how to determine if its time to replace the axle?
 

I was going to knock out a torn cv boot while doing my brakes. Then a thought came into my head that maybe the axle needs replacing as well. Any signs that I should look for to determine whether or not the axle needs replacing. 2004 bmw x5 4.4i

Edit: dealer told me the boot needed repairing about a moth ago, never got it repaired... daily driven to work and school about 50-60 miles a day

How bad is the tear? Is grease spewing everywhere?


If it hasn't leaked out grease and only has surface cracks and you are replacing preventatively, given the notion that you do a thorough cleaning and disassembly of the outer joint, clean out all old grease and put new in, I see no reason why the axle should be replaced after putting new boots on.


However, if you are slinging grease out of the axle all over your front suspension and its got a big gaping hole, chances are some grit allowed itself in your CV joint and the axle would need to be replaced.


BMW axles are very hardy, and I haven't really seen any that NEEDED to be replaced other than the owner neglected to replace a tearing outer axle boot and waited too long until it ripped.


I just did my axle boots (both outers, inners were fine) at 68k and don't expect to have to touch them for another 70k or more miles.

Grease everywhere, tear is about halfway around the boot, I have the new boot repair kit on hand. It seems to be riding just find, I don't hear anything out of the ordinary or feel anything. It seems to be fine, but I don't want to waste the boot on a axle that needs to be replaced anyway.

Turn the wheels and drive in a circle one way and then the other way, do you hear any clicking from the CV joint? If yes replace the axle and cv joint, if no just clean the joint repack with new grease (use the correct grease) and reboot.