Morris Minor Owners Club

Vauxhall Meriva - has broken the nearside CV joint (without any warning I may say!). I've got it all off EXCEPT for the inner spider which is still firmly wedged on the driveshaft. Can any one tell me how this is held on the shaft (I'm guessing like a Mini with a spring ring) - and better still - how do I get it off!

I've never done a meriva one but most types of inner joint I've seen ether have a circlip on the end of the shaft locating it & can be knocked off ,or they are staked on & dont

Thanks mogwai - that's what I suspect - unfortunately there is very little room to get at it to hit it! It's the same set-up as Corsa etc if that helps anyone to give a definitive answer ??

I have no idea what this looks like, so please feel free to ignore the following---- Can you use 2 wedges between something and the joint to give you a parallel 'pull'

Well - I tried a little 3 leg puller on the end of the shaft with the legs around the spider - but very difficult to get a decent grip on the spider and eventually rain and darkness stopped play.

BMC - I have the Vauxhall Workshop Manual and looked up the driveshaft removal. Its a bit vague and refers to 2 special tools to remove the shaft - there is a groove cut into the diameter of the shaft for a retaining ring to fit (not sure what this looks like) If you PM me your email address I can mail you the instructions and line drawings on the TIS - might help!

Think I may have misread your original post. is the shaft still on the car. I mentioned the spider retaining on the inner joint . The outer joints sometimes have a circlip visible through a small notch on the inner face of the spider which will need expanding whilst you knock it off(one of those 3 handed jobs).
If the cv has fallen apart anyway it may be easier just to cut the spider in two with an angle grinder

I'd go with^^^^, as its broke already, stick a cutting/slitting disc through it at 2 opposites and hit hard (behind a protective covering). That should do the job and make you feel better at the same time!!

HI Bmc no idea if this may be helpful but when my mechanic was changing mine (not a Meriva)) it did give probs to come out! he had to take the shaft out and take the cv joint off with a mallet with the shaft off!

Thanks all for very helpful/encouraging advice - it seems there is indeed a little clip hidden inside the spider which I will need to expand (fullmarks to mogwai) somehow. There is very little room to do this - so indeed I may very well go with the grinder. Meantime - i've a railway line to fix today - but back to it tomorrow!

bmcecosse wrote: Meantime - I've a railway line to fix today - but back to it tomorrow!

Are you really Richard Branson? What a good disguise!

No - I really DO fix railway lines - he just plays at it!

No - I really DO fix railway lines - he just plays at it!

I didn't think he had anything to do with Railtrack - I thought he just tried to run trains on a broken network

For the record - railway line fixed with help from Branson - and indeed the little wire clip is there hidden inside the back face of the spider - spread this out with a flat blade screwdriver (in pouring rain I may add) and off the spider popped. Clever design actually - saves the brute force hammering to do the same job on a Mini etc!! New CV only £32 - should be easily fitted (famous last words) tomorrow. Thanks all for help/advice /encouragement.
Question now - should I change the other side too as a preventive measure! Car's only done gentle 27K - you would think CVs should last longer than that!

Should go much further than that!! I'd reckon it was a dud and hope the other side was from a different batch!!

Hmmm - I agree -although I see the new one is only guaranteed for 24k miles. Trouble is - when it goes - the car is completely stranded. Withe years and years of front drive motoring - and never any problems with CV joints - this has really rocked my faith in FWD cars! My plan is to fit the new one - then do some tight circles in an empty car park - to hear if there is any trace of cracking or grinding from the other joint - and if not - to let it go until Spring! I do have Roadside cover - so I won't be completely stranded.

Wish I'd seen this earlier, I've done this job and knew about the little expanding spring clip - I find that cleaning the grease away from that area so you can see what you're doing makes it MUCH easier! I use expanding circip pliers for the job, never had a problem.

I totally agree with above - I would not necessarily change both joints, you may find the other one goes on for ever - but yes, the early warning signs are cracking sounds on full lock, if it's quiet I'd leave well alone and spend your time and money doing something else!

Cheers

Job done today, in light drizzle just before the HEAVY rain came on -and yes - cleaning away the horrible grease did reveal the clip. Have to say it's an easier task than changing a broken half-shaft! And the other side IS making slight 'cracking' noise on lock - so it will be changed as soon as the horrible weather lets up.

bmcecosse wrote:Job done today, in light drizzle just before the HEAVY rain came on -and yes - cleaning away the horrible grease did reveal the clip. Have to say it's an easier task than changing a broken half-shaft! And the other side IS making slight 'cracking' noise on lock - so it will be changed as soon as the horrible weather lets up.

Sounds like a cock a doodle diddley up on the design front- expect the next series Meriva to have CV joints the next size up, not much comfort for you though!

I doubt it - they are built down to a price!