CV boot help

So Im sure this is a simple fix but Ive never done much with CVs so Id like to do it right (hence why i came here!) It appears the inner boot of one of my cvs has come loose and started slinging grease everywhere when I engage 4wd. Can I just cut the clamp, pull the boot outward, and reclamp it with a hose clamp? I thought there was a retaining ring that held the boot out but am unsure with these. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Yes you can. A normal hose clamp is just fine, but you can also buy the proper steel band clamp and crimp tool as well, they're cheap.

 

Did you loose ABOUT 7 oz of grease all over the underside?. I know,,impossible to tell,,but that is about how much is in each boot end. (1/2 of a 14oz tube of grease) After you hit about 100-150K on mileage,,that grease should be changed out(however you choose to do that). Wish I would have done mine by 100K,,because at 175K it was a nasty non-grease that poured easily out of the boot.

That doesn't look to bad,,you might be able to just get the tool needed and squeeze the clamp a bit tighter. The center of that clamp lump gets held down and dimpled in with the proper tool as you squeeze that clamp tighter(see pic),,make sure to source the right clamp tool. Definitely could use a radiator hose clamp,,,not ideal or the right way to do it,,but it will get you out of the woods and down the road a bit further lets say.

https://www.napaonline.com/p/CTD6865834
Big end:

https://www.napaonline.com/p/CTD6865833
Small end:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/oes-25326?seid=srese1
Oetiker Pliers:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacoma-cv-boot-kits.317579/
CV boot kits,,and other info:

 

I am having the same problem except my boot is cut all the way around. I don't have much experience in cv-axles/boots either.

 

ouch, you could either rebuild it, or just replace it. replacing it is easier, but some people like to rebuild.

OP - my band clamp came loose a bit, but i was able to pinch it tighter with a bull-nose wire clipper. CV band clamps have a very simple and light (as you can see) tightening mechanism. When the thing is spinning around it's better than having the screw of a regular hose clamp whipping around.

 

Yup. The hose clamps like to grab ground debris out in the woods or when muck wheeling,,and wind it up on the shaft,,taking the whole miserable setup to the fail point if you don't catch it immediately. No need to ask. Big stupid high fiber cotton candy deal, that took 2 hrs to clear.

I dulled a set of bull nose nippers and gave that a shot at squeezing the clamp tight. It worked ok. With the correct set of pliers,,you can pull alot more pressure on the actual CV clamps,,if one so chooses. It's a small amount of money getting it all together,,but it's the price of admission.

And yeah, The simple light worm drive on a rad hose clamp adds high speed rotational mass to a already high mileage axle,,that turns all of the time. A few grams might make it shake like a dog just out of the pond.

 

Thanks everyone for the help. I think I am going to just but new cv-axle's and install them. I did get an email about a video of some forum members doing some cv-axle's with a cv-axle boot mod, where you keep the small side of the boot and install it with the extra snap ring and then put the new boot over it giving it a little more stretch and installing the cv-axle boot clamp over the new boot that you slide over the old boot. Haven't decided what I'm going to do yet. I don't plan on sinking my truck, etc.. may do a little trail ridding but nothing crazy. Thanks again.
Happy Thanksgiving

 

hope it works out 4 you.Eat turkey then fix..sleepy now.

 

If I did not wheel my truck I would just replace with Napa's cv's. They are $90 a piece and have a lifetime warranty.

 

Thanks for the replies everybody, I appreciate the help! I just got started driving the truck not too long ago and have only recently noticed the loose boot so who knows how much grease got out but the grease that did squeeze out looked real dirty and soupy. I decided to just cut the old clamp off and replace it with a hose clamp as a temporary fix to stop the mess. Having manual hubs I just leave them to free so I shouldnt have to worry about them spinning too much and collecting debris. As I was messing with them I also noticed a pinhole in the outer boot and even a small hole in my LBJ boot so it looks like there is more work to be done nonetheless. From what Ive heard the factory CVs are the best you can get so I think Ill attempt to replace the boots when I swap the LBJ. Thanks again everyone for you help and happy thanksgiving!

 

What's the difference from factory cv-axle's and buying new one's and replacing them? I have heard a couple people say when you take yours off before you go buy new one's see how bad yours are, and if that 3 ring joint spins good I should just replace the boot. If not I should just get a new cv-axle so all you have to do is install it. Are the factory cv-axles better than say Oreille's auto, Napa, AutoZone, etc..? I want to try to do this over the weekend, so if anyone can give some input I would really appreciate it. I have never done cv-axels before but I know some one that works for the Yota dealership here and I can probably get him to help me if I decide to rebuild or just replace. One other thing, If I just replace the boot, what brand would you recommend?
Thanks for everything.

