cv boot repair

[bushbasher]

I've got a little nick in one of my front boots, and the grease sprays out. The rest of the boot is great though. Any ideas on what to do with it? Can I patch it somehow or get a 2-piece boot repair? Any other solutions? Oh ya this is the outer boot. The shaft is still good I just punctured it with a stick 4x4ing. Theres still grease in there too.

[ShawnW]

Pull the axle and re-boot it the right way. You could have a mechanic boot it and put it back in yourself too. I hated booting axles the one time I tried it and I don't own the tools so its more of a PITA to do it then to have it done or buy a reman axle.

[urabus1995]

I need to do this too. On mine its the inner one thats got a split, and it throws grease onto the cat, makin a bit of a hot smell.

I was told that this is quite common due to the heat from the cat damaging the rubber. I am like you, not quite sure about doing it myself , but I have been told NOT to use the two peice boots. I dont want the car off the road, but I suppose it has to be done.

[calebz]

The quick boot ( 2 piece) is good for a temporary repair.. Honestly, I have seen tham last longer than quite a few remanufactured axles. Have seen them go for up to 10k miles

[SubaRube]

Make sure you get a high-temp silicone boot so it doesn't crack again.

[Chongo]

See if you can find this at your local hardware store:

 

It's in a yellow and red tube with a black twist off cap.

 

It's called "Seal-All" Seals Bonds Insulates Waterproofs

Weather Resistant

Not affected by Gasoline or Oil

 

It has worked for me on those annoying punctures and cracks in the folds of the boot, like the above mentioned boot over the cat........it has lasted me for as much as a month before the boot has either totally disintegrated (in the worse case), or you need to re-apply before you finally get around to replacing either the shaft or the boot....

I used it to put my door "Subaru" side strip on last year and it's still holding...pretty cheap stuff that works in an emergency, every SOOB owner should have a tube under the seat...It'll even fit in the glove box, as the tube is about 8" long.........Chongo

[DerFahrer]

I don't mean to be a jerk, but this board does have a search function

 

Here's what you do:

Don't worry about it....

 

That's right, leave it alone. Let the axle tear itself to shreds, then replace it with a new one from http://www.cvaxles.com at a mere $55 a pop with lifetime warranty.

 

You don't know how long the boot has been torn, how much grease has leaked out, or how much foreign material has gotten in. To take the axle off and reboot it is doing more work than just replacing the axle, and the axle is doomed anyway. The two-piece boot is the dumbest idea I have ever heard.

 

So don't worry about it until you absolutely have to, then replace the whole thing and do it right.

[SubaRube]

I personally wouldn't order a CV from clear across the country. Think of the down time you'll have waiting for a replacement if you need one. I've heard the new A1 Cardone's that Kragen and Carquest carry are good, and a quick exchange if needed. Also, a bunch of parts stores on line are now carrying BRAND NEW GKN axle assemblies. They are pricey, but definitely top notch. There is also a company called GCK that makes NEW axles also. Not quite as good as the GKN's, but less money. I like the patch idea for a temp fix. Just keep an eye on it.

 

Searches don't always produce good threads or info IMO.

[SubSandRail]

I ripped a CV boot in the sand last summer. It didn't have sand in the grease yet, so I wrapped plastic sheet around it and covered it in duct tape. It is still working, and feels tight (no slop or grinding).

 

If you can squeeze the water out and pump some grease in, maybe that would work for you.

 

Also, mine was in the back, so no worries about heat. Maybe you could use aluminum tape or make a tin heat shield for it.

[bushbasher]

um ya I do know how long its had the fingernail sized slash, about a week now since I punctured it with a stick. Its to small to let dirt in and there is still plenty of grease left. Also I have a receipt from the PO for a new front cv on that side from about 6months ago. So no I'm not going to blow it up. Its the outer one (by the wheel) so no heat issues either. I was looking for quick remedies/ways to patch it not someone to tell me I dont know how much grease is left or how dirty it is, and that I have to buy a new one

[speedbump]

it was abused by a parole officer?

[bushbasher]

in case you weren't kidding I meant previous owner, is there a different abreviation I'm supposed to use?

[NoahDL88]

I have the same problem with my cv boot, about a dime sized rip. after doing an R+R on the axle and the front wheel bearings and dealing with the wrong axle, they gave me a turbo axle, i poped the boot with the control arm. i put some silicon black on it but it didn't work. i'm thinking ductape or somthing similar may be the answer.

[Mike W]

My favorite quick remedy is a heavy-duty ziplock bag wrapped around and secured with wire ties and duct tape. Works for months if you need it too. You can even get fancy and inject more CV grease with a needle injector on your grease gun.

 

Rebooting really isn't all that bad once you're in the mood for black grease. TRW brand boots are the best I've seen...very strong rubber. I stick the axle shaft in a bench vice and carefully remove the metal bands. Put on rubber gloves and have plenty of rags handy. Pull back the big end of the boot and reach in with a hook shaped tool to flip out the wire retainer clip. Slide the joint apart and put a rag over the bearing assembly. Remove the C-clip on the end of the axle and slide off the bearing assy. Now you can swap boots and re-assembly in reverse order with fresh CV grease.