Changing rear inner cv boot?!
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Changing rear inner cv boot?!
Hey guys,
I noticed there is some greese that flung out of the right rear inner cv boot. Does any one have a write up on this replacement?
Should i just pickup a refurbished axle at NAPA?
Any help is very appreciated
Car is a 2003 z06
Mark
I noticed there is some greese that flung out of the right rear inner cv boot. Does any one have a write up on this replacement?
Should i just pickup a refurbished axle at NAPA?
Any help is very appreciated
Car is a 2003 z06
Mark
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
You will get differing opinions on this on. I personally prefer to just replace the axle assembly altogether for the following reasons.
1. When the boot tears and slings out all the grease there's a very good chance the CV joint has been compromised either by going dry or infiltration of contaminents. It would kind of suck to pull the axle and replace the boot only to have the joint fail 5k miles later.
2. Replacing those boots is a messy pain in the azz because to do it right, you need to clean off all the old and potentially contaminated grease first.
3. Replacing the boots is more time consuming than just slapping in a new axle.
4. You can get new axles for $70. A boot kit will run you about $20. So $50 buys me a new axle, clean hands, an hour of time, and peace of mind. Money well spent IMHO.
Here's a good teardown writeup from Junkman.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...e-junkman.html
Specifically this deals with replacing the axle seal, but you have to pull the axle to replace that anyway soooo...
1. When the boot tears and slings out all the grease there's a very good chance the CV joint has been compromised either by going dry or infiltration of contaminents. It would kind of suck to pull the axle and replace the boot only to have the joint fail 5k miles later.
2. Replacing those boots is a messy pain in the azz because to do it right, you need to clean off all the old and potentially contaminated grease first.
3. Replacing the boots is more time consuming than just slapping in a new axle.
4. You can get new axles for $70. A boot kit will run you about $20. So $50 buys me a new axle, clean hands, an hour of time, and peace of mind. Money well spent IMHO.
Here's a good teardown writeup from Junkman.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...e-junkman.html
Specifically this deals with replacing the axle seal, but you have to pull the axle to replace that anyway soooo...
Last edited by wcsinx; Jul 6, 2010 at 12:34 PM.
Team Owner
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Napa only had remans when I was last in the market. Not that there's anything wrong with remans, but you can get brand new ones from Advance Auto for a comparable price. I think either would do the job just fine assuming you're around stock power levels.
Le Mans Master
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From: Belleville Mich.
Hi MTLZ06. That's good advise that WCSINX has given you in regards to write up proceedure for 1/2haft removal . When I installed coil overs last summer I accomplished punturing (I'm talking pin head size holes) in ea outter grease boots. I was reccommended by a forum member here to just go buy aftermarket 1/2 shaft replacements @ Advance Auto. That's what I endded up doing, with the plans on ordering new boot kits (GM) and in the winter months taking the Z 06 half shafts to a Bear allignment shop. They have all the special tools to remove the old hardware & install the new w/the grease. Well I'm still running the same aftermarket 1/2 shafts, but I'm probably going to get the Z shafts back in there this fall, before I take it down the 1/4 mi. The GM boot kit costs allmost the same ammount as the complete aftermarket settup, thats ready to install & go! If you do get the after market shafts don't forget to make sure you have the proper size socket for the axle nut. Pull the new nut out of the box while @ the store to size up. I'm thinking it's around 33 or 34mm. Good luck.
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Thread Starter
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I am in montreal Canada!
Would it be worth while dumping 300-400$ on stronger after market shafts? (i have seen a special on here...)
Is the (napa or advanced) shaft a weak component? Is the OEM GM part much better?
Thanks
Mark
Would it be worth while dumping 300-400$ on stronger after market shafts? (i have seen a special on here...)
Is the (napa or advanced) shaft a weak component? Is the OEM GM part much better?
Thanks
Mark
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Then you're not generating enough power to worry about plunking down $400 for halfshafts.
No, but depending on how sensitive your butt is, the suspension may feel slightly stiffer on the side with the new halfshaft until the joints break in and loosen up. Prob. not as noticeable on RWD v/s FWD though.
The other thing to consider is quite often when one side loses a boot, the other side isn't far behind it. The rubber ages the same way. You might consider doing both sides at once depending on how **** retentive you are. It's not much of a timesaver to do both sides at once though because there's really no shared labor left to right other than jacking up the rear and topping off the diff fluid.
And install new axle seals while you're in there.
Any ill effects of having an oe shaft on one side and a aftermarket one on the other?
The other thing to consider is quite often when one side loses a boot, the other side isn't far behind it. The rubber ages the same way. You might consider doing both sides at once depending on how **** retentive you are. It's not much of a timesaver to do both sides at once though because there's really no shared labor left to right other than jacking up the rear and topping off the diff fluid.
And install new axle seals while you're in there.
