CV Boots

[danronian]

While looking at my car for before inspection I noticed the drivers side CV boot was ripped. I already have a puller to install a new axle since the non-ripped boot side (passenger side) is clicking and needs to be replaced. Is it worth it to buy a slit style CV boot($25) to put on the ripped side, or should I just buy the shaft($50) for that side also. Another question: How much of a pain is it to install an axle? I have two manuals for the car but is there anything else that I should know?

[winkie45]

DONT buy the slit style CV boot. It's horrible. Somehow, your supposed to use glue to glue together two pieces of rubber. All the while there's grease everywhere. It doesn't hold. It's not worth the trouble and frustration.

It's kinda hard to install a new axle if you've never done it before. After a few times you start to know how to do it easier and faster. So if you wanna learn, go ahead and try it. If you just wanna get it fixed and get it over with, you'll probably pay $80-100 to have a mechanic do it

[ELM'sLX+CHL'sDX]

Get the new axle. It's much quicker and you'll get a new outboard joint. Remember that you need to remove inboard joint to install the outboard CV boot. This requires the removal of the axle.

I've seen some good techs replace both axles in under 1/2 hour.

Claude

[njpeter]

it's worth the effort, I did a boot once, I'm STILL cleaning my hands ..and did I mention that the joint didn't stop clicking even after a grease-a-thon?, you will have to crack that big mutha bolt ont he hub however..plenty of tales of techniques around here..use the board search to find em

[ACCORD EX]

if the prices as you mentioned so i would get a new axle ! believe me getting the boot out isn't something you would like to do ! and BTW if it already clicks , a boot , or ton of grease won't help !

MIKE

[danronian]

Thanks for the opinions, now I will just get the axle. And the axle that is clicking is the one with the non-ripped boot, sorry if i wasnt clear.

[AccordEpicenter]

yeah totally, its not worth the effort usually unless the axle is brand new or relativly low miles.

[danronian]

Well last weekend I put both axles in and the drivers side upper control arm. It took about 3 hours since while pressing out the lower pass side ball joint the bolt got crushed at where the holes go through it which forced me to have to file the threads off of the end of it and re-drill the cotter pin hole but other than that it was straight forward. I was amazed that the upper conrol arm only took me 20 minuted to do though, the one thing the manual said to do was to torque the bolts at ride height, but how are you supposed to do that when you dont have a lift and cant access the shaft bolts at that height anyhow? They now squeek when i hit a bump but i know its because i over tightened them, well ill know for when i replace the other side next weekend at least.