You are correct. The ball bearing cage must be install first,
before you put it on the shaft.

            Eric                   86-VW4x4
            vw4x4@fyi.net          72-240z
            Pittsburgh, PA USA     1936-Chrysler

On Sat, 1 May 1999, Marshall Ruskin wrote:

> Volks:
>
> I'm having real trouble reinstalling my cv's - I think I may have done it
> wrong, here's the problem:
>
> I have my half axle out. The inner race, and bearing cage are on the half
> axle. Problem is, I can't get the outer race back on.
>
> Where I think I'm in error, is that I NOW! think the inner race has to be
> removed from axle, and entire CV reassembled first, then pressed back onto
> axle.
>
> What is strange here is that the outer race came off, basically, all by
> itself, without any jiggling or wiggling etc. Now I can't get it back on.
>
> The "complicating thing" is that my inner races are extremely tight on the
> axle, and I had to get one pressed off by shop hydralics to slide the
> replacement boot on.
>
> So, should I buy a gear puller, to remove said inner race, and then assemble
> cv and pound back onto axle? Or is there some way to get outer race onto CV,
> with inner race still on half-axle?
>
> TIA
>
> Marshall Ruskin
> 84 Westy "Iron Igloo"
> Founding Member of "Vanagon's Anonymous"
>