New CV joint and axel? Or just new boots? Or what?

[sirunner]

I installed the toytec 3" coilovers with the bilstein 5150's in the rear. Overall I am happy and the 4 runner looks and rides great. So looking at the pictures below I must have screwed something up during installation as I have serious grease deposits all over the CV joints and lower control arms that started occurring on both sides right after I installed the lift. I suppose I tore the CV boots by my questions are:

What did I do wrong?
What needs to be replaced? (did I screw up the CV axel)

The place I got my oil changed said it was the rack & pinion assembly and the tie rod ends that needed replaced? Are these the same thing?

How important / expensive / hard is it going to be?
And should I upgrade to an aftermarket part if I need to replace something down there? (recommendations)

 

[Zuke]

The boots are leaking. Check the clamps and check for tears.
Replacing CV bands - Toyota 120 Platforms Forum

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/maintenance/37107-front-lh-inner-cv-boot-leaking.html

 

[DH4Runner]

Something I noticed when I installed my coilovers was that with that much thread showing the ride was **** and the CV angle was too extreme for my taste. I backed it down to only .75 of an inch of thread showing below the coil and the ride improved and I feel much more comfortable about the angle. Also, did you do the diff drop?

 

[DH4Runner]

Oh, and that boot looks torn. Does the other one look like that?

 

[fourwd1]

... and the CV angle was too extreme for my taste. ...

That's one of the things that will lead to prematurre failuer of the boot and CV joint.

 

[kakarot]

sirunner,
I just did my axle replacement.
It look like the cv-boot is torn by looking at the picture.
Here are the option that you have.
1. Replace the axle least amount of work.
Part neednew one (110 @ Napa) I think.
use one re-manufactured ($65 @ NApa plus core)
2. Replace the cv-boot only very messy job (alot of work to do still need to removed the axle, removed rubber boot,and other inner parts inside the axle)
Part need:OEM ($50 @ Stealership) include everything inner,outer,clamps,grease.
($20 @autozone or Oreilly cv-boot kit)

I would just replace the axle it's faster and you just pop it right in once you get the old one out that just me.
Here is a how to:
Toyota Maintenance: CV Axle Replacement on 3rd Generation 4Runners and Tacomas

 

[t4r4life]

dude the boot is completely ripped all the way through

 

[scottishb]

Keep grease in there until you get new axles.

Lower them coilovers.

Steering rack and tie rods? Why? Is it shaking? Play in the steering? Look for looseness anywhere on the steering rack, leaks too. Have someone rock the steering wheel while you check. The lift can be hard on the inner tie rods.

I used a monkey wrench on the inner tie rods, supa-dupa easy. On the outers, a hammer was the special tool. Axles are easy, too. Just have a big torque wrench ready.