i came out of class today and saw this sludge looking stuff on the passanger front rim. At a closer look it looked to be grease with road debre. i checked the oil filter and plug and no oil leaks. i dont have time to yank off the wheel yet bc i go back to class at 11, and im at my girlfriends house right now. do you all have any ideas? i thought manybe wheel bearing? ill yank the wheel off after my last class at 1. help help help!

 

most probably your cv axle boot. i caught mine bc it spit up grease on my fender lining. after you replace your axle/boot/wutever , you can get teh grease off your wheel with degreaser. goodluck

 

CV shaft boot.

 

was it a greenish color? if so your cv boot busted.

 

My driver's side CV boot just tore open the other day. I noticed the same black sludge/tar/grease. I wiped it away but it came right back, so I took a peek behind the wheel, and wow, there was grease splattered everywhere (wheels, fender, suspension).

You can replace just the CV boot if you do it soon before anything inside gets damaged, or you can replace the entire axle. Labor on replacing a boot vs. replacing an axle is about the same, so I'm just going to replace both axles with RAXLES.

 

Welcome to the epidemic of blown CV boots. You can get the rebuild kit for like 5 bucks or pay over 100 for a new axle. Don't underestimate what a pain the rebuild is though...very messy job.

 

I found the same thing too on the front driver's side fenderwell, it was a greenish slugde splattered all over. Shiet, probably means I have to replace the CV boot.

 

I replaced both my front boots right after they were blown. Agree with the above, very messy and pretty tough. Might want to look into the CV boots that splice over the joint. I dont know much about them, but replacing is a MAJOR pain!

 

Cv Axle Boot For Sure.

 

I replaced both of my axles 2 days ago. Luckily I have a lifetime warrenty on those

 

Except that the parts are a huge difference. If you catch it soon enough you can just change the boot. No need to buy the whole axle.

 

, tore my CV boot, and rode on it for about 2 weeks- I had the CV repacked, and boot replaced (around $150)- everything worked out well. Don't ride around with the boot torn too long- also avoid driving in dusty/rocky areas as debris in the joint will lead to early failure. (thus leading to a need for replacement of the whole axle). Hope this helps!

 

I was lucky to pull a year and some change with a busted boot, I took it out last week and maan . . . that axle was beyond done. That axle went thru many 300 mile road trips, cobble stone on a semi-daily basis, excessive rain, not too much dust. I was truely lucky. . . never again.

 

greaat. so i need a boot. whats the best way to fix the problem?

 

Did you look to make sure that is the problem?

Here is a couple of pictures of when my CV boot ripped. You can look at it without taking off your wheel.

 

Here's mine, if you look close enough its torn basically 3/4 around. Im replacing the right side boot, and getting a new drivers side axle, since ive driven on it broken for about 2 months. Rule of thumb, fix it within a week, your ok, otherwise just replace the axle, it might be safer.

 

raxle axle comes tommorow, damn badly remanufactured advanced auto parts axle going back tommrow

 

hmm i got mine from autozone, 60$, lifetime gurantee, and they seem aight

 

you sure ur axle is okay and doesn't need replacing? I had split boots and i just bought new ones from Raxles.com. I took it too a shop and they told me that the axles were okay and they didn't need replacing b/c i got the new cv boot in time.

CV boots are pretty cheap.

 

The conventional wisdom (and what every single person felt compelled to tell me when I was driving around buying tools to do it) is that the replacement boots don't seal that well and won't end up lasting that long. Haven't had a problem yet.

The Raxles stuff is great: no core charge, free return shipping label, they include a freaking MAP to the nearest UPS place in the box, they give you gloves and rags. Really great service. Would definitely buy another one from them.

 

Entire axles are pretty cheap even... $50 with a core at Auto Zone.

 

how much are the raxles?

 

I just ordered from them yesterday. $120 driver, $150 passenger, plus shipping from Florida. No core charge, but you must ship your axles back to them using the pre-paid return label.