Who here has done an outer CV boot replacement?

Got a kit and was expecting to get the outer joint apart but can't figure out if they come apart or if I have to remove the inner boot and come in from that side with the new boot.

Any suggestions? Or is the outer joint / shaft a single assembly and not separable?

Who here has done an outer CV boot replacement?

Got a kit and was expecting to get the outer joint apart but can't figure out if they come apart or if I have to remove the inner boot and come in from that side with the new boot.

Any suggestions? Or is the outer joint / shaft a single assembly and not separable?

Shaft can be dismantled starting at the inner end.

Pull shaft off car.
Remove housing off inner joint after removing clips and slide boot down the shaft.
Use circlip pliers to remove circlip.
Remove tripod inner joint.
Slide boot off shaft.
Clean grease off outer joint with rags. Do not use solvent.
Unclip outer boot, slide that off too.
Slide new outer boot partly on. Lube outer joint with grease supplied. Do not get grease on the seats for the boot.
Put boot on, burp, apply new clips.
Put new inner joint boot on.
Put tripod joint and circlip back on.
Add grease, put inner joint housing on.
Put boot on, put clips on.
Put back on car.

Of course you will need to check the joints for smoothness and play, and housings for wear during this process and if suspect, go buy some new shafts.

When one boot goes, the others are sure to follow soon after. I have done this little job twice, replaced all four boots just to be sure.

While back, cost was $15 per kit. The thin neoprene boots are best. Don't buy from Mitsu as you are likely to get very old stock that won't last.

Shaft can be dismantled starting at the inner end.

Pull shaft off car.
Remove housing off inner joint after removing clips and slide boot down the shaft.
Use circlip pliers to remove circlip.
Remove tripod inner joint.
Slide boot off shaft.
Clean grease off outer joint with rags. Do not use solvent.
Unclip outer boot, slide that off too.
Slide new outer boot partly on. Lube outer joint with grease supplied. Do not get grease on the seats for the boot.
Put boot on, burp, apply new clips.
Put new inner joint boot on.
Put tripod joint and circlip back on.
Add grease, put inner joint housing on.
Put boot on, put clips on.
Put back on car.

Of course you will need to check the joints for smoothness and play, and housings for wear during this process and if suspect, go buy some new shafts.

When one boot goes, the others are sure to follow soon after. I have done this little job twice, replaced all four boots just to be sure.

While back, cost was $15 per kit. The thin neoprene boots are best. Don't buy from Mitsu as you are likely to get very old stock that won't last.

the boot was fine, just the fool with the hammer separating the BJ that was the problem.

interesting you suggest thin neoprene. i always thought they lasted the least so i steered clear of REPCO boots, went for driveline Australia boot which seems to be reasonably sturdy but the OEM are more of a stiffer plastic material and looking at these 10years and 177000k I would expect OEM would last the longest?

Pays to remove the driveshaft off the car, or at least out of the hub, before you start hammering on a ball joint. No room to take the nut off the ball joint or get a joint splitter on it, or get a torque wrench on it anyway, so shaft has to come out of the way.

Check under the front of any new front wheel drive car and see what sort of boot material they use.

Case closed!

never again.

did not see the second larger clip that holds the inner joint together. my galant joint just separates.