CV Axle Boot Replacement

[scotty339]

A worm clamp style will be far too thick to fit.

What you want are CV boot clamps. Much thinner and use a specific tool to crimp it down and hold it tight while increasing clearance.

As for the DIY, here you go. This is for the left, all it says for the right side is that you have to remove the strut before you do the shaft.

One sheet is on the rebooting of clamps and the other two are for replacing the CV.

Originally Posted by dachtera

Hey all - I see a ton of posts here about doing this repair DIY style, but I haven't read /how/ yet. Yes, I know that unless you've got a split boot you have to take stuff apart, however this is the part that is a mystery to me. I don't feel like blindly whacking on the CV.

I picked up a universal split boot, and the regular old hose clamp it came with was too large to fit inside the knuckle.

I've got the Beck Arnley regular boot, but again, I'm having a challenge finding details on the disassembly. I've already had the front end apart once to replace the control arms and strut, and I guess I can do it again if needed.

Or, does someone have a good solution for a split boot with better clamps.

Last idea, I could take the clamps from my B/A kit and crimp them on the split boot I already have.

Car is sitting idle now anyways, waiting on the EGR recall parts.

[M302_imola]

Originally Posted by dachtera

Hey all - I see a ton of posts here about doing this repair DIY style, but I haven't read /how/ yet. Yes, I know that unless you've got a split boot you have to take stuff apart, however this is the part that is a mystery to me. I don't feel like blindly whacking on the CV.

I picked up a universal split boot, and the regular old hose clamp it came with was too large to fit inside the knuckle.

I've got the Beck Arnley regular boot, but again, I'm having a challenge finding details on the disassembly. I've already had the front end apart once to replace the control arms and strut, and I guess I can do it again if needed.

Or, does someone have a good solution for a split boot with better clamps.

Last idea, I could take the clamps from my B/A kit and crimp them on the split boot I already have.

Car is sitting idle now anyways, waiting on the EGR recall parts.

I'm not sure I'd DIY this repair. The original shop that replaced my front passenger side cv boot messed it up. This shop works on a ton of upper end cars like porsche, VW, BMW so they do good work usually. I ended buying a new front axle and having another shop replace it. All is well now. The lead mechanic for the 2nd shop said it's really hard to reset the axle after replacing the boot that's why they only do the axle replacements. If you do decide to DIY, good luck. It's been done here with success, but you're right I haven't seen an exclusive DIY posted.

[djbmw1]

Just so that everyone is aware,.. you need some pretty expensive tools to do this job. For those of you that have already done it, how did you torque your axle nuts to 315 ft./lb.? That requires a massive 3/4" torque wrench that are several hundred dollars. Your 1/2" torque wrench will NOT do it. Not to mention the 12 point 36mm or whatever socket. How about re-installation of the axle shaft - most require an axle puller (Bav Auto #B8800102) as the fit is VERY tight. Sure, you can use a block of wood and beat the crap out of the axle to get it to go into the hub but then you're playing with fire on your new boot. Of course you'll also need the appropriate extensions and torx sockets as well.

Lets not also forget that you'll need a new axle nut as well that will need to be staked/tabbed once you've torqued it appropriately. Generally, this is done with an air hammer/air chisel.

Oh.. if you live in the rust belt then you'll likely also want a gear puller and/or a good air supply behind your air hammer to assist in the removal of the axle from the hub.

This is a DIY job IF you have the right tools already. Otherwise, you'll be dumping several hundred dollars into your tool box - and that's buying them at a discounted price from Harbor Freight/Princess Auto.

[yupetc]

Originally Posted by djbmw1

Just so that everyone is aware,.. you need some pretty expensive tools to do this job. For those of you that have already done it, how did you torque your axle nuts to 315 ft./lb.? That requires a massive 3/4" torque wrench that are several hundred dollars. Your 1/2" torque wrench will NOT do it. Not to mention the 12 point 36mm or whatever socket. How about re-installation of the axle shaft - most require an axle puller (Bav Auto #B8800102) as the fit is VERY tight. Sure, you can use a block of wood and beat the crap out of the axle to get it to go into the hub but then you're playing with fire on your new boot. Of course you'll also need the appropriate extensions and torx sockets as well.

Lets not also forget that you'll need a new axle nut as well that will need to be staked/tabbed once you've torqued it appropriately. Generally, this is done with an air hammer/air chisel.

Oh.. if you live in the rust belt then you'll likely also want a gear puller and/or a good air supply behind your air hammer to assist in the removal of the axle from the hub.

This is a DIY job IF you have the right tools already. Otherwise, you'll be dumping several hundred dollars into your tool box - and that's buying them at a discounted price from Harbor Freight/Princess Auto.

You are correct on the cost of tools. And to get that 36mm spline nut, I had to invest in a Milwaukee High Torque Impact Wrench. And instead of running the exact torque to factory spec, I just referenced the opposite side and count the pitch to thread the spline nut in. I have mechanic friends, and they basically said they never followed a factory torque spec when tightening up those spline nuts; they have high powered air tools and they just vroom vroom it in as much as they can get can call it.

You're also looking at breaking loose the ball joints from Thrust Arm, Control Arm, and Steering Joint. After everything's loose, you can just hammer-tap the Axle out with a correct pry bar. No need for slide hammer unless it's really jammed or rusted badly. Most of my efforts when I did the job, was spent on getting the CV out of the wheel bearing. Mine's got 185k miles when I was doing it, so it's fused in there quite hard. On passenger side, I ended up using this tool to get the CV loose from wheel bearing hub: https://www.cpooutlets.com/otc-tools.../otcn6980.html

When I did mine, I replaced the whole CV axle. If you locate the correct boot, please do share that info. For the life of me, I could never find it. And I'd love to stock a boot or two for the next rainy days. Happy Motoring.

[lonestar22]

Originally Posted by M302_imola

I wish I was that confident in my DIY skills to pull this off.



I see! See I saw none of that, but mechanic said they must have caught it right after it ripped. I haven't used this shop a lot, so I'm not fully trusting in them. Being a cv boot that you don't see unless the car is on a lift makes this one of the repairs I question if really needs repaired or if I'm just padding the wallet of the shop.

Regardless, I paid full price and I'm not happy about it I told the owner the outer cv boot repair is a 3 hour job (as I had my buddy who is a mechanic check) and he hemmed and hawed and said yes but this required some extra work. I looked him in the eyes and could tell he was lying. I paid it but I won't be using this shop again. I had called to talk about the repair and never got a call back. In fact, they close at 5:30 on Fridays and didn't get a call until 5:15 that my car would be ready by 6:00. Also, I had mud all in the wheel wells where they had parked it in their additional gravel parking lot (which had puddles from a lot of rain). Little shit like that sets me off because if it didn't register not to drive my car through a puddle then their attention to detail is shit in my book. Fuk that place!

A three hour job comes out to about $400 when you consider taxes and shop fees. Supplies etc. Everyone wants technicians to work for free. I don't understand it.

[yupetc]

Originally Posted by lonestar22

A three hour job comes out to about $400 when you consider taxes and shop fees. Supplies etc. Everyone wants technicians to work for free. I don't understand it.

I actually couldn't agree more. Hence, I always advocate to do it yourself or stop complaining.

[M302_imola]

Originally Posted by lonestar22

A three hour job comes out to about $400 when you consider taxes and shop fees. Supplies etc. Everyone wants technicians to work for free. I don't understand it.

Not work for free, but when the book says 3 hours and you're already under there doing a front control arm you typically cut the customer a break on some labor. That and the fact I had spent over $1500 with the shop 2 weeks prior. Doesn't matter, that shop is dead to me now.