CV Axle?

[ViperNL]

I was changing the oil on my wife's 05 4runner today and noticed a big greasy spot.I was hoping you guys could help me out and identify the issue. It seems like an axle boot? What's the best way to fix this? Replace the CV axle, both axles or just the boot. Not quite sure how long this has been going on, but no more than a couple weeks.

The pics are taken from the front, and a close up upside down.

Thanks!

 

[KidVermicious]

Yup, you threw a boot. Compare the inner boot to the outer boot in your second pic, the band clamp is gone.

You could yank it out and clean it up and regrease it and reboot it, or you could yank it out and replace it with a new shaft and save this one for a trail spare. Your call.

 

[radlynx]

definitely the cv boot. if you plan on changing the boot, you might as well replace the outer boot and inner boot so you don't have to deal with it later if the outer boot happens to break. I had an inner boot fail and just replaced it, now my outer boot is leaking. imagine if this happens to you, you'll say, I should have replaced both boot. that's what I thought when it did.

 

[Desert Fox]

If it were my 4Runner, I would start by taking a wire brush attachment on my cordless drill and clean the rust off that vehicle. Then I would clean up the rest of the underbody removing all that dirt. Then I would spend a couple hundred dollars and a few hours and install new axles.

But that is what I would do to it if it were mine.

 

[ViperNL]

Thanks guys, that's what I figured. I'll probably replace both boots then, don't want to have to do this again in short while .

And yes, we've got a lot salt on the roads here in winter. After 8 years it's starting to take it's toll. Depending on what we'll do with this car, I might clean it.