stevegasm Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 Upon doing brakes and such I notice grease splattered all over the wheel well on the driver side I assume my CV boot needs a replacin'. Does anyone happen to know where I can get a replacement boot? (Preferably a quickboot, I don't want to have to remove the entire halfshaft, as I dont have a wheel hub remover) I went to autozone and checker today and neither of them have a quickboot in stock. I also checked Summit and they pretty much don't have any CV boots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedz34 Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 Generally most people just replace the whole shaft. It would be cheaper and better because if you lost enough grease you could've lost the boot. Also, why do you need a hub puller? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegasm Posted March 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 Wouldn't I need to pull the entire wheel hub to get the driveshaft off? If I need to replace the entire shaft would that be a warranty thing? I might just have the Pontiac dealer do it if it's covered under warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 I'm pretty sure when I watched my buddies Dad take the driveshafts out of his J-body he doesn't take the hub off...but I remember it involvoed popping the ball joints apart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJansen658 Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 I'm pretty sure when I watched my buddies Dad take the driveshafts out of his J-body he doesn't take the hub off...but I remember it involvoed popping the ball joints apart Yes, W's are the same. To change the inner boot you must: 1. Raise vehicle, support, remove wheel. 2. Disconnect lower ball joint. 3. Disconnect outer tie rod end. 4. Pull inner end of axle out of transmission, manuever for access. 5. Remove old boot and clamps, pull off the inner splined end. 6. Clean old grease from tripod joint, remove outboard locking clip. 7. Slide tripod joint up the axle a few inches, remove inboard clip. 8. Slide tripod joint off axle, install new boot. 9. Assembly reverse of removal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 Generally most people just replace the whole shaft. It would be cheaper and better because if you lost enough grease you could've lost the boot. Also, why do you need a hub puller? thats funny since it cost me less then $20 for a new boot, versus $60 for a whole new shaft. do not go the quick boot route, thats just a bandaid that will end up coming back to haunt you at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 I've had good luck with used axle shafts. p.s. usually being old axle shaft i saved when chopping a W. I think......Can you remove the 4 bolts that hold the wheel bearing to the strut and do it without removing the ball joint? pulling the cv shaft thought the hole in the strut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegasm Posted March 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 Oh, sweet. Thanks guys I'm gonna see what I can figure out tomorrow, maybe I'll end up just replacing the entire shaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedz34 Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 Generally most people just replace the whole shaft. It would be cheaper and better because if you lost enough grease you could've lost the boot. Also, why do you need a hub puller? thats funny since it cost me less then $20 for a new boot, versus $60 for a whole new shaft. do not go the quick boot route, thats just a bandaid that will end up coming back to haunt you at some point. Like I said depending on how much grease is coming out, you might've toasted your shaft already. So, that's why I would just replace it. Most part places around here just recommend replacing the axle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairdo12 Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 You are wasting time and money on the quick boot. Not only is is a PIA to get the old one off, its even more of a PIA to get the quick boot on. Then you have to hope you didnt get grease in the grooves where you have to glue, and getting the metal straps on tight... forget it. If you go with the quick boot, I bet you will do alot of swearing and in the end you will replace the shaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJansen658 Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 You are wasting time and money on the quick boot. Not only is is a PIA to get the old one off, its even more of a PIA to get the quick boot on. Then you have to hope you didnt get grease in the grooves where you have to glue, and getting the metal straps on tight... forget it. If you go with the quick boot, I bet you will do alot of swearing and in the end you will replace the shaft. do not go the quick boot route, thats just a bandaid that will end up coming back to haunt you at some point. X2 waste of time I think......Can you remove the 4 bolts that hold the wheel bearing to the strut and do it without removing the ball joint? pulling the cv shaft thought the hole in the strut? You can, but IMHO it is easier to pop a balljoint, takes but a moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 You can, but IMHO it is easier to pop a balljoint, takes but a moment. Why would you need to pop the balljoint? I know I didn't do that when I pulled the shaft. Not to mention if you don't have the proper balljoint puller, you can kill it. Anyway, I'd do it right and just replace the boot. It's pretty easy. I took a gamble on an outer joint before. It had no grease, was full of dirt, made popping sounds on full lock, but we were short on money at the time. I took it completely apart and soaked it in lacquer thinner to completely clean it out. I didn't see any significant or serious defects, so I repacked it full of grease and installed a new boot. It ended up good as new and didn't make noise anymore! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedz34 Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 You can, but IMHO it is easier to pop a balljoint, takes but a moment. Why would you need to pop the balljoint? I know I didn't do that when I pulled the shaft. Not to mention if you don't have the proper balljoint puller, you can kill it. Anyway, I'd do it right and just replace the boot. It's pretty easy. I took a gamble on an outer joint before. It had no grease, was full of dirt, made popping sounds on full lock, but we were short on money at the time. I took it completely apart and soaked it in lacquer thinner to completely clean it out. I didn't see any significant or serious defects, so I repacked it full of grease and installed a new boot. It ended up good as new and didn't make noise anymore! The reason I see in popping the ball joint is it allows you to pull the strut tower out making it easier to move the axle out of the tranny. Wow, I'm surprised that lacquer thinner thing worked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizzo Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 If your going to replace the whole half shaft make sure the axle seal stays in place, made that mistake last week. Luckily I caught it in time before the tranny fluid ran too low. Having to tear it back down again sucked :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJansen658 Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 You can, but IMHO it is easier to pop a balljoint, takes but a moment. Why would you need to pop the balljoint? I know I didn't do that when I pulled the shaft. Not to mention if you don't have the proper balljoint puller, you can kill it. If you didn't pop the balljoint when you changed a cv axle/boot on a W, then you would have had to unbolt the hub assembly from the strut assembly to remove the axle from the transmission. Those are the only two methods. Unbolting the hub requires removing 4 bolts that are usually rusty and in semi difficult spots, and requires removing the outboard axle nut and pulling the shaft out of the hub end. By popping the ball joint and tie rod end, you loosen two easily accesible nuts. I have never used a special puller. I have never damaged a balljoint or tie rod end. Then you simply maneuver the axle downward and forward, all the while still connected at the outboard end. Anyway, I'd do it right and just replace the boot. That was my point... The reason I see in popping the ball joint is it allows you to pull the strut tower out making it easier to move the axle out of the tranny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 im sorry but if you are going to go through the hassle of changing the boot on an old shaft, why not spend a little more and not have to take everything back apart again. That is what i always do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 Missouri hub bolts are easy to remove, tons easier than popping the ball joint. I just crank the wheel all the way one direction to get the front two bolts and all the way the other way to get the other 2. I'd be concerned about boogering up the boots on the ball joint. Almost every knuckle I've seen with ball joint still intact has torn boots. You need to replace the entire ball joint if the boot gets any tears or splits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 hub method FTW. Me..... I removed the lower control arm from the frame! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99RegalGS Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 I also prefer the hub method. I've done it many times when I did alternator changes on LQ1's lol. Also, this is on a 2nd gen, there are only 3 bolts that hold the hub to the knuckle so one less to worry about. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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