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Braingears
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: St Petersburg, FL
Vehicle(s): G320 & ML320
Posts: 1450
| Front Axle Maintenance
I am preparing to rebuild my front axle. I know that I will be replacing all of the bearings and seals. I will likely change the boots, but was curious about the CV Joints. How many of you have replaced the CV Joints and how many miles were on the truck when you changed them? How many of you had to replace the Locker Spline? |
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AlanMcR
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, CA, Los Altos
Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL
Posts: 3500
| RE: Front Axle Maintenance
I've had to replace the CV boot at ~200K miles. I would suggest a replacement if the boot is >150K miles. It is a lot of work to get to if it fails before the next wheel bearing replacement. Locker splines would only be replaced if damaged.
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Floobydust
Veteran
Date registered: Mar 2014
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Vehicle(s): 1995 E320 Cabrio, 2003 G500, 2000 SL500, 1980 TR8
Posts: 284
| RE: Front Axle Maintenance
I lost the the front right CV boot at about 95K. When I pulled things apart (to do both CV boots) I noted that there was a lot of play and some grinding noises in the affected CV joint, so I replaced it as well. I ended up putting in a whole axle assembly because the circlip that holds the CV joint on broke in such a way that I could not get the old CV joint off the axle (I eventually got the old CV joint off by breaking it up, so now I have an extra front short axle shaft). |
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hipine
Date registered: Jul 2006
Location: US, CO, Bailey
Vehicle(s): 460 1980 280GE w. 617A
| RE: Front Axle Maintenance
If the boots are intact and everything is otherwise okay, the CVs should be in fine shape There's nothing in there but really good grease, no reason for them to wear with as little time as they spend working. I do heartily recommend just buying the standard axle rebuild kit and using all of it. My last go-round with this was on the 84 SWB a month or so ago. I bought parts I thought I'd need, and ended up making two ore orders for additional stuff after it was apart. Dumb on my part. Should have just bought the whole kit at once. Boots were busted on that one (who knows how long) but the CVs were fine.
The rebuild I did on the LWB at about 200,000 miles on the clock has not been touched since then and the truck is pushing 475,000. I did replace a CV then but only because the threads where the bearing preload nuts ride were looking stretched, the CV itself was OK if I remember right.
-Dave G. |
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H1LM002G55
Expert
Date registered: Mar 2010
Location: S Florida / Geneva / Jeddah
Vehicle(s): 500 GE, G55, LM002, H1
Posts: 1796
| Re: Front Axle Maintenance
I would grease the CVs with a SYNTHETIC, Moly-Fortified EP CV grease. Choose wisely. |
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cinqetoiles
Date registered: Jun 2017
Location: Belgium
Vehicle(s): G320 CDI
| RE: Front Axle Maintenance
I changed the CV boots at 75.000 miles. They were still in perfect condition. I dismantled the CV joints, to check their condition. One could be saved (polished by specialized shop). The other had to be replaced. |
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