[Shotimes] CV Boot Torn

[Kevin & Cheryl Airth]

Don:
 I argue against ANY repair to a CV axle. When you compare the cost to
remove/replace the axles and the labor to repack with grease and then
install new boots you end up pretty close to a new axle. The difference is
you will have a lifetime warrantee on the new complete axle! And any DIY'er
can change the axles but it is not a trivial task to properly disassemble ,
pack and reseal a CV joint. Special tools needed and skills ect. Then at
best you have a used CV joint with how many miles on it?
 I really wish I understood why and how the boots split. It seems to follow
no pattern. Both my SHO's with over 140K miles are running the factory axles
and boots but I see other people with far less miles needing to replace
them. My brother has a 1996 Toyota Avalon and despite all the crap I hear
about how good Toyota is, both of his axles have now been replaced at 70K
miles? Split boots both times. Looks like at the seam but is hard to tell.
.
.



> ideally, NO driving time would be best.  Every inch you
> drive allows more grease to fling out, and more dust to get
> in.  It takes very little time to ruin a CV joint once the
> boot is torn.
>
> Get it fixed ASAP, and be sure they remove the axle, totally
> clean and inspect the joint.  Replace if in doubt, the cost
> of a new one is minimal compared to putting in a bad one and
> taking it back out later when it starts making the front end
> wobble all over the place.
>
> While there, go ahead and clean/re-lube all of them, and put
> new boots on everything.  I did this when my '89 had just
> 75,000 miles on it, now over 100,000 miles later, (and those
> are pretty hard miles with lots of racing) I have had zero
> CV joint problems.
>
> Don Mallinson
>
> bobsteig@att.net wrote:
> > A quick question; while getting my oil changed and coolant flushed
yesterday,
> > I noticed the r/h side cv boot is torn. (second time in 3 years) How
long do
> > I have in terms of time and/or mileage before I have to address this? I
need
> > to drive about 300 miles this weekend and don't have the time between
now and
> > Saturday am to do it. It's not supposed to rain and I won't be driving
> > through dusty conditions. Also I don't think it's been torn for very
long,
> > there's no grease on the inside of the tire or wheel yet.
> >
> > Thanks, Bob (BB-NYC '89)