CV joint is almost powder. What to do?

[jpcook]

1991 Range Rover Classic w/ ABS

Left front knuckle

According to the driver (my wife) there was no noise, warning, grinding, explosion or fire. Of course, her genius husband did not check the oil every 6 months.

When I looked at it, I could not turn more than about 10 degrees left.

Took it apart and the images are attached (if not I can email them to you).

Before tear down, the 1200 to 600 axis showed no slack and I assume the upper and lower swivel pin bearings are ok.
The grease, what little there was, was brown as if mixed with water.

- hub assembly
Looks ok.

- swivel pin housing
Looks ok. Some small scrapes but nothing deep.

- CV Joint
It's toast.

- Swivel ball
The swivel pin housing has some metal sheared off from behind the lower swivel pin bearing and a bit to the sides. Close to the bearing but not into the bearing.

Suggestions? Please.
Comments? Please.

Thank you.

[mearstrae]

Well, I'm going to suggest what you are afraid someone will suggest. The whole works looks like toast, you should change the swivelball, housing and CV and all bearings. Otherwise you'll be doing it all over again soon. The seal was probably gone in the first place, letting out the grease and letting in water and dirt, grinding everything into dust (and fractured parts...).


'95 R.R. County LWB
'76 Series III Hybrid
'70 Rover 3500S

[jpcook]

Thank you.

I needed a sanity check.
Now I'll go cry for 10 minutes and start looking for a replacement.
Pricing the parts new, I'd be ahead junking it and picking up another.
But something deep in side says these may be a pain, they're better than what's out there today in any vehicle, well.. may be Volvo.

[Firemanshort]

I do not know - but for the price of all of those parts and the several hours / days in the garage vice a pick-and-pull complete axle...? With you coil sprung dudes - you can find used parts anywhere - if that was from a unique axle from a transition period vehicle and limited to only a few years of production - then you would be really screwed.

[mearstrae]

I have to agree with Firemanshort, finding a replacement might just be the best and most cost effective way of fixing this. I beleive their are several years and possibly a Disco type that will work on the ABS Range Rovers.

'95 R.R. County LWB
'76 Series III Hybrid
'70 Rover 3500S

[o2batsea]

Call Will Tillery. He may have a good used swivel and cv for not too much moolah. I'd send you one of mine if I didn't need it

[slorocco]

- if that was from a unique axle from a transition period vehicle and limited to only a few years of production - then you would be really screwed.

You can say that again! I've blown 2 Stage 1 CV joints in the last year.