CV boot split

[RobyD 0]

My n/s boot has split leaving a nice load of oil coating over my wheels.

 

2 questions really:

 

1) How hard to do

 

2) My car is on 103k and has been lowered around 60mm for about 18 months. I've heard the problems that can be had of overlowering such as wearing CV joints. Is it worth it while im doing the boot to change the CV joint to? Wheel bearing also? Im possibly keeping the car for another year or so...

 

Cheers

Rob

[randal 0]

If the joints haven't been done, I'd do them while you are there. IIRC CV joints require you to break the bottom ball joint and lift the drive shaft out of the hub - Seeing as you've probably got to take the CV off the shaft to get the boot on you might as well swap it out. Remember to pack it full of grease, you normally get a sachet with the joint. It should take about 1.5-2 hours, given that the original CV is not too much of an ar$e to get off the shaft. (Which it probably will be if it's anything like a Polo!)

 

HTH

randal

[Geo 0]

If I were you and the cv joint wasn't making any noise or anything I wouldn't change it for a new one, just clean it out and pack it up with fresh cv joint grease when you have it off just in case any bits of grit etc got in when the boot was split. If you do get a new cv joint get a genuine vw/oem one as the others are shite. Cv joints can be a pain in the arse to get off the driveshaft without the proper tool. Balljoint could also be hard to dismantle due to corrosion etc. So it might be worth getting a price to see how much it would cost to get it done by a garage.

[RadoAds 0]

Do it yourself, if your half competent you should be able to do it in a couple of hours, if its not makin any noise I wouldnt change it might last for years so why spend money when you dont have to unless your one of these "gotta replace something freaks" :-P

[Rpmayne 0]

I agree with RadoAds about replacing it, unless it is buggered I wouldn't bother. I was told you can turn the cv joint bearing cage around so it starts wearing in a different place, not sure how good an idea that is. Never tried.

 

You could get one of those wrap around cv boots so you don't need to remove the cv joint. Not sure how good they are though.

[RobyD 0]

There's a possibility the CV joint could need doing...

 

At very low speeds there is lots of clunking from the front suspension area. Cant exactly pin-point where its coming from. It clunks at a standstill when i turn the steering wheel and it clunks going over bumps also. Steering is also heavier than it used to be. Was gonna change the balljoints as its fairly cheap to see if thats the problem but i think its more likely the steering rack. Or could it be a CV??

[Andi 2,147,483,647]

Do it yourself, if your half competent you should be able to do it in a couple of hours, if its not makin any noise I wouldnt change it might last for years so why spend money when you dont have to unless your one of these "gotta replace something freaks" :-P

 

Because a split CV boot is an MOT failure....

[Geo 0]

Do it yourself, if your half competent you should be able to do it in a couple of hours, if its not makin any noise I wouldnt change it might last for years so why spend money when you dont have to unless your one of these "gotta replace something freaks" :-P

 

Because a split CV boot is an MOT failure....

 

I think he was talking about the cv joint itself, not the boot. It'd be stupid not to replace the boot, MOT or no MOT....

[bcstudent 0]

Hmmm, I'm interested in the mention of a tool to remove the CV joint - wasn't aware there was such a thing. I was always under the impression that the tried and tested method of VW CV joint removal was to lay under the car and batter it repeatedly until it came free from the driveshaft. This, as I'm sure many of you know, can lead to the driveshaft coming out of the inner CV joint instead, hence I'd love to find an easier way! Enlighten me pleeeeeassseeeee......

[Tempest 0]

Not too sure myself :roll: , but if it's anything like on Sciroccos, you're better off taking the whole driveshaft out, stick the thing in a vice, then hammer off the outer CV joint (or is there even a little circlip holding the joint onto the shaft like with Roccos?). That way you won't damage the inner CV joint or even the gearbox itself (when it's still attached at that end).

 

Tempest

[Andy T 0]

I'd agree with the above, take the whole droveshaft off, not difficult. Pretty sure there will be a circlip holding it on the shaft which is fiddly to remove.

 

If you dismantle the actual CV joint (cage, ball bearings etc.) it must be put together in exactly the same position otherwise it could run tight and cause vibration... :(

 

Also if a cv joint falls apart when its removed from the car (i.e a few balls drop out) its knackered, don't try and salvage it get a new one!

