In the process of removing my factory original front shocks; I had to cut off the bottom bolt on the drivers side. While doing so, I accidentally nicked the outer CV boot with my Dremel cut off tool. Realized the leak yesterday. Black grease accumulating around the boot, small leek. Aside from the leak, my CV’s seem to be in great shape, the boots looked in very good condition before I damaged the outer drivers side. I don’t hear any noise from them while turning. Seem like they have life left in them...my question is should I simply reboot the drivers side and re-install or replace the drivers side axle? If I replace one side with a OEM reman, do I need to replace both at that time? 2001 4Runner with 250,000 miles. As far as I know these are the original CV’s despite them being very clean looking.
I debated this as well. Once you think it through, it makes more sense to replace the axle. Axles are less than $50 and require about the same amount of labor.
If you go 4wheeling, maybe buy an aftermarket set. Napa sells decent ones. Swap them out for the OEM ones. Reboot your OEM ones and keep them as trail spares.
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If you go 4wheeling, maybe buy an aftermarket set. Napa sells decent ones. Swap them out for the OEM ones. Reboot your OEM ones and keep them as trail spares.
That was my initial thought, grab an axle from Advance auto parts, others on here have said the usual about aftermarket, stick with OEM...so I priced out OEM CV Axles, about $180 per side...the dealership had a reboot kit in stock today, the OEM reman axle won’t be here until next Wednesday so I’m going to try and reboot the one side that is sliced open. Maybe do a full CV axle swap at a later time.
If you got oem cv axles, reboot it. OEM AXLES are 1000 times better then aftermarket. Aftermarket axles are not well balanced and could cause vibrations.
If you got oem cv axles, reboot it. OEM AXLES are 1000 times better then aftermarket. Aftermarket axles are not well balanced and could cause vibrations.
I agree. I'm on my 3rd set of Oreilly MasterPro New CV's on my 1999. Originally put them in at 342k, then again at 375k, then again at 385k.....The boots kept tearing. I have a 1.5 inch lift on 99 Highlander Springs with a Diff Drop. My CV axles are pretty close to the ones on my 99 Limited....so I just think the Oreilly ones are crap. I'm pretty good at changing them out.
Looks like Toyota sells "OEM" Remanned ones now for about 150 bucks depending on which online source you check. -- 43430-35030-84 is the part # for the OEM Reman Axle. These were extremely expensive in 2012 when I originally replaced mine, or I would have put them on then. I am mad at myself for not keeping my cores, as Oreilly would refund my original money on the axles if I have a 3rd warranty replacement. But then I would be paying the 75 core charges, making them almost 250 bucks each with the return shipping on the cores...
There's a couple reasons to reboot the axle vice building new ones. Toyota steel is typically better than whats found in the aftermarket stuff and the Toyota CV boots are significantly of better quality and handled being lifted better.
I've had good luck with the duralast gold axles from autozone. I've kept the oems in their boxes in case I ever want to reboot. I almost went the rebooting route this weekend but it's just so much easier to swap out the whole thing instead.
Update: drivers side axle is on the bench, re-booting tomorrow AM. Question for the group. The metal dust cover fell out during removal, which orientation does it go back in? Does it press into the rubber gasket on the differential?
Looking closely at the various CV instal videos, it looked like it was supposed to be attached to the CV, so I tapped it on lightly with a brass drift to the end of the axle in the orientation you suggested. Sound right?
See the image. The oil seal dust lip should run inside the cavity so this cavity should face the diff.
Very helpful thanks, I’ve installed the axle with the shield in this orientation. I tapped the shield onto the end of the axle, seems like it just clamps on with a bit of pressure.
I accidentally nicked it loose when using a pry bar to remove the axle from the differential.