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Dorman cv boot : someone ?


fleurys
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I'm soon ordering the AC 2" lift and after going through many posts, have also decided to change my cv boots before they fail when I'll be installing the lift kit. Now don't flame me, but I do not plan on installing manual hubs. After many thoughts, I would not be happy to have to get out everytime I need to switch on 4x4...and believe me,in Quebec, the winters are pretty unpredictable....and sometimes you just can't stop in the middle of the road to switch the hubs on.... I like the "luxury" of having on demand 4x4 and losing it would definitely annoy me.

 

As i was looking around to see what were my options for boot, I'm seeing that AC sells them for 6$ a piece. But I wanted to know if there was any different quality in this and I got to this : http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/ItemBro...035491712204362 , these , supposedly, are better quality because, I quote, " :

 

"Proprietary rubber blend and patented design offer maximum durability and life. Boots stay flexible in winter and are resistant to cuts and abrasion. Inner boots are made of silicone compound on several applications where they are subjected to extreme heat."

 

So they sell for 37$ a piece.... is it worth it ? anyone had them before ?

 

Also, let me ask one more thing regarding some of your experiences : I love my path for 2 reasons : 1) the look, 2) the reliability... I surely don't want to screw up #2 because i want #1 to be better, so , once the truck is lifted with the AC kit, how many of you, not running manual hubs, had issues with their cv boots afterward ? Am I really bringing a new variable that I need to be worried about ?

 

Thanks for inputs.

S.

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I think you're over thinking it...

 

I had the lift without the warn hubs for 1 year, with no problems. Since then I have gotten the hubs, and only had one CV boot go, and that was after having the lift for 3 years. I know people who have gone w/o the hubs for a few years without CV issues... if I were you, I would wait until the issue comes up.

 

Besides, if you're taking it off road, you could ram a stick up into the CV boot a week after you swap it out...

 

As for the hubs, I typically leave the hubs locked for weeks at a time in the winter... if there is a chance that there will be snow, I lock them, then I am ready to go. I typically forget to unlock them right away... so they stay locked for a while. You could by rights leave them locked all winter, and do no harm... it would be like leaving the truck stock. That said, you'd only see the benefits of the manual hubs in the remaining months of the year.

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in the locked position woulnt the hubs provide more resisance the the auto hub in the unlocked position? I mean they are turning the cv and diff while locked right and w/ my autos i can hold the cv and spin the wheel freeley when unlocked...

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Aye, I'd suggest that you do buy some manual hubs if you're worried about your CV boots tearing. As Pezzy said you could just leave them locked all winter and it would be no different than stock.

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I,m actually worried that the boot tears because I read horror stories everywhere about this... The real issue is that if it will make them systematically tear , let's say, in half of there normal life expectancy, then i need to reconsider maybe... I mean in reading that the lift cous accelerate the tear, and on the other side , pezzy, says she know afew people who do not have a problem..

 

Maybe, the real question is how the boot were before the ac lift. If they were old, the lift just accelerate the wear?..Also, having a tear in the boot is probably not noticable until cv joint start making some noise...which at that point is too late... I guess I can have a look once I do my oil change,,but that is every 5000k.... By the way, what's the real cause of the boot problem (if really there is one) ?? the added angle makes the rubber rub on itself all the time ? is the angle straight on a non lifted r50 (2001) ?

 

Like pezzy said, I might be over thinking this one, but I want to have all the info before hand....and since the only way to really know is to ask those who already did this... so please everybody, put your 2 cents in ..

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Diff drop is wasted money for a 2" lift IMO

 

 

CV boots rip more easily with the lift because the lift increases the angle of the CV shaft and causes it to rub against the boot more. As the CV axle spins with the tire increased rubbing = increased friction and therefor greater chance of failure.

 

It's really not something I'd worry about though. If you're going to replace the CV boot anyway, why not just wait until it does tear. As was previously mentioned if you intend on wheeling you're more likely to see a snag tear it. Pezzy ran hers for a year without a tear on a lifted rig, both of mine ripped this year and I have stock suspension.

