CV joint boots: common defects and their signs

1. Mechanical damages
   • Rustling sound from the wheel where the broken component is located is heard in cornering.
   • Stains of grease appeared on the inner side of tyre and on the dust boot itself.
   • You can detect cracks, tears and other defects at visual inspection.
   • Car jerks when starting.
   • The car body vibrates during driving.
2. Wear-out
   • Elasticity of rubber worsened; you can notice it at inspection.
   • Foreign sounds from the wheels are heard when accelerating, overcoming obstacles or cornering.
   • The drive shaft has free play when being rocked, which is caused by ingress of abrasive particles into the dust boot.
   • The vehicle jerks when accelerating.

How to replace CV joint boots?

As these are wear parts, they are not subject to repair. In case of boot defect it is to be replaced. It is recommended to buy a drive shaft boot kit which usually includes boots for inner and outer CV joints, clamps for each component, retaining rings and a special grease.

CV joint boots replacement is performed at a service station because it requires special removers and certain skills. In some cases CV joint needs to be replaced with a boot in assembly. First of all, the car is set onto a lifting platform. Then the needed wheel is demounted and its hub is also removed. The inner CV joint is removed from the gearbox, and the outer one – from the wheel hub. Boot clamps and boots themselves are removed from the components one by one, after that the CV joints are cleaned, treated with grease or replaced and then new boots and clamps are installed. Then removed components are mounted on the car in the reverse order.

It is recommended to perform CV joint dust boots replacement at a service station.
The CV joint must be cleaned and treated with a new greasing material during dust boot replacement.

Types:

1. By mounting axle:
   • front;
   • rear.
2. By mounting side:
   • left;
   • right;
   • all-sides.
3. By mounting location:
   • inner;
   • outer.
4. By material:
   • rubber;
   • thermoplastic;
   • polyurethane;
   • silicone.