Extending life of CV Boot (Tear Starting)

[alphyn]

I'm in the middle of a bazillion deferred maintenance activities on my 4Runner. My passenger side CV boot tore and made a spectacular mess I cleaned up. I pulled off my driver side tire and was about to do new LBJ's, pads, rotors, calipers. I was inspecting my CV and noticed the driver side boot was about to tear and create a similar mess, too.

I've already ordered a new CV axle for Camelback which should be here in a week or so. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas how I might be able to temporarily extend the life of this one until the one from Camelback arrives? Not a big deal. My truck is going to be on blocks until at least next Tuesday anyway since I'm still waiting on parts for other maintenance items, the front diff is already drained and the only reason I'd need to drive it around is to run it around the block, try to get it smogged and field test brakes. Not necessarily in that order. My 4Runner has been sitting a year or so and I believe these are the original CV's. I wouldn't be surprised if the boot just rips no matter what I did. I feel like I already know the answer so this is probably more for intellectual curiosity more than anything else.

 

[cl4Rk]

any ideas how I might be able to temporarily extend the life of this one

My only guess would be a solvent degrease then something with cyanoacrylate (not an epoxy).

 

[alphyn]

My only guess would be a solvent degrease then something with cyanoacrylate (not an epoxy).

"Cyanoacrylates are a family of strong fast-acting adhesives with industrial, medical, and household uses. They are derived from ethyl cyanoacrylate and related esters. The cyanoacrylate group in the monomer rapidly polymerize in the presence of water to form long, strong chains. They have some minor toxicity." - Wikipedia

AKA Superglue

I learn the most random things on this board. I was also thinking like a rubber cement?

 

[cl4Rk]

Yeah, super glue LOL. I think a super glue would still be the best. But only after your throughly degreased the rubber. And of course, this would be a very short-lived quick fix that might not even work at all haha

 

[cl4Rk]

[MENTION=73567]alphyn[/MENTION] Oh! I just thought of something we do with tubeless mountain bike tires after a sidewall tear: stitch up the rubber with a curved sewing needle and sturdy thread, then cover the suture with a generous application of super glue.

Start the video at 12:45

Guide To Tubeless (part 2): Repair - YouTube

This works for flexing rubber holding air, should work for flexing rubber holding grease.

 

[NJ-4Runner]

I'm in the middle of a bazillion deferred maintenance activities on my 4Runner. My passenger side CV boot tore and made a spectacular mess I cleaned up. I pulled off my driver side tire and was about to do new LBJ's, pads, rotors, calipers. I was inspecting my CV and noticed the driver side boot was about to tear and create a similar mess, too.

I've already ordered a new CV axle for Camelback which should be here in a week or so. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas how I might be able to temporarily extend the life of this one until the one from Camelback arrives? Not a big deal. My truck is going to be on blocks until at least next Tuesday anyway since I'm still waiting on parts for other maintenance items, the front diff is already drained and the only reason I'd need to drive it around is to run it around the block, try to get it smogged and field test brakes. Not necessarily in that order. My 4Runner has been sitting a year or so and I believe these are the original CV's. I wouldn't be surprised if the boot just rips no matter what I did. I feel like I already know the answer so this is probably more for intellectual curiosity more than anything else.

What you should do is wrap it with electrical tape. The tape is pretty good at stretching over the imperfections of the boot and it will also hold up well to the flexing that the boot does when you drive. Start wrapping to the left of that first "hump" in the boot and then over the hump and then over the tear and onto the shaft. Be generous with the tape but don't go too crazy. I used this a temporary fix on my GX470 and it easily lasted over a week with normal driving. I think I ended up driving it like that for at least 3 weeks, I taped it twice during that period. Be sure to clean up the boot and everything else with brake cleaner before you wrap it.

 

[alumarine]

I would do nothing and just drive it like that if you're going to replace it.
The cv will last much longer than you think with the grease flung out.
There will still be some grease where it matters.

 

[repo]

I wonder if a tight wrap or two of F4 tape or something similar work work, with a spray of silicone lube on top. And super glue underneath.

 

[repo]

"Cyanoacrylates are a family of strong fast-acting adhesives with industrial, medical, and household uses. They are derived from ethyl cyanoacrylate and related esters. The cyanoacrylate group in the monomer rapidly polymerize in the presence of water to form long, strong chains. They have some minor toxicity." - Wikipedia

AKA Superglue

I learn the most random things on this board. I was also thinking like a rubber cement?

Ha weird I was just reading about cyanoacrylates earlier today when figuring out how to fix the little rubber thing the wiring clips in to on the intake hose which tore. It cant be as simple as super glue I thought, but seemed to work fine after a wipe of isopropyl. Wrapped it with a sliver of electrical tape for good luck.

 

[Endlessblockades]

Like [MENTION=134889]alumarine[/MENTION] said - just drive. I tried a few things but since the axle spins in 2wd it will defeat most temp repairs, You're not going to do any damage unless you're wheeling super hard in engine-deep mud. I've driven daily for a couple months+, dry. CV boots are like kids - I was super concerned and attentive with the first torn boot. When the second one came along, I knew it wasn't going to be a big deal and just kept enjoying the scenery.

 

[cl4Rk]

CV boots are like kids - I was super concerned and attentive with the first torn boot. When the second one came along, I knew it wasn't going to be a big deal and just kept enjoying the scenery.

Hahaha!

[MENTION=373697]Endlessblockades[/MENTION] you mountain bike too, right? Just curious how long you think a stitch-and-super-glue fix would hold on a torn CV boot? I know people that rode on a mtb tire for miles and miles on a stitched-and-super-glued sidewall..

 

[photoleif]

i'm in the camp with [MENTION=134889]alumarine[/MENTION] and [MENTION=373697]Endlessblockades[/MENTION]. just drive it. don't wheel it. just drive if you need to. given that you have a replacement on order, whatever damage might occur to it will not spell doom to anything of consequence. if you suspect there's still some grease in there and want to avoid flinging it all over, isopropyl alcohol and then just tape it up. but to me, that seems like the kind of time spent that i'd weigh against new parts already on order, and just ignore it. kind of like, if you know you have a valve cover leak at the gasket and one's coming midweek, why band-aid.

 

[Endlessblockades]

Hahaha!

[MENTION=373697]Endlessblockades[/MENTION] you mountain bike too, right? Just curious how long you think a stitch-and-super-glue fix would hold on a torn CV boot? I know people that rode on a mtb tire for miles and miles on a stitched-and-super-glued sidewall..

Oh man yes I do ride a lot but have never had to do a trail-side repair like that. I really only ride DH/Enduro-casing tires (usually Michelin, coincidentally) and since going tubeless years ago, I have literally not had a single persistent flat let alone a torn sidewall. I do race some pretty gnarly stuff, too. I have lost some psi while the sealant did its thing but I've pumped it up and never looked back. I do carry zip ties and I know people have stuffed a tire with leaves and ziptied the tire on the rim just to get back to civilization if they had no way to pump it up. Modern tires seat so well that my real problem is getting them off when they are worn out - I've had to hacksaw the bead and Kevlar is a royal pain. Sorry - off track. I don't see why you couldn't stitch and glue a boot, but unless there were no axles (or new boots) available for a year, I wouldn't bother! I've got 2 new axles now (both boots failed post-lift) and I popped in a diff drop and I'm hoping to be good for years.