Outer CV Boot Damage. Replace Boot or Shaft?
12-15-2017, 12:48 AM
#1
Outer CV Boot Damage. Replace Boot or Shaft?
Installed coilovers on my 987.2 a few weeks ago and omw home, the coilover bracket holding my endlink snapped causing the shock to slam onto my axle. As a result, the outer CV boot is pretty much non existent.
Can I get away with replacing just the boot, or does it look like there may have been damage to the joint itself? I feel kinda silly asking because it looks pretty bad down there, but at the same time I'm not too experienced with axles and would prefer to not have to take out the shaft if it looks like the joint is fine. OR, do you have to take out the shaft to replace the boot as well? If I have to take out the shaft in either scenario, then I'm probably going to just buy a new shaft and save myself the trouble of disassembly and re-greasing. Truly don't want to take out the shaft if I don't have to...
Can I get away with replacing just the boot, or does it look like there may have been damage to the joint itself? I feel kinda silly asking because it looks pretty bad down there, but at the same time I'm not too experienced with axles and would prefer to not have to take out the shaft if it looks like the joint is fine. OR, do you have to take out the shaft to replace the boot as well? If I have to take out the shaft in either scenario, then I'm probably going to just buy a new shaft and save myself the trouble of disassembly and re-greasing. Truly don't want to take out the shaft if I don't have to...
12-15-2017, 08:00 AM
#2
RE shaft replacement: The question is do you have to or should you, IMO you should, in fact I would consider a pair if it was my ride. Sometimes parts like that behave like ball joints, perfecting one side stresses the elderly other side. That boot has been allowing grit and grime in for a while by the looks of it, no point in doing it twice just my two cents.
12-15-2017, 03:02 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
Installed coilovers on my 987.2 a few weeks ago and omw home, the coilover bracket holding my endlink snapped causing the shock to slam onto my axle. As a result, the outer CV boot is pretty much non existent.
Can I get away with replacing just the boot, or does it look like there may have been damage to the joint itself? I feel kinda silly asking because it looks pretty bad down there, but at the same time I'm not too experienced with axles and would prefer to not have to take out the shaft if it looks like the joint is fine. OR, do you have to take out the shaft to replace the boot as well? If I have to take out the shaft in either scenario, then I'm probably going to just buy a new shaft and save myself the trouble of disassembly and re-greasing. Truly don't want to take out the shaft if I don't have to...
Can I get away with replacing just the boot, or does it look like there may have been damage to the joint itself? I feel kinda silly asking because it looks pretty bad down there, but at the same time I'm not too experienced with axles and would prefer to not have to take out the shaft if it looks like the joint is fine. OR, do you have to take out the shaft to replace the boot as well? If I have to take out the shaft in either scenario, then I'm probably going to just buy a new shaft and save myself the trouble of disassembly and re-greasing. Truly don't want to take out the shaft if I don't have to...
12-15-2017, 11:49 PM
#4
RE shaft replacement: The question is do you have to or should you, IMO you should, in fact I would consider a pair if it was my ride. Sometimes parts like that behave like ball joints, perfecting one side stresses the elderly other side. That boot has been allowing grit and grime in for a while by the looks of it, no point in doing it twice just my two cents.
Yeah it's tough for me to tell. Is it possible to replace an outer boot without taking out the shaft?
12-16-2017, 09:45 AM
#5
As SSOC points out a new boot is probably fine. I was operating from the perspective of the exacting perfection you read about on this board so often. I like cosmetic perfection as much as the next guy but my thoughts sway toward mechanical perfection a bit more, that and you're already into it which can be a mitigating factor in repair decisions. If you replace the boot and it's not 100% down the road you can address it again. A lot depends on how we use our cars. My Ford truck battery seemed just fine but when it was approaching seven years I replaced it anyhow, I drive that truck on long trips so some things on it I treat as preventative. I picked up a second puncture in one of the truck Michelins, it had decent tread left. Of course they wouldn't put a second patch on it and I understand that. Now say I'm in college with that car and still have access to my dad's shop. That sucker would have been patched and run without a question...Or at the very least ended up as a spare for someone.
12-16-2017, 03:24 PM
#7
Rennlist Member
No. Not unless you use some hokie split boot you might see on an old Beetle.
Correction, while you might be able to replace the boot without removing the axle completely from the car, it will be a royal pain in the *** that makes no sense. Just unbolt it and bring it to a work bench with a vice.
Correction, while you might be able to replace the boot without removing the axle completely from the car, it will be a royal pain in the *** that makes no sense. Just unbolt it and bring it to a work bench with a vice.
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12-18-2017, 11:38 AM
#8
Race Director
My only CV boot/bearing/shaft experience is with my 2002 Boxster. Tech spotted a bad CV boot. (At around 260K miles.) My initial reaction based on what was SOP for other cars was "replace the shafts".
Tech said that was expensive. I did a bit of research and he was right. At the time around $900/shaft.
The tech said his experience was these shafts are quite robust and instead of outright replacement he advised removal, disassembly, cleaning, inspection and if no signs of any problems found repacking with fresh grease and new boots and the old shafts be put back in service. The cost was less than the cost of new shafts.
Ok by me.
60K miles later the shafts/bearings are fine.
Tech said that was expensive. I did a bit of research and he was right. At the time around $900/shaft.
The tech said his experience was these shafts are quite robust and instead of outright replacement he advised removal, disassembly, cleaning, inspection and if no signs of any problems found repacking with fresh grease and new boots and the old shafts be put back in service. The cost was less than the cost of new shafts.
Ok by me.
60K miles later the shafts/bearings are fine.
12-19-2017, 07:30 PM
#10
Rennlist Member
My only CV boot/bearing/shaft experience is with my 2002 Boxster. Tech spotted a bad CV boot. (At around 260K miles.) My initial reaction based on what was SOP for other cars was "replace the shafts".
Tech said that was expensive. I did a bit of research and he was right. At the time around $900/shaft.
The tech said his experience was these shafts are quite robust and instead of outright replacement he advised removal, disassembly, cleaning, inspection and if no signs of any problems found repacking with fresh grease and new boots and the old shafts be put back in service. The cost was less than the cost of new shafts.
Ok by me.
60K miles later the shafts/bearings are fine.
Tech said that was expensive. I did a bit of research and he was right. At the time around $900/shaft.
The tech said his experience was these shafts are quite robust and instead of outright replacement he advised removal, disassembly, cleaning, inspection and if no signs of any problems found repacking with fresh grease and new boots and the old shafts be put back in service. The cost was less than the cost of new shafts.
Ok by me.
60K miles later the shafts/bearings are fine.