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Inner CV boot replacement


spiderw31

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Ok, so the inner CV boot tore on the right axle of my GP, and it needs replacing. I cut the old one off, and only then did I find that the Dorman quick boot replacement was just way too small to fit.

 

So it looks like I'm gonna have to pull the axle apart to put the OE style single piece boot on, and I'm looking for some pointers. What the easiest way to get that done? Can I slide the axle out of the tripot and then slide it back in once i put the new boot in place? I'm hoping that can be done, since i really don't feel like trying to yank the axle completely out.

 

SInce it was getting dark once I got to this point, I decided to button up the car for now and head back to it later, and I forgot to take notice of a couple things. First, I presume that I'll need to separate the strut clevis from the steering knuckle, as well as drop the strut out of the tower. Done this before on several other cars, but not a W; any advice? Also, forgot to check the size of the axle bolt... anyone know what it is offhand?

 

Thanks for all help :)

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You'll have to completely remove it.

 

to r/r it:

remove brakes/caliper bracket/rotor

remove 4 bolts holding the wheel bearing to the knuckle, should be 14mm

remove 10mm bolt for ABS wheel speed sensor

use a extension to tap the sensor out with a hammer, there are 2 little tits on the top of the wheel bearing assembly tap those

remove abs sensor, might take a little creative maneuvering to get out

pop axle from transmission

jack control arm up to get clearance to pull the axle and wheel bearing out

depending how rusty the car is the wheel bearing should more or less come right out of the knuckle

remove axle and wheel bearing

 

to replace the boot, on a OE axle it is likely that you'll need a set of snap ring pliers to get the retaining clips out so you can separate the axle from the tripot past that it is just a matter of putting the new boot on and re-greasing it, you'll either need a set of crimpers or a tool that can pull the band back and flip it over depending on what style clamps they gave you with the new boot.

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Got snap ring pliers and the boot clamp crimps, so that's no problem at all. To confirm, it sounds like I do NOT need to pull the strut, or remove big axle nut, correct? If that's the case, this really isn't nearly as bad a job as I thought it would be! There's no rust at all on this car, so I don't think that will get in my way either. If all it takes is snap ring pliers to separate the axle from the tripot too, then I might just be able to leave the inner tripot in, as the old boot is already removed. Thanks for the help Chris!

 

One other thing I just thought of though, and that is the rubber ring that fits between the tripot and the boot (see attached pic). I managed to cut it when removing the old boot (didn't realize it was in there). I can try to fix / re-use it, but does anyone happen to have one they'd be willing to part with?

post-3342-143689073413_thumb.jpg

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that *should* be integrated into the new boot I could be wrong though.

 

and no you don't have to pull the strut, you would only have to pull the axle nut if it was the outer boot that was torn and for reference it is 35mm but a 36mm socket works just as well.

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that *should* be integrated into the new boot I could be wrong though.

 

and no you don't have to pull the strut, you would only have to pull the axle nut if it was the outer boot that was torn and for reference it is 35mm but a 36mm socket works just as well.

 

Unfortunately it's not integrated into the boot (at least no the one I got). And thanks for the info on the nut size even though I apparently won't need it this time. :)

 

If you're going through all that work, why not just replace the axle? It's only $50...

 

Because there isn't anything wrong with the axle itself, and and the boot was only $20 :biggrin:

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If you're going through all that work, why not just replace the axle? It's only $50...

 

agreed!! you never know what kind of damage by having the boot torn can cause. Any little bit of dirt in there and you've got problems. well since you are going the other route make sure you clean it out and lube up the bearings well before you re-install it. The only problem I have with re-manufactured axles is that the bearings sometimes aren't made right since the weld and grind them to size or just grind them smaller so it looks good. I have also seen that they don't always include the torque vibration damper but we don't have to worry about that on our cars.

 

-Jarek

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I am testing some brand new axles. we will see if they hold up. they are not remans like some. who knows whats better all you can do is just test it out.

 

boot or new axle... I would think just do it all now.

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Fortunately the tear in the boot was relatively small, and near the outside end of it. Looks like no dirt or contaminates got it, and it just made a big greasy mess. The tripot and guts of the joint look absolutely fine.

 

Unfortunately, its either been 100 degrees, or a redonkulous thunderstorm whenever I've had the time to work on the car. Since it's not a daily driver its not been a problem, but I'm hoping that I can get it taken care of in the next couple days. I'll let all know how it goes :)

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Ok, so disassembly went as well as anyone would want! Chris, those directions worked beautifully, so many thanks :thumbsup: It's really not bad at all when you know what you are looking for.

 

Grabbing some lunch, and then time to reassemble. Will have some notes to add then for anyone attempting the repair themselves.

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Reassembly almost went as planned... it seems there's always something :lol: The boot clamps provided with the kit are junk, so I need to get some OE style clamps. The inside clamp is holding but really needs to be done right. So anyways, here are a few hints for anyone else doing the same job.

 

1. There is a rubber ring / adapter between the inner side of the boot, and the tripot. It likely won't come with the replacement boot, so don't damage the old one.

 

2. Remove just the upper wheel bearing bolts and the ABS sensor can be removed, and the axle won't be falling out when this happens.

 

3. The inner tripot can be left in the car while the rest of the axle is pulled out, just be very careful when separating it not to get anything into the exposed and unprotected parts of the joint when sliding it out.

 

4. Cover the exposed joint with a small plastic bag, and keep the open end of the boot closed with a rubber band when sliding the axle back through the steering knuckle to reassemble the axle in the car. This will make it much easier to keep contaminates out of the joint.

 

5. Make sure you use OE style boot clamps. If your CV boot replacement came with anything else, toss them, because they suck. The OE style that require a crimp tool will hold the boot in place; the fold over style will give you grief or not hold well.

 

Other than that, the job really isn't that bad. Chris's instructions are solid, and work well.

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