Replace Axles with OEM Boots or Extended Boots

[Rock_Rat]

Quick question? Had a torn drivers side CV Boot. I have options but I'm not sure which way to go. I've done my homework already.

My rig is "mid travel" toytec suspension lift with a 1" body, and 1" diff drop, no wheel spacers, 285's on 17" wheels.

Trying to decide if I should order and install the OEM reman axles from EB Bochtoyota for $137 each with the OEM boots and send mine back as the core and install them as is with the OEM boots or...

Reboot them with the extended inner and outer boots. I have the extended boots on order already, but I haven't ordered the axles yet.

I also have two OEM axles at the junkyard for $45 each without torn boots I can pick up and rebuild once the extended boots arrive.

I hate to install brand new reman axles with OEM boots and have them tear in a year. I also hate to remove the OEM boots if it's not necessary and replace them with the extended after market boots. Seriously, mine is not a long travel rig.

Thoughts?

EDIT: This has been the most "useful" thread for information but I haven't seen any measurable data to push me one way or another. http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/199622-cvj-reman-cv-axles-w-silicone-boots.html
Any updates on your axles guys? [MENTION=98374]awthorn[/MENTION] [MENTION=94545]MTD[/MENTION] [MENTION=65101]BrianSD_42[/MENTION] [MENTION=7105]Scramble[/MENTION] [MENTION=116877]fourfive[/MENTION]

 

[JayRolla]

Long travel/mid travel does not madder. They tear from daily driving on the road. If your running 2.5"-3" suspension lift the oems will tear from slowly rubbing each other. Stretching OEM boots would help them from failing. I would either install the extended boots or stretch the oems.

 

[Rock_Rat]

I would either install the extended boots or stretch the oems.

I have the High Angle Inner (red boots) on the way here from Off Road Solutions and the Extended Outer boots on the way here from All Pro Offroad.

Thanks. If someone can come back and say they have replaced their axles with the OEM reman with OEM boots and they have lasted 10,000 miles or more so far I would just install them. If not, then I'm leaning on picking up the axles from the junkyard and rebuilding them with extended boots and installing them. Pull mine out and keep them as spares.

Unfortunately, I get this gut feeling the OEM axles with the standard boot will tear in less than 5K. I don't get a "warm fuzzy" from CVJ.

 

[JayRolla]

I have the High Angle Inner (red boots) on the way here from Off Road Solutions and the Extended Outer boots on the way here from All Pro Offroad.

Thanks. If someone can come back and say they have replaced their axles with the OEM reman with OEM boots and they have lasted 10,000 miles or more so far I would just install them. If not, then I'm leaning on picking up the axles from the junkyard and rebuilding them with extended boots and installing them. Pull mine out and keep them as spares.

Unfortunately, I get this gut feeling the OEM axles with the standard boot will tear in less than 5K. I don't get a "warm fuzzy" from CVJ.

So 5000 miles is not enough but if they last 10k its okay? Im lost.

Have you read the threads. Pretty much anyone with cv's and oem boots with front lift has them tear very quickly.

 

[9494runner]

I would cut the band and extend the stock boot so the ribs don't rub with 2 or 1 worm gear bands. Using 2 180* from eachother. A common fix without buying and rebooting.

I spray mine regularly with dry silicone lube. Has help ALOT. I tore a boot in a few weeks of road driving on a year old axle after lift. Now there are no wear marks on the ribs, going 1y now. I spray them every time I get under the truck and after I clean them if I get into anything muddy/wet. Leaves almost a baby powder like film on the boots.

 

[jasonochs25]

I have the High Angle Inner (red boots) on the way here from Off Road Solutions and the Extended Outer boots on the way here from All Pro Offroad.

Thanks. If someone can come back and say they have replaced their axles with the OEM reman with OEM boots and they have lasted 10,000 miles or more so far I would just install them. If not, then I'm leaning on picking up the axles from the junkyard and rebuilding them with extended boots and installing them. Pull mine out and keep them as spares.

