allroadrunnervscyote

Hello all,

I need to replace the inner cv boot on the right front axle/half shaft. Has anyone done this without the special vag puller t40018 or a hydrolic press? I am a pretty decent home mechanic and willing to try most anything once but am unsure how to safely sepperate this joint or remove the triple roller star from the shaft.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Michael

PS
this is the tripod/roller type joint not the type with *****<ul><li><a href="http://www.csupomona.edu/~bvnorum/C5_1998-2005_tripod_AAR3300i.pdf">VAG Instructions for boot replacement</a></li></ul>

glostah

so it's easier and cheaper to replace the whole axle at once.

allroadrunnervscyote

easier, yes. cheaper, i hope not! barely can pay for the boot kit

Grapeking

Disagree. Why spend an extra $125 if you don't have to? Clean the joint, replace the boot.

allroadrunnervscyote

completly agree! glad to know i'm not the only audi owner who works for a living ;p

Stampy

I'm still waiting for my inner boot kit to get here. According to that guy that posted in my thread last week, you can do it without the special tool. You just need to really pay attention to how everything goes back together.

glostah

The the Germans have planned obsolescence down to a science. I can almost guarantee you that:

1. The outer boot is going to tear any moment if it hasn't already.

2. The CV joint grease has been contaminated by road grit and you cannot be positive that the damage is not already done.

If you repair/reassemble and you start hearing the CV joints clicking in a month or two, you're going to kick yourself for not doing an entire replacement.

Trust me, I've owned audis since 1984 and have been through the torn boot scenario a number of times.

BTW. I work seven days a week, and have always fixed my own cars.

Grapeking

clean the CV joint well, re-pack it well and compete a good repair and odds are you'll be fine. BTDT myself more than once, with very good, long-lasting results.

Now, if one were to drive quite some time with a split boot and little grease, and with debris getting ground into the CV, the story might be different.

SloopJohnB@mac.com

And while you can argue that therefore it is designed for less stress and therefore is weaker, the point is that outer CV joints and boots fail a lot more often.


So if the argument is that the outer boot is going to go (even though it's not torn) and therefore one should replace the entire axle assembly, that is incorrect...one should just replace both the inner boot and the outer CV joint boot at the same time.

Which isn't a bad idea since you can pull the outer cv joint and boot to replace the inner boot anyway.

Edd W

I have never had to replace a CV joint.

Even one my brother drove until the metal went blue, was still fine with new grease. They are very tough and will rarely give further trouble with good grease and no grit.