Replacing CV joint boot

[Mikevan10]

The outboard CV joint boot on my 1997 Legacy EJ22 is ripped and I would like to replace it. Looking at the drawing of the drive axle assembly, it looks like the inner CV joint (DOJ) comes off of the axle after you remove a snap ring. Correct? So you would remove the DOJ and then you can replace the outboard CV joint boot?

 

Any cautions, tips, tricks, etc? I am hoping I can buy the new boot from a regular (i.e. non-dealer) auto parts store...

 

Mike V.

[ocei77]

Had same issue. In order to get the boot on, you'll have to remove axle anyway, as the 2 piece boots will eventually fail.

If the joint is still full of grease, you should be ok. It not, might as well replace the axle. 5/16 punch inserted into a scrap of wood about 18" long,so you can knock out pin from above works well.

Do search for axle removal and you'll see caveats involved.

 

O.

[Mikevan10]

I just picked up a "CV Joint Boot Kit" from my local auto parts store. Cost was $9.00 and came with new bands and a tube of grease.

 

Two questions:

1. Any tricks for tightening the bands without a special tool?

 

2. I just realized that I will probably have to destroy the bands on the inboard joint (DOJ) boot. Are new bands available as loose parts or must I buy a new DOJ boot kit?

 

Any other tips or tricks?

 

Thanks,

Mike V.

[turboguzzi]

auto spares shops should stock just bands too, nothing exotic about them.

 

i pull the bands snug with pliers, you should not overdo it anyway as it will make the greasy boot slide off the CV/DOJ

[Mikevan10]

Is replacement of the inner wheel bearing hub seal recommended if you are pulling the drive shaft out of the hub? The factory service manual seems to say you should do so if you are installing a new CV joint. That is not true in my case.

[idosubaru]

it's easy actually just really nasty messy. like you said, just remove the outer boot and then you have access to the inner boot.

 

there are multiple types of clamps so it depends what you got. in my experience with a bunch of Beck Arnley boots i have the inner boot comes with the smooth band clamps and those are easy to do by hand. and the inner boots come with those notched ones that are nearly impossible to install by yourself. but that will vary by brand, etc.

 

the smooth kind i just hold a screwdriver parallel to the axle shaft up against the two "ears" that stick up to keep the band from spinning around the shaft as i pull it snug on the loose end with pliers. pass it through the band then pull so it's tigthening and then pull up to it locks against the tab the band passes through. i have the special tool as well and both ways are about the same in ease.

 

Advanced Auto Parts does not sell band clamps alone, I just checked the other day. Folks have been known to use hose clamps for them.

 

some folks do replace the wheel seal but it's not common to do so. probably a good way to protect your bearings if you feel up to it. i've had parts stores screw up this seal on mid-late 90's EJ axles before...i'm not sure why since like every EJ known to man during this time used the same axle, but tread carefully.

[hohieu]

Unless it's relatively new, you may want to replace the inboard boot as well, especially if it's the right half shaft. In my experience, the inboard boots fail more often than the outer ones on Subarus.

 

You'll need to mark the inboard (SFJ) joint at several locations in order to maintain the same orientation of assorted parts during reassembly:

1) A line from the housing onto the shaft, you line these marks up when you reassemble the housing back over the trunnion.

2) The free rings should remain in their original orientation. They're hard to mark because of the grease so after I've wiped things down, I usually wrap some duct tape around the trunnion to prevent them from falling out.

3) With a cold chisel or etching tool, mark the orientation of the trunnion over the shaft after removing the snap ring.

 

A couple other notes:

 

1)You should drive the spring pin in/out from the chamfered side.

2) I see you're also doing ball joints, so I would break the axle nut loose and then retighten a bit before hammering away on the ball joint.

3) I just did the ball joints on my '99 Forester, and the pinch bolt on the left side was a bear (the other one came right out). Penetrating oil, heat, impact wrench... nothing could budge it. After the fact, I read a helpful suggestion on this board about pre-drilling a small hole into the threaded section of the bolt. You'd be doing this from the rear of the knuckle. The theory is that this allows for a degree of torsional flex while you try to break it loose and avoid snapping the bolt. The pinch bolt is an M10 x 1.25 and can be had from from the dealer or Autozone (at least my local one stocked it).

