mainly, because the new one was a chinese one...

Been working on mine for the past 8hrs, how the f@$k do you get the new cv axle seated properly??!?

I have broken everything down, tie rod, control arm, ball joint, hub, reassembled everything, broke it all down again, can't get the axle to snap into place arrggg!!

So frustrating!!

I replaced one of my shafts recently using an aftermarket part. It didn't lock in as solidly as the original part was held in place but then the original was in place for a long time. Haven't had any issues; I just bashed it a few times with a rubber mallet.

Turn the axle 90 degrees and try to re-seat it, if it doesn't seat turn it another 90 degrees, keep turning the axle until you can get it to seat. It will also help if you put some grease at the clip.

Ok, I will give it a try, I was trying to turn it one spline at a time but surely didn't go a full 360, prolly not even a 180...

It should snap in pretty snugly right,,,,,not just "sort of be splined up?"

Also, when are you guys doing the rubber mallet hits? Should he hub already be back in place? Or is it best to just work the cv joint, get it fully seated, and then add the hub?

Right now I but the hub and all linkage on "finger tight" just so I remember were everything goes.

I have done axle services in the past, never had trouble getting them to re-seat...but never did them on a X5 either....

I had the exact same problem about 3-4 years ago when I tried this procedure. I ended up taking it to a shop very carefully as it was my wife's daily at the time and I didn't have the time to continue to fiddle with it.

I'd think it was in place but as soon as I drove it I'd get a big "pop/crack" from the axle. Scary sounds.

I did the disassembly procedure to take care of the other axle. Not the "factory" procedure but the one where you remove the shock mounts, rotate and push the axle out with a rented puller.




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I almost tried this '30 minute' boot fix. But after reading this thread about how many users were having difficulty with it I lost my nerve. After seeing how dirt cheap aftermarket axles were at the chain stores, I decided to just replace both axle assemblies. It is now over two months later and so far so good. No vibrations either.

I kept my old axles and will likely reboot them at my leisure in case one of these new axles fail in any way.

In my case, changing the just the boot was WAY easier than changing the whole axle, as I was unable to remove the CV joint from the hub, but I could (relatively easily) remove the shaft from the joint, while the CV joint was still attached to the hub. :thumbup:

I've done about a dozen CV boots on various cars now and each one has had it's little tricks and problems! :confused:

You can't share your experience of changing the axles without telling me how you got the new axles to slide into place.....😁