Quote:
Originally Posted by AustinM
the guy down the road from me has the chev versions
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Are they available or are they on a running vehicle? If they're available then you can pull out the complete axle shaft and CV joint assembly and use that. They're interchangeable between Fords and Chevs. At least, they are with the large 6" steering ends anyway. I know because I once replaced the damaged Rzeppa type joint on my Ford with the other type which I pulled out of a Chev. Yours are the small 4 7/8" steering ends but I would imagine they're interchangeable too. Of course, that's assuming the guy down the road has the small steering ends.
Whether or not those ones are available, you'll definitely have to source a complete CV joint assembly. Even if you managed to find a new Rzeppa cage and balls they'd be no good to you. The tolerance between the cage and the outer joint is very tight, the slightest damage to either surface will cause them to bind, which is what caused this failure in the first place. Since the cage is damaged, the outer joint is obviously damaged too. You wouldn't even be able to fit a new cage in there, much less get it to move freely. That was the problem with my own Rzeppa joint, and that cage was only lightly scuffed in one spot.
As the Ford manual says about Rzeppa joints: "These joints are built to a high degree of precision, and should be treated and serviced with the same care as ball bearings. Freedom from grit or other foreign matter, as well as proper lubrication are very important."
In other words, your whole CV joint is scrap. You'll need to find another one, or at least another front end to pull one out of. They're easy enough to find over here, but of course shipping cost would be prohibitive. As I say, I'd be pretty confident you could use a Chev one, provided it's 4 7/8" of course.