 

In terms of scope the CV boot is small @!*% compared to doing a suspension lift. My advice is if you are really worried, just run manual hubs and leave them locked throughout the winter if you want to be lazy. Otherwise just leave it as is; if they rip, they rip. Replacing boots in good condition doesn't make a whole lot of sense, especially if you're paying someone else to do it. It takes 30 seconds to check them otherwise.

Edited by Zibi
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I dont think that those would work. Im not sure why but from what Ive heard the wont work, sorry

 

My ex ordered the Xterra one from SLR, and compared it to my truck, and it wasnt going to work. (Although, I wasn't there when they looked at it, so I don't know what the issue was.)

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Why do you say it would not work when the part is listed specifically for for the pathfinder 87 to 03

 

it's listed in the application list for the product : http://www.dormanproducts.com/catalog/OESo...Accessories.pdf

 

check out the install tool (no disassembling to do !) could proove to be usefull..

 

so , I guess no one ever heard of dorman before heu ?

 

Thanks anyway

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Why do you say it would not work when the part is listed specifically for for the pathfinder 87 to 03

 

it's listed in the application list for the product : http://www.dormanproducts.com/catalog/OESo...Accessories.pdf

 

check out the install tool (no disassembling to do !) could proove to be usefull..

 

so , I guess no one ever heard of dorman before heu ?

 

Thanks anyway

 

Sorry I was refering to to the diff drop. that wont work but those cv's will

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back to the diff drop, It's sopposed to work on all r200's no? anyone know why it wont?

And as far as being worth the money Its only $40 now instead of $150 from SLR

 

Im sure that it has something to do with the fact that we have strut suspension, rack and pinon steering, and a HP diff.

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Hey everyone, good thread as this is an important topic for the R50 :D

After checking out 4x4parts.com, I've done some serious thinking

concerning the whole manual hub issue to ease wear on the CV axles.

My Pathy is lifted and, after I noticed how angled the CV axles are,

I've been wondering what I should do to alleviate my worries.

Manual hubs are easily the best idea, but how about switching to

a beefier set of CV axles as well? I've found these:

https://www.4x4parts.com/catalog/product_in...roducts_id=4305

Maybe these and the hubs would be uber tough... :huh:

Any suggestions? :blink:

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It's one way of thinking it, here's a link to 3 different manufacturers of complete cv axles : http://www.racepages.com/parts/axle_assemb...pathfinder.html

 

but I still think the real issue of boot tearing is the boot's number of rib and stretch properties... less rib means, the boot will have to stretch more to allow for the angle.. more ribs puts less stress on the whole boot because it can bend in more degrees without having to spread the strech all around... (hope you get what i mean).. I have still decided to go with the dorman ones when the lift will be done, maily because i'm shooting to not have to replace the boot after this because of a tear. I maybe wrong, but I'm willing to spend the extra 200$ (hell i'm gonna put a few 1000's on the truck with mods) to try to extend the life of the parts.. At least the board will benefit from this experience... My goal is to have the boot be as reliable when they are on a stock pathy.... therefore, no tearing (from normal use...not a branch or off-road mishap) for at least 100000km....

 

OK NOW is the time when you flame me with " are you crazy, they will tear just like all the other boots..:-) )... ;)

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" are you crazy, they will tear just like all the other boots..:-) )... ;)

x2

Just kidding, its your vehicles you've heard the opions out there but ultimately its your decesion and doing it because it will already apart doesnt seem like a bad idea.

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I do think you're misguided in thinking that by replacing your boots with aftermarket ones now you'll get 100,000km out of them when you have a lift, especially if you intend on actually wheeling your rig. If you're going to spend the $200 I can't understand why you don't just buy manual hubs. You're a lot more likely to reach your 100000km mark damage free that way for less money.

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