 

From what Ive read on this site and a few others is that the OEM ones are going to be the strongest and last the longest, especially if you wheel. Depending on how cheap you go Ive heard stories of them breaking in different locations and even inside the diff. The ones you get from your local parts place with the lifetime warranty should be good enough from what ive heard and if you go that route you can still reboot the old one and have it as a spare if it's still good. As for purchasing boots, Ive always had good luck with rockauto for parts in general but you should be able to just get some new boots from oreillys or autozone.

 

I put up a link on post #3 above for CV boot kits,,,if you guys are just wanting to replace boots. Good quality pieces from SDHQ Offroad.

OEM new Toyota axles are better than a lifetime warranty rebuild(s),,each and every day. I would choose new over rebuilt,,if I could/would afford it.<<. Your odds of success increase exponentially with that in mind. Some will disagree,,and that's just fine.

If your asking if your used axles are better than a parts store rebuild,,that takes a bit more work to find out. Cut the boots off,,flush out the trapezoidal bearing(s) until no more old grease/metal dirt catches in the basin,,dry them out,,then feel for imperfections or rough spots in the needle bearings,,checking splines,,checking lock rings, Inspecting the CV axle drives, ect. Do the same thing for your new lifetime warranty parts,,then compare and reboot anyways. Sucks all day,,but it would tell the tale.

If you have a boot that is torn wide open,, mark it and inspect that end very carefully if you decide to reboot. If they are not making noise and feel/look pretty good once they are out and apart,,then just a reboot and regrease should get you there. Make sure the parts and pieces are hospital clean,,as well as your hands,,before you reassemble. Believe me,,I would guess that you would put forth more effort in checking and rebuilding than a mega volume rebuild house somewhere.

There is a part number for that assembled trapezoidal bearing and associate snap rings. Before buying the bearing,,you would need to inspect where it rides in your used axle stub. A vicious circle with no end it seems. There is a end,,it just depends on how fast you want to get there.

I had some luck. I had a boot that was torn slightly open for about a month or so. It spit some grease out,,but not all of it. A clean up and inspect told me they would go a bit further. So we rolled the dice. 2 years later and a bunch more miles and they still feel good with no leaks.

 

Ahhh...the pain of CV axles. So glad that I don't have to deal with that crap anymore

First of all, anybody wheeling with IFS needs to learn how to remove/install/rebuild CV axles. There's good info online about how to do it. It is not rocket science but it can be a LOT of grunt work...especially if you have manual locking hubs. If you change enough of them you will hate it to the point of wanting to do a SAS

When they stark leaking grease because the boot shifts like in the OP's case, it is just better to pull the CV axle out and rebuilt it. The hose clamp trick can work temporarily, but unless you clean the grease from the shaft pretty good (which you can only do with the boot off), you will continue having issues.

Or...you can get replacement CVs already rebuilt. That would be faster. However, OE CV axles are certainly way stronger than any replacement from auto part stores. NAPA probably has the better ones though. Don't even bother with whatever autozone sells with a lifetime warranty. They are crap.

When I had IFS, I rebuilt my OE CV's (it is a messy greasy job BTW) and but them back in the truck. Then got replacement ones from NAPA to use as spares.

Also, using HD zip ties is way better and any metal clamps

 

I just replaced my axles 2 weeks ago and the boots are torn again. The mechanic told me it's because my lift, but this never seemed to be a problem before. They recommended a differential drop to prevent it from happening again. Nothing like buying 4 axles in 2 weeks.

 

And getting a boot kit from Toyota is an option and probably the best quality. It will come with a packet of grease, new clamps and c-rings. For some models the kit is for one joint, inner and outer kits sold separately. Sometimes the kit will be for both joints on one drive shaft. You'd have to check with Toyota.

 

What a bunch of BS.

Were those OE axles or the crap you get from vatozone?

If rebuilding them, As I mentioned above, make sure the shaft is completely free of grease/oil/dirt. If you slide the new boot in with tons of grease on the shaft it will never get a good seal. Also, make sure the boot is sitting where is supposed to in the grooves.

Diff drops are not worth it BTW.

 

Wish me luck everything works out, I finally did mine Saturday. I changed the front and rear diff fluid. My C.E.L. is on scanned it & says bank one sensor 2. It's behind the cat and goes through the floor of the truck and plugs in under the passenger seat. I tried and tried to get them rusty assss nutz off and NO GO. I tried a Nut Splitter and there isn't room, I tried heating them up nothing, so I guess I am going to see what a buddy will charge me to do it.

In a 2002 Tacoma 3.4, 5spd, ext-cab, trd, with the shift 4-wheel drive but 4 high is push button, What should I use fluid wise for the transfer case and transmission?
Thanks,
Joe