206 GTI - CV Axle Retaining Ring?

[206GTI_NZ]

Hi all. I'm in the process of replacing my lower control arms (and a rear engine mount). I've intentionally removed the right side CV axle so I could change the engine mount. However, I accidentally removed the left side CV while moving the left wheel hub. I went to refit the CV but it wouldn't lock. So I checked for the retaining ring but there isn't one on the CV and I can't see any in the transmission output. This is the GTI 136 model.

It feels like the CV might be sprung loaded and I'm wondering if maybe it doens't need a circlip? I can't see any reference to a circlip on any exploded views of either the CV or the transmission, but I don't want to put it back together if that's not right!

Can anyone help to confirm if this model has a retaining ring or not? And if so, where it should be?

Thanks,
Danny (New Zealand)

[MattBLancs]

Just to check: the inner CV on the left hand driveshaft (I.e. the short one?)
There's no locking circlip on this, just align the splines and push it in.
It's the same on all BE gearboxes to my knowledge.

In fact, the ease with which this goes in or rather comes out (!!) is why I've taken to draining the gearbox oil if I'm to do suspension work on the front left. The number of times it's slipped out, despite my best efforts not to let it do so - less clean up if I deliberately let the gearbox oil out before starting!

[MattBLancs]

P.s. hello from England!

[206GTI_NZ]

Awesome, thanks. Yes, the shorter left one and it did come out quite easily. Lucky id already drained the gearbox. Then I was worried I'd lost the clip! It's my son's car and don't want it to go wrong.

Now I just need to get the hub back into the lower ball joint on the control arm. He'll need to help me with that I think.

The 206 GTI is actually quite rare here so parts are expensive and difficult to source. I actually bought them from Autodoc.uk and had them delivered to a friend in Croydon who then forwarded them to me. Still worked out about a quarter of the cost of sourcing locally!

[MattBLancs]

Getting the wishbone low enough to pop the ball joint into place is the challenge. A length of timber (I have a length of 3"X2" (50x75mm) timber about 1500mm long) a few shorter blocks and something to wrap around the wishbone (e.g. tie down strap (not a bungee rope!), or even some old mains cable will do. If you set that up you can use your bodyweight on the timber lever and then have both hands free to shove the hub about.

I've recently got one of these:

Wishbone leverage tool thingy

But not used it in anger as yet!

[MattBLancs]

Give the lip seal a good look over (where driveshaft pushes into the gearbox)

They are easily damaged, but just a generic lip seal so should be able to source locally at reasonable cost.