i found out i need to replace one of mine. what tools will i need? how much does one cost? thank you for the tips.

 

What is Cv boot? Thank you.

 

i actually forget exactly what it stands for. it's the little black rubber boot protecting the front drive axle. i think it stands for "constant velocity" joint boot. well i discovered one of mine was cracked as i was replacing my struts. has anyone ever replaced them?

 

The constant velocity joint boot, huh? I can't take you through the steps, but I think there's a thread on it somewhere. Try the search function. Is the cv joint clicking when you turn? Did a bunch of grease get flung out of the boot? If the cv joint is clicking, you need to have the entire axle replaced, as the clicking indicates a damaged cv joint. You'll get a reconditioned replacement, too. It's par for the course. I think the only folks that get new axles are those who get them replaced under warranty. New axles are really expensive! Good luck.

 

I dont think he has to get a new axle if its broken, he would just have to get a new CV, joint (yes it stands for constant velocity) probly get to, cause both seem to go at the same, time ,but good run down of what could be wrong, but the whole axle thingy is wrong, cause i had a old golf and the CV's were built horibly, had to replace them ever 5,000 miles, CV are expensive, but there no damn axle....

 

If the boot is torn, then water and dirt have already gotten into the joint, contaminating it. This will soon lead to the death of the joint. To replace the boot or the joint, you have to have the axle off the car and disassembled.

You can get a replacement axle for pretty cheap (around $110 plus core). But, these will have reconditioned joints wich are done by grinding the joint surfaces back smooth. This grinding removes the hardened surface from the joint, this leads to a quick death. I had some on my car, they only lasted 35000 miles.

I just replaced my passenger side axle with one from www.raxles.com. They use brand new joints and boots and pack them with synthetic Amsoil grease. The axle (which includes the intermediate shaft and bearing) was $170 and included a label to ship the core back.

Could be the best bet for you.

 

I did this on a Honda once... to pull the wheel off, all the junk including separating the ball joint (required a ball joint fork) , etc, etc.

It was a MAJOR pain. Basically, all the stuff around the wheel has to be removed and disconnected to slide the axel out of the transmission... or (in your case) to slide a boot on the end and refill it with grease. They make these split boot things that can be put in place without pulling the wheel assembly apart, but I never had much luck with those things... they always leaked and tore and only lasted a few months.

 

It wasnt that bad on the max. You dont have to remove the hub carrier from the control arm. You just undo the strut bolts to let the hub carrier drop down so you can slide the axle out...

 

right now..all that i have observed is grease around the wheel well. what should i do initially? should i be driving it at all?

 

if the boot just ripped (real recently) and you haven't driven in sand or water it is possible to change the boot. if you drive with it ripped its not gonna cause any serious problems but you will need to replace the joint.

i changed both outside boots myself and it wasn't difficult but it was a freakin pain. espessialy the right one with the carrier bairing. if you can't do the labor yourself it is probably best to get a rebuilt axle.

also a good time to switch to synthetic gear oil.

 

one garage said they could reboot the axle for $52. another garage said the whole axle should be replaced because if grease was able to come out from the joint, chances are moisture and contaminants have gotten in. i would really like to do the work myself, but i'm confused as to what's the best (right) thing to do. i don't know if i want to pay a garage $233 for a remanufactured axle installed when i could just probably install one myself. or i could pay this other garage just to reboot my existing axle. i don't know what caused this boot to crack because i only have 26k miles on my car and it's been garage kept all this time. free time is another factor for me. school work is making me hesitate from working on the car because if something goes wrong i'm royally screwed for time and transportation. anymore suggestions are helpful. i've been looking up old posts on this so i'm still in the decision making process.