GKN Axle boots
 

Has anyone ever replaced the oem boots with these replacement units? The material is a harder plastic rather than the factory rubber. I'm going to replace my boots while I have the suspension pulled apart as they are on their way out and I'm just curious about the quality of these GKN units as changing the boots is just enough of a PITA to do correctly the first time.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/..._pg2.htm#item4

I used the GKN boots when I did mine - they felt same as factory -

GKN is the OE manufacturer of our axles and axle boots so you are putting the same items on -

Mine are definitely much harder than the factory rubber, they almost feel like plastic.

Can't speak for boots only but I recently replaced whole left side assembly with GKN. It was $199 when I got it and the reason I went with whole assembly vs boot only was the fact that PO replaced right side with whole assembly as well. Made in Spain and it looked very high quality and identical to OEM:
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pro...20Axle%20Shaft

The harder material, like original, is what you want. Maybe yours are not original? Usually the cheap ones are softer and don't last.

The original one from BMW is rubber not plastic like. A hard rigid axle boot that is plastic like would be an indication of a problem to occur. Its got to have flexibility for articulation among the axle.

Remember that you're probably comparing 20 year old used boots to brand new material- of course the old boots will feel softer...They're fatigued and breaking down.

GKN is OEM. The same thing BMW stamps their logo on. They are not hard plastic but not rubber either. Rubber would split in no time. New OEM shafts have pretty stiff boots. The really soft rubbery boots come on the cheap Chinese shafts.

Use GKN and be happy.

The inner boot is most definitely made from a different material than the outer on these new GKN boots. The outer GKN boot is soft rubber while the inner is a harder plastic. I have both in hand, and they are both new. The original boots appear to be the same material for both.

Again, I am talking about brand new GKN boots that are coming directly out of GKN boxes not the original boots.

Just recently, I had an outer boot on the passenger side rip open. Caught it rather quickly.

With just turning 100K miles, I figured the CV axles had to be tired so since I was going to be tearing apart the front suspension anyway, in keeping with my "Touch It Once" philosophy whenever possible, I replaced both front CV axles and all the suspension arms, ball joints and bushings on both sides.

I figure those 100K mile parts don't owe me anything.

:dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

Mike

All I know is the softer boots don't last. I usually go out of my way to order factory boots from Honda, Toyota and lately for the BMW. The BMW boots I ordered came in a white box with a BMW label, they looked just like the originals and where made of the better stiff material but they did come with weaker clamps as I think most people would have trouble cinching the heavy clamps that the factory used. If I remember right, they where GKN but just because you have boots from the OE supplier doesn't mean that you have OEM spec.