Alexx Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 There are three ways that I know of to detect if you have a broken CV Boot in the front of the car without having to get underneath your car. One way is the grease inside the boot will begin to spray and usually it will hit something hot. The burning grease smells differently than when one spills motor oil on the manifold, call it a "funny smell". Number two is to look for a "spray pattern of grease" that will usually occur when the boot is torn. The pattern can usually be detected under the hood below where the spare is kept. And three is if you make a hard turn and you hear a clicking sound that means a boot is cracked and the grease is mostly gone and you probably will have to replace the front wheel axle as well as the boot. The rebuilt axle usually already has a boot on it so it's an all in one repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subiemech85 Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 or turn the wheel all the way, and open hood or look under Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 Or chase a cat under the car and see what type of grease is on its fur when it comes out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHIM Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 nah, the best way to tell if you have a broken cv boot without getting under the car is simple (If your really that lazy), Have someone else crawl under and tell you if it's broken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 cut your front fenders below the 2 inch black trim in front of the tire. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 Just find a good open area and roll your car over... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 i like ignoring noises for 50,000 miles until it starts clicking while i'm driving straight then i start thinking about when i'll get around to changing the axle. nice idea with the cat, that's awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subiemech85 Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 for some reason the cat likes to lay under the leaky oil pump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexx Posted November 17, 2004 Author Share Posted November 17, 2004 Just find a good open area and roll your car over... And don't forget to rub it's belly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexx Posted November 17, 2004 Author Share Posted November 17, 2004 So which comes first, do you periodically check your CV boots to see if they are torn by getting under the car, or do you wait until you think they might be torn to check them? Do you check the roof on your house for leaks when it is sunny or fix it when it's leaking water onto the dining room table? The point isn't how easy it is to check your CV boot for rips by looking at it, the point is one probably never checks their CV boots unless they think there is something wrong with them, therefore it's wise to know how to monitor a potential CV Boot problem before getting one's clothes dirty. I use the three rules, smell, spray, clicking noises, as a method to then further inspect my CV boots by getting under the car and looking. In my opinion if none of those three signals are evident, the chances are that the CV boot is OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75skunkaroo Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 i got it easy, open the hood and look down i noticed this doing other routine stuff(adding oil, changing air filter, something like that). usually the smell of the grease on the cat, or collector, is the dead give away the boot is split -mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 I tore mine while offroading, and it was quickly filled with mud/sand/gravel, so the grease didn't come out, but the car started doing some crazy things, (jerking severly to the right, especially when accelerating). but usually, I would wait until it isn't just a torn boot, let that thing get good and worn out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subestyle18 Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 The first time one of mine went out i just kept driving untill it exploded while doing a U-turn. After that it is pretty clear that the CV needs to be changed. It makes it easier though when you can take the CV out in two pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 i swear they will click forever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 i swear they will click forever! sho'nuf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All_talk Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 Maybe I'm the odd man out here, but I check my boots pretty regularly, this maybe due to the fact I've had great luck rebooting axles, and a $20 boot and a couple hours of my time is WAY cheaper than a new axle. For best results you need to catch them be for they go dry (they get very hot) or full of crap. But when I bought my RX is had four bad boots (on 3 axles) and they looked like they had been that way for some time, I took a chance and rebooted them (cause I was broke, as always), that was 25,000 miles ago... Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 Maybe I'm the odd man out here, but I check my boots pretty regularly, this maybe due to the fact I've had great luck rebooting axles, and a $20 boot and a couple hours of my time is WAY cheaper than a new axle. For best results you need to catch them be for they go dry (they get very hot) or full of crap. But when I bought my RX is had four bad boots (on 3 axles) and they looked like they had been that way for some time, I took a chance and rebooted them (cause I was broke, as always), that was 25,000 miles ago... Gary I definitely understand the money thing... but I look at $40/axle for boots, or $60-65 for lifetime reman axles... this overcomes the Scottish in me. Looking at 4 new boots on my '82, just rotten boots, could just replace them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All_talk Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 I definitely understand the money thing... but I look at $40/axle for boots, or $60-65 for lifetime reman axles... this overcomes the Scottish in me. From what I've read/heard the only problem with the "lifetime reman axles" is that you may be replacing them regularly... for your lifetime.:-p Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 Thats spot on. I think everyone here(almost) thats bought re-man have had them go out right away or soon after. If you think you have the original axles or OEM axles, KEEP them. Replace the boot(s) and run them till they fall off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexx Posted November 18, 2004 Author Share Posted November 18, 2004 The first time I had the axle replaced it did not last that long, I think it lasted somewhere between 10,000 to 20,000 miles. But the next time I had them replaced they lasted quite a while longer, I think I'm still driving on them and it's been several years since they were last replaced. When you replace the boot yourself, are you using the split boot? I bought one of those once and could not figure out how to actually keep it perfectly sealed so that the grease would not come out or so that gunk would not get in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All_talk Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 When you replace the boot yourself, are you using the split boot? I bought one of those once and could not figure out how to actually keep it perfectly sealed so that the grease would not come out or so that gunk would not get in. Nope, regular boot, requires disassembly, but that gives you a chance to clean everything and inspect. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHIM Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 I am running re-man axles, Havn't had a boot rip or break yet! But, I have my struts adjusted all the way up and it's taking it's tole on the joints. I hear alot of clicking from the joins (till it warms up) but yet have good boots. Maybe the axles are cheap, but where i get mine the boots are very strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 is this post directed at disabled subaru owners? looking under your car is kind of a necessity. especialy if your driving a subaru, and you like getting home. =] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All_talk Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 is this post directed at disabled subaru owners? looking under your car is kind of a necessity. especialy if your driving a subaru, and you like getting home. =]Something like this?... Q: How do you know when your Subaru is out of oil? A: When you can't smell it burning off the exhaust anymore. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavenTBK Posted November 19, 2004 Share Posted November 19, 2004 Something like this?... Q: How do you know when your Subaru is out of oil? A: When you can't smell it burning off the exhaust anymore. Gary Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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