Inner CV axle boot leaking...

[Dynamo]

After I backed my '19 TRD ORP out of the garage this evening to wash it I noticed a dime sized blob of snot colored grease on the floor. I take a peek underneath and it looks like the inner boot on the driver side is leaking at the inner most clamp. Grease has been slung in line with that clamp. I could not find any evidence of tear in the boot.

I will take it to the dealer since it should be covered under warranty. A little disappointing considering it is all stock and only 27k miles but I suppose there are worse problems.

After searching I see this issue isn't totally unheard of. Anyone else experience this?

 

[repo]

If the boot isnt torn just tighten the boot clamp crimp with ear clamp pliers. If by snot colored you mean a sort of off-white and not brown/black I wouldnt care too much about it being contaminated.

 

[<<<<]

Dealer needs to put new clamp, but because it is under warranty they will replace the whole axle most likely because they figured you don't care and Toyota will pay anyway (the practice which need to stop if we want affordable Toyotas in the future).

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Dealer needs to put new clamp, but because it is under warranty they will replace the whole axle most likely because they figured you don't care and Toyota will pay anyway (the practice which need to stop if we want affordable Toyotas in the future).

Warranty will only pay for a new axle if it's completely failed. Generally we just reboot the CV axle under warranty and send you on your way.

Technically you could probably tighten the clamp with a cv boot crimp tool or set of pliers. But honestly, we have this great crimp tool we use for the Tundra, Sequoia, Land Cruiser because they need a lot of tension on their clamps; I use it for every boot job I do, it's phenomenal.

Need to buy one for myself in case someone breaks the shop's tool. It's one of the best CV Boot crimps I have used (I used to do the whole double breaker bar on the pliers trick, but this is so much better and more consistent).

 

[Dynamo]

Update: I dropped it off at the dealer this morning. Since it's under warranty I want them to handle it.

They just called to tell me that I was correct in that it's leaking from the clamp. But to my surprise they said the passenger side is leaking as well. I checked both sides but did not see any leakage on the passenger side so good catch by the dealer. They are just going to install new boots and clamps but said if there is any sign of damage to either axle when they get it all apart they will install new axles. I'm fine with that. The biggest hassle now is they had to order the parts so I won't get my 4Runner back until probably Tuesday.

 

[ProLee]

Update: I dropped it off at the dealer this morning. Since it's under warranty I want them to handle it.

They just called to tell me that I was correct in that it's leaking from the clamp. But to my surprise they said the passenger side is leaking as well. I checked both sides but did not see any leakage on the passenger side so good catch by the dealer. They are just going to install new boots and clamps but said if there is any sign of damage to either axle when they get it all apart they will install new axles. I'm fine with that. The biggest hassle now is they had to order the parts so I won't get my 4Runner back until probably Tuesday.

Good to hear, I just recently had the same issue, wonder if it's more common than we know....

 

[SilverTEP]

Had a tear on my passenger side at 31k miles, the wheel side boot. It was right by the clamp. I couldn't find a tear until I completely cleaned the boot and pressed it around the clamp. There as a small hole pushing out grease, almost like the clamp made the hole.

This was pre lift, pre tires on my 2018 TRDORP. It was 99% pavement driven, only few dirt roads. I got my rebuilt Toyota axle during my lift.. my 2016 trail boots were super solid, even got poked by a branch. Maybe they changed materials?

I've been eyeing Dobinson's super flex boots.

 

[Dynamo]

Good to hear, I just recently had the same issue, wonder if it's more common than we know....

When the dealer called they said they were baffled by it (leaks not due to torn boots) and made it sound like it was a first for them. I am curious to know what might've caused it. My '13 FJ Cruiser that I traded for my T4R never leaked a drop in 7 years/145k miles.

 

[ProLee]

When the dealer called they said they were baffled by it (leaks not due to torn boots) and made it sound like it was a first for them. I am curious to know what might've caused it. My '13 FJ Cruiser that I traded for my T4R never leaked a drop in 7 years/145k miles.

Does sound odd that both our 4Runner are MY2019.....wonder if there was a bad batch of boots, clamps, or axle shafts.

