Torn Cv Boot

[yar1]

the outer boot on the drivers side is mostly gone, i've ordered the part but it wont be here until atleast monday and then i need to install it (hopefully with some help). should i avoid driving it in the mean time? and is now a good time to put manual hubs in? and what can i do to prevent this from happening again?

Edited August 6, 2007 by yar1

[Enjoi408]

Talk to Joebob. If he's on top of things, he should have replaced his friday. I think he lives near to you as well. Everyone in Cali seemed to be breaking their CV's. First Joebob, then SC88pathy, and now you. Sorry you couldnt finish the trip. Glad to hear you made it safely home tho.

 

Good luck with the CV

[yar1]

yes, that did suck. so the tire was bouncing up and down? i didnt know the axel affected the dampening

[Marooncobra]

Don't drive it any more until you have replaced the boot also known as a gaiter. Two reasons and both end at the same failure of the CV joint:

 

1. The grease will fly out of the CV joint, through the split, and the joint will fail due to lack of lubrication. You will also get grease sprayed all over the hub assembly and possibly your brakes. Not a good idea.

 

2. The split boot has expossed the grease to the outside elements. If any grit gets inside this grease, which it will if you keep on driving it, it will mix in with the grease that is left and act like a carborundum paste and this will destroy the joint.

 

I dont know how much a CV joint is where you are but here in Oz you are looking at the difference between $20 for a boot and $300 for a CV joint.

[Impact2k1SE]

I dont know how much a CV joint is where you are but here in Oz you are looking at the difference between $20 for a boot and $300 for a CV joint.

 

I did this repair this weekend. Changed both the boots on the passenger side axel. The boots together cost $30 US, and AC sells a new CV joint assembly for under a hundred dollars. This repair required some tools that I didn't have, and so the cost was greater (CV strap crimping pliers).

 

The time involved may or may not be worth the price differential. It is a time consuming repair, especially if you have to keep running out for things. I'm going to be putting up some info on how I did it, will post a link when its ready.

 

-Impact

[yar1]

Don't drive it any more until you have replaced the boot also known as a gaiter. Two reasons and both end at the same failure of the CV joint:

 

1. The grease will fly out of the CV joint, through the split, and the joint will fail due to lack of lubrication. You will also get grease sprayed all over the hub assembly and possibly your brakes. Not a good idea.

 

2. The split boot has expossed the grease to the outside elements. If any grit gets inside this grease, which it will if you keep on driving it, it will mix in with the grease that is left and act like a carborundum paste and this will destroy the joint.

 

I dont know how much a CV joint is where you are but here in Oz you are looking at the difference between $20 for a boot and $300 for a CV joint.

I ordered the whole axle, what special tools are needed? and what should i do while im in there?

[XPLORx4]

The tools you'll use to replace the CV are:

flat screwdriver and vise-grips (to remove the hub cap as shown in this pic)

 

snap-ring pliers to remove the snap-ring (instead of needle nose pliers as shown here)

 

You will also need some sockets (12mm, 14mm), a 3/8" drive ratchet, and an extension.

 

When handling the new CV axle, be careful not to put too much pressure on the cap over the inner CV joint. It can easily pop off pretty easily if the joint pushes against it, and then the grease inside will make a mess everywhere. If it does come off, it's easily reinstalled by tapping around the edges with a mallet.

 

Jack up the truck and remove the tire.

Remove the hub cap and snap-ring.

Remove the 6 bolts securing the CV axle to the differential, rotating the differential/axle as needed to gain access to all of the bolts. If the axle rotates when you try to remove the bolts, move the transfer case lever to 4WD.

Remove the 3 nuts holding the lower ball joint to the A-arm.

Separate the A-arm from the lower ball joint and swing it down.

With the A-arm out of the way, just slide the CV axle out of the hub (towards the center of the truck).

Sometimes a grease seal will slide out with the old CV. (The new CV doesn't come with a new seal, so if the old CV has extra parts attached to it that you don't see on the new one, be sure to transfer the parts from the old to the new.)

Insert the new CV into the hub in the reverse way you removed the old one, and reassemble everything.

Edited August 6, 2007 by XPLORx4

[msavides]

the outer boot on the drivers side is mostly gone, i've ordered the part but it wont be here until atleast monday and then i need to install it (hopefully with some help). should i avoid driving it in the mean time? and is now a good time to put manual hubs in? and what can i do to prevent this from happening again?

 

 

 

Hey rock auto has the complete half shafts for 50.97 each.(no core charge) Why pay $30 bucks for just the boot and a whole lot more work when you can get the entire shaft for $20 more. I think shipping for two of them was like 30 bucks.

[yar1]

The tools you'll use to replace the CV are:

flat screwdriver and vise-grips (to remove the hub cap as shown in this pic)

 

snap-ring pliers to remove the snap-ring (instead of needle nose pliers as shown here)

 

You will also need some sockets (12mm, 14mm), a 3/8" drive ratchet, and an extension.

