what is a CVL/CLB? boot?

[pfc beansprout]

uhhh, sorry bout it vague..but mechanic said my driver said boot cover is broke..asked if i heard *clicking* when i steer-thankfully, no...but i guess it will. this shit gotta cost a lot to fix? should i be pinchin my pennies? comments/suggestions appreciated :P

[537]

The CV Joint is the location where an axle intersects with your wheel hub. The joint itself in effect is comprised of ball bearings which bathe in axle grease. The CV 'boot' is what covers the joint and keeps all the lubrication local. On older cars this tends to dry out and crack. When you turn the steering wheel, the CV joint is where it bends, and sometimes dried out CV boots rip. The clicking sound you hear when this happens is from the dried out rubber being spun against some suspension components. The boot itself is expendable. However, what it protects (the CV Joint) is critical to your drivetrain. If that goes, you'll need a new axle. Typically when a boot breaks, the centrifugal force created by the spinning axle + joint tends to expel all the axle grease, and dangerously eliminates the lubrication. In heavy rain/snow, your CV Joint will take a beating. If you live near a beach, the sand will also wreak havoc. Road salt will also give you a nightmare.

To repair it, you can lift the car up onto its front crossmember or on its lift mounts so that the transmission casing is tilted in a way that will help it retain all its tranny fluid if you were to take one of the axles out. (I am assuming this vehicle is Front Wheel Drive) On the side that has the suspect boot, the tire must be removed. On most cars you can take the brake caliper off of its mount and use a zip-tie to hang it off of a suspension arm via one of its bolts. Never let the caliper's brake fluid lines bear any weight. After the caliper is removed, you'll need an impact wrench to remove the axle bolt in the center of the wheel. Some cars have a pin that goes through it. The next step is to carefully work the entire half-axle out. It's only about 30-40 pounds, so you should be able to wiggle it with one hand while wiggling the rotor assembly with your other hand.

Once the axle is out, follow the directions on the CV Boot install manual, as some of them slip on and some of them clamp on. Careful you don't let anything fall out of the Joint assembly. Remember to use all the axle grease that comes with the boot. Fun fun fun!

1-2 hour labor

Or, you could shell out a couple hundred dollars for the labor to do it.

[wylin]

note btw this is sumthing all owners of FWD and AWD vehicles should read about. Another reason FWD is not the prefered drivetran!

[mrazntre]

Originally posted by 537@Dec 26 2002, 04:18 PM
The CV Joint is the location where an axle intersects with your wheel hub. The joint itself in effect is comprised of ball bearings which bathe in axle grease. The CV 'boot' is what covers the joint and keeps all the lubrication local. On older cars this tends to dry out and crack. When you turn the steering wheel, the CV joint is where it bends, and sometimes dried out CV boots rip. The clicking sound you hear when this happens is from the dried out rubber being spun against some suspension components. The boot itself is expendable. However, what it protects (the CV Joint) is critical to your drivetrain. If that goes, you'll need a new axle. Typically when a boot breaks, the centrifugal force created by the spinning axle + joint tends to expel all the axle grease, and dangerously eliminates the lubrication. In heavy rain/snow, your CV Joint will take a beating. If you live near a beach, the sand will also wreak havoc. Road salt will also give you a nightmare.

To repair it, you can lift the car up onto its front crossmember or on its lift mounts so that the transmission casing is tilted in a way that will help it retain all its tranny fluid if you were to take one of the axles out. (I am assuming this vehicle is Front Wheel Drive) On the side that has the suspect boot, the tire must be removed. On most cars you can take the brake caliper off of its mount and use a zip-tie to hang it off of a suspension arm via one of its bolts. Never let the caliper's brake fluid lines bear any weight. After the caliper is removed, you'll need an impact wrench to remove the axle bolt in the center of the wheel. Some cars have a pin that goes through it. The next step is to carefully work the entire half-axle out. It's only about 30-40 pounds, so you should be able to wiggle it with one hand while wiggling the rotor assembly with your other hand.

Once the axle is out, follow the directions on the CV Boot install manual, as some of them slip on and some of them clamp on. Careful you don't let anything fall out of the Joint assembly. Remember to use all the axle grease that comes with the boot. Fun fun fun!

1-2 hour labor

Or, you could shell out a couple hundred dollars for the labor to do it.
to pull off the ahlf-axle... you can also gently, or not so gently, bang it with a rubber mallet.


to make sure it's the CV boot, you can feel on the inside of the rim (on the suspect side of the CV boot break)... your fingers should be greased up when you run it up in there...

it could also be a steering rack bushing.. however this makes a clunking noise, rather than a clicking noise... it depends on how you hear it... the clunk can occur on turns, over bumps.. etc.

ALSO....

if your bearing are jacked, you can also hear a clunk/click noise when making turns.