# CV Boot replacement - how hard?



## Enygma (Jan 12, 2003)

Got a tear in my passenger side boot, how hard is it to replace? And how much do you have to pull off?

I already have the boot. Not sure if I wanna make it a weekend project or not.


----------



## Popkorn (Nov 16, 2003)

You'll need a 32mm socket for the axle nut. Bust it loose BEFORE you jack the car. Did your boot come with new grease?


----------



## Enygma (Jan 12, 2003)

Yeah, came with a fair sized pouch of grease, and clips.

How much stuff do I have to pull off?


----------



## James (Apr 29, 2002)

think it'd be easier just to replace both the axles...


----------



## Popkorn (Nov 16, 2003)

Enygma said:


> Yeah, came with a fair sized pouch of grease, and clips.
> 
> How much stuff do I have to pull off?


You got the CV rebuild kit. You still need to pull the whole mofo outta there. Then remove the old boot. Pop the circlip, I used the vice to knock the thingy off the end. be carefull there's abunch of bearings in there. Then you'll need a bunch of solvent or somm to remove all the old grease. Reassemble and pack it full of new grease. There, now you have 1/2 of one axle done. We did this on SE-R axles cuz rebuilt ones were like 120$ or somm. Regular B12 axles run about $55 and saves you 3 hrs of profanities. I agree with James.


----------



## B11sleeper (Oct 15, 2003)

on principal, i wouldn't go through the effort to replace the boot, you'll spend nearly as long replacing the boot as it would take to put in a new axle. And then the re-booted axle will still fail and you'll have to take it apart for real.

i used to think changing CV axles was hard, then i did it a few times, now it's super easy. It's a good way to gt to know the front end of your car, and that's good because as your car gets older you'll need things repaired up there that pep-boys mechanics will never change.

check out www.raxles.com too. they might be as much or more than ones from the nissan dealer, but I think they make remanufactured axles that are better than oem.


----------



## xXB12RacerXx (Mar 6, 2003)

dude, i caled autoZone on that shit, the said they had a universal boot that was split in the middle so all you have to do is jack the car up put this shit on and drop it and your good to go...


----------



## Jesdog (May 8, 2004)

I took on this project and it was a nightmare. It would have been easy if I had all the right tools to start with, but rounding up everything I needed was a horror story in itself. Stupid Pepboys...anyway, here is a list of all the purchases I made to do this project. 
A big ol' socket for the axle nut
Pickle fork
Snap ring pliers
That tool that tightens the metal bands that go around the boot
And a new drivers side axle after the hassle with the passenger side one

Even though I have all the necessary tools to change my cv boots now, I think I would still buy a new axle. 
One problem I had was that the axle was made fat in the middle so I couldn't slide the cv boot across to the other end. The new axle I bought was straight with no bulge in the middle though. I don't know...

Oh, and stay away from the universal wrap-around boots. I heard they come apart very easily.


----------



## minute rice sentra (Mar 21, 2003)

I wouldn't try putting on one of those universal boots unless your just ripped about 3 seconds ago and you have no money to buy a new/rebuilt axle, when that boot rips all kinds of crap gets in there, dirt, sand, salt, etc, it totally destroys the cv joint and slapping a new boot over it will just keep in any sand or crap that you couldn't get washed out.


----------



## astreamk1 (Apr 16, 2004)

Those split boots are useless. Good for undercoating the inside of your wheelwells with axle grease ! I have replaced the axles in both of my B12's. They are inexpensive and easy to install. It almost makes it the only way to go. 

outer CV joints seem to be one of those things that go on all of these cars. We should make a list of the top 10 things that will probably be bad on one of these cars for new people just starting out.....both of my cars have almost needed exactly the same repairs.


----------



## Popkorn (Nov 16, 2003)

Jesdog said:


> I took on this project and it was a nightmare. It would have been easy if I had all the right tools to start with, but rounding up everything I needed was a horror story in itself. Stupid Pepboys...anyway, here is a list of all the purchases I made to do this project.
> A big ol' socket for the axle nut
> Pickle fork
> Snap ring pliers
> ...


Don't use that pickle fork on your tie rod ends unless you have replacements. same with ball joints. To get the knuckle off the tie rod, use a big hammer, take your time cuz accuracy is critical, and smack the knuckle good and solid till the TRE pops off. DO NOT whack the TRE. Usually only takes a whack or two. The barby is ready, good luck.


----------



## minute rice sentra (Mar 21, 2003)

I found it pretty easy to use a 2 or 3 jaw pulley/gear puller to remove the tie rod without damage, and a pry bar wedged between the CV housing and the ball joint stud with the nut backed off enough to protect the threads.


----------



## GetsomeGOJO (Apr 4, 2004)

I'm right there with you brother... 
Bought my new axle assembly today after doing the temporary "quickboot" for a few weeks.

Tomorrow promises to be interesting


----------



## GetsomeGOJO (Apr 4, 2004)

It wasn't all that bad, though while pulling the axle out, It came apart at the inner joint. I had a devil of a time pulling the bearing housing out of the transmission. However, those brilliant Nissan Engineers did me a big favor. There is a little hole in the socket where the axle fits into the tranny. A flat head slips into it nicely, right behind the joint housing. Pop! Out falls the offending half axle-half. Anyone else notice this? It might be in the FSM but it sure wasn't in my Haynes. I'll take pics if anyone shows interest.


----------



## Galimba1 (Aug 16, 2002)

GetsomeGOJO said:


> It wasn't all that bad, though while pulling the axle out, It came apart at the inner joint. I had a devil of a time pulling the bearing housing out of the transmission. However, those brilliant Nissan Engineers did me a big favor. There is a little hole in the socket where the axle fits into the tranny. A flat head slips into it nicely, right behind the joint housing. Pop! Out falls the offending half axle-half. Anyone else notice this? It might be in the FSM but it sure wasn't in my Haynes. I'll take pics if anyone shows interest.


Yeah, that thing about using a big screwdriver to remove the half shaft from the tranny was in my chiltons manual. Came in real handy on my tranny swap.


----------



## astreamk1 (Apr 16, 2004)

Another good trick I found for getting the axles back in is to leave your tranny in neutral, and as your pushing in on the axle, spin the diff and axle. seems like it is much easier to get the lock ring to line up without killing yourself... :thumbup:


----------



## B11sleeper (Oct 15, 2003)

GetsomeGOJO said:


> There is a little hole in the socket where the axle fits into the tranny. A flat head slips into it nicely, right behind the joint housing. Pop! Out falls the offending half axle-half. Anyone else notice this? It might be in the FSM but it sure wasn't in my Haynes. I'll take pics if anyone shows interest.


it was designed that way, otherwise the axle comes apart like that.


----------



## sailorbob (Jul 18, 2015)

*Couldn't Get the Axle Out*

I wanted to replace the boots on my 99 Almera ( same as the Sentra ) and I got all the way to the point of pulling the axle out of the tranny but I couldn't get it out. I tried to pry it out with a screwdriver like in the Haynes manual, but I bent the screw driver more than once and just couldn't get it out. Also tried rotating the axle a bunch of times. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.


----------



## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Sometimes you need a big pry bar to get them out.


----------

