What is a Rzeppa axle?

What is a Rzeppa axle?

Rzeppa joints A Rzeppa joint (invented by Alfred H. Rzeppa in 1926) consists of a spherical inner shell with 6 grooves in it and a similar enveloping outer shell. Each groove guides one ball. The input shaft fits in the centre of a large, steel, star-shaped “gear” that nests inside a circular cage.

How does a Rzeppa joint work?

The Rzeppa joint is a specific type of constant velocity joint—the ball and socket design involves 6 balls working with inner and outer races to transmit constant velocity torque from many different angles. Especially when the angle of the intersecting rotating shafts is expected to change frequently during service.

What is the difference between tripod and Rzeppa CV joints?

For race cars, there are other benefits to the tripod joint. The tripod joint is more compact than the Rzeppa joint. The result is that a tripod joint of the same size as a Rzeppa joint is stronger or a tripod joint with the same strength as the Rzeppa joint is smaller and lighter.

What damage can a torn CV boot cause?

When a CV boot cracks or tears it will usually leak grease onto the inside of the wheel. Often times the grease can also be flung onto the chassis or other parts on the underside of the vehicle as the CV axle turns.

How do you pronounce Rzeppa joint?

  1. Phonetic spelling of Rzeppa. ch-eh-p-p-ah. rzep-pa. zeh/puh.
  2. Meanings for Rzeppa. Rzeppa is the name of a constant velocity joint used in front wheel automotive drives. Invented by Alfred H. Rzeppa in 1926.
  3. Translations of Rzeppa. Chinese : 尔泽泊

For what reasons are CV joint boots used?

The CV joints, or axles, are covered by a sealed plastic or rubber “boot”. The purpose of the boot is keeping dirt and moisture out. They also enclose the grease packed around the joint, which serves to lubricate the moving parts.

Is a CV joint the same as a universal joint?

A constant velocity (CV) joint does essentially the same thing as a U-joint, only better. There are two basic types: “ball-and groove” CV joints (called “Rzeppa” joints after the person who invented them) and “tripod” CV joints.

Should I replace CV boot or axle?

Replacing a CV Boot Many repair shops, though, will recommend replacing the entire axle if a boot is torn because there may be unseen damage to the CV joints, axle shafts and other parts that could result in other problems. Outer boots (the ones closest to a wheel) are more prone to tears than inner boots.

Should you replace both CV axles at the same time?

On a high-mileage vehicle with a bad CV joint or boot, it’s often a good idea to replace both shafts at the same time. Often, the right (passenger side) shaft fails first because right turns are at a sharper angle than left turns, and right turns are more common than left turns.