CV boot replacement or axle replacement?

[Ambrosius]

My passenger side CV boot is broken. I was talking to a friend and said that might as well just replace the entire drive axle which includes the CV boot assembly.

Has anyone tried replacing the entire axle or think this is a good idea.

[X5Flyboy]

it all depends on how long the boots' been shot, If you've been running around for weeks with the CV joint axle running dry (the boot keeps the axle/joint lubricated) then the axle will most likely need to be replaced. If you are lucky enough to have found it soon after it started leaking (like me), you only have to replace the boots. There is about a 2-3 week interval between boot failure and the axle/joint being too far gone. depending on how much you've driven it.

Also, use BMW boots. more expensive, but much thicker to provide longer life. My Indy in SC says they've seen the aftermarket boots and they are so thin, they end up having to replace them within a year.

[amacman]

replacing the axle will cost a lot more money than just replacing the boot.
I agree with X5 Flyboy
CV joints are fairly tough but if there is grit in there it will cause damage .
you do not require a complete axle if you want to replace the CV joint . edit - I just looked up real oem and discovered they sell the complete axle or individual boots only - .
if you read my diy you will see the parts that are attached to each end of the shaft , the outer end has the actual CV joint , as shown held in hand after removal from the shaft .
the inner end has a triple roller bearing which fits into a cup as shown in the last 2 pics borrowed from generx . the cup connects to the diff .
it should be possible to look into the tear on your boot , wipe some grease from one or more of the ball bearings to see if there is any scoring or gouges . if the bearings are smooth you should be good to retain the CV joint .

you really need to read the link to the diy by hayaku to fully understand how it all works because hayaku dismantles and cleans up everything so you can get a good idea of what is in there .
my diy is really just a quick guide to replacing the boot provided you know all the tools to use and torque settings , if not then that is why I recommended reading the link .

[RMak]

My Indy recommended that you might as well change the whole CV Boot and Axle.

[TriX5]

I used 12 dollar after market boots and oddly enought 3 years later they are still in perfect shape.....

If you didn't leave it too long just changing the boot is adequate. Changing the whole thing is just a way to drive the cost up.

[c4racer]

Originally Posted by RMak

My Indy recommended that you might as well change the whole CV Boot and Axle.

That's exactly what I would recommend if I were in business to make money. Because I could charge more money for that....

The CV joint and axle could very well last the lifetime of the vehicle, or easily 200K miles. If the joint is still clean and did not get dirt and grit in there, I recommend just doing the boot. I think the OEM axle assembly is better than an aftermarket one. And a new OEM assembly is about $300-400 just for the part.

If the joint looks questionable and compramised, then replace the whole assembly. I recommend getting one from RockAuto - they have a source that uses remanufactured OEM units on a core exchange basis. I would rather have a reman OEM unit than an aftermarket one myself. In fact, I do and it works just perfectly. I ended up replacing mine during a boot swap only because I stripped the threads on the spindle pounding it back on the joint. Forgot to slip on the nut cause I was in a hurry. Oh well - whatRyagonnado...

[Ambrosius]

Hey guys thanks for the input.

I know that a picture say a thousands words so I wanted to show you my boot. Click on the pictures for a full size.





Also if I go with the entire axle replacement, I am thinking of going with these guys. They re-manufacture axles.

A1 Cardone Front, Passenger Side Axle Assembly

[RMak]

Originally Posted by c4racer

That's exactly what I would recommend if I were in business to make money. Because I could charge more money for that....

Well, my Indy charged me $300 dollars for the whole CV Boot and Axle to be replaced. I don't think it's all that bad considering the charge if you throw in the labor. I figure it's preventive maintenance. Only God knows if the tiniest little grit got into the joints.

I always felt spending a little bit more on something to prevent bigger damage down the line. My X5 is my long distance driver. Last thing I need is a headache miles away from home with 2 kids in the car and a wife who will get on my case cause I could have prevented this.

[Adventurer]

I just purchased a complete right front Axle assembly (new CV's, boots and axles already assembled) for $99 at Advanced Auto Parts. This begs to ask the question as to why anyone would bother with replacing just the boots. Every mechanic I spoke to also said they don't replace boots when the job to do so requires the same amount of work. Why take the chance of putting a new boot over a possible worn CV joint makes no sense.