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Outer CV Boot Replacement

('98-'00) 
7K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  kpdirection 
#1 ·
Checked my 1998 L today before its safety and emissions test, and noticed that the passenger front CV boot (outer - the one next to the wheel) is torn.

Any tips on how to replace it? I've got the workshop manual, but it isn't too clear. The inner boot looks fine, and the outer wasn't ripped two weeks ago when I was last under the car, and the joint sounds fine - so it's just the boot I need to replace. NOT replacing the driveshaft - there's nowt wrong with it.

(not interested in those split boot/super glue solutions, btw - want to do it properly!)

Thanks in advance.

Pete.
 
#3 ·
My 16yr old son did his on a 99 Forester, driver's side. Passanger side you will need to grind down a punch to get the taper pin out of the shaft, the one next to the transfer case.
Thanks!

Based on your advice and the video, I've got my 14-yo doing it tomorrow, replacing the whole driveshaft instead of just the boot.

Going to try using these punches - 5 Piece Long Drive Pin Punch Set. They *look* like they'll do the job....

Pete.
 
#4 ·
OK - Job done, easy as pie. My son did the vast majority of the work, and he'd never even removed a wheel before...

Here's some notes - along with the video two posts above, you'll get the idea.

1. Ideal tool - those Harbor Freight pin punches. 5 Piece Long Drive Pin Punch Set. One of them is the perfect length and width (1/8", I think)

2. Jack up one side of the car only (ideally, the side you're working on, of course!). We didn't lose *any* transmission fluid during the job.

3. The video shows the mechanic working on the left-hand side driveshaft. He's got lots of room - looks like he's working in a dance-hall. We did the passenger (right) side. It's a bit tight, but you can do it from underneath without removing the exhaust. The trick is to put the handbrake on, then get the car in neutral. You can then rotate the wheel studs (and therefore the axle) so that the pin appears in the correct place (when knocking the pin out, it's nice to get everything in line).

4. Turning the wheels to the left gives sufficient space to winkle the wheel end of the axle out. We got the axle bolt off with a 32mm socket ($4.50 from Harbou Freight), breaker bar, and a four-foot extension tube I have (it's a piece of scaffolding tube). We broke the stiction with the wheel on the floor, and then undid it properly when the wheel was off.

5. To drive the pin back in, use one of the larger pin punches - that way, you can't accidentally drive the pin too far.

6. Get the torque right on the axle shaft - it's 150 pound/feet

It took us about two hours - a lot of which was me explaining basics like how to raise a car and work safely underneath it. If I was doing it myself, I'd expect to be done in an hour (and it was *my* first time also!)
 
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