CV boot replacement DIY

Has anyone ever replaced a CV boot? I bought a new boot for my 1996 honda
accord and i will be replacing it tomorrow, does anyone have any tips? I
will be taking out the strut, popping the 2 ball joints from the wheel hub
(upper and lower control arm), then will begin disecting the CV joint. I
got the boot from NAPA and it includes the instructions and the grease. It
all sounds easy to me.

Thanks in advance for comments from the folks who have performed this
before.

Tom

 

It depends how bad the old boot was torn. If it's contaminated it will be
hard to leave it really clean like it should be, and I know it's very time
consuming.
As George recommends, check http://www.raxles.com/ and
http://www.automotive-axles.com/ for a new axle, it will be half of the work
and will be a new shaft, don't have to worry about core.
Tegger have a web page that shows how to replace the shaft but I can't find
the link right now. You can do a search in google for a lot of good info.

 

http://members.tripod.com/fluffysavanh/driveshaft.htm

 

you don't need to remove the strut. you only need to pop the lower ball
joint and the bolt on the fork. you'll need a 36mm. socket to remove the
axle nut. you can move the whole knuckle and hold it while prying out the
axle. if its a 5 speed, your going lose most of your transaxle oil. make
sure you get the air out of the new boot before putting it back in.

 

Tom,
After several hundred of these replacements, I can assure you that replacing
the axle is the only way to go. Check with your local parts store on the
price and you will find that the remanufactured axle is usually cheaper or
about the same price as the joint rebuild kit. If you were hearing a
"clicking" in the joint, that joint is not going to last much longer (even
with a new boot and clean grease). So I would advise replacing the entire
axle.
Dave D

 

Dave,

the boot recently broke and there is no clicking, do you still recommend
replacing the whole axle? Will brake cleaner completely clean the old
grease out?

Thanks,
Tom

 

Thanks to ALL for comments.

 

This DIY is excellent. Thanks a bunch.

 

I'd replace it. otherwise you have to do all over again. Some people
recommend to try to save the old shaft, but it is very hard to really
clean it. This is grease, brake cleaner will not do it.
Just get new shafts online like http://www.raxles.com (instead of
rebuild from your local autoparts store)and do it right.

 

Tom,
It is possible to get the old grease out but brake cleaner won't do the job.
You would use a solvent that breaks down the grease. The problem is not the
old grease but rather the grit, gravel, dirt, etc. that got into the mix
after the boot split. Also the wear on the old bearings in the joint. In
every case, I would go with the replacement axle. That way you have a
warranty on the outer joint, a new outer joint, and a new inner joint as
well. Seems to me to be the best solution...If you decide to just do the
boot, you must disassemble the outer joint, take the bearing out of their
cage. Then clean the whole thing until they all sparkle. Then begin the
reinstallation of the bearings and lastly the boot. There is a circlip that
holds the whole thing on the axle and sometimes it can be a bear to get
off/out. Good luck.

 

Dave,

Excellent information from you, and I wanted to let you know I sincerely
appreciate your comments, especially now that the job is complete. In the
future I will likely purchase the replacement axle, but since I am on a
budget (no job), and the car owner is also on a budget (recent college grad,
w/girlfriend, etc), and since he was able to help/assist, and since I have
all the tools, we did the boot replacement ourselves. And again, thanks to
all the feedback I got here, (JDS too), we were able to complete the job in
text book style, that baby was clean thanks to hot soapy water. I mean it.
I have always taken my CV joint work to a shop, and I have never even
replaced a shaft or removed a shaft until today. I have done plenty of
brake and suspension work so that experience gave me the confidence to try
this CV job. Thanks again y'all.

Regards,
Tom