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Front CV boot torn - repair boot? Or replace axle?
I've been researching the posts about front CV boot tears and options to fix as I'm sorting that out now since my passenger front outer boot is torn on my 04 996TT with 27k miles on it..
Last year my indy shop replaced both driver front CV Boots for 2.5 hours labor and 2 boot repair kits at $65 each (total job was $550).
My question - would it be better to keep my Porsche OEM axle considering it has only 27k miles and just repair the boots ? A new Porsche OEM axle is around $1500 from what I've researched.
Or better to buy an aftermarket axle from GKN which you can find for $300 each (parts Geek sells axle kit with 2 axles for $600 total) and have that installed which a faster repair/swap and slightly less overall cost?
I've been reading the forums on GKN axles as the reviews are mixed some good and some bad on the longevity of them which leads me to maybe keeping the OEM axle and just repairing but not sure.
Appreciate any feedback or thoughts on this... thx
Gin make the lemon ones. I’ve gone both routes in the past. Cv joints are super messy and I diy all of this so I opted for the full axles as it was faster and easier for me on jackstands. 550$ is worth it to not deal with the mess.
Gin make the lemon ones. I’ve gone both routes in the past. Cv joints are super messy and I diy all of this so I opted for the full axles as it was faster and easier for me on jackstands. 550$ is worth it to not deal with the mess.
@Scrh1 thanks for your feedback. Was the aftermarket axle install essentially identical to the OEM axle install? Same hardware etc? Have those held up for you or any issues?
Cost is about the same but seems a smarter decision to get a new aftermarket axle put in as thats not too much more than what the shop charged me to repair the boots last year on the other side.
When mine tore I just replaced both axles with new aftermarket units. The fronts don't do much work so I was not concerned about aftermarket parts quality. So far they have performed great. A pair was $145.
I've done both ways.
Definitely easier to replace the entire axle shaft.
I usually leave it up to the owner which way to go.
Last two I replaced(Carrera rear axles, one with a torn boot) there was no core charge, so the owner told me to keep them.
I replaced all four boots, so now I have two good used spares that fit my 996.
It cost me under $120 for 4 boots, Oetiker bands, and some grease.
When mine tore I just replaced both axles with new aftermarket units. The fronts don't do much work so I was not concerned about aftermarket parts quality. So far they have performed great. A pair was $145.
@Carlo_Carrera thanks very much for your input.. i saw your post on another thread about you replacing both with an aftermarket axle and sounds like they have held up really well.
Did you install the new axles yourself, or take to a shop?
I've done both ways.
Definitely easier to replace the entire axle shaft.
I usually leave it up to the owner which way to go.
Last two I replaced(Carrera rear axles, one with a torn boot) there was no core charge, so the owner told me to keep them.
I replaced all four boots, so now I have two good used spares that fit my 996.
It cost me under $120 for 4 boots, Oetiker bands, and some grease.
@TexSquirrel appreciate the feedback as i hear the axle replace is easier/cleaner/faster than the boot repair.
Good score for you on keeping those rear axles as the Porsche OEM new rear axles go for like $1500 !!
@Carlo_Carrera thanks very much for your input.. i saw your post on another thread about you replacing both with an aftermarket axle and sounds like they have held up really well.
Did you install the new axles yourself, or take to a shop?
I did them myself. It wasn't too difficult it just takes some time. There are good DIYs on Youtube. Having a good impact wrench helps a lot.
Gin make the lemon ones. I’ve gone both routes in the past. Cv joints are super messy and I diy all of this so I opted for the full axles as it was faster and easier for me on jackstands. 550$ is worth it to not deal with the mess.
GKN is a good brand, a German company. GKN Motorsport makes the OEM Cup axles which is what I run on my car. Zero issues with heavy track use at 850whp. Repacked with Krytox.
I've found the front axles a little easier to remove/replace than the rears.
It's not a huge difference, but it counts when doing two.
Impact wrench, a good ball joint removal tool, and a way to torque to 340 ft/lbs is all you need.
For torqueing the nut, I use a 48" 3/4 breaker bar with a 1/2" step down for my 1/2 27mm socket, and I have one of these:
@Scrh1 thanks for your feedback. Was the aftermarket axle install essentially identical to the OEM axle install? Same hardware etc? Have those held up for you or any issues?
Cost is about the same but seems a smarter decision to get a new aftermarket axle put in as thats not too much more than what the shop charged me to repair the boots last year on the other side.
sorry my spelling got garbled there. GKN is the oem manufacturer and same as the Porsche branded ones. I bought a set a year ago for about 700 for both sides. Maybe pricing has improved but I doubt it. I’d just replace them and know they are good for the next while and not contaminated / dependent on how good a job they do cleaning and repacking it. Hope that helps !
Yesterday, 05:17 PM
Front CV boot torn - repair boot? Or replace axle?
