Hey, hopefully a couple of quickies.

How can I tell if my CVs are cactus when they are not in the car?
The reason I ask is because the centre race on one is easier to
manipulate inside the bell housing than the other.

Secondly, what have people found to work well for cleaning the CV, or the ball
holding thing on the shaft at the other end without disassembly?
I've spent a few hours with various things like rags, diesel, petrol, nitro, nylon brushes,
degreaser, grease remover, and more, and while it looks clean, there's still old grease
hiding in between the balls.
If I leave it there will the old grease (soakes in numerous explosive products )
be of any problem to the new grease that will go on with the new boots?

Thanks.

If you really want to get rid of that old stuff, you can simply leave it soaking in diesel over night to loosen it up, or try and blow it out with compressed air (yuk messy).

If you stand the shaft on it's end, it will act as a bucket and hold the diesel in overnight.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

just take your balls out and clean them

The looseness of the inner race: Brand new ones will be tight, as in hard to move just with your hands. If it's extremely loose, I would think about getting newies as they may not last much longer in current state.

If you do get new ones, they will last another 30 years so that's a good point

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Thanks for the words guys.

My situation with the CVs is that they don't appear to need replacing, but if I don't I can
see my car having to come apart later once it's finished.

Contrary to popular belief, a bit of wear in there doesn't hurt or make them click. If clicking on tight turns, it's usually because the grease has dried out.
If real dirty, just take them apart to clean. The ball cage has 2 flats on it, if you use the right swear words in sequence it all comes apart pretty easy.
BTW, NEVER use ordinary wheel bearing grease, they will seize. It must be a molygrease, or grease intended for CVs.
Castrol LMM works fine....

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Well that's good to know.

How much damage/what goes really wrong when the unit needs replacment?

On the disc brake ones it's often the bearings have spun & worn it, or the drive flange has rattled around and worn the spline and the shaft next to it.
Both probs are caused by the hub nut being allowed to get loose.
Also, the $90 drive flanges wear if the nut gets loose. Keep `em tight, it's less expensive!

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Time for another tedious question, can the pot joints be removed from the
gearbox for cleaning without pulling the rear of the diff casing off?
Will the engine oil have to be drained?
If it does come apart easy enough, will it mean the renewal of any clips, seals,
gaskets, bearings, etc?
If it doesn't I'll just have to clean it assembled.

You can remove the boot, then pull the shaft assembly out of the pot joint without draining oil or disturbing any seals.
You will need a new clip (or cable ties, but I hate em) for the boot.
If the pot joint boot is damaged the driveshaft has to come out- then take CV off, replace pot joint boot & reassemble.

If you want the pot joint off to replace diff seals, there is a special tool for this, looks like a wide cold chisel with a 32mm slot cut in it. Oil must be drained first.
<edit> you can use a hammer and chisel or VFB screwdriver if careful.

Seals are easy to change with the pot joints out.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.