CV boot replacement questions

[Krunk]

I was wondering since it seems I can only get a reman axle around here if I would be better off just replacing the boots in my axles. I was looking on rock auto and seems I can get some good boots for pretty cheap was going to do inner and outer, one of my outer boots is ripped so needs replacing soon. I have noticed no clunking knocking around corners yet so at least its holding good for now. What say you oh guru's of T4wd?

[Petros]

to do properly it is a big job, and you still end up with used CV joints. If you hold the axle shaft in your hands (out of the car) and rotate the ends in opposite directions, you can feel the wear/slop in the joints. IF there is no play in the CV joints, than it is worth cleaning them, putting in new CV grease, and installing new boots.

[Krunk]

nice answer, I probably will not pull them out to check, might as well just replace, where can i get new axles?

[ARCHINSTL]

Go for GSP or EMPI new axles; the GSP are virtually the same price as remans and much better. GSP is at Advance and others. Dunno about sourcing for EMPI or price - do a Search. They come highly recommended as well. And get new seals as well.
Tom M.

[Krunk]

Thanks Tom for manufacturer info, I will look them up for sure. Just want to make sure I do not get reman one's

[keith]

If your axles do not click when you accelerate on turns, just replacing the boots should be enough. I've had just about every reman click on turns right away. But if you want new, here is a link to some EMPI's. This is what I used and I highly endorse them. When I got mine, it did not come with choices between the number of splines as two of these do now.

This where I got mine:

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/searc ... eplacement

[ARCHINSTL]

A caveat if dealing with Auto Parts Warehouse...
Be certain to specify that you want both axles shipped at the same time - or no axles.
Since it shows 2 DS and 2 PS EMPI axles for our cars - check with EMPI first for the exact ones you need before relying on the word of an APW "salesman."

I had an unpleasant experience with APW over a Bosal exhaust catback and front pipe: https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php? ... use#p43353
Interestingly, APW still shows the Bosal catback in stock - it ain't... Bosal has yet to produce them again.
Tom M.

[dlb]

i put new boots on the CV's of my wifes toyota pickup about a year ago. i admit it was a bit of a pain in the ass but if money is an issue and you have f*cked boots on CV's that are still in good condition, it's worth it.

if you're really pressed for time, though, you can use a heavy ziploc bag and zip-ties to keep the joint relatively clean. i did a ton of work rebuilding a VW westfalia this last summer and one of the CV's on it had a badly torn boot. i had a deadline to have it ready by though and i didn't get to the CV so just before we took it on our roadtrip i zip-tied a ziploc freezer bag around the damaged boot. i STILL haven't gotten to it because i figured the 1500 km road trip would have shredded the bag but it's still on there and the CV is still noise-free. here's a pic:



not that i endorse this kind of thing. we just don't use the van much in the winter and working in an unheated shelter in winter sucks so i'm leaving any more work on it until the spring.

[takza]

If that held for 1500 kms...it sure beats the **** out of the $30 bolt on boot I have on my truck. Of course that runs on the rear axle and doesn't get much flex like it might on a front axle. But on my truck it isn't turning that often anyway. Good idea.

[dlb]

it's actually held for about twice that because i wound up driving the van around here in september. you're right about the rear axle not having to work as hard as a front axle due to not turning but sh*t, i was still impressed too. i can't wait to fix it though.

[splatterdog]

Finally! A split boot worth every penny...

[Krunk]

This is an awesome thread, love the ghetto quick fixes, always nice to know a few tricks. Thanks for the awesome responses.

[Petros]

I was inspecting under my car this morning and discovered a damaged boot (on an axle with good cv joints). So inspired by David Lucas Barns I did my own "instant boot" repair. I cleaned off the outside of the boot and wrapped about 10 or 12 layers of heavy duty saran wrap around the boot (I jacked the tire up and rotated the wheel so it wrapped in the direction of rotation). Than tied it off with a couple of zip-ties. I do not know how long it will hold up, but it only took a few min to install and should be stronger than the baggie, more flexible anyway.

[North of 64]

Checking out old posts for an easy and longer term winter boot. I seem to go through boots on a far too regular basis probably crossing the ice bridge does them in quicker. Has anyone tried a sturdier fabric or leather wrap over the rubber or saran or ziplock repair?

[celtglen]

Checking out old posts for an easy and longer term winter boot. I seem to go through boots on a far too regular basis probably crossing the ice bridge does them in quicker. Has anyone tried a sturdier fabric or leather wrap over the rubber or saran or ziplock repair?

North, Once I used duck tape to wrap the boots after they got slits in them. I wrapped the tape loosely in an accordion like manner...lasted about 2 years. I have often thought of designing zippered heavy-duty leather boots probably too costly to produce.