Date:         Sat, 13 Aug 2016 21:05:58 -0400
Reply-To:     Eric Caron <ecaron1@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Eric Caron <ecaron1@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: CV boot problem repair problem continued
In-Reply-To:  <CAFnDXk1yj=gD5EcUB0d15V7EHvQw9MYUAYVLvPjOpqKK7ME7VQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Hi Jim and others,

        A friend has the correct tool for the bolts and the pliers for the clip.  He has done this job before.  Unfortunately he is injured and can’t do much of the work, but he can give me the tools and some advice. 

        He recommends taking off the axil by the auto transmission and not the lower section.  Remove the CV from the splines under the van and replace boot and put back together.  Other boots look fine and only the replaced one has blown apart.  Having never done this before I’m most worried about the CV joint and keeping it together.  As I’ve not seen one before I’m not sure what to hold. 

Still owning this car means learning and adventures.  I’m just glad I caught this before many miles were put on with the boot off!

Friend has a axil with  two old boots on it that look intact.  In a pinch I’m considering using one of them as how much worse then the new one could it be?  My van is Auto and is was standard.  I assume the boots are the same.

So list members, ready for another chance to talk me through another repair?  We did shocks last year so why not this CV boot this year?

Eric Caron 
85 GL Auto Westfalia 


> On Aug 13, 2016, at 6:48 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> You'll have to first figure out if you have the tools for it. It's not all that hard, but messy and a lot of up and down if you don't have a helper. 
> 
> You have six bolts against the transmission flange and six bolts up in the bearing box. They will either be triple square or hex. If they have been out recently they won't give you any problems, most likely. Anyway, remove the ones up in the bearing box first. You can get to maybe two at a time. Put on the emergency brake, got those two. Take of the brake, rotate a third of a turn, put the brake on again, get the next two and so forth then do the inside ones against the transmission and it's out. Pull the c-clip out of the CV joint at the offending boot. Most easily done with the axle in a vise, then loosen the vise so the CV joint lies on top of the jaws, not gripping the axle at all, and drive the axle out with a brass drift. Let the other end fall in a bucket full of rags. Take care that you don't drop the now-free CV joint our you will be chasing balls all over the place. Sounds like you will need some grease. Pull off the old boot, push on the new, lock the axle up in the vise again standing straight up, and tap on the CV joint with the drift touching the center cage only. It should go right on. Replace the c-clip and reverse the removal process. The reason you want to undo the outside first and redo it last is because the bearing box in the railing arm supports the axle and it is a lot easier.
> 
> Jim
> 
> On Sat, Aug 13, 2016 at 3:48 PM Eric Caron <ecaron1@comcast.net <mailto:ecaron1@comcast.net>> wrote:
> Very little grease up in there at this point.  seemed like very little had been put in there.
> 
> So, Assuming I can get the boot, anyone want to talk me through this repair?
> Eric Caron
> 
> 85 Auto Westfalia
> 
> 
> 
> > On Aug 13, 2016, at 4:34 PM, thewestyman <zolo@foxinternet.net <mailto:zolo@foxinternet.net>> wrote:
> >
> > That boot can break if you put too much grease into it.  The grease belongs only to the steel parts, the balls and the housing.
> > Zoltan
> >
> > -----Original Message----- From: Eric Caron
> > Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2016 1:11 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Subject: CV boot problem repair problem continued
> >
> > Hi folks,
> >
> >       One of the things I had done at John’s Car Corner was replacement of the CV Boot today I was cleaning my engine and found that exact boot ripped to shredds and hanging on by a thread.  What could they possibly do that caused that failure in just a few hundred miles?
> >
> > I was to leave on Wednesday for a trip and now this.  Is this boot replacement something I can do with the guidance of this list?
> >
> > Eric Caron
> > 85 GL Auto Westfalia