front driveshaft leak

[Toythom]

found a small puddle of thin grease leaking under RT front driveshaft, passenger side inner boot yesterday morning and found a tear in boot today. Is there just a boot kit for this? With the leakage would I be better off replacing drive shaft? I have no clue what is in this area as I'm no mechanic so I assume if grease it is contaminated if that is what I am seeing actually dripping out. How hard to replace the entire shaft? cost if anyone knows. I am stationed in Europe currently and don't have access to another vehicle, is this still driveable for awhile as is? Sorry for all the questions, trying to figure out what to do asap as it takes a bit to get parts over here.

 

[Toythom]

Sorry for pic size. I have no clue how to make them smaller. Appreciate any help.

 

[phattyduck]

That is probably just fine to re-boot. And drive for a while like that (a couple guys have been driving for years on ripped boots).

OEM boot kits should be available at the dealer.

Inner only boot kit: 04438-35040
Inner and outer boot kit: 04438-35030

Each of those is good for one axle (a single inner boot or an inner and outer boot pair).

-Charlie

 

[Toythom]

Thanks for the info. I will give the boot kits a shot for both sides. Noticed drivers side has cracking when I was looking around. Any special grease I should get once I'm in there doing replacement? Thanks

 

[mtbtim]

Here's a video that could help you out. If you rig isn't lifted, disregard the boot stretch modification.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vcCT4UgFUTw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Unner]

Thanks for the info. I will give the boot kits a shot for both sides. Noticed drivers side has cracking when I was looking around. Any special grease I should get once I'm in there doing replacement? Thanks

That Toyota kit comes with grease, clamps, and everything you need to do the job. Get new Lower Ball Joint Bolts too because you'll be taking them out and they're not reusable. It would be an easier job to replace the entire axle, I like the NAPA Max Drive ones, but they're probably hard to get in Europe. Rebooting really isn't that hard either, just very messy.

 

[Toythom]

New lower ball joint bolts also? Dang. I just replaced the lower ball joints before I came here , only about 6k on them now. I was looking at the entire shaft and it is an option but I would want to replace both sides so that may wait. Truck does have 226k on it now though. Yeah I have not seen a Auto parts store in the year I have been here. Order from the states for stuff. It's a pain as a lot of folks don't want to ship to APO boxes. Need to get on it though, wet season here and I don't want any issues when freezing weather hits

 

[alumarine]

New lower ball joint bolts also? Dang. I just replaced the lower ball joints before I came here , only about 6k on them now. I was looking at the entire shaft and it is an option but I would want to replace both sides so that may wait. Truck does have 226k on it now though. Yeah I have not seen a Auto parts store in the year I have been here. Order from the states for stuff. It's a pain as a lot of folks don't want to ship to APO boxes. Need to get on it though, wet season here and I don't want any issues when freezing weather hits

No need to replace the lower ball joints.
Just remove the 4 lower bolts and leave the upper part still attached to the hub.

There's a write up here Toyota Maintenance: CV Axle Replacement on 3rd Generation 4Runners and Tacomas

 

[Scramble]

No need to replace the lower ball joints.
Just remove the 4 lower bolts and leave the upper part still attached to the hub.

There's a write up here Toyota Maintenance: CV Axle Replacement on 3rd Generation 4Runners and Tacomas

Agreed, I had to replace one of my CV's a few months after doing the ball joints, just remove the 4 bolts.

 

[Toythom]

No matter whether I do just boots or half shaft? it looks to be a mess in the making. So the new shaft assembly is just from joint assembly to joint assembly? I'm leaning towards just doing the boots at this point on both sides. Need to order a few tools as well. I could not bring everything with me so needing 35mm socket, larger torque wrench than what I have here and such as well as heater since the garage is freezing. Hopefully my impact will get the axle nut off. Make a list and get things ordered tomorrow. Video was a big help, goof for me to see something other than a manual or parts diagram. Appreciate all the help

 

[phattyduck]

You need to remove the complete CV axle(s) from the truck to replace the boot or the axle. It is generally accepted that you want to replace the 4 ball joint bolts (just the bolts - like, $7 per side) if you remove them.

-Charlie

 

[Acorn22]

You can drive quite awhile on ripped boots if you don't want to get in to all of that right now. One of my boots is completely missing because it got ripped so badly and the other one is only halfway there. I've drove about 8000 miles with them like that no prob, crossing creeks, mudding, and in the snow; maybe I just have gotten lucky!

 

[thecole1098]

Why do yall take off the 4 bolts that hold the ball joint to the spindle? When doing axles I always just remove the castle nut for the ball joint stud then separate them and that allows me to swivel the spindle out of the way just fine. I guess whatever works for yall though.

 

[Toythom]

2 months later finally done. Ordered 2 torques wrenches and neither showed, got refund on one, varoius bits eventually showed i needed. Took me 3.5 hours, of which only about 30 minutes to pop old axle out and new one in. Rest just getting things torn apart and figured out. No leaks so far on anything or any odd noises. Had to get it done to do my CT inspection here in Belgium. I sure do miss the auto part stores back home in states. Thanks again for all the info, made what looked impossible very possible

 

[alumarine]

Good stuff!