FredR

I am currently beached pending arrival of some new axle boot kits. I am currently contemplating whether to do this myself or farm it out [too dammed hot at the moment].

If I am dumb enough to take this on in our heat much appreciate any thoughts as to how to go about this task taking into consideration I would be working from axle stand height.

From an initial inspection of the job at hand it looks as though it should be a straight forward affair but details of how best to undo and which end to undo first appreciated. I get the impression it would be best to work from underneath the car attacking the bolts both ends from the low point and rotate the axle until all bolts are loose and then remove the shaft. is it better to remove the inside flange and then the outside flange for instance [or the reverse]?

Thanks for any inputs

Regards

Fred

Tazzieman

Well I did mine on the driveway , and I'm on the wrong side of 50; you can too! Dwayne to the fore , again!
http://dwaynesgarage.norcal928.org/boot.htm

M. Requin

I can't offer many tips, except to note that socket head cap screws need to be very clean - any detritus that prevents the wrench from completely bottoming in the socket can cause some major grief. Of course, yours are probably sandblasted to a spartan level of cleanliness...

dr bob

Fred- big bar and socket loosens the nut at the end of the stub axle. Then the bolts at the inner end come out. For those I use a couple long extensions poked through from the wheel well area as much as I can. To get the left side axle out, I needed to drop the rear exhaust to make enough room.

You'll want to get any sand (not a problem where you are...) and other dirt completely flushed from the joints that have cracked boots. That will be the most fun part of the project. Note the torque needed on the bolts and the nut on the stub axles, so you have tools ready to assemble correctly.

Rob Edwards

Dr. Bob at the receiving end of 32 inches of extensions:

ltoolio

Isn't this site supposed to be PG? Or R at the most extreme?

docmirror

Take the following quiz:

1. I like grease, lots of gooey, messy grease everywhere.
2. I have a very good set of Allen drivers, and a large breaker bar.
3. I have a lift, or at minimum don't mind working on my back on hot pavement.
4. Again, I really do like messy grease.

If you answered no to any of the questions, give it to a shop. If you want to DIY, you've been advised.

AO

It's not THAT bad. I think the pan gasket is far worse. It is messy, however, and you'll need a lot of mineral spirits to clean things up. Wear clothes you don't care about, rubber gloves, and do one side at a time. That way you can take a break if you want.

I think you can do it in about 4-6 hours start to finish. You don't need a lift, but it's nice to have. I did mine on jack stands without issue. And you will need a nice long 3/8" extension.

Go for it.

mark kibort

personally, i would buy the stuff already assembled. its a messy job and you run the risk of the clamps coming off and then its a huge mess. (ask me how i know).
i think the savings are not that great compared to the hassle factor

kmascotto

I did mine in the garage on jack stands...its not that bad. I picked up a torq multiplier (1:3) so I could get the axle shaft nuts back on (320 ft pds...if I remember correctly)

Kevin in Atlanta

Making a mess is half the fun. I am in the middle of replacing the boots on my son's car.

Charley B

Doing both at the same time allows you to switch half shafts, which most say is a good idea.

ammonman

To clean the outer joint (which doesn't come apart) have a bucket large enough to completely submerge the outer joint sans boot in mineral spirits. Prop the axle shaft vertical so it stays put. Rig up a line from your compressor into the top end of the axle (they're hollow don't cha know) and flow just enough air to gently bubble and agitate the mineral spirits. In and hour or two shut off the air and remove the joint from the bath. All the grease will be dissolved out of the joint. Rinse well with the low flashpoint solvent of your choice to remove the mineral spirits residue and you are ready to re-pack the joint. Getting ALL the old grease and dirt out of the joint is key to their longevity.

Mike

Tazzieman

It's a mucky job you tackle with the stereo on - and no deadlines to meet. Like a hippo taking time to bathe.
I bought a proper clamp kit and believe the result is "as good as factory". Which is where you want to be with critical drivetrain components.

FredR

Gents,

Thanks for the thoughts- not as fearsome as I thought it might be so therefore it probably is!!

I might just hit the chicken switch on this one given we are experiencing one of the hottest summers on record [or so it seems]- that and I may be working again shortly.

I never thought to go to Dwayne's garage to see if he had one of his excellent write ups but I do have a spare half shaft that pretty much gave me the clues as to what to do/how to approach things.

Getting the crap out of the existing joint, especially on the one with the cracked boot will be the fun part. At least I caught it early and hopefully no "grinding paste" in there. Maybe I can get the joint ultrasonically cleaned? I have a pretty robust breaker bar to have a go at the stub axle nut- I would not have thought to try undoing this with the wheel still on the ground. Maybe I need to drop the silencers for better access.

Rgds/Thanks

Fred