Black grease just started showing on front left wheel
 

My 5MT 3.0 has this on the front driver wheel. It drives fine and does not make any odd noises from that area. Can I get away with just replacing a boot doing the "30 min" boot change? Or does this mean the CV has failed and I need to replace it now?

If you caught it early (and it sounds like you have) then a quick CV boot change is all that is usually required. There's new grease included with the boots (after-market ones anyway) so clean down the CV joint and apply new grease, boot it up and your done.

Until next time... :rolleyes:

If it is not making noise I would say go and replace the boot. You must clean all the old grease out as it is contaminated and will just wear out the joint quicker.

Especially given his location! :D

You should be able to just get the new boot on and move on. The problem occurs when people see the grease keep riding and over the span of a few months pick up a lot of road dirt and pebbles that get lodged in the joint and then begin to eat away at it. That is when the clicking noises occur and the CV joint is no longer good. As said before act on it know and save yourself the headache and unnecessary repairs.

Nice. Thanks guys.

I will wait till it warms up a bit more so I can do it my backyard concrete pad. Time to park it till then. I have only put 600 miles on this thing since I bought it last year.

Might as well go FCP Euro for the lifetime warranty since it will fail again.

Yeah, easy-peasy and the boot kits (dealer or aftermarket) come with grease and new metal bands. Use the right tool to clamp those boots down or you chance spewing grease due to an incomplete seal. BTDT...

The GKN Loebro boot kits should be $20 per side - pop the joint out of the hub and take the outer joint off, disassemble and clean completely - takes a bit more time but its worth it as you don't want to muff up your OE axles -

Do both sides.

:iagree:

2002 BMW X5 4.6is Sport Utility - Axles, Bearings & Differential - Page 2

RUN dont walk away from EMPI or Rein boot kits btw