Photo Tech: CV Axles A look inside a joint.

Andrew Markel is the director of content for Underhood Service magazine. He has been with Babcox Media for 20 years. He is a technician and former service writer and holds several automotive certifications from ASE and aftermarket manufacturers.

Published: Feb 15, 2013

wear in a rzeppa cv joint typically occurs on the cage, gear and cup. this wear is typically caused by a loss of lubrication due to a boot failure, or debris in the joint. once heat treated surfaces are damaged, they typically cannot be restored. rzeppe cv joint can be found on the majority of vehicles on the road. a typical rzeppa joints allow 45°–48° of articulation. the materials used to make the boot are not just plastic or rubber. they designed to last millions of cycles in a wide range of temperatures. new axles should always get a new axle nut. grease is often packed by hand at the factory. if there is too much grease, the grease will be pushed out of the boot. if you are servicing a joint, use only the recommended amount or only what comes in the kit. tone rings are often pressed onto a cv joint. make sure the number of teeth match the old axle.

Belts and Pulley Alignment

A misalignment of the plane of the belt can occur when a pulley is not parallel to the other pulleys on the belt drive system.

By Andrew Markel

Published: Mar 21, 2024

Drive Belt Alignment Alignment is key to the health of an engine belt. The belt drive system is designed to create friction between the grooves on the belt and pulley to transfer power from the crankshaft to the alternator, water pump or power steering pump. If the grooves on the belt do not align with the pulleys, the friction won’t be evenly applied and can result in wear and noise.