# drivers side CV joint boot seems ripped.



## urmysl00t2 (Sep 13, 2004)

i noticed a grinding noise a while ago and i thought it was my brakes, i took it to a shop and he told me it was my CV joint... there was grease and all sorts of dirt around that area, and the boot, was ripped nearly in 2 how difficult would it be to replace that part?


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## scooterbob (Jun 16, 2004)

urmysl00t2 said:


> i noticed a grinding noise a while ago and i thought it was my brakes, i took it to a shop and he told me it was my CV joint... there was grease and all sorts of dirt around that area, and the boot, was ripped nearly in 2 how difficult would it be to replace that part?


If it's already grinding it would be best to replace the unit with a new/rebuilt one. It's not too hard to do if you have decent mechanical skills. It is possible to clean and repack the existing CV joint, but you would still be taking the chance on if it got damaged or not. You may want to clean the joint really good (while it's still in the car) and see if you can tell if there is any visual damage. IMO it is best just to swap it out. That way there is less worry of being stranded or tearing up more if it goes out. Good luck!


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

remanufactured units are not as bad anyway. i've replaced both shafts on my other car for a lot less than getting a completely new one, and yes, the risk factor. if it was only leaking, i'd do the repair kit, but since it's making noises, replace it.


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## lshadoff (Nov 26, 2002)

urmysl00t2 said:


> i noticed a grinding noise a while ago and i thought it was my brakes, i took it to a shop and he told me it was my CV joint... there was grease and all sorts of dirt around that area, and the boot, was ripped nearly in 2 how difficult would it be to replace that part?


You must remove the axle to replace the CV joint. It requires removing the wheel bearing lock nut (large breaker bar or air tools required), the strut lower mounting bolts, to remove the outer end of the driveshaft. You might need a puller to separate the driveshaft from the steering knuckle. 

The driver side drive shaft is held in with a circlip which makes it difficult to withdraw. If you have a manual transmission you can use a crow bar to lever it out. With a manual trans, you may have to remove the passenger side driveshaft so that you can put a drift through the trans and hit it. 

The passenger side drive shaft is levered out with a screwdriver. 

You should replace the seals when installing the drive shaft. 

Replacing the drive shaft in the trans can be tricky aligning the circlip. Apply heavy grease around the circlip to keep it in place while inserting the driveshaft in the trans. 

The wheels need to be realigned when you're done. 

Lew


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## Tavel (Aug 21, 2004)

i have a hint: CV joints and axels cost about the same, so make it an easier job and *replace the whole axel*. it's much easier than replacing the cv joint because there is actually fewer steps. plus the cv joints will be packed and sealed from the factory, which means the boot may last longer.

you'll need about 2 quarts of tranny oil/atf because some will leak out when you remove the axel.

and you'll definitly need a very big breaker bar to remove the axel nut, i guestimated that mine was put on with about 180 ft/lbs of force...but my guess is that the previous owner did that when he replaced the tranny. i had a 2 ft breaker bar with an additional 4 ft length of pipe...so i had a 4 ft breaker bar.


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## scooterbob (Jun 16, 2004)

Tavel said:


> i have a hint: CV joints and axels cost about the same, so make it an easier job and *replace the whole axel*. it's much easier than replacing the cv joint because there is actually fewer steps. plus the cv joints will be packed and sealed from the factory, which means the boot may last longer.
> 
> you'll need about 2 quarts of tranny oil/atf because some will leak out when you remove the axel.
> 
> and you'll definitly need a very big breaker bar to remove the axel nut, i guestimated that mine was put on with about 180 ft/lbs of force...but my guess is that the previous owner did that when he replaced the tranny. i had a 2 ft breaker bar with an additional 4 ft length of pipe...so i had a 4 ft breaker bar.


I agree totally. I did loose a bit of oil when the shaft was out. Good idea to have that on hand before you start. As far as the hub nut, I had to use an electrical impact/socket to get it loose. Just save yourself the hassle and get the whole unit. One thing I had run into when I did both of mine is that the passenger side was hard to come by. I ended up having a shop rebuild the original with oversized bearings for about the same price as a rebuild unit. Good luck regardless of what you decide. :cheers:


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