So I went through the horribly painful process of replacing my front half-shafts over the last week. If you live in the salty winter states and are considering doing this, please save yourself and don't.

I was incredibly careful with everything, wrapping the new axles and boots in rags to make sure nothing was damaged.

Unfortunately, on both the passenger and drivers side I ended up with small tears in the in inner CV boots.

To say I feel defeated would be an understatement.

So what do I do? I figure I have a couple options:

1) Take them both back out and get another set of new axles (Really don't want to do this.)
2) Take them both back out and replace the boots (Really don't want to do this)
3) Take the darn thing to the shop because I just really have no desire to go through the giant P.I.T.A. of taking those axles out again.

or...

4) Since I know there hasn't been any water or dirt or anything else introduced, I'm considering using a combination of Marine/Shoe Goop and a bicycle tube patch kit to fix them (I know this will likely be temporary.)

So my question is... does anything think I'll have any luck "patching" the small (less than 1cm) tears in the boots?

And, it seems to be the boots should not have torn so easily. I purchased DSS axles from http://www.fcpimport.com/ ...any recourse there?

Any thoughts/advice would be appreciated.


Thanks,
ck

 

do it right, replace both with new axles. to feel defeated doesn't mean the fight is over. to take it to the shop is like a double fail for an easy job. i think full axles will take about 3 hours total, now that you have it all loosened up already. well that'w what i would do. i got 2 brand new gsp alxes from advance auto for $120 with an online order and promo code. i also do not think the patch will work for long at all. turning, spinning fast, and hot/cold on the sealing agent sounds like a bad plan.

 

When you drive, is the grease being thrown out?

 

shoulda bought locally...advance or auto zone, lifetime waranty

 

FCP also sells crappy parts for BMW cars too, and those guys are always saying they are not good. If you tore the boot that easily it's time to put decent axles in. FWIW, I did the ones on my brothers altima and it was easy. I bet you find it much less painless this time around.

 

DSS are supposedly good axles, i got a set from napa, they only came w/ a 90 day warranty..that threw up an immediate red flag, but at that point i was trying to get vibration out while i was riding around slammed, didnt work...but i never went back to advance axles until i got my beater...the DSS are still in the maxima, as far as i know

 

No grease is being thrown out because it hasn't been on the road yet. I'm wondering if attempting to "fix" it short term when I know the bearings are fine is worth it... at least until summer gets here and I get the energy for another attempt.

It will also let me know if the new seals I installed are holding. My gaaawd those were a pain to get in...