[kebabman 0]

I've got the same problem, split O/S CV boot, garage sayits not bad enough to fail MOT but it needs doing. I've bought a new boot kit from GSF for £6.25, but VW want 1.5hrs@£75 to fit it! This sounds like a lot, but is it worth the hassle of me trying to do this myself? I managed to change the driveshafts on an AX but that was a while ago, and the VR looks a whole lot more difficult! I could go to another garage that charges less per hour? They were trying to tell me that without specialist tools its very difficult and i should just pay the £112.50 and be done with it as it wuld take another garage longer hence cost the same.....but they would say that :roll:

 

What should i do guys? Any advice appreciated :?

[yalan 0]

easy job - if you can get the joints off! mine were stuck fast & took 3hours of severe battering to free.

Not fun.

 

The rest of the job is relatively easy though....... you might be lucky ...... you might have a real PITA on your hands!

£112? ... depends how much your time is worth!

Got the tools to undo / redo driveshaft nuts to required torque?

[kebabman 0]

I have a torque wrench and a socket set.....but that's about it, so the driveshaft has to come off to replace the boot? The £112 is sounding more tempting...hmmmm :?

[Will 0]

It's not difficult (in theory). The only thing that can be a pain is getting the driveshaft out of the hub as they can be v.tight, I had to make up a tool 'cause light hammering didn't work. Boot kit contains everything you need.

 

- Strip down the front and take the hub off, (you'll prob need a spliiter to get the ball joint and track rod end off).

- Leave the driveshaft on the car and cut the boot off. The joint just needs a few taps to knock it off but make sure you hold the shaft so you don't knock the inner joint out.

-Clean it up or replace with fittings if it's knackered then fit the new boot on the shaft followed by the joint.

-Grease up the joint and fit the other end of the boot (with pliers or wire cutters, not too sharp though) then re-assemble, that's pretty much it!

 

You should really use a torque wrench that goes up to 195 ft/lbs for the hub nut but I just used a scaffold pole on a 3/4" drive and guessed.

2.5/3 hours I reckon if nothing major goes wrong, less for a garage of course.

[kebabman 0]

Hmmm doesn't sound too easy, just found a local garage that will do it for £40 so sod VW, will have a think about it, cheers for the advice though, appreciate it! :)

[bcstudent 0]

£112 to change a split CV gaiter....do people really pay that sort of money for basic repairs? I must be very skint 'cos that sounds like a hell of a lot. :shock:

[kebabman 0]

I thought it was a lot too, £75/hr is a joke, but it's only money eh and I'm lazy :lol: £40 sounds a lot more reasonable though!

[Bally 0]

Hey Rob, Myn went a few wks ago, cost £55 to get done by local garage I use, although I had to get the tracking done again... :roll:

[Andy T 0]

I've got the same problem, split O/S CV boot, garage sayits not bad enough to fail MOT but it needs doing. I've bought a new boot kit from GSF for £6.25, but VW want 1.5hrs@£75 to fit it! This sounds like a lot, but is it worth the hassle of me trying to do this myself? I managed to change the driveshafts on an AX but that was a while ago, and the VR looks a whole lot more difficult! I could go to another garage that charges less per hour? They were trying to tell me that without specialist tools its very difficult and i should just pay the £112.50 and be done with it as it wuld take another garage longer hence cost the same.....but they would say that :roll:

 

What should i do guys? Any advice appreciated :?

 

If its just a small split, repair it - I have in the past on the mk2.

 

I degreased the area around the split with brake cleaner, then sealed it a blob with a strong flexible adhesive (Halfords sell it in a green tube). It lasted for years and it didn't fail MOT. My steering rack gaiters also had various repair patches on them :)

 

It depends where the split is really as to how long it will last - but give it a try 8)

[Geo 0]

I wouldn't just fix up the split in the boot for the simple reason that you don't know what sort of grit/dirt has got into the hole to fcuk up the cv joint. Being quoted 1.5 hours is taking the piss as well. Even allowing for things to be seized up etc an hour at the most should do it. If everything goes smoothly it's a half hour job.

 

@bcstudent the cv joint removal tool is hard to describe. I'll take a few pics of one and post them here tomorrow. (can't do it now cos my camera's usb cable is in work)

[RobyD 0]

Does a worn CV joint cause play in the wheel?

[Geo 0]

No.

[Andy T 0]

I only meant to suggest fixing the split if its a small 'dry' one, i.e dirt hasn't got in yet and grease hasn't started coming out!

[kebabman 0]

Thanks for the advice guys, I've had a look at it myself now and it's not split! It's just a bit perished looking....no grease escaping at all as far as i can see! Cheeky feckers VW :x

 

Bought the kit now however, and it does look as if it may split sometime soon-ish i suppose so will have a bash at doing it myself, now theres no rush....or pay the £40 if i don't get round to it, either way VW arn't getting another penny out of me :lol: