DIY: E53 Rear CV Joint Regrease, the Simple Way!

[cn90]

DIY: E53 Rear CV Joint Regrease, the Simple Way!

- I regreased the REAR CV Joint of my E39 (1998 BMW 528i at 160K miles), when the REAR CV Joint made the “clanking noise” when switching from Reverse to 1st gear.

- Anyway, the job was a nightmare in the E39 simply b/c of rusty exhaust bolts. I wrote a DIY for the E39, please consult that first for tips/tricks:

DIY: 1998 528i (160K miles) Giubo, CSB, Rear CV Joint Re-grease - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums

- The E53 (2006 BMW X5 6sp-MT) developed the clanking noise at 125K miles, much sooner than the E39, probably b/c the E53 is heavier.

- I decided to regrease REAR CV Joint in the E53 X5 using the “easy way”.
- The E53 is much easier since you don’t have to remove the exhaust system.
- Since the Giubo is still good at 125K miles, and I was not in the mood to undo those Giubo bolts, I did it the “easy way”.

- The CSB has slight play but no noise during driving, so I did not replace it. Maybe at 160K, I will replace both the Giubo and CSB, but that is for later, a few years from now.

- Put X5 on 4 wood ramps as shown. Car in 1st Gear, Parking Brake on.

- Heat Shield: this is optional, you cannot remove it with the exhaust in place but you can undo the mounting screws and let the heat shield drop down.

- Undo the six (6) 16-mm nuts. You can do the bottom 4 nuts and need to rotate the DS a bit to get to the other 2 nuts. Either lift up one rear tire (car in neutral, be careful, car can move if parking brale not good, make sure you chock the tires!) or drive the car forward about 6-8 inches. Whatever, observe safety and make sure the car does not roll on you!!!

- For torque values, look them up online. I believe Giubo torque is 74 ft*lb. I don’t know the torque for the REAR CV 16-mm nuts, but I just tightened nice and tight lol. Mark the 2 halves just in case, this is optional but I don’t want vibration later.

- Mark the CSB so you place it back in the same spot later (it is called “preload”). Remove the two (2) 13-mm bolts and let the DS hang down. This will allow the REAR CV Joint to be separated enough to inject grease in there.

- NOTE: Paper Gasket is #18 and the Metal Cover is #19. You don’t need to completely separate the 2 halves (which requires removing the Giubo), all you care is enough space to inject grease.

- Wedge the CV Joint as shown, then use a small screwdriver to gently lift the Metal Cover a bit.

- I didn’t have the grease gun but you should use a grease gun. I simply used a coffee stirrer or screwdriver and insert the grease inside. You will notice that after some 125K miles, the grease is kind of “liquidy” and not “soapy”, thus the clanking sound. If you have a syringe, I guess you can use it to inject grease. Whatever suits you. BTW, clean the outside first to avoid introducing dirt inside.

- You can get this whole thing done in 1 hour.

- Anyway, this is a nice and easy way to get rid of the clanking noise without the need to remove the driveshaft.

[cn90]

OK Update.

This technique (shoving grease into the CV Joint using screwdriver) does not work.
The slight clanking sound is still there, it is a minor sound for now. I will do it the correct way later: removing the driveshaft from the X5.

- The key thing is how to get grease into the "fore" portion of the CV Joint.
- If you look at the typical BMW DS CV Joint, the balls in the cage work in the same way as an axle of a FWD car.
- The problem is: the space "fore" of the balls is limited and the amount of grease in that space is small. With time, the grease liquefies (all grease does that with time/mileage) and flows out of that small space to the "aft" portion of the CV Joint, thus the clanking sound when you switch from reverse to forward: this happens as the balls are thrown in different directions without enough grease ---> clanking sounds.

- Not a big deal, as the CV joint is about $180, if you need to replace it, then replace it. On youtube, there are a lot videos showing you how to replace it. This happens as people ignore the clanking sound for a long time, such as 30K-50K miles of ignoring the sound.
- But if you take good care of the DS Rear CV Joint by greasing it every 125K-150K, it will last the life of the car.


