What is all this grease on the LCA?

[nysimonsez]

So I was doing my front brakes yesterday and lifted up the front side one at a time. On the driver's side LCA the part away from the wheel, there is what looks like a compression that a round bump stop (?) sits on top of from above. The bump stop looking thing looks like a ball joint with grease filling rubber. On and around the compression of the LCA, there is a lot of grease on it. But on the passenger side, it's almost completely dry without any grease on it. My question what does that do and is there suppose to be grease like that on the LCA. I want to know if there's something I need to replace or need to add grease to. When I'm going over bumps or potholes, I can hear a clunking noise (sounds like something loose) but can't determine where it comes from or if this has anything to do with it. Also from the pic below I think my driver's side inner CV boot is leaking, which I'll need to repair but I don't think the grease on top of the LCA is the grease from the CV boot. Here are pictures of the driver's side (2 pics) and pax side (1 pic), the red box is the area in question.

Hope someone can help me decipher what the problem is.

thanks

 

[fatkins]

I have similar deposit on drivers side that I suspect comes from CV boot.
Plan to repair shortly.

 

[eliask08]

Put some grease, as dry rubber can tear over time. Also, seems like you are missing the smaller hose-clamp hence the boot leak.

 

[S p a r k y]

That is from your CV boot

 

[galactic_04]

put a zip tie on the small end of the CV boot for now.

 

[Presta24]

This is a good thread for all the haters that say the spacer lifts or a lift in general makes your CV boots leak. They obviously leak stock as well. You can tell by the angle of his axle shafts he doesnt have a lift. Mine leaked when it was stock as well

 

[nysimonsez]

Thanks for all that replied. I didn't think the grease would be from my CV because the grease on the LCA is not directly above the CV so it must've leaked while I'm driving. I will put a zip tie on it tonite to at least stop the leak temporarily.

I don't know how long it's been leaking but have notice grease seeping thru the small boot end within the last couple of months. Do you think the CV is damaged? I haven't heard any weird noises when driving or turning, except the steering is a slightly loose. I'm thinking it may be the tie rods. And there's a clunking noise when I hit bump/potholes which I am still trying to find.

I don't have a lift but do have FJ springs installed so not sure if that caused it to leak. I don't think my pax side is really leaking bad but I do see a little grease from the small boot end. I may just do that side too to be safe. Can I just use any lithium hi-temp grease or need to be CV grease?

thanks

 

[Presta24]

Thanks for all that replied. I didn't think the grease would be from my CV because the grease on the LCA is not directly above the CV so it must've leaked while I'm driving. I will put a zip tie on it tonite to at least stop the leak temporarily.

I don't know how long it's been leaking but have notice grease seeping thru the small boot end within the last couple of months. Do you think the CV is damaged? I haven't heard any weird noises when driving or turning, except the steering is a slightly loose. I'm thinking it may be the tie rods. And there's a clunking noise when I hit bump/potholes which I am still trying to find.

I don't have a lift but do have FJ springs installed so not sure if that caused it to leak. I don't think my pax side is really leaking bad but I do see a little grease from the small boot end. I may just do that side too to be safe. Can I just use any lithium hi-temp grease or need to be CV grease?

thanks[/QUOTE

they pack those things with a ton of grease, and cv boot kits and even axles are not too expensive. If you wanna take the time to clean it out, and re pack it go ahead. I want to do mine just havent yet.....
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/maintenance/37107-front-lh-inner-cv-boot-leaking.html

 

[Kmvreter]

Presta24,
Thanks for posting the link to my thread.

nysimonsez,
I wouldn't be surprised if you get a milkshake when you clean it out. It will fix the noise. Should be too early or recent to have done any damage. Use CV specific grease.

 

[nysimonsez]

Thanks for your thread Kmvreter. I intend to follow it to get it done on mine. I bought 1 tube of Valvoline CV grease. Is it enough to do both sides?

What sizes are the boot clamps? I'm going to get some universal clamps but even those have different sizes I think. Do I have to use the crimp tool or can I use just pliers in a pinch? I'm only worried about getting to the inner larger clamp since it looks to be way inside.

 

[nysimonsez]

So I finally had time to do the CV boot clean and repack on both sides. On the pax side when I opened up the boot the expected large amount of milkshake dripped out. So I cleaned everything up, greased, and clamped up the boot. I noticed that the shaft "cup" (part the large side of boot covers) and the shaft rod can move in and out slightly but I assume that is normal.

I started doing the driver's side and when I opened the boot very little milkshake came out, I guess not surprising since so much is flung out onto the LCA. After I cleaned up the milkshake and old grease, I notice that the "cup" and the rod not only was able to move in and out, but the rod also can move around (up and down) the tripod inside the shaft slightly so it feels loose. Is the rod supposed to be able to around at all? Hopefully you understand what I'm trying to describe. I haven't heard any grinding noise but have had a mysterious clinging noise when I hit bumps, which now I assume comes from this. I didn't notice it from the pax side (though I didn't pay attention to it). Is that a sign that I need to replace the axle, and if so, is that something I can tackle myself? I saw a write up for the 3rd gen which didn't look too complicated but am afraid to do this and get stuck midway.

On top of this, I found the driver's side lower inboard caliper piston is frozen, which I suspected since it pulls to the right when I brake. Took out the pads and had uneven wear and rusted out the shims. (Kmvreter I mentioned the shims on my other thread). Interestingly, the slips that holds the anti-rattle pins and pads together are missing. I guess I'm lucky the pins didn't slide out of the caliper. Already bought the reman caliper and once I pick up new shims and pins I'll finish the brakes.