 

[Dynamo]

Got my T4R back from the dealer yesterday and of course it's still leaking. Maybe worse than before. They said they replaced the inner boots on both sides and from what I can tell I believe they did. I'm not sure what's going on but this can't be right. I mean, I'm not taking crazy pills, it should not be leaking grease at all, right? I've got another appointment to take it in on Monday. Since these new boots are leaking then I'm wondering if the axle is messed up in some way. Or the boots just poorly installed. In any case, I don't want to have to keep taking it back for this but my confidence in another set of boots fixing the issue is low.

Here's pics of the driver's side. Both sides are leaking the same way. The grease you see is from my most recent drive, I had already cleaned it up after the last drive.

You can see that it's leaking at the "corners" of the axle body. In fact when I push on the boot at those spots I can pump grease out at that leak location.

You can see where grease is being flung.

 

[Jeremy556]

You can see where grease is being flung.

Can you turn the axle so the crimped part is more visible? Hard to tell from your pic, but it doesn't look well crimped from what I can see.

 

[SilverTEP]

I'm replacing my inner boot clamp with McMaster clamps with worm drive. I replaced my axle, so brand new axle is leaking now, same spot as yours, passanger side. I'm out of warranty, so I hope the new clamp fixes this.

McMaster-Carr
Part number: 5574K25

 

[Dynamo]

Can you turn the axle so the crimped part is more visible? Hard to tell from your pic, but it doesn't look well crimped from what I can see.

Here's a better pic of the crimp.

 

[Jeremy556]

Here's a better pic of the crimp.

Yea, they did a piss poor installation and didn't clamp it nearly enough. It should look more like this:

On yours you can see where they started to get the lower side crimped, but not enough, and they didn't even deform the top side.

 

[DougR]

The clamp is not properly tightened. Here are images from the factory manual. The SST costs about $250. Perhaps the mechanic used a cheaper hand tool. Jeremy correctly noted that one side of the clamp is not crimped and the other side is partly crimped. Clearance on the larger clamp should be 2.1 mm or less and clearance on the smaller clamp 1.3 mm or less. Check the crimp on all four clamps of the inner boots.

 

[Dynamo]

Yea, they did a piss poor installation and didn't clamp it nearly enough. It should look more like this:

On yours you can see where they started to get the lower side crimped, but not enough, and they didn't even deform the top side.

Appears the clamp is not properly tightened. Here's an image from the factory manual.

Thanks, that makes sense. I will be polite to the service writer but let him know of my frustration at having to bring it back for a poor installation.

So can they simply be crimped more to meet the proper specs or are new clamps required now? I don't want them half-assing it again.

 

[Jeremy556]

Should be able to crimp the clamp that is on there now, but it is trivial to install a new one - they can be opened, the axle doesn't have to come off.

 

[DougR]

Thanks, that makes sense. I will be polite to the service writer but let him know of my frustration at having to bring it back for a poor installation.

So can they simply be crimped more to meet the proper specs or are new clamps required now? I don't want them half-assing it again.

Yes, the clamps can be re-crimped tighter, based on my personal experience of using a hand tool to tighten this style of clamp. Note, I added more information and two additional images to my original post, showing clearances when the clamps are properly tightened. Show the service writer your picture, the three images I posted and note the different clearances for the larger and smaller clamps. It should be obvious to the service writer that the clamps are not properly crimped. Ask them to check crimp on all four clamps.

 

[Dynamo]

Thanks again for the info, good to know. Should there be any concern about the loss of grease (the amount) or anything else assuming they fix the clamps and the leak?

I took a pic of the passenger side. That crimp looks pretty weak, too.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Oof those crimps look piss poor. The person who did those used the more readily available CV Crimp tool that most mechanics probably have in their box, looks something like this:

Those pliers are a cheaper than the SST and easier to get if you want to crimp them down yourself. Usually if you ate your Wheaties you can get them pretty tight just by hand squeezing them, but that's why they have the 1/2" socket holes in them, most guys just double them up with breaker bars and give them a good squeeze. Just be conscious of keeping the pliers perpendicular on both the X & Y axis when doing that, I have seen them get twisted and result in a leaking clamp before (done it myself once or twice, which was why I was so ecstatic when we got our fancy crimper I mentioned.)

Post Note-

I wouldn't be worried about that small amount of grease that's come out so far, there's plenty inside the axle. I would say either bring it back to the dealer and point it out to them, since they should take care of their crimp job not being good. Or crimp and clean the axles yourself if you feel comfortable doing it.