OEM 2005 Buick LaCrosse CV Joint

2005 Buick LaCrosse CV Joint Parts and Q&A

• Q: What Tools Are Required to Service and Repair the CV Joint Boot for the Wheel Drive Shaft Inner Joint and Seal Replacement on 2005 Buick LaCrosse?

  A: The tools which are necessary to service and repair the constant velocity joint boot, particularly, the wheel drive shaft inner joint and the seal replacement are as follows: snap ring pliers (J8059), drive axle seal clamp pliers (J35910), drive axle swage ring clamp (J41048). Start by loosening the swage ring of halfshaft bar with a hand grinder by ensuring not to cause damage to the halfshaft bar. Remove the large seal retaining clamp from the tripot joint using a side cutter and dispose it. Take off the inboard seal and the trilobal tripot bushing large diameter, move the seal from the joint along the halfshaft bar. Release the housing from the tripot joint spider and the halfshaft bar followed by the spacer ring, spider assembly, and tripot boot using snap ring pliers (J8059); discard boot and rings. Use a wire brush to clean the halfshaft bar and remove rust in the boot mounting region, inspect the needle rollers, needle bearings, and trunnion for any damage, replacing damaged parts using the respective kit as a replacement. For installation cut a small cresent ring and lay it on the small end of the joint seal into the joint seal groove inserting both onto the halfshaft bar positioned at the large end. Mount drive axle swage ring clamp (J41048) on a vise and place the inboard end of the halfshaft assembly in the tool; align the seal neck and verify there are no pinch points on the halfshaft inboard seal than insert and tighten the bolts. Position the halfshaft inboard seal, halfshaft bar, and swage ring, while torquing each bolt on j41048 in a 180-degree fashion with a ratchet wrench. Install the spacer ring into the groove of the halfshaft bar using snap ring pliers (J8059), slide tripot joint spider assembly towards the spacer ring and install another spacer ring into groove. Pump half of the grease from the service kit inside the halfshaft inboard seal, leaving the other half for use in repacking the housing while ensuring that the trilobal tripot bushing is flush with the housing face. Replace the new trilobal tripot bushing to the housing, attach the larger new seal retaining clamp to the halfshaft inboard seal,atel the housing on the tripot joint spider assembly. Ensure that the halfshaft inboard seal is appropriately shaped and adjust as required and place the joint assembly in the right length dimension in the car as per the engine type. Push the halfshaft inboard seal, tripot housing, and large seal retaining clamp and crimp the seal retaining clamp with the drive axle seal clamp pliers (J35910) to the specified torque and check the gap dimension on the clamp ear, tightening if needed. Finally, make several strokes on the joint to spread out the grease.