[Mikevan10]

Thanks for the comments Hohieu. I don't want to come off sounding ungrateful, but you are using terminology different from the factory service manual and not familiar to me so I cannot really use it.. Using the same numbering as you used:

 

1) What "housing" are you referring to? If you mean the DOJ outer race, this does not make sense since the outer race does not fit directly onto any shaft. Also, what "trunnion" are you referring to?

 

2) What are the "free rings"?

 

3) Do you mean that the DOJ inner race should be refitted to the splined end of the drive shaft in the same orientation that it came off?

 

Thanks again,

 

Mike V.

[hohieu]

1)Ah, sorry for the confusion. Yes, by housing, I'm referring to the outer race.

 

2)All half shafts use plunging joints for the inner joints that allow for axial movement for steering and suspension movement. There are several varieties: the double offset joint (DOJ), the tripod joint (TJ), and the free ring joint (FRJ). The front inner ones made by NTN for my '99 Forester are an improvement on the FRJ, which they call a Shudderless Free Ring Joint (SFJ). The rear half shafts ones are equipped with double offset joints (DOJ). I know that many people call all inner joints DOJs, but they are indeed different and as mentioned, the more generic term would be "plunging joint." Here's a link with photos of a DOJ and an SFJ: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1377786

 

Shoot me a pm with your email, and I can send you the pertinent PDFs.

 

3) Yes, we're talking the same language here.

Edited May 18, 2012 by hohieu
clarity

[Fairtax4me]

I just picked up a "CV Joint Boot Kit" from my local auto parts store. Cost was $9.00 and came with new bands and a tube of grease.

 

Two questions:

1. Any tricks for tightening the bands without a special tool?

 

2. I just realized that I will probably have to destroy the bands on the inboard joint (DOJ) boot. Are new bands available as loose parts or must I buy a new DOJ boot kit?

 

Any other tips or tricks?

 

Thanks,

Mike V.

 

No need to disassemble the inner joint. Cut the boot off the outer, clamp the shaft in a vice and whack the inner race for the outer joint a couple times with a soft face dead blow hammer or big hammer and brass drift. Once the outer is off you can remove the bearings clean and re-grease. Slide the new boot on the axle shaft, pop the outer joint back on then slide the boot over and tighten the bands.

 

As for tightening, you can do it with a couple pair of pliers but it's 100x easier with a banding tool. I think they're about $20 at the parts store. Sears carries a Lisle brand tool that is really nice for like $25 or $30.

[Mikevan10]

Replaced front left outer CV joint boot this weekend. Not too bad of a job.

 

Notes:

 

Removed drive axle from vehicle.

Disassembled inner joint (I believe the correct term is DOJ so that is what I am going to call it).

The DOJ boot showed some cracking (though not torn open) so I decided to replace it while I was at it.

Bought a DOJ boot kit from Autozone. Dorman brand. The rubber was grey.

I do not believe that orientation of any of the parts in the DOJ is important with the exception of the ball cage, so I did not worry about anything else.

The (outer) CV joint still had plenty of grease in it even though the boot was torn. The grease, and internal parts, exhibited no signs of significant contamination so I wiped off what grease was easy to do and packed in most of the new grease that came with the boot kit.

I used smoothe bands that I bought at another auto parts store, who also lent me the tool to tighten them. I am pleased with the bands and the job the tool did to tighten them. Used same on inner (DOJ) and outer (CV joint).

The Dorman boot that Autozone sold me for the DOJ did not fit (too large on the diameter at the big end) so I reinstalled the old, compromised boot. Will have to keep an eye on it and procure a proper boot in the mean time.

 

No real issues with this part of the job (see ball joint thread for other news). It was really pretty easy and only reason for the actual axle "overhaul" process not being a 20 minute job is dealing with the mess.

 

Mike V.

[turboguzzi]

welcome to the Grease Club

 

I usually run through 10 pairs of single use gloves per joint....

[hohieu]

If there are balls inside the inner joint, then you right: it's a DOJ, and maintaining original orientation of the component parts is unnecessary.