Good description Peter.N.

Now just to make your day, i had to replace both inner boots on the Subaru Outback, and i haven't yet come across a better design for refurb/repair.

The output shafts from the gearbox are splines, with the driveshaft held in place on the output shafts by through roll pins, easily popped out with the correct size drift, no danger of damage.

Then with entire driveshaft out, you find both CV joints are held in place with circlips, making the whole shaft and CV's fully dismantled for cleaning regreasing and new boots in no time at all, all cars should be like this (solid engineering), again no danger of damage.

I couldn't get genuine OE boots at the time, but the standard motor factor boots lasted with no issues, the inners on the Subarus are subject to serious heat because the sit just above the CATs hence always something to check if you ever look at a Subaru.

Oops. DP.

See below

Edited by edlithgow on 24/12/2018 at 15:37

Thanks for the info. Dunno specifics on this car yet, because I don't have a manual, but the Charade G10 and G100 are probably very similar..

I did actually take the drive shaft out when I did my Renault 5, even though I was fitting a "split" boot, because it was easier to keep things clean.on the draining board of the tea-break room where I worked (Weekend. No one about).

Might do the same this time, but unfortunately I don't have access to a vice.(or a tea-break room)

May come down to what's available. I wouldn't be surprised if you can't get split boots here, though it looks like it might not be prohibitive to Amazon them.

There's a British mechanic who runs a car sourcing bizniz here in Taiwan who reckons Subaru are the most maintenance-friendly machines he's worked on, which, given that they have to overcome the inherent disadvantages of being mostly 4WD flat fours (I think, never had one, though I drove a Forester in Australia) is quite impressive.