hello,

I need to replace the cv-joint outer rubber. If I unscrew the central wheel bolt, will the suspension spring fall down cause I see they attached? I looked in the haynes book which says to hold the driveshaft into transmission, it's unclear to me where to hold exactly and what (I don't have a lift the car will be jacked).

Not knowing your car suspension set-up usually the following has to be done.

A) Raise the car with a jack and support car with axle stand (for safety).

Remove road wheel

C) (apply foot-brake) while Hub-nut being released/ removed.

D) Release lower suspension (probably a swivel joint which has to be split).

E) While pulling lower suspension away from car, push drive-shaft end back through Hub bearings.

It is at this point to avoid pulling opposite end of drive-shaft out from gear-box, which could allow gear-box oil to spill-out onto ground.

F) Cut old gaiter off, and tap off outer drive-shaft CV joint (which is normally held-on by a little wire-type circlip).

G) Push on new gaiter, down the drive-shaft.

H) Tap CV joint back onto drive-shaft.

I) Pack CV joint with grease (usually supplied with new gaiter)

J) Slide gaiter into position and secure with gaiter ties (usually supplied with gaiter)

TOO RE-ASSEMBLE

Reversal of removal procedure, from (E) .

Ensure wheel Hub-nut tightened to correct torque, you may have to use a new Hub-nut?

This is a very rough guide and not necessarily correct in every aspect.

A 'HAYNES' manual is recommended to cover your model type vehicle/car.

Other members hopefully will add more accurate information.

Good-luck

Edited 6 July, 201016 yr by giandougl

Don't jack the car up or remove the wheel before you remove the hub nut - if you do it like that you'll shear off the disc mounting screw (as all the torque will be on a single M6 screw). Just loosen the hub nut while the car is on the ground with the foot brake on, but don't take it all the way off, just crack it loose and then jack the car up, don't remove the wheel yet and get the nut off; then you can remove the wheel.

New hub nuts aren't needed on reassembly.

To answer the unaddressed point, the spring/damper unit can't fall out when you undo the lower swivel because it's bolted to the car at the top end; you should be able to see the relevant nut(s) inside the engine bay. Even if you do unbolt the top mount from the inner wing, there still won't be a "boing" noise as the spring escapes, because the spring top pan is bolted to the damper.

^^ as darren says, slacken the hub nut whilst the car is on the ground on it's wheels, you will need to undo and remove the pinch bolt that holds the bottom ball joint into the hub carrier, then either use a balljoint splitter or a long lever bar to lever the track control arm/balljoint out of the hub carrier, on the felicia the balljoint cannot normally be seperated from the track control arm becuase they are rivetted on, unless it's been replaced with an aftermarket one at some point in which case you could just unbolt the balljoint rather than having the split it

when the hub nut is undone you should be able to slide the outer cv joint out of the wheel hub.. you do not need to hold the drivesahft into the gearbox per se, but pulling on it too hard can seperate the inner joint from it's cage.. the outer joint is only retained by a small circlip so you should be able to just tap it off the end of the shaft with a hide or copper mallet. dont forget to put the new rubber onto the shaft before you put the joint back on and make sure it's round the right way too, again just a tap from a mallet and you will feel the circlip 'click' into the groove on the driveshaft when it is fully home..

on models with an antiroll bar fitted it can be quite tricky to seperate the balljoint using a lever bar, but it can be done.. dont lever on the driveshaft or anti roll bar!

Edited 8 July, 201016 yr by TeflonTom

thanks guys, I appreciate you help very much, all done now.

Edited 9 July, 201016 yr by skalber