BX outer CV joint circlip missing - problem?

czenda · Post by **czenda** » 01 Apr 2005, 01:20

I plan to change left driveshaft, gaiters and lip seal this weekend (BX 1.6). I have a complete one as a spare part.
The driveshaft is missing a circlip in the groove, i.e. the rod itself can be removed from the outer CV easily.
The picture in Haynes BOL shows one, and the circlip is present in original Cit drawing (part number 96995619) as well.
Is the circlip critical for the driveshaft function? If so, is it a special circlip (needed as a spare part from a dealer) or can it be replaced with some general-purpose one?
Thanx.

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 01 Apr 2005, 01:33

It is a wire circlip, I would prefer it to be there, I have seen a Rover strip a spline because the shaft rode out of the joint until there was not enough spline for the load .
Stewart

mpr1956 · Post by **mpr1956** » 01 Apr 2005, 02:24

I lost my circlip on the left shaft (1.9rd) while doing gaiters, I had no easy way of obtaining a new one -so reassembled without it, forgot about it... and drove for three years with no problems... but I agree with oilyspanner... these little things are there for a purpose, get one if you can (when refitting the shaft into the cv, a sharp tap with a soft hammer is needed to "insert" the circlip into its groove inside the cv body) .

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 01 Apr 2005, 04:26

This circlip would be a cheap part. Just try your local dealer.
If no Citroen dealer around - try a peugeout dealer. Even your local blacksmith.
The circlip locks the CV joint to the axle. It is quite important as you may risc noisy oscillations in the driveaxle. Quite scaring during drive (how do I know [}:)] )

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 01 Apr 2005, 05:52

Mine got lost 70000 miles ago!! They are only there so the joint doesn't fall apart when its being handled and are a bit like the screws that hold discs in position-you can live without them.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 01 Apr 2005, 14:48

When I fitted a GKN boot to my outer CV joint it came complete with a new circlip. What a shame it was too big to fit in the groove and I had to re-use the old one.
They came with some boot kits.
jeremy

czenda · Post by **czenda** » 02 Apr 2005, 03:25

I bought and installed the circlip this afternoon. It cost me only 0.2 EURO and the local Cit dealer had it in its warehouse.
Unbelievable... I spent more for the gasoline to get there than for the circlip itself. Unfortunately, the hardware store just around the corner does not have any wire circlips on stock... they only have those with square cross-section.
Now I know why Anders mentioned the blacksmith! Funny that a piece of wire can have an original piece number assigned...
It surely looked more impressive on the drawing[:D].
Thanx to all, your help is very apreciated (one must resolve the problem theoretically first, right?[:)])