Hey guys,
I've not changed my boots before.
I've ordered the boot kits from car quest.
I'm planning on changing them tomorrow. Renting a compressor, and maybe a garage.

Any input would be great! I don't know what problems I may run into...

Again, any info is highly appreciated!
(i have the book, but sometimes experience speaks soo much more)

thanks in advance,

dave h.

 

why? I assuming you mean a spring compressor. You don't need to touch the suspension in anyway other than removing the strut from the steering knuckle. The tools you will need are a 36 mm socket, a tourque wrench capable of over 200ft\lbs of tourqe, an impact gun or a rachet with a long cheater bar attached to it ( I like mine to be about 4 ft ) and then various I think 17mm and 19mm sockets for removal from the steering knuckle. Also be sure to have a drip pan underneath because when you yank that puppy out fluid is going to come out and it is going to come out fast. Well Good luck. Oh and it I was wrong about the compressor nevermind what I just said.

Adam

 

It's way way way less effort to just get a new axle. Plus, if your boots are ripped, then the joint is already contaminated with dirt and water. It's only a matter of time before the joint fails completely.

www.raxles.com

http://www.raxles.com/spitboot.htm

 

I disagree, if you caught the rip right away your axle will be fine. i replaced my cv boot and am very glad that i dont have a crummy (in many cases) remanufactured axle on my car. Its an easy job and you learn alot, good luck

 

I disagree, I just had both of my outboard boots go at about 80k and it was actually about the same price to get new shafts(not reman)...with a lifetime warr. When you consider the extra BS you have to go through to get the boots on and pack them, it's really not worth doing just boots.
I would rather know I had new joints and boots if I had to go through all the trouble.


M. Guenzler
Retired ASE Master Technician

 

Do you check your boots for rips every day?

 

sh*t no, i can see they are ripped when i have green greese everywhere in my wheel well even with a rip centriputal force forces greese out and helps keep contaminates out. no contaminates got into the cv boot since it wasnt exposed to moisture in the time it broke either. the greese in the old axle was absolutely cleen and of the same consistancy as nissans cv boot replacement kit.

 

"I disagree, I just had both of my outboard boots go at about 80k and it was actually about the same price to get new shafts(not reman)...with a lifetime warr. When you consider the extra BS you have to go through to get the boots on and pack them, it's really not worth doing just boots.
I would rather know I had new joints and boots if I had to go through all the trouble." -johann

They give you a lifetime warrenty since it costs the company so little to remanufacture the axle. they make a profit even if you get lest say 3 axles replaced for free under warrenty. good for the consumer? hardly. while you may get another axle for free (minus the hassle of bringing it back) you still have to install it (at the expense of time and/or money) which is the biggest pain, not the 90 bucks for the axle. a good example of this is the three remanufactured alternators ive gone through in 1 year with lifetime warrenties. who cares about the alternator- it is such a pain in the *** to install. Beware of remanufactued parts. Also if both cv axles of mine are sound at 150000 miles why trade them in for a mediocre one when a 25$ fix will solve the problem?

 

oops i didnt see that you said not remanufactured but the same theory applies to anything with lifetime warrenties(its so cheap to make that they incorporate relatively high failure rates into their prices that come wth the lifetime warrnties) applies and i remembered from physiscs class that its actually centrifugal force (tendancy to be directed away from the center) not centripetal (tendancy to move toward the center).

 

I'm not about to argue with your point about the warr. I once had to replace a remanufactured alternator in my 90 Grand Am 2 times before I said enough! I finally broke down and paid a bit more for a OEM Hi-output and it never failed. I have had to deal with "lifetime warr. half-shafts before as well, the type of boot that they use is important. If you do replace just the boot, use something OEM quality or better. Interestingly, the GM OEM boots on that Pontiac were far superior to any replacement. I hope the same holds true for my Maxima.

BTW, after I changed the shafts I switched to Amzoil trans fluid (5 speed) and I have averaged better than 2mpg improvement over the last 2 months! I now get 400-425 miles out of a tank in my combined city/highway commute which is usually at 80mph cruise and lots of hard acceleration.

 

My CV boot busted last weekend. I just went to autozone bought a another axle and took less then 20mins to fix. I had two witnesses with me. Yanked it out, put the new axle in and slammed in there. 5 Mins later I was done. Call your local autozone and see who has on in stock. I paid $55 for it

 

$55 for a one, new and not remanufactured, not fot two, right?

 

how long did a remanufactured axle last you guys?

 

Boosting 9.7PSI and still going. I just got it a couple of weeks ago and it has not broken.

 

Are wheels bearings a part of the axle? My bearing is messed up and the price is almost identical...

 

Price is the same, labor is not. A bit more complicated

 

Would anyone happen to know if the front axles are interchangable between 4th gen and 5th gen? My bearings are shot and cv's are going fast. I want to replace the whole damn axle casue it's just gonna happen again. What's the price from raxles for new fronts? Thanks and peace in the middle east_

 

Thanks. So the axles are harder to install? I'm gonna do it myself so the install price doesn't bother me. I love your car bro...

 

Yea, I will have to replae axle too, discvered yesterday when changing oil that boot was all ripped and spitting grease all over the place..

How long can I still go without replacing the axle...

 

I've been driving with a bad bearing for a few months and it seems to be fine for now...

 

Is best to inspect your CV boots at every oil change .If ther are cracked ,plan to replace them before they split open ,that way your work is reduced. If done right the boots will last a very long time with no problems.

 

I am getting very confused in the names and parts...
If I have a ripped boot I would be better off replacing the CV axle (I am assuming it is already damaged from driving around for months with ripped boot), and the wheel bearing is part of the axle...right?

 

Dave -

Changing the boots isn't really that hard. I bought boot kits from Nissan that included the boot, all the clips you need, and all the grease you'll need to re-pack the joint.

Here's a good writeup:

http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/401

If the boot is torn, there's no harm in removing the axle and removing the boot to inspect the joint. If its still lubricated and the ***** & cage are still in descent shape, I'd just re-boot it. If the bearings/CV is damaged, replace the axle.

I check all 4 boots every time I'm under the car, which is quite often. Once I start to see cracks I'm going to replace them. $100 for all 4 boots, and I should be set for the life of the car (assuming I don't break an axle ).

[EDIT]
Just noticed that you posted like 2 weeks ago...guess this won't help you much then. Oh well.
[/EDIT]

 

Sorry to bring this back up but is the WHEEL BEARING a part of the AXLE or not? My bearing is messed up and I just want to know if it's a part of the axle...

 

centripetal force does not actually exist (popular misconception). It's actually a proponent of the roational motion, known as the angular velocity), as well as gravity that keeps the contaminants out. This is a complete derailment, and I'm a complete physics douche.

 

even though centripetal force is not a force in a physics definition anyone with any physics background knows that it is a synonym for centripital acceleration. Sorry to correct the physics douche but gravity has nothing to do with the centripital acceleration in this case, and thus cannot keep teh contaminants out either. sorry for such a lame post but i guess physics correctness is being enforced on the org.

 

A wheel bearing could be considered part of the axle system, but if you were just to replace the axle (and buy it from autozone, dealer, etc.), the wheel bearing would NOT be replaced. Of course, while you're at it, you could replace the wheel bearing...since the entire wheel assembly will be disassembled alot already.

Wheel bearings are around $40 each.