As per title. It's a 6n2 Polo.

So I was doing my front suspension, pushed down on the hub to get the shock in place and pulled the CV joint off the drive shaft. I thought I'd just replace it as the boot was corroded anyway.

I fitted the new CV joint last weekend. Greased the CV joint, put the boot on, thrust washer and other washer on the end of the shaft as per the Haynes manual, left the original circlip - which fits into the fine groove on the end of shaft - in place because I'm lazy, drove the CV joint on, put copious amounts of grease inside the boot and sealed it with the metal fasteners. Then, with the wheel off, I put the hub back in place and tightened the hub nut up, checking the opposite side to gauge how much thread should be exposed. Wheel back on, tightened the hub nut up some more. Then I took it for a wheel alignment because the camber was way off.

Cut to mid-week and I noticed something's rumbling like a mofo. The outer metal fastener had somehow slid off the boot but the boot was still sat in place on the joint. I figured it might have lost some grease and this would account for the noise.

So today I go to fix it, but as I go to take the wheel off I notice there's loads of play. Note that my wheel bearing was fine prior to the "incident". If I grab the drive shaft, there's like an inch lateral play, i.e. I can push it in towards the gearbox by about an inch. I fix the boot/grease issue, tighten up the hub not so there's no play but I can no longer spin the wheel by hand. In the car, go to drive, the O/S wheel won't turn (easily).

Wheel back off, hub nut off. If I push the drive shaft in towards the gearbox as much as I can, you can't even get the hub nut on because the threads are inside the hub. It's like the drive shaft is too short...

This is probably something stupid because I am a bit of a retard. Any thoughts? How is it possible to tighten the hub nut such that the wheel won't spin because it's too tight?! It wasn't even on very tight!

The hub nut torque is to preload the wheel bearing to ensure there's no play.

You torque it to a certain amount which should pull the shaft up; then crack it off and retorque.

The inch of movement sounds like "pluge" which is where you can move the shaft back and forth in the CVs

The hub nut torque is to preload the wheel bearing to ensure there's no play.

You torque it to a certain amount which should pull the shaft up; then crack it off and retorque.

The inch of movement sounds like "pluge" which is where you can move the shaft back and forth in the CVs

Do you know the torque settings? Workshop manual says 200 Nm then loosen one turn, then 50 Nm, then mark one 12 point on the bolt, the next 12 point on the hub and tighten till they align. Does this sound right?

The hub nut torque is to preload the wheel bearing to ensure there's no play.

You torque it to a certain amount which should pull the shaft up; then crack it off and retorque.

The inch of movement sounds like "pluge" which is where you can move the shaft back and forth in the CVs

Do you know the torque settings? Workshop manual says 200 Nm then loosen one turn, then 50 Nm, then mark one 12 point on the bolt, the next 12 point on the hub and tighten till they align. Does this sound right?

This is from ElsaWin

Tighten 12-point nut to 200 Nm and then loosen one turn.

‒ → Tighten 12-point nut. 50 Nm + turn 45° further

I did that and it came loose!

you also might want to use a new hub nut...

I used a new hub nut. ^^

I've just done some investigation. Basically the wheel was binding because there's a lip on the joint. As you torque it up, it pulls the joint in towards the hub and the lip meets the wheel bearing housing. There's grazing on the lip where it had been scraping against the wheel bearing housing, which would explain the noise. So if you torque it to 200 Nm, the lip is up against the housing and the wheel binds.

Is this normal? Torquing it to 200 Nm is to draw it in to the hub right? So loosing and torquing it to 50 Nm will give it the correct offset it needs to prevent binding? Or do I have the wrong CV joint? I'd imagine there should be a stop on the shaft to stop the joint going so far in to the hub that the wheel won't turn!

you may have had a ball fall out of the cv joint, if you found it difficult to install or had a tight spot and just hammered it on- this is more then likely and will result in the play you have- will also stop it turning as it will lock up trying to turn.

remove strut and investigate the cv joint is working correctly

I've booked it into a garage who quoted £90 to pick up the car and replace the CV joint. If the current CV joint is correct and just not fitted correctly, they'll just charge for labour. Can't argue with that. Thanks for your help.

Grrr. Had the car back and it seemed fine but on almost full lock right, it grinds like a bitch. In reverse there's almost no drive because there's so much resistance and so little torque. They're going to have a look tomorrow but can somebody confirm that it probably hasn't been fitted right?

Btw they also replaced the wheel bearing because apparently the CV joint was wrong and it shagged the bearings.

Yeah if the nut isn't tight enough it will ruin the bearing

Had it back from the garage and apparently the splash shield was scraping against the CV joint. Seems fine now.