Unfortunately, I get this gut feeling the OEM axles with the standard boot will tear in less than 5K. I don't get a "warm fuzzy" from CVJ.

I have the same extended/"high angle" inners sitting here at my house. I read somewhere on this forum yesterday that they stretch or expand from centrifugal force and hit the frame or something under there while driving causing tears/rips. Mine are the silicone or poly red boots. Dont know if this will help you, but I'm going to go back with OEM when I need to.

 

[jasonochs25]

BTW, all this talk of extending the boot so it doesnt rub on itself I think is BS. Both areas that make contact are spinning/turning together so theres no way for it to "rub a hole in itself" Common sense and basic physics should tell us this.

The reason they leak is because the axle is at a higher/greater angle and the boot actually slides up on the axle causing a leak and if it doesnt slide up, it tears.

 

[jasonochs25]

I would cut the band and extend the stock boot so the ribs don't rub with 2 or 1 worm gear bands. Using 2 180* from eachother. A common fix without buying and rebooting.

I spray mine regularly with dry silicone lube. Has help ALOT. I tore a boot in a few weeks of road driving on a year old axle after lift. Now there are no wear marks on the ribs, going 1y now. I spray them every time I get under the truck and after I clean them if I get into anything muddy/wet. Leaves almost a baby powder like film on the boots.

The OP has a torn boot, so sliding/extending the boot wont work for him

 

[9494runner]

The OP has a torn boot, so sliding/extending the boot wont work for him

In that case. Buy a stock boot - save some cash and extend it. Use the cash you saved to pick up a pack of coors and sit back and admire your work:guitar2: no real need for a super fancy silicone red one. Even though they are super pretty

 

[Rock_Rat]

So 5000 miles is not enough but if they last 10k its okay? Im lost.

Have you read the threads. Pretty much anyone with cv's and oem boots with front lift has them tear very quickly.

Yea, that's the problem, I've been reading the threads! So after owning my 4runner since day one new, for 15 years and no torn boots I get the pleasure of changing them out, let's say every year if I put on a 100 miles a week. At 10K I get to do it every two years. The price you pay for fun I guess. That's why I'm looking for a proven solution. It would be nice to see them last for more than a few years. I'm sure I'm not alone in that boat.

 

[Rock_Rat]

The reason they leak is because the axle is at a higher/greater angle and the boot actually slides up on the axle causing a leak and if it doesnt slide up, it tears.

I have a tendency to agree with you here. My tear was exactly on the seam where it attaches to the axle. Figure this is the highest point of fatigue on a full reversing load on the boot. The rest of the boot was in great shape. After 320K mi, I would expect the boot to reach it's maximum stress. No surprise to me where the tear was after I lifted it.

So now, you add a brand new OEM boot to your axle you would expect a longer life expectancy than a inferior product. No brainer. But you would think that 5K miles would not be acceptable. I find it hard to believe that everyone on this forum is OK with changing out their boots every 5K.

 

[MyHigh]

I have the same dilemma, after 220,000 miles I lifted and in a week my boots tore. Actually they just pulled back, the bottom side on the upper cv. So for now I'm going to try and stretch them out, keep an eye out for low mileage junk yard and keep an eye on this thread to see what you decide to go with, like you I'm not okay with changing boots every other oil change.

 

[jasonochs25]

So now, you add a brand new OEM boot to your axle you would expect a longer life expectancy than a inferior product. No brainer. But you would think that 5K miles would not be acceptable. I find it hard to believe that everyone on this forum is OK with changing out their boots every 5K.

So you are going through boots every 5k? somethings not right. Are they tearing or just throwing grease from the point of contact with the shaft?

I did as you did and ordered the "high angle/silicone boots, but am reluctant to install because I read yesterday, that they expand from centrifugal force and hit things and tear/rip

 

[jasonochs25]

I have the same dilemma, after 220,000 miles I lifted and in a week my boots tore. Actually they just pulled back, the bottom side on the upper cv. So for now I'm going to try and stretch them out, keep an eye out for low mileage junk yard and keep an eye on this thread to see what you decide to go with, like you I'm not okay with changing boots every other oil change.

