bmw x5 e53 2005 CV boot vs Axle replacement cost vs difficulty

[andrewwynn]

I've had to remove half a dozen splines from hubs and we are in the Midwest but they've not been rusty. I've had a really hard time trying to get a spline back in the hub and almost bought the special axle pulling tool that threads into the axle spline and pulls it through effortlessly.

The trick that resolved the stuck axle was to remove the bolts holding the knuckle to the shock tower so it could wiggle and match the angle of the spline perfectly.

Did that very operation just last night when I replaced a front wheel bearing.