Hi guys,
I need to change out my cv joint and boot (joint clicks when turning, and boot is ripped), so I need some instructions on how to do it. I've never done anything like this before so some step by step installation instructions would be great.

I found this joint kit on ebay: 2006-07 POLARIS SPORTSMAN 500 FRONT OUTER ATV CV JOINT | eBay. Is this what I need? If so do I need any special tools to install it?

My wheeler is a 2007 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI Stealth.

 

go under the expert section in the sticky and read the thread in how to do it.

 

First off are you sure its just the outer cv joint and not the plunging joint also?? Just from my experience (and you can take it or leave it) I replaced only the outer cv on a couple machines and had em come back a little later with the plunging joint click clacking also! Then had to end up ordering the plunging joint which ended up costing more than if I had ordered the whole assembly to begin with! Just again this is what I encountered a couple times,after that I pulled the drive shafts and checked for any slack in BOTH the cv and plunging joint! This cost the customers more when bought separately and I learned after the second time on partial repair! As far as the kit should be ok,but a lot of guys haven't been satisfied with after market boots and the clamps. Most of the guys will probably say stay with the OEM boots?? Others will jump in and give their opinions I'm sure and you can decide which way to go! Good luck OPT

 

How do I know it's the outer joint and not the plunging joint as well?

 

One way we used to do at the shop was have some one follow behind as we moved slowly on the atv to try to locate where the sound was coming from,plunging joint or the out board cv. What I ended up doing was to pull the drive shaft and locking the shaft in a vice and "twist "the plunging joint and the outer cv joint and see where an "excessive" amount of play was noticed. A brand new drive shaft will basically have NO slack on either end!! A lot of times while riding you can slowly turn right or left which will extend the plunging joint outward and will make noise.That is if you turn "right" it forces the right plunging joint further in and the left side slides out. Vice versa on"left" turns,the right plunging joint slides out and can make noise. I finally started just checking the play in a vice,but like I said I've been "snakebit" on a couple machines that I just replaced either the cv or plunging joint and later the other one would start making noise! This usually happened on the older machines and if you have a fairly new one,just replacing the one where the boot and the cv were damaged will usually be okay. Hope you understand what I'm "jabbering" about! OPT

 

I am also working on the rear drive shafts for the first time. Mine is an 05 Sportsman 500 I got from my father who is notorious for not taking care of things besides his farm equipment. When backing up, it would click and on outer boot was badly torn. When I finally got the right rear with the torn boot off an carried it over the the work bench, a bearing from the plunger side plopped out on the table. I have no idea how it came out and doubt I will ever get back in. I am under the impression the plunger is shot, is that a correct statement?

Anybody know anything about American CV? Seems too good to be true.

http://www.americancvstore.com/servl...MAN-500/Detail

Or STI Slashers. I'm not hard core wheeler, so don't need super heavy duty. Do my hard riding on a 2 wheeled KTM.

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...J6jg&cad=rjaCV man has what you'll need. And they also have heavy duty axles available.

 

Here is two great videos, one is for a Arctic Cat but no matter its done the same way the other is how a CV joint is taken apart and cleaned.

Changing ATV CV boot on 2003 Arctic Cat 400 Automatic - YouTube

polaris cv joint disassembly front axle scrambler 400-500 4x4 - YouTube

 

not trying to high jack a thread here but, i kinda have the same senario, wondering if anyone has had the joints apart, i have a basket case, i need to assemble the outter joint and have no idea which way the cage and race go, on the race there is a small gap (1/8 inch or so)before the splines begin(other splines start right away) and on the cage there is groove on one end and a champfered edge on the other, i have no idea what way these both go towards the wheel or chassis, if someone could please help,thanks travis

 

welcome to the forum. i could be wrong as it's been years since i had one apart, but i thought it really could only go one way by figuring out the bevel of the cage or is it the same? either way maybe whos done it recently can tell for sure, but i know mine went together on the 800 w/out any issues.