CV Joint: Disconnect Outer Joint

Hello fellow enthusiasts,

I'm currently cursing!
Yesterday, I put on my winter tires, and lo and behold, the outer CV joint boot is essentially no longer there . Today, I bought a new one and immediately got to work. After I broke two wrenches on the inner hex head screw, it's now out. Next, I loosened the control arm mounting bolt using brute force and removed the control arms from the swivel joint. The wheel bearing is separated from the joint, so you might think you could pull the joint off the shaft. But somehow, the inner retaining ring in the joint has withstood all my attempts to disassemble it. Also, the previous suggestions from past threads here in the forum haven't worked. How did you do it otherwise? Do you remove the entire CV joint and disassemble it on a workbench, or is there another way?

'I experienced this last fall on my Passat. I simply screwed in the retaining bolt (you have to replace it anyway). Then, you'll eventually feel some resistance, and if you keep turning, the joint on the driveshaft will briefly detach. Maybe this will help you!'

Otherwise, a slide hammer puller will probably be the only thing that works.

Hi Marco,

Okay, last weekend, I needed 30 minutes to replace the outer ball joint boot on my girlfriend's G2.
Normally, this usually goes smoothly... I just held the joint straight with my left hand and tapped the edge of the outer joint with a 500g hammer... *plop* - it came off. It's only secured with a retaining ring.

The hammer needs to have some weight, as the outer part of the joint isn't light. Otherwise, the spring ring will keep slipping back into the retaining groove, and you'll just end up denting the edge of the outer joint.

To drive out the axle, I always completely remove the outer joint from the wheel bearing.

Best regards, Rainer.

Normally, this usually goes smoothly... I just held the joint straight with my left hand and tapped the edge of the outer joint with a 500g hammer... *plop* - it came off. It's only secured with a retaining ring.


Yep, usually it's just a split ring. But I've also seen 'real' retaining rings on VW/Audi vehicles that can only be removed with the right tool. Of course, you wouldn't necessarily notice that in all that grease...
Therefore, for example, Opel shafts are generally completely removed. It's simply faster than fiddling around with them on the car.


The hammer needs to have some weight, as the outer part of the joint isn't light. Otherwise, the spring ring will keep slipping back into the retaining groove, and you'll just end up denting the edge of the outer joint.


Have you heard anything about 'Plastikhammer'? Do they also have them with a 1kg weight?

CU Gremlin.

Hello fellow enthusiasts,

Okay, the car is running again! Unfortunately, the trick with the socket wrench couldn't be applied because there was virtually no space for a wrench and socket. I would also have had to loosen the shock absorber. In the end, I used Rainer's method with a hammer. It didn't just pop off, and I actually had to hammer the joint off the shaft , but it came off, and that's all that matters. It's unbelievable that such a tiny retaining ring can hold the joint so tightly.

'@Gremlin, there was also a coil spring on the shaft. However, the retaining ring is located about 1 cm before the end of the shaft, and the joint is attached to the shaft along with the retaining ring. Therefore, you can't remove the ring without first disassembling the joint.'

Thanks, guys. Next time, I won't be so picky.

Gremlin wrote:

... Yep, usually it's just a split ring. But I've also seen "real" retaining rings on VAG vehicles that can only be removed with the appropriate tool. ...

Yes, waves before Bj 81... but hardly any TDI could be that old .
My Jetta, on the other hand, has these. You have to press the ring outwards and simultaneously push the joint downwards... Excellent work.