CV BOOT REPLACED IN 30 MINUTES

[monty_yao]

Found out my cv boots leaked right before heading out of town. The last set of boots lasted 5 years, was replaced by the dealership. I’m reading this thread, I know it will take more than 30 mins. Now, I’m contemplating wether to try the slid boot or not. I need to replace the brake rotors and pads too.

[monty_yao]

This is definitely not a thirty minutes job. I thought I would take 3 hours, but the reality is more like 13 hours. Now, if I redo it again, it will be likely take 3 hours. This is an 2005 x5 3.0. I had the hardest challenge push back on the first axel from the drive hub. I went to Autozone rented me a puller and slide hammer, but they didn’t help that much. I went out bought me a bigger hammer with no advancement. So, I ended up sprayed bunch of WD40 multiple time during the Cowboys/charger game on both axles and have it sit overnight. I was able to hammer it off with ease this morning. Prying off from the transmission was easy, putting the driver side back took me an hour, I think the angle was the problem pushing the axel in. I used my lift to hold the axel on the same height and used hammer to smack the darn thing in.

A few differences for people who will do this job. I didn’t remove the swing arms. All I have done is remove the two 22mm bolts holding the hub the the struct. I turned the steering wheel to the max left or right to help me angle the axel out.


Have fun!

[svvg]

Not sure if it was this thread somewhere (!) but there are two piece cv boots which can be glued around the joint. And they’re very cheap. Couple of guys on this forum, or might have been the uk site, xdrivers, have used with success.

[Lamby]

Originally Posted by svvg

Not sure if it was this thread somewhere (!) but there are two piece cv boots which can be glued around the joint. And they’re very cheap. Couple of guys on this forum, or might have been the uk site, xdrivers, have used with success.

Yeah, thats me as well with the Balicast Stickyboot, its still on the car now, no splits either. And... my x5 loves to eat CV boots so I don't see the point in spending ages doing the axle pull method, even with a stretchy boot, its still time consuming. The key with the Glued boot, its take your time, cut off the old boot and CLEAN everything out, then pack in the grease, then wrap some clingfilm/shrinkwrap around the hub joint and axle, then when you glue the boot no grease or dirt can get on the boot. Then, about 2cm at a time, glue the boot together. 1st time took me an hour, I have it down to 40 mins now but that is with cleaning and wirebrushing, brake clean the area ready for new boot install. Of course, once you are glued, remove the clingfilm and install boot in place and fit the CV boot clips.

[wpoll]

Here's a generic CV joint image to show what's going on here...



The idea is to put a little tension on the axle - labelled as "Halfshaft" in above image - and this should slightly compress the "Lock Ring". A sharp tap with a suitable soft drift on the shoulder of the "Inner race" while putting tension on the joint should allow the "Halfshaft" to pull out of the "Inner Race".

This is all done with the old boot cut from the joint, or at least slid back along the axle out of the way...

The "Housing" remains in the wheel bearings etc.

[oldskewel]

And to add on that good advice ...

I would rotate the wheel through a full rotation or two while applying that tension. So you'll need both front wheels off the ground. Can have the wheel off on the side of the joint you're replacing and have a helper rotate the wheel on the other side. I think the tension, combined with the rotation will allow the C-clip to center itself and compress slightly before the hammer hits.

Yes, this may fit the category of things that are a little extra work to avoid a disaster rather than something that is absolutely needed. But that's what I try to do - avoid disasters first. Such as when I choose this path rather than even touching the axle nut if I can avoid that.

And if you buy new GKN boot kits like I did, they come with new C-clips, a couple of options as I recall, expecting that one of the two will be a good match for what you need.

[ArchE53]

Thanks.

Naturally, you would do this with the new boot well up the halfshaft clear of and potential hammer damage.

[wpoll]

Originally Posted by ArchE53

Thanks.

Naturally, you would do this with the new boot well up the halfshaft clear of and potential hammer damage.

Nope - at this point the new boot is sitting in it's box on your workshop bench... You haven't gotten the old boot off yet...

[upallnight]

I have a Kent Moore J-41398 cv joint removal tool that I use along with my 5 pound slide hammer to pull the outer cv joint off the axle. One must secure the axle so that when you go to slide the outer cv joint off the axle you don't pull the inner cv joint apart.

[oldskewel]

Originally Posted by ArchE53

Thanks.

Naturally, you would do this with the new boot well up the halfshaft clear of and potential hammer damage.

Yes, when reinstalling, don't forget to have the new boot (or both) already on the half shaft. I am sure that mistake has been made - LOL. But you probably won't need a hammer for the reinstall - I did not.

You will see that the C-clip (lock ring in that diagram) sits in a sharply machined rectangular groove in the shaft, and I assume there is a similar sharp 90* edge inside the outer part of the outer CV joint. If you just put the C-clip in that groove without centering it, it will have some portions that are deep down in the groove, and would prefer to shear the C-clip rather than bend and shift into position.

So with the C-clip in the groove, if you start pressing the splines back together until the C-clip first touches, then you can push on the C-clip with a screwdriver or whatever to make sure it's starting to center itself. Again, it may be convenient to have the wheel rotated here. Once it is centered with no hangups, it should press right in with no destruction of the C-clip. Then you should feel it lock itself in once it is in deep enough.