Blown CV boots :(
 

Back in 2014 I did a full suspension rebuild on the 3.0 and as a preventive measure I installed new CV boots on the outers. Well, they've failed spectacularly, throwing grease everywhere (not OE or OEM). My bad for picking cheap boots but they did last 6+ years.


Now I have to do it again but the car is probably not long for keeping so I face a choice for repair. I can get aftermarket axles for both sides for C$150-200.


Opinions on Cardone or Trackmotive or GSP?

As long as the CV joints are not ruined I would just reboot the joint.

+1, especially since you have done boots before, why would you want to spend more money and risk the whole snap ring for the inner joints problems to install some crap axle assemblies??

It doesn't matter to you, but if anyone reading wants to get the hard plastic boots that last forever they should order the GKN for type "B" axle.

Outer joint is about $75@ fcpeuro; OEM. Consider the effort to reboot vs swap outer joint with OEM

I need to do my boots as well. Parts have been sitting in my garage for a short while... I think they've been ripped for the past 5 years. And once I reboot and grease them, I will continue using them until they indicate the need for replacement. And they have not :P

OP is overseas so pricing may vary. The GKN is a easy no brainer decision

Just did this recently - axle swap is a no brainer....but it was more about time vs. repacking/rebooting. And it also turned out out I did this circa 18 months ago previosuly with FCP so it was a -free- replacement.

Overseas? Last time I checked, Alberta was north of Montana. Unless Justin managed to peel Canada away from the US somehow.

All good comments. I'm loath to replace the axle with cheap aftermarket parts, but the thing is I'm not likely to keep this car much longer. I've passed it to my son and he absolutely hates driving SUV.


I don't think the joint has failed at this point, so a good replacement boot is probably the best option.


I'm not looking forward to tearing into it though. Last time was a bugger. But I don't think I need to do the lower ball joint this time.

LOL OP ;)
Mea Culpa. I saw AB and somehow Albania was what registered to me

LOL. I always first think "Air Base" when I see that.

For the sake of the future owner, don't chuck the OEM axles. Let them rebuild it and swap back. Aftermarket BMW axles are a real letdown.

What's everyone take on axle vs. reboot

If you catch it on a inspection and you notice a tear, then PM Boot is good.
But if the tear has come to the point where it's flung....who knows what sorta ### is in there and how long till it clicks is my approach.

I always prefer a reboot if there are no joint problems yet. There have been many stories on here about difficulty in removing one of the ends of an axle, leading to a lot of work, or worse. If you reboot, you only need to remove one of the two ends, which improves your odds of avoiding a disaster. So I know it is commonly said that it is just easier to replace the whole axle vs. getting grease on your hands and replacing a boot, but not always true.

BTW, for full disclosure on how I may be biased ... a story from back in the day ... I was on a windsurf safari in my aircooled VW Vanagon, about 1000 miles from home, when I started getting some CV clicking while driving straight that would not go away. I rebooted the bad joint but the sound was still there since the bearing surface was damaged, as I had seen when it was apart. Solution (not uncommon with VWs back in those days) was to swap the axles left to right so a different part of the CV bearing surfaces was now being used. Problem fixed until I was home and could fix it at my convenience with new joints.

I bought the one piece boot cover replacement kit from Autozone. Looks solid. I will also use some extra wide flex tape. The rubber boot thing is total scam. These should have been made with bias ply nylon, like tires. But hey, its all about "monetize".

What a neat thing with same axles left and right to swap.


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Yes, rear engine, rear wheel drive transaxle. Same axles left vs. right. I even think that the inner and outer CV joints were the same, and it would have been possible to flip an axle inner-vs-outer, but that would not have solved the problem since the torsion would still be in the same direction. Flipping left vs. right does switch the direction of torsion, so the bearing surface contact points change enough to hopefully move to a fresh spot.

Since I'm already way off track :D, I'll add that on my old 911, the CV axles are similarly identical left-vs.-right, but they are marked to indicate left vs. right to make sure that if they are removed and replaced they go back on the same side. Apparently, metallurgical changes occur after being torqued (from driving forward) one way for a long time - and after that it's not good to go back the other way. Important stuff for a Porsche, not such a concern for a VW, at least to get home.

All good comments. I think I'll re-boot. If I get it apart and there's big wear I'll pause and perhaps fit a new CV outer to each.