Need help, CV boots torn
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 158
Likes: 6
From: Edmond ok
Need help, CV boots torn
I got under the rear end while changing the oil and I saw grease all over the place. Then I noticed all the boots were torn. I bought the car several months ago and just haven't looked that close until I got under the car. It is and 03 with 45000 miles. I don't know how long the boots have been bad, but now I need some help.
I looked in the search and didn't find a whole lot. But it sounds like I need to buy new half shafts? Can I or should I have them rebuilt? I'm a pretty good wrench, but not a lot of time. Is this hard work or should I let GM do it? Help!
Beary
I looked in the search and didn't find a whole lot. But it sounds like I need to buy new half shafts? Can I or should I have them rebuilt? I'm a pretty good wrench, but not a lot of time. Is this hard work or should I let GM do it? Help!
Beary
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 3
From: South al
I got under the rear end while changing the oil and I saw grease all over the place. Then I noticed all the boots were torn. I bought the car several months ago and just haven't looked that close until I got under the car. It is and 03 with 45000 miles. I don't know how long the boots have been bad, but now I need some help.
I looked in the search and didn't find a whole lot. But it sounds like I need to buy new half shafts? Can I or should I have them rebuilt? I'm a pretty good wrench, but not a lot of time. Is this hard work or should I let GM do it? Help!
Beary
I looked in the search and didn't find a whole lot. But it sounds like I need to buy new half shafts? Can I or should I have them rebuilt? I'm a pretty good wrench, but not a lot of time. Is this hard work or should I let GM do it? Help!
Beary
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 158
Likes: 6
From: Edmond ok
That's good news. I was worried because I don't know how long the boots have been torn. It taking off the half shafts hard? I haven't found a thread on that yet, but I am looking. Where is the best place to get boots?
Beary
Beary
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 174,312
Likes: 1,217
From: Here
Pilot of Beer Force 1
Tampa Regional Coordinator
CI 4-5-6-7-8 Veteran
Organizer St. Jude Fundraiser
I believe in the Beer Fairy
You need a special tool to put the new clamps on. The boots are not $$$. I had a local guy replace the bad one we had. Labor is more than the boot. I am sure Gene Culley can get you the boot.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
Are you capable of pulling your axles?I'm assuming it is the outer boots that have leaks?(closest to the rotors/wheels)
You can order the boot kits from Gene Culley, GM parts. He is a forum
vendor here on the forum.
The kits will come with the boot,2 clamps, grease & a "c" clip
(outer boot)
Each kit is for one side & they are around $60. a per side.
I did both outers last fall.
I have a good write up on replacing the outer boots if needed.
Good luck.
You can order the boot kits from Gene Culley, GM parts. He is a forum
vendor here on the forum.
The kits will come with the boot,2 clamps, grease & a "c" clip
(outer boot)
Each kit is for one side & they are around $60. a per side.
I did both outers last fall.
I have a good write up on replacing the outer boots if needed.
Good luck.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 628
Likes: 4
From: Columbia SC
Make sure you clean as best you can the areas inside the boots to remove grit and such before re-greasing/installing the boots. You may well be fine without replacing the shafts/joints as it takes a good while for exposure to cause damage--unless the car has seen a lot of dirt/dusty roads, heavy rainfall, etc..
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,962
Likes: 254
From: Richmond, Ky
This may or may not apply to Corvette's but several years ago I had a torn outer boot on the axle of my 90 Celica GTS. I didn't have the tool for properly attaching a new boot. I was talking to a friend who operates a local salvage year and he had a company that he dealt with that rebuilds CV axles and he could swap out the axle for me for $70.00. It worked great and turn around time was about a week. The plus side was that I had new boots on both ends with fresh lube. Of course I had to pull the axle and re-install but I do most of my service work on all my vehicles anyway.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
My $0.02
I hate messing with replacing CV boots. It's a messy, thankless job. And to do it right, you need to thoroughly clean all the components and inspect for wear and damage before repacking with fresh grease. The problem is now that you've torn that boot you opened up a path for contaminants, and if you drove it dry the joint is toast anyhow.
So $60 for a boot kit, a lot more of your time, and no guarantee the joint isn't on its way out anyhow.
Or a complete, brand new CV axle assembly from Advance for $69.
That's a no-brainer for me. I'm sure the purists will rip me apart for daring to suggest third party parts though.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web..._1046945049___
I hate messing with replacing CV boots. It's a messy, thankless job. And to do it right, you need to thoroughly clean all the components and inspect for wear and damage before repacking with fresh grease. The problem is now that you've torn that boot you opened up a path for contaminants, and if you drove it dry the joint is toast anyhow.
So $60 for a boot kit, a lot more of your time, and no guarantee the joint isn't on its way out anyhow.
Or a complete, brand new CV axle assembly from Advance for $69.
That's a no-brainer for me. I'm sure the purists will rip me apart for daring to suggest third party parts though.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web..._1046945049___
Last edited by wcsinx; Jan 10, 2011 at 04:26 PM.
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,093
Likes: 267
From: Oklahoma City
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17,'19,'22
I have a torn one myself. I just bought a shaft from a parted out C5 and plan to swap that in. I'm like wcsinx I don't feel like messing with grease. It doesn't look too hard to swap.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,979
Likes: 31
From: Wichita KS
They are easy to swap, if you have done them before its a 30 min job with air tools, I got a universal boot kit from I want to say rockauto.com (dont hold me to it) for around $20, changing out the boot took me about 2 hours cause I took my time cleaning everything.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 666
Likes: 5
From: Mt. Pleasant SC
Are you capable of pulling your axles?I'm assuming it is the outer boots that have leaks?(closest to the rotors/wheels)
You can order the boot kits from Gene Culley, GM parts. He is a forum
vendor here on the forum.
The kits will come with the boot,2 clamps, grease & a "c" clip
(outer boot)
Each kit is for one side & they are around $60. a per side.
I did both outers last fall.
I have a good write up on replacing the outer boots if needed.
Good luck.
You can order the boot kits from Gene Culley, GM parts. He is a forum
vendor here on the forum.
The kits will come with the boot,2 clamps, grease & a "c" clip
(outer boot)
Each kit is for one side & they are around $60. a per side.
I did both outers last fall.
I have a good write up on replacing the outer boots if needed.
Good luck.
Chris