Options:
1. Maybe if you can design a syringe with a 90-degree hard tube (such as a bent small copper pipe) that allows you to inject grease into that tight space.

2. Remove the DS and do it the proper way as I did in my 1998 528i.

[crystalworks]

Are you sure that the clinking is from the CV joint? I had a clinking sound under initial acceleration (forward or reverse) that was solved by servicing the drive shafts. I did a thread on my experience (hope yours is easier than mine). Cliffs notes: new guibos front/rear, greased front driveshaft splines, and new rear DS center support bearing. Wanted to regrease rear CV joint, but was advised not to by the owner of the old shop I worked at.

Noise has not been heard since the above servicing. If you want to compare the noise I was experiencing with yours, you can hear it in this video clip. Listen for it at about 15 seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWAol58HgMg

Edit: Here is a link to my experience with the above clanking. https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...k-success.html

[cn90]

Yes,

Went through that with my E39 1998 528i, repacking the DS Rear CV joint fixed the clanking noise.

See the DIY link above.

[crystalworks]

Okay, just checking. Keep us updated. Hopefully you have a clank free driveline in the near future.

BTW, was the noise similar to the one I was experiencing?

[andrewwynn]

i heard more of a 'creak' in the video (wonderful exhaust note and acceleration i'm envious). My car makes more of a 'thunk' on initial acceleration or changing from reverse to forward. I've been assuming it's the subframe bushings shot and the subframe is shifting around as I also get a thunk over certain expansion joints etc when under power (e.g. up slight grade, hit a bump, i get a distinct thump in the back). Crazy driveshaft story good feedback for an eventual repair; i'm suspecting my wife's driveshaft or CSB as the cause; sounds a lot like a wheel bearing hum but seems to be under my ass when driving. I do have one wheel bearing i didn't replace yet on her car and plan to replace that soon just to preemptively strike since i've replace 3 of 4 already. I get a constant subtle humm with her car that doesn't change with power on/off (as if differential) no change in neutral, but I had obvious vibration that went away when i changed the front left wheel bearing. (there was more, louder humm also but the hum got quieter and vibration in the steering wheel went away when i changed the front left bearing). now with a constant but quieter hum that i can't pin on a corner, i'm suspecting drive shaft or CSB any feedback on the similarity of if the CSB itself fails will i get a similar sound? i'm thinking i might be starting to feel a minor vibration as well.

[cn90]

- Just came across the E34 CV Boot fix for E39:
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...Joint-Boot-fix

- I hate removing driveshaft just to grease the area FORE of the CV Joint (the area under the rubber boot). Just to much work to undo the Giubo area and the 6 nuts at the REAR CV Joint area.

- Mine still makes the clanking noise simply b/c I could not get enough grease to the area below the rubber boot itself. For the X5, I wonder if I should drill a tiny hole right underneath where the half-moon plate (that connects 2 bolts together), inject grease (using my syringe and needle combo), then re-install the half-moon plate to seal it.

- This is my thinking at this time...what do you guys think?



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[cn90]

New idea just came up: instead of drilling a hole as mentioned above, I am thinking...

1. Remove both bolts and the half-moon plate.

2. Use a very small screwdriver (like jewellery screwdriver etc.), gently lift the corner up a tiny bit, just enough for a grease needle to get it and patiently inject grease...LOL.

What do you guys think (YELLOW arrow is what I am thinking)...


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[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by cn90

New idea just came up: instead of drilling a hole as mentioned above, I am thinking...

1. Remove both bolts and the half-moon plate.

2. Use a very small screwdriver (like jewellery screwdriver etc.), gently lift the corner up a tiny bit, just enough for a grease needle to get it and patiently inject grease...LOL.

What do you guys think (YELLOW arrow is what I am thinking)...


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Why not drill a hole, tap it and install a zirc fitting? Then grease away whenever you want?

[Bmwe5320023.0]

I separated my rear driveshaft cv joint in 2 pieces.
Bunch of small little steel balls came out lol.
Can I just put them back in their respective spots and it will be fine?
The grease inside was black, and I'm missing some that spilled now.
What grease is recommended for this application and do I have to completely remove the old one or it's ok to mix them?