Ill follow your posts as well. I'm at 226,000 and about to do a 3" lift this week or next. I may just reclamp the boots on there before they tear or slip and see how it goes.

 

[Rock_Rat]

I have the same dilemma, after 220,000 miles I lifted and in a week my boots tore. Actually they just pulled back, the bottom side on the upper cv. So for now I'm going to try and stretch them out, keep an eye out for low mileage junk yard and keep an eye on this thread to see what you decide to go with, like you I'm not okay with changing boots every other oil change.

Here's an up-close pic of the actual tear. Yea I get it, 320K miles of the same cyclic load, fatigue, heat stress, end-of-life criteria is met. Now change the geometry of the boot with a lift and it's going to tear. I'm Ok with that. I'm not OK with replacing it as you said with every oil change with just a mild change in the angle and a 1" diff drop. If that's the case I'll be buying an air powered “On-the-Car” installation tool, spare OEM boots and send my extended boots back.

I wish there was a way to collect and evaluate data from everyone on here but there are too many variables.

I've got a band aid on it for now (shoe goo and self-fusing tape). No clicking sounds. It will get me through the winter if we get any snow and I have to chain up.

 

[Rock_Rat]

So you are going through boots every 5k?

No this is my first tear. I was referencing [MENTION=50342]JayRolla[/MENTION] about the average mileage when everyone replaces CV Boots. Seems to be around 5k. I actually did my lift almost a year ago at 309K and have more than 10K on it since with the original boots. I wasn't surprised when it saw the tear.

 

[JayRolla]

My boots have been torn for years. I have put over 60k miles on my rig. They are still torn and they dont make any sounds. I have done some work so I cleaned them and regreased but still have the tears. I avoid all mud and water when possible.

 

[JayRolla]

BTW, all this talk of extending the boot so it doesnt rub on itself I think is BS. Both areas that make contact are spinning/turning together so theres no way for it to "rub a hole in itself" Common sense and basic physics should tell us this.

The reason they leak is because the axle is at a higher/greater angle and the boot actually slides up on the axle causing a leak and if it doesnt slide up, it tears.

Its not BS. The boot touches on the top revolution then opens up on the bottom. This after time will cause it to rip at that spot where it touches over and over and over slowly wearing out the boot.

 

[jasonochs25]

Here's an up-close pic of the actual tear. Yea I get it, 320K miles of the same cyclic load, fatigue, heat stress, end-of-life criteria is met. Now change the geometry of the boot with a lift and it's going to tear. I'm Ok with that. I'm not OK with replacing it as you said with every oil change with just a mild change in the angle and a 1" diff drop. If that's the case I'll be buying an air powered “On-the-Car” installation tool, spare OEM boots and send my extended boots back.

I wish there was a way to collect and evaluate data from everyone on here but there are too many variables.

I've got a band aid on it for now (shoe goo and self-fusing tape). No clicking sounds. It will get me through the winter if we get any snow and I have to chain up.

I started a new thread asking for who had no issues, who did a mod, what the mod was , and who just put new boots on.

Im still a little lost though...where are you getting this 5k or 10k number from? I initially thought YOU were replacing a torn boot every 5k? What is it?

 

[jasonochs25]

Its not BS. The boot touches on the top revolution then opens up on the bottom. This after time will cause it to rip at that spot where it touches over and over and over slowly wearing out the boot.

Yes, it touches, BUT ther is NO FRICTION! there is no way for it to tear from riding on itself. There is NO STRESS or PRESSURE WHERE IT TOUCHES ITSELF.

Like I said, BS. All the posts about extending involve a new clamp and or a new boot. neither of which can be linked to a wear from touching itself...it all points to rips from higher angle or the boot slipping on the shaft.

I'm just asking EVERYONE that has done this miracle mod to re-evaluate what the root cause of the leak was.