CV Joint Leaking Grease

Status
Not open for further replies.
92saturnsl2

92saturnsl2

Joined
Mar 2, 2004
Messages
4,101
Location
Kentucky
I changed the oil on my '96 Maxima today and while doing a quick inspection on the car, I noticed the drivers side CV joint is leaking grease. I suspect it's the original axle, the boot isn't torn, rather there's a bunch of micro-cracks from rubber being dried and brittle, and some grease is seeping through there. I've caught it early, there's a light film of grease on the strut, but no noises or anything of the sort coming from the CV joint.

Is there a way to replace just the boot, or is replacing the whole axle the way to go? If you can replace the boot, how is this done? The axle is dirt cheap (less than $50) so cost is not an issue, but I'd rather not have to replace it if I don't have to!
 
Some CV boot clamps require special tools....My local CV rebuilder puts on Boots, Cleans & greases them for cheap. I bought OE boots for the wifes Corolla which come with grease & he installed them for $30. While I can do it & have the tools....It's not worth my time.

A sub $50 axle? Good luck with that! You caught it early enough to reboot them & that's what I recommend you do or have done.
 
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Some CV boot clamps require special tools....My local CV rebuilder puts on Boots, Cleans & greases them for cheap. I bought OE boots for the wifes Corolla which come with grease & he installed them for $30. While I can do it & have the tools....It's not worth my time.

A sub $50 axle? Good luck with that! You caught it early enough to reboot them & that's what I recommend you do or have done.



Yup, what he said. But finding someone to do it cheap is iffy. If you can change oil and are reasonably handy, you can do this.

Kudos for spotting this early. One of the benefits of DIY.

Do you think Jiffy Lube would notice and tell you this?
 
You can replace just the boot, but you still have to remove the whole axle to do so. If you do, make sure you use the OE boots (which are thermoplastic), or at least silicone. Most aftermarket boots are neoprene, which is inferior. All the "rebuilt" axles use neoprene like Cardone trash.
 
Originally Posted by user52165
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Some CV boot clamps require special tools....My local CV rebuilder puts on Boots, Cleans & greases them for cheap. I bought OE boots for the wifes Corolla which come with grease & he installed them for $30. While I can do it & have the tools....It's not worth my time.

A sub $50 axle? Good luck with that! You caught it early enough to reboot them & that's what I recommend you do or have done.



Yup, what he said. But finding someone to do it cheap is iffy. If you can change oil and are reasonably handy, you can do this.

Kudos for spotting this early. One of the benefits of DIY.

Do you think Jiffy Lube would notice and tell you this?


To be clear.......I take the axles to my rebuilder.
 
Originally Posted by 92saturnsl2
I changed the oil on my '96 Maxima today and while doing a quick inspection on the car, I noticed the drivers side CV joint is leaking grease. I suspect it's the original axle, the boot isn't torn, rather there's a bunch of micro-cracks from rubber being dried and brittle, and some grease is seeping through there. I've caught it early, there's a light film of grease on the strut, but no noises or anything of the sort coming from the CV joint.

Is there a way to replace just the boot, or is replacing the whole axle the way to go? If you can replace the boot, how is this done? The axle is dirt cheap (less than $50) so cost is not an issue, but I'd rather not have to replace it if I don't have to!


If it's the outer joint, you remove the axle, then you remove the boot, then you clamp it in a vice, use a hammer to pop it over the retaining ring (Eric the car guy has a good video on this), clean and dissasemble (it's almost like a rubik cube), regrease and install new boot, clamp it and reinstall on the car. It takes me half a day at least, but I'm slow. The inner joint is easier.
A dirt cheap axle might have vibrations.
It's simply amazing the original boot lasted for so long, you must only drive straight.
 
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
If you do, make sure you use the OE boots (which are thermoplastic), or at least silicone. Most aftermarket boots are neoprene, which is inferior. All the "rebuilt" axles use neoprene like Cardone trash.

The last neoprene boot (Beck & Arnley) I installed on the Maxima developed a crack within 100 miles, POS. Care to recommend a silicone boot?
 
This a relatively easy and quick job. Use boots from Rockford, they are the best boots you can get, and will last the life of the car in most cases.
You need a 166-21 and 166-22 inboard and outboard 1 ea per shaft, they come with clamps and the correct amount of good quality CV grease. They are about $26 for both.
You do need a tool for the clamps, amazon has some cheaper ones that are good enough for occasional use.
Once the axle is out it takes about 20 min to do both if that.

http://www.rockfordcv.com/rcvboot.htm

http://www.rockfordcv.com/bootkit_catalog.htm

https://www.amazon.com/VEPEN-Univer...a1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
 
Quote
Do you think Jiffy Lube would notice and tell you this?


That I can live with (them not saying anything.) I had the opposite happen at Auto tire, a chain that did my annual MO emissions inspection a few years ago. Passed the emissions, but oh no I better replace my axle, the CV joint is leaking (on my rather new 4x4 truck that hardly ever gets used in 4wd) they tell me. I had just replaced my transmission fluid and spilled a few drops down there, and there was some wetness not really close to the axle... Since when did transmission fluid resemble axle grease? Idiots, I still chuckle about that to this day...
 
Trying to drum up sales .

Oh , by the way , I also recommend the YouTube videos by Eric O / South Main Auto .
 
Either reboot per Trav recommend (or a rebuilder who reboot yours), or OEM axles (reman from OEM if available), or aftermarket pull (if you have time to search for one)

Stay away from cheap aftermarket axles.
 
Originally Posted by 50jeffrey
Per their catalog, Rockford doesn't seem to list boots for any vehicle that is newer than about 1997.



Yes, this is hard to believe.

Update needed.
 
Originally Posted by 50jeffrey
Per their catalog, Rockford doesn't seem to list boots for any vehicle that is newer than about 1997.


I know, that is a problem but call them, most of the time they have one that fits right.
 
Don't bother with the cheap axle. I'd order a boot kit from Nissan and reboot it. The Japanese don't use Oetiker-style clamps, they like using Band-It ones that need a "winding" tool to tighten and a center punch to secure.
 
It all comes down to boot material. All OEMs use thermoplastic (Dupont Hytrel) nowadays. It can be tough to find an aftermarket brand that uses this material, but it's vastly superior to neoprene and silicone which are old school materials. Most aftermarket CV manufacturers still use neoprene which is why they don't last as long.
 
The new CV axle from Napa claims to use thermoplastic on the out bound boot... Which I'm thinking is the one nearest the tire.. Which if I am right that is the part that typically fails first aka the outer boot. And the axle from Napa does use neoprene on the other boot.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

M
CV boot (small end) grease leak
2
Replies
21
Views
883
mrbreezeet1
Twisted1
Question about CV axles.. Camry specific..
Replies
11
Views
466
Twisted1
J
Grease / Anti-Seize - Replacing CV AXLE and would like to know best practice
2
Replies
32
Views
1K
JGmazda
92saturnsl2
Replace boot on FWD CV joint, or replace halfshaft?
2
Replies
22
Views
3K
92saturnsl2
Twisted1
2000 Camry V6 - CV axle brands
2
Replies
21
Views
848
Twisted1
Back
Top