Tomster
Beware of idiots
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Some may recall a while back that I had issue with my 2020 GT500CFTP the first time I had it out at the Daytona International Speedway. I run the car fast. I am in group 1 which is for pros/racers.
So, I ran the car hard enough that the passenger's side inner CV on the half shaft had overheated, which caused the grease to hit it's drop point, and no longer lubricate the CV. This caused a catastrophic failure of the joint leaving me dead in the water on the track forcing me to get a complimentary tow in.
There are a few things that can be done to mitigate the issue, such as wrapping or insulating the exhaust pipe near the CV, as well as repacking the joint with a high temperature grease that will not melt, stay in place, and continue to lubricate.
Enough time has gone by that the half shafts in the car have to come out for a refresh. I didn't feel like tearing the car apart and then rebuilding the half shafts on the spot, so I decided to take a spare set of shafts I had purchased a while back to rebuild them so that I could do a quick swap.
So, I figured I would share with you the process. Essentially, you tear down the inner CV, clean it all up so that there is ZERO residual grease, degrease with mineral spirits, and put it back together utilizing a heat resistant boot and a special grease that holds up to the rigors of Daytona. The problematic half shaft of the GT500 is the passenger's side inner CV. It just so happens that Ford makes a racing boot that perfectly fits the inner passenger CV of the GT500. It is the same part as the GT4 driver's side inner CV.... Yes, that's right, the driver's side GT4 inner CV perfectly fits the GT500 passenger's side CV. The boot is purpose built for racing. It withstands extreme high temperatures and also has a built-in ventilation gap to allow for expansion and contraction of the air in the CV.
This boot and grease works. Ever since I installed this system in my car, I have never had another problem. Unfortunately, they have to be taken down every so often which involves tearing the whole rear end apart to remove and replace the shaft. The job isn't difficult, just time consuming. Afterwards, it requires an alignment which I also accomplish myself.
So here are some of the steps involved.
First, you remove the straps holding the inner CV boot on and then peel back the boot.
Once complete, the CV inner housing retaining ring is removed. Be careful not to damage the retaining ring. You will need it for future use. If you look closely, just under the screwdriver, you will see the retaining clip. Carefully lift an edge and work it out.
Next, clean up all the grease as best you can. I found my fingers worked best to get the bulk. Then use a disposable rag to get the rest. It should look something like this.
Once all cleaned up, remove the CV joint cage assembly circlip. Pictured is the race on the shaft.
Use a 3 legged gear puller to remove the CV joint cage assembly (the CV race) and lay the parts out for a further cleaning.
Now, start cleaning all the associated parts using mineral spirits. If you have a parts washer, that would be best. They should look like this. Inspect all the parts for uneven or unacceptable wear. As you can see, this cage, race, and housing are lightly broken in with no significant wear.
Once all the parts are cleaned, its time to start putting it all together. Install the GT4 boot, cage, and race.
Use a soft 4lb dead blow hammer to reset the race onto the shaft to the proper depth. I set the race just past the circlip groove so that I could ensure the circlip was seated properly. I then used a 3 legged puller to pull the cage back snug (not too snug) against the circlip. Note how the race is sunk just a hair past the groove for the circlip. Again, back the race out with a 3 legged puller so it is snug against the circlip. Do not stand the half shaft up on the floor and impact the race. You might damage the outer CV. Hold the shaft with one hand and use the dead blow hammer to reset the race. Again, use a soft faced mallet, do not damage the race or splines.
Now it is ready for grease. I use a very special grease that many race teams use for competition. It is called Krytox GPL217. The stuff isn't cheap and it is toxic. The stuff has superior lubricity and has an extremely high drop point. The stuff is also very very expensive. Use the grease with care. I use 9mil black gloves and only in a well ventilated area.
Tune in tomorrow for the packing of the grease and final assembly.
So, I ran the car hard enough that the passenger's side inner CV on the half shaft had overheated, which caused the grease to hit it's drop point, and no longer lubricate the CV. This caused a catastrophic failure of the joint leaving me dead in the water on the track forcing me to get a complimentary tow in.
There are a few things that can be done to mitigate the issue, such as wrapping or insulating the exhaust pipe near the CV, as well as repacking the joint with a high temperature grease that will not melt, stay in place, and continue to lubricate.
Enough time has gone by that the half shafts in the car have to come out for a refresh. I didn't feel like tearing the car apart and then rebuilding the half shafts on the spot, so I decided to take a spare set of shafts I had purchased a while back to rebuild them so that I could do a quick swap.
So, I figured I would share with you the process. Essentially, you tear down the inner CV, clean it all up so that there is ZERO residual grease, degrease with mineral spirits, and put it back together utilizing a heat resistant boot and a special grease that holds up to the rigors of Daytona. The problematic half shaft of the GT500 is the passenger's side inner CV. It just so happens that Ford makes a racing boot that perfectly fits the inner passenger CV of the GT500. It is the same part as the GT4 driver's side inner CV.... Yes, that's right, the driver's side GT4 inner CV perfectly fits the GT500 passenger's side CV. The boot is purpose built for racing. It withstands extreme high temperatures and also has a built-in ventilation gap to allow for expansion and contraction of the air in the CV.
This boot and grease works. Ever since I installed this system in my car, I have never had another problem. Unfortunately, they have to be taken down every so often which involves tearing the whole rear end apart to remove and replace the shaft. The job isn't difficult, just time consuming. Afterwards, it requires an alignment which I also accomplish myself.
So here are some of the steps involved.
First, you remove the straps holding the inner CV boot on and then peel back the boot.
Once complete, the CV inner housing retaining ring is removed. Be careful not to damage the retaining ring. You will need it for future use. If you look closely, just under the screwdriver, you will see the retaining clip. Carefully lift an edge and work it out.
Next, clean up all the grease as best you can. I found my fingers worked best to get the bulk. Then use a disposable rag to get the rest. It should look something like this.
Once all cleaned up, remove the CV joint cage assembly circlip. Pictured is the race on the shaft.
Use a 3 legged gear puller to remove the CV joint cage assembly (the CV race) and lay the parts out for a further cleaning.
Now, start cleaning all the associated parts using mineral spirits. If you have a parts washer, that would be best. They should look like this. Inspect all the parts for uneven or unacceptable wear. As you can see, this cage, race, and housing are lightly broken in with no significant wear.
Once all the parts are cleaned, its time to start putting it all together. Install the GT4 boot, cage, and race.
Use a soft 4lb dead blow hammer to reset the race onto the shaft to the proper depth. I set the race just past the circlip groove so that I could ensure the circlip was seated properly. I then used a 3 legged puller to pull the cage back snug (not too snug) against the circlip. Note how the race is sunk just a hair past the groove for the circlip. Again, back the race out with a 3 legged puller so it is snug against the circlip. Do not stand the half shaft up on the floor and impact the race. You might damage the outer CV. Hold the shaft with one hand and use the dead blow hammer to reset the race. Again, use a soft faced mallet, do not damage the race or splines.
Now it is ready for grease. I use a very special grease that many race teams use for competition. It is called Krytox GPL217. The stuff isn't cheap and it is toxic. The stuff has superior lubricity and has an extremely high drop point. The stuff is also very very expensive. Use the grease with care. I use 9mil black gloves and only in a well ventilated area.
Tune in tomorrow for the packing of the grease and final assembly.
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