I agree. It does not look like much grease has been flung out at all. When mine went, due to a torn boot, there was grease everywhere. It was blatantly obvious. If it was that bad, the mechanics would have told you so. You look to be having some weeping/oozing. You need to get under there and check the boot for tears, rips, etc. You might have just slipped that end of the boot off the groove it seats in. Shoot, you could probably get an OEM band clamp from toyota, and a CV band wrench from an autoparts store and re-clamp it that way...making sure the boot is in it's groove (there's a shallow groove machined into the axle).
If the rubber is not torn or brittle and obviously deteriorating, then a new band clamp, using a worm drive hose clamp, is a viable option, but temporary. The problem with hose clamps is the sharp edges that can cut into the boot rubber which is already weak due to age. You could totally reboot that. It's messy and for slightly less labor you can just put in a replacement. The deal quote sounds about right but is insanely high... such is brand new OEM stuff from the dealer.
A boot kit will run, I think, around $80 from the dealer. What I did was order a re-manufactured one from Toyota. At the time, about 7 years ago I think, it ran me roughly $150 per axle. I could have returned the old ones for a core refund of $50 but I decided to keep them to re boot/rebuild them. I caught my leak quickly (I drove with it torn for only a week max, and probably less than that) so I'm highly confident that the innards are totally fine. I changed both of mine because I figured another boot was probably about to go. You should check around with the parts dept's from a few area dealerships and see what they can get and will charge. When I called, it was like 400 for a new axle and maybe half for re-manufactured. I think I read something about checking to see if there are online discount prices, so I found that parts dept also had online sales and I found they listed re-manufactured axles with a lower price that I got on the phone. I ordered and selected an option to pick up at the counter. Ever since then I've been going to that parts dept and developed a relationship with one of the main guys. He always recognizes me when I come in, remembers I have a 4runner, sometimes remembers my name if it hasn't been too long. They give me "preferred" pricing, or something like that. Just have to ask them if they can help you on the price ( they sell me the WS ATF at $8 a qt when I get a case for a flush... not that I do it a lot) I know people here on T4R have use "village toyota" (in Texas ??? I forget) for online orders and they have good prices as I recall. CVJ after market units have also been used by several members, which I saw mentioned...
You should be able to find several threads about replacing CV axles on T4R. It's actually a pretty easy job. It'll take some time, but not difficult. Look on youtube and you should find several videos. There's a good one by "the last great road trip" where the do/demonstrate a trail replacement on an FJ cruiser, which has the same front end. You'll probably need new axle seals. The CV has to come out and the seal at the diff might get damaged, plus it's got over 100k age... You'll also have to replace the knuckle seal. It looks like the outboard boot, you could probably replace that boot without removing the CV, but you have to take it out of the steering knuckle, and you're crawling all over the ground, and trying to keep the axle from flopping around, cleaning out old grease, putting in new, etc.... better to just take it out and put in on a work bench. Someone did a reboot write up several years ago with pics, etc.
Maybe all that makes sense. Sorry for the Tolkein-esque post. Hope it helps
Bob
