CV Boot & Axle Replacement guide

taza

taza

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Joined
Oct 30, 2010
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Location
Perth, Western Australia
Well I thought I would add this topic as a guide and maybe a sticky to help people replace a CV boot or Axel on their Subaru/s. With most Subaru's the job is almot exactly the same, very few differences between models and years which makes it easy.

Here are some websites with pictures that are very helpful

Axel replacement and steps to reomve the CV/axel
https://www.rs25.com/forums/f105/t66471-diy-axle-halfshaft-replacement-w-pics.html

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/replace-rebuild-torn-cv-boot-and-axle-108975.html

https://fgerid.blogspot.com/2010/05/diysubaru-forester-cv-boot-replacement.html

This was very helpful!
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5giCMM0jO3w"]YouTube - ‪1995 Subaru Legacy CV axle replacement‬‏[/ame]


Changing the torn boot with a new one
https://www.rs25.com/forums/f105/t50347-diy-cv-boot-replacement.html


A few notes I might add...

- Remove the lower and upper strut bolts to get the CV out, don't disconnect the lower ball joint that connects to the control arm. (Just remember to mark where the upper strut bolt is so you don't mess up your wheel alignment) The ball joint is extremely hard to remove, I spent hours trying to get it out even using the correct method (maybe its just my car)

- Secure your Subaru with a proper jack stand, not the OEM one or a dodgy job like THIS (Yes I used scrap bits of wood lying around the house, better than bricks though :lol:)

dsc00412ig.jpg


- When aligning up the CV spline to the gearbox/front diff I used a screw driver to check that the hole was lined up rather than putting the pin in and getting it stuck.

- Remove the disk brakes, pads and rotors to help get the CV out. Do this before undoing the strut bolts.

- Have someone to help you, don't do it alone! It is doable but if your not mechanically minded or a mechanic like me then the extra help is very useful.

The CV boot, grease and clamps cost me a total of $20au compared to paying a mechanic $100 an hours with 2 or 3 hours labour and parts. $20 vs $300~ It did take me 15odd hours but it was a great learning experience and I know with some of the proper tools and extra help I could of done it in 3-4hours easily.
I had quite alot of touble getting the CV out of both shafts, the spline/axel pin out and in. This is what was time consuming...

If I can do this then anyone can! Believe me. Hope this is of some help.

Regards
Taza
 
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If this is going to become a sticky, better correct the spelling howler in the title! :eek: For "axel" read "axle".
 
I thought this might be a good place to put this.

I have heard people mention that if you have a lifted subie its a good idea to stretch the boot out a bit so that none of the adjacent ridges on the boot can touch each other which will make the boot last longer as they are not able to rub on each other

Well I did this on one side of my forester when I replaced both inner front boots and it turns out the boot I did this to has failed after 10k km where as the boot in the normal position is still fine. Could just be it was hit by something or just had a flaw in the boot but I would be interested to hear if anyone else has found stretching the boot out helps or not.
 
Gidday DM

It would seem to me that the boot would be more resistant to random road damage if it is scrunched up. When I have done them in, it has always been a small area of damage rather than a tear. With the boot scrunched up, it should be more flexible and present a smaller target.

Just some random thoughts on my part. I could well be quite wrong ... :iconwink: :lol:.
 
My front CV boots are rubbing, the edges of the ribs are smooth...

Could you have stretched them too much? Remember that although one side is scrunched up, the other side is stretched.
 
I stretched them out only just enough that no adjacent ribs were touching at normal ride height. The upper side did not seem to be over stretched but it wasnt to far off.
Where it failed was very close to the smaller band so it might be that there was just to much tension in it.
 
Yeah it would be but I think it would still have been alright. Might just have been the boot clamp damaged it when it was put on or something..

I think that due to my extra lift its just a bit hard to find an optimal point. I think when I fix it I will just have it so it rubs and be done with it.
 
My custom front driveshafts are still going strong after 5000km... Rear CV's are flogged out, clicking and vibrating through the whole car. Making a loud whining noise too due to being so flogged... The funny thing is that all the boots are original on the rear shafts too except for one. They handle the 115mm of lift quite well too.
215,000km on them though and they are originals so I can't complain.
 
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