etc.

Hilux · Jun 27, 2006

Nip away but dont go mad imagine that a zip tie will do the job and thats all the pressure you need. Nip at the bottom and pull the sides in, dont crush the top. Best using carpenters pliers

simch1 · Jun 27, 2006

You need to nip that ring up and you need a fair bit of pressure on it, basically, the special pliers you get for them are similar to those carpenters ones, and you nip the u piece up until it touches itself where you apply pressure.

Tie wraps just dont work on cv joints, they will eventually come loose and lose the grease, then its bye bye cv joint.

Borrow some pliers from a local garage an nip em up tight!

Hilux · Jun 27, 2006

Trial and error as I have found in the past that too tight and you nip the rubber and a hole appears under the bit you are squashing together.

944psi · Jun 27, 2006

Thanks for the advice Fen, Hilux and Simch1

All nipped up now thanks to a £3.79 pair of carpenters pliers from Wickes. I popped into a garage on the way home and he suggested the carpenters pliers too - he wasn't too keen on me borrowing his £70 pliers from snap-on!

Only one problem now - one of the metal rings is too small! 32 is stamped onto it (mm I presume) whereas the rest have 37!

Thanks, Phil

Fen · Jun 27, 2006

I can't think of a good reason not to use a Jubilee clamp instead, then.

944psi · Jun 27, 2006

I know you're probably right - and I'm not trying to get a concourse example of a 944 back on the road - far from it, but I really wanted my driveshafts to look 'proper'.

I'll try ECP/ GSF in the morning - they should be able to sort me a clip out - a jubilee at worst. I've given up on tonights work - listening to the faux geordie telling me to reboot my set top box and then repeatedly telling different departments at NTL my tale of woe, then being patronised by Adrian (call centre bod) about the intricacies of the Data Protection Act has sort of destroyed my spirit. [:'(]

Phil

944psi · Jun 29, 2006

All sorted now - thanks to the very kind people at GKN Sutton Coldfield.

I called GKN yesterday afternoon to see if they had any of the clips kicking around. Since they supplied my joint kits (via ECP) I thought they were a safe bet. I explained my pickle and gave my address......

And look what the postman stuffed through my letterbox this morning. (Sorry for the Audi'esque arrangement)

Phil
Now very, very happy!