cv boot replace progress

[The Cleaner]

You know what I just noticed something from your pictures, The outside clamp is accessible without removing the shaft from the hub. What if you cut the old boot off, used c-clip pliers and removed the c clip that holds the shaft to the outside joint. Then disconnected the shaft from the outside joint.

Install the new boot over the shaft and push it way up the shaft so you could reattach the shaft to the joint then slide the boot over the joint and install the outer larger clamp?

That would avoid pressing out the axle and removing the inner joint from the trans?

[chubyball]

Hayaku,

Post some pics of your work progress, in this way we can help you what to do when you run out of idea. Just a thought.

[hayaku]

just a quick update. i'll upload some unedited pics in progress later. but in a word: SUCCESS!!!!

the summary:
- be prepared to hammer.. hammer ALOT
- the 3 claw hub puller works just fine
- you have ALOT of hammer to do... best to use a BFH. I used a 3lb drilling hammer.
- its friggin dirty work and i went through ALOT of gloves because i was taking pics for you guys in between steps
- did i mention there was ALOT of HAMMERRING?

booyah!!! and now for my academy awards speech: thanks to TheCleaner for reminding me that a nut can be used to draw 2 things together, to KewlX5 for getting me Mike@ImportAuto's phone number, for Mike giving words of encouragement to beat the crap out of the suspension parts with a BFH, and the rest of ya'll for being interested and asking for me to continue so I didn't give up...

i'm still in the garage torquing all the bolts to final spec and then have to clean the tools and garage... but it's pretty much done and the DIY for this will be out in by next week probably. I have to go get my race car tomorrow and i'm sure the neighbors won't leave me alone this weekend...

[The Cleaner]

Grats ! I am glad you did not give up, I look forward to the DIY write up.

[Kewl X5]

Congrats!! Mike is a great guy and very well experienced (also another BMW nut with a M3 & 5-series). I'll let Mike know of your success!!

One of these days I'll give a project that is much easier (replacing the M3's struts/shocks)!!!

Originally Posted by hayaku

just a quick update. i'll upload some unedited pics in progress later. but in a word: SUCCESS!!!!

the summary:
- be prepared to hammer.. hammer ALOT
- the 3 claw hub puller works just fine
- you have ALOT of hammer to do... best to use a BFH. I used a 3lb drilling hammer.
- its friggin dirty work and i went through ALOT of gloves because i was taking pics for you guys in between steps
- did i mention there was ALOT of HAMMERRING?

booyah!!! and now for my academy awards speech: thanks to TheCleaner for reminding me that a nut can be used to draw 2 things together, to KewlX5 for getting me Mike@ImportAuto's phone number, for Mike giving words of encouragement to beat the crap out of the suspension parts with a BFH, and the rest of ya'll for being interested and asking for me to continue so I didn't give up...

i'm still in the garage torquing all the bolts to final spec and then have to clean the tools and garage... but it's pretty much done and the DIY for this will be out in by next week probably. I have to go get my race car tomorrow and i'm sure the neighbors won't leave me alone this weekend...

[hayaku]

relevent pics... you can figure out what happens from these...
DIY instructions coming soon...

universal 3 claw extractor... it did damage the dust shield tho (no biggie)


drive shaft pushed out of swivel bearing


swivel bearing with front control arm still attached


as you can see, the bearing race is intact


now we can start the replacement procedure


removed the old grease so we can see what we are doing


the neccessary tools to be THOR, the hammer god


prep is done, time to reassemble from here


the replacement kit


assembly








from here, we hammer so much, we make a blacksmith look like the little drummer boy


fifteen minutes later, we can put the axle nut on and then pull it all together


tightening up the control arms and steering tie rod

[chubyball]

Hayaku,

I am looking at the pictures and trying to understand why do you have to remove the cv off the center hub for? Because the pic locates (prep is done, time to reassemble from here below the yellow hammer) below the yellow hammer's pic, it tells me if you just disconnect the shaft off the ball joint part then you don't need pull the ball joint off the hub.

[The Cleaner]

Nice photos, what was the story with the "C" clip, was it easy to access? I am thinking of trying to do it on the car if I can get that clip off easily, I have some time to wait, my boots look great at 68k.

[hayaku]

Originally Posted by The Cleaner

Nice photos, what was the story with the "C" clip, was it easy to access? I am thinking of trying to do it on the car if I can get that clip off easily, I have some time to wait, my boots look great at 68k.

the c-clip on the shaft is a piece of cake. its a very loose fit. the cv joint compresses the clip to make it a tight fit, so once the cv joint is off, its loose and you just pop if off with a small screw driver.

[hayaku]

Originally Posted by chubyball

Hayaku,

I am looking at the pictures and trying to understand why do you have to remove the cv off the center hub for? Because the pic locates (prep is done, time to reassemble from here below the yellow hammer) below the yellow hammer's pic, it tells me if you just disconnect the shaft off the ball joint part then you don't need pull the ball joint off the hub.

if you don't remove the cv joint off, how are you going to get the new boot on? the small side has to slide on the shaft before the cv joint. also, you rather work with just the cv joint versus working with a heavy large hub and a cv joint that wobbles trying to put that back on the shaft.

this is the easiest way... the TIS also has these steps.

edit:

your pic 2 comment: you need to remove the cv joint right there.. hammer it off. i used the 3/8" extensions as "chisels" to hammer it off on the flat spots of the cv joint.

your pic 3 comment: yes, the strut bolts have to be removed. they are left in so they can hold up the heavy swivel bearing while i extracted the hub with the claw puller.