A4wheelin

Just doing a little inspection in the wheel well and noticed the passenger side cv boot is torn. Is this a DIY type job? What all is involved in replacing one? My CGT is my daily driver and I put 300 miles on it a week so I need it running good. How long will the CV joint last with the boot torn? I'm in the Northwest btw so it rains alot. I'm sure water isn't good for the joint.

<img src="http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq248/A4wheelin1/cvjoint.jpg">

kelbrig1

Cheap enough with your old core and a pretty easy DIY.

dtompsett

The outer boot is a pain cause of how much has to come apart...

-Axle has to come off (or atleast the balljoint dropped, axle nut loosened, and the axle end removed from the wheel hub).

-Outer CV has to come off... it just "pops" onto the axle with a clip in a groove. Not a clip you remove... just a clip to hold things in place. Best bet is to remove the axle, put the axle in a vice, and pop the outer joint off.

Now you can replace the boot.

Clean up the joint, remove any dirt and as much of the old grease as possible (use a thinner... kerosene works great... and a toothbrush). Make sure there isn't any significant wear in the joint, then put it back on the axle. Load it up with grease, clamp the outer ring, and put it back on the car.

casem

Must be outer cv boot day. Just noticed the same one on my 4kq is torn. bleh.

A4wheelin

the joint is bad? Any truth to this? When I'm in a parking lot a couple times a week maybe and I turn the wheel all the way I get a big "clunk" from somewhere up front. I've been ignoring it but maybe this is the joint telling me it's in trouble?

dtompsett

I have heard the clicking before on a bad front CV on a FWD VW Fox (similar setup to the 4k/cgt)... the clicking is very defined... not a CLUNK, but a clickclickclickclick when you've got the wheel turned and are applying power.

Check to see if there is any play in the joint... if you can rotate the axle or the wheel... and get some play in between (IE... the wheel moves before the axle starts moving)

AudiSport4000

But at some point I want to try just replacing the boot just to say I know how to do so.

Raxles was my source for the axle, FYI.

PartyBoyRacing

It's pretty easy to take the outer CVJ off the half-shaft and slide on a new boot. You'll need a good c-clip remover and a lot of rags. Make sure you clean up off all the old grease and use new CV Joint grease to re-pack it.

If money is tight, then just do the boot. If you have the dough, then go the easy route with a new half-shaft (don't forget to install a new collar bolt...those are supposed to replaced every time you remove them).

Blauparts sells a very good (and cheap) boot kit.

Here's how I solved the 'clunk': https://forums.audiworld.com/4000/msgs/171394.phtml

Caviat: If you are getting a click-click-click and the boot still has grease in it, then it's time for a new CVJ. An entire half-shaft is actually cheaper than putting a new CVJ on an old half-shaft.<ul><li><a href="http://www.blauparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=F4C1015%2DB">http://www.blauparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=F4C1015%2DB</a</li></ul>

jitsu303

I replaced the shafts and put new boots on the old for spares.

A4wheelin

Ok good, I'll check for that. Thanks alot!!!