 

When handling the new CV axle, be careful not to put too much pressure on the cap over the inner CV joint. It can easily pop off pretty easily if the joint pushes against it, and then the grease inside will make a mess everywhere. If it does come off, it's easily reinstalled by tapping around the edges with a mallet.

 

Jack up the truck and remove the tire.

Remove the hub cap and snap-ring.

Remove the 6 bolts securing the CV axle to the differential, rotating the differential/axle as needed to gain access to all of the bolts. If the axle rotates when you try to remove the bolts, move the transfer case lever to 4WD.

Remove the 3 nuts holding the lower ball joint to the A-arm.

Separate the A-arm from the lower ball joint and swing it down.

With the A-arm out of the way, just slide the CV axle out of the hub (towards the center of the truck).

Sometimes a grease seal will slide out with the old CV. (The new CV doesn't come with a new seal, so if the old CV has extra parts attached to it that you don't see on the new one, be sure to transfer the parts from the old to the new.)

Insert the new CV into the hub in the reverse way you removed the old one, and reassemble everything.

is this doing it a different way than in the how-to section? the balljoint is where the arm connects to the frame, correct?

[XPLORx4]

is this doing it a different way than in the how-to section? the balljoint is where the arm connects to the frame, correct?

 

Yes, this is a different, easier way to replace the CV axle than what is indicated in the "How To"

 

The balljoint is not where the arm connects to the frame, it's where the arm attaches to the knuckle, part #5 in the diagram below.

 

 

The ball joint nuts are removed from UNDERNEATH the a-arm (see the three holes on each A-arm on the top of this photo):

 

Once you get the truck in the air and look at the parts, you'll see exactly what I mean.

Edited August 6, 2007 by XPLORx4

[yar1]

i think i understand it now, thanks for all the help

[Impact2k1SE]

That is definitely easier than removing the inside portion of the a-arm. How easy is it to slide the CV joint out though? I guess if you get the truck high enough so the a-arm can hang vertically, then it wouldn't be tough, but if that is still at an angle, you might have trouble.

 

Thanks for the tips Dean!

[XPLORx4]

That is definitely easier than removing the inside portion of the a-arm.

 

Well, I guess you could remove the 3 bolts securing the A-arm to the subframe, too, but the bolts are pretty big and are torqued on tighter, making them tougher to remove. Either way, it's a lot less effort to separate the A-arm in order to slide the CV axle out than it is to separate the strut from the knuckle.

Edited August 7, 2007 by XPLORx4

[JoeBob]

Yeah I just replaced one of my axels last weekend. Went WAY more smooth than the first time I replaced both axels heh (The only cursing occurred when the jack stand pinched my finger ^^). It seems to be a little easier on the 96 too.

Edited August 7, 2007 by JoeBob

[yar1]

couple more questions, will i need a new dustcap? will i need an alingment afterwards? and do the bolts on the knuckle have to be to a certian torque? and the ones on the axle/diff?

Edited August 8, 2007 by yar1

[Marooncobra]

If you go to my post 'Fitting Poly Bushes' http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=15241 and scroll down to the photo part you will see a photo of the front axle with the control arm removed. It shows the hub assembly, ball joint and strut still connected to the vehicle with the control arm removed.

 

You can remove the control arm very easily. Once you raise the car off the floor, remove the wheel and place an axle stand under the vehicle it to support the weight of the car. Three nuts hold the ball joint on to the control arm, 1 bolt holds the front control arm bush in and 2 bolts hold the rear control bush in. They are not that tight as long as you have a long 1/2 drive bar and socket. Once you have removed the control arm you have full acces to the drive shaft. To remove it take the dust cap off the stub axle, remove the circlip holding the drive shaft in the hub, fully support the weight of the half shaft and undo the 6 bolts holding the drive shaft on the differential. Once free manouvre the shaft down and out of the hub assembly. Try not to move the joints through more than 45 degrees as you will put undue stress on the assembly.

 

Refitting the drive shaft is the reverse of taking it apart. Torque all of the bolts to the correct tightness.

 

Front control arm bush 69 - 96 ft/lb

Rear control arm bush 87 - 108 ft/lb

Ball joint nuts 76 - 94 ft/lb

Drive shaft flange bolts to diff 25 - 33 ft/lb

 

Refit circlip and dust cap. Take vehicle to wheel alignment shop.

 

Whilst you have got the control arm off you may even want to change your front bushes to poly versions!!

 

Good luck

Edited August 8, 2007 by Marooncobra

[XPLORx4]

When replacing the CV axle, you don't need to get it realigned. In fact, even if you remove the A-arm, the alignment will be unchanged. The only adjustable alignment parameter on stock suspension is toe. Caster is non-adjustable, and camber is only adjustable with the use of camber bolts.

[yar1]

ok, what about the dust cap?

[XPLORx4]

ok, what about the dust cap?

 

So long as you don't completely mutilate it when you remove it, it should be reusable.

[nissandoms47]

Make sure you use locktite on the 6 bolts holding the cv flange to the diff.