Finally got round to putting my 280mm VR6 brakes on my ancient Jetta 16v the other day. Unfortunately, when I took the passenger side wheel off I found everything covered in grease. Oh dear. New CV boot needed. I haven?t done this job before and wondered if any of the knowledgeable people here could offer some advice? To do it properly I understand the CV joint should be removed. However, this will take time. I don?t think many garages would bother. So I asked the guy at Central Tyre, while he bled my brakes on his electronic machine, how he did. He said he used to do it properly but damaged a CV joint on a Mondeo one day so since the he has just bodged it. He used a plastic cone that he stretched the boot over and just forced it over the CV joint from the cone and held it in place with zip-ties. He said don?t bother with specific boot, just buying general purpose ones. I like the idea of not removing the CV joint but where do I get one of these cones, is this item most car spares places stock. I only ask because I am in a hurry and need to drive the car 300 miles on Sunday!
Additionally, does anyone have any advice on changing the tie-rods; one of mine is completely shot. I think I can get the boot off easily enough, but how does one get a spanner to the end of the rod to undo it.
Any advice or comments very gratefully received.
Ben
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A Lancashire firm used to make boots with a join along their length called Bailcraft stickyboots or something like that. I don't know if they are still available and no knowledge of their performance in use, but they sounded easy.
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THis subject has been covered extensively here on this forum.
Try search !!
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Ok sorry- i only read here occasionally.
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OK !
Makes you think why manufactures have'nt come come up a better design in the first place...........one that never needs replacing !
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if it never needed replacing, then how would the manufacturers make money.
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OK Ben, I have used the sticky boots where the boot is supplied with a slit down the side which you glue together. They do work but you have to have evrything scrupulously clean especially your fingers which will be covered in lovely sticky, smelly CV grease! I have reservations about longevity but would probably get you out of your predicament for Sunday. The stretch boots fitted with the plastic cones work well but you obviously need the kit and besides, to get to the point where you are ready to fit the boot you are only one step away from slipping the joint off the shaft anyway. I prefer to remove the joint and carefully wash ALL the old grease and grit out of the joint before refitting it.
On the Jetta it is reasonably easy to do ( but you will need a few more specialist tools such as a large socket to undo the hub nut).
Loosen roadwheel nuts and the hub nut, jack up and remove wheel and hub nut. (Jack up on chassis, not suspension arm) unbolt caliper and hang out of the way. Undo the two bolts holding the hub assembly onto the MacPherson strut and turn the steering onto full lock (Left lock for RH wheel, Right lock for LH wheel) Tip the hub away from the car and push (or drive) the shaft from the middle of the hub until it comes free from the hub. If you need to get serious about this last bit use a copper mallet so you dont damage the thread.
Now the shaft is free from the hub manoeuvre the joint into a position where you can work on it and cut off the remnants of the old boot, get some paraffin or petrol and a paintbrush and wash as much grease away from the joint as you can. Now turn your attention to the part of the joint where the inner shaft enters the CV joint, slowly rotate the whole shaft until you find a cut-out with the two ears of a circlip in it, this is the tricky bit, with fine nose circlip pliers open up this clip fully and with luck the joint can then be pulled off the shaft, sometimes takes a few goes and sometimes a few well placed gentle clouts to get the thing off. Once removed finish cleaning out the joint, clean the shaft and slide the new boot on with a smear of vaseline, squeeze some of the new grease into the bearings of the CV joint and slide it onto the shaft until the circlip engages and as they say reassemble in the reverse order of disassembly. Take a few moments to give the splines on the CV joint a clean and a smear of copper grease if it was difficult to remove, Tighten the roadwheel nuts to 110nM and the NEW hubnut to 235 nM.
Good luck!
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Check the joint carefully before you go any further. If it has been running with a split boot for some time, the joint may already be full of grit which will have damaged it. In this case, your quickest way out of trouble is to go to a VW breaker and buy a second hand driveshaft complete.
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Andrew said.....
"to get to the point where you are ready to fit the boot you are only one step away from slipping the joint off the shaft anyway. I prefer to remove the joint and carefully wash ALL the old grease and grit out of the joint before refitting it."
Quite.
The other point is just compare a universal slide-over boot with, for example, an OE Citroen one. The easy fit replacement boots are quite flimsy and very prone to damage from road debris. If your original boot lasted 8yrs+ and 95Kmls+ (as my Xantia ones have) it isn't going to be an everyday job.
David
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Thats a good point. I have bought a good quality replacement from Euro Parts. The one that has just failed is the original item- which means its just over 13 years and 95k miles old! Luckily i have just found out that an elderly female friend of the family has an inspection pit in her garage! Im just going round there now to see if i can sort out the boot and he tie-rod.
Thanks for everyones help, particularly the detailed and very useful post from Andrew.
Ben
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