CV joint boot replacement thoughts

[gr3gric3]

tooling up for a mid-morning project tomorrow any tricks/tips/special tools? So far I am armed with the Haynes manual and the boots/grease..this will be my first.

[ahlem]

Six point sockets only to keep from rounding corners. Torque wrench and mother of all breaker bars. I've done 4 different car models lately and they all sort of blend together. Be sure not to disassemble the cages. They may vibrate like crazy afterwards, ask my former Audi Quattro how I know. And you have to sing the CV joint song real loud.

[rami]

http://www.my2002tii.com/july2003-2.htm

[gr3gric3]

Keith comes to the rescue yet again! perfect, thanks for finding that, should be a big help tomorrow!

[c.d.iesel]

exactly ! and how long was the boot OPEN to the elements ?

and run with dirt and water entering those balls and nice

smooth machined races?

Think ttwice before spending time + $$ on boot replacement

Consider the age of those joints first (30 years ?) miles?

Complete axle shaft replacement maybe more prudent.

[BillWilliams]

half shaft is available, but the CVs for the 2002 are long gone, at least new ones.

If you do replace the boots, do not let the CVs fall apart. The rubik cube of 02dom.

Have a few cans of BrakeKleen available for the final clean.

Orient the new clamps so they do not interfere with the cap bolts.

Some kits have new covers for the outside of the half shaft some do not. Especially on reused ones, put some sealant around the edges of the covers that are on the outside of the halfshafts. Sometimes these will leak a bit throwing grease on the underside of your car and reducing the volume of grease you need to lubricate the CV.

After it is all back together and take it a drive, recheck the cap bolts and nuts for tightness. Even with the keepers and proper torque, some report these nuts and bolts loosen.

[Mike Self]

soaking in hot water or placing in a WARM oven to make 'em more flexible. Also I've heard that spoons (don't tell significant other what you're taking those spoons for) are good tools to expand the boot's small end so it'll fit over the CV joint without being cut or splitting.

And if the old one's been torn for a while, clean the CV joint THOROUGHLY to get all the grit and crud out, otherwise it won't last very long.

mike

[gr3gric3]

I believe I caught this one early, but I will be checking it very carefully from the advice given above. The boot has a latitudinal tear like something I drove over tore it open, not the splitting you see around the flex channels.

[Ian]

If your CV boots come with the funky bands that must be clamped instead of a screw mechanism (like hose clamps), one of these clamping pliers is invaluable:

These are #30800 (Tool- CV Boot Clamp Pliers) from BavAuto. I wish I had found these years ago...

Ian

'76 M2

[Guest Anonymous]

Great write-up on the my2002tii site! I would add that I dissambled my cages and put them back together some time ago with no problems, many road and track miles since. I would suggest locktight on all CV bolts. If they get loose, they tend to back out at the same rate and suddenly the half-shaft is creating all heck. Broke the rear of my differential cover that way.

--Fred

[gr3gric3]

Well mission accomplished. Was a lot easier than I anticipated. Thankfully, the joint was not dirty at all and the grease looked better than the other side that was not torn. Did both ends, replaced bands, reinstalled. The kits that come with the boot-grease-bands made things easy to get set-up. Best part no funny noises, or vibration when driving at all speeds after the fix.

[gr3gric3]

If your CV boots come with the funky bands that must be clamped instead of a screw mechanism (like hose clamps), one of these clamping pliers is invaluable:

These are #30800 (Tool- CV Boot Clamp Pliers) from BavAuto. I wish I had found these years ago...

Ian

'76 M2

I ended up using some wire cutters (dikes) that resemble these, worked great when in a pinch for proper tools, didn't cut into the band at all.