Beat me about the head and shoulders with sock-fulls of hard-won CV-boot knowledge

I want to know about CV boots. Specifically, the various styles of bands and zip-tie thingies that hold the boots on to the CV joint housings and axle shaft.

Most stock CV joints I see have a nice'n'sturdy looking metal band that looks like it was crimped tight with some nifty gadget. I've seen aftermarket boots that come with what basically looks like a plastic zip tie.

Is there a DIY solution for re-booting axles with the metal band that is not outrageously expensive?

Thanks

theres a tool that removes and installs the good clamps. idk what you'd call it or where youd find it though lol

I'm familiar with two kinds - those that you twist the metal zip tie then fold it back to lock the tension:

And these where you clip the metal band end to ears, then apply tension using pliers that crimp and flatten at the same time:

I've bought the 2nd type at Advance Auto; it worked perfectly on my axle boot kit from Napa. Good luck!

or this

EDIT: HA HA posted at same time!

lmao @ the above.
and yeah I was thinking of the clipping kind, the one we have is some sort of nissan special tool JSTblahblah number lol

I believe you can use Oetiker clamps.

Use whatever came on it sock. Good quality zip ties actually work quit well in a pinch.

JamesMcD wrote: Is there a DIY solution for re-booting axles with the metal band that is not outrageously expensive?

Spread the old crimp apart with a flathead screwdriver to spread it a little and then a pair of needlenose pliers to finish the job, recrimp it with side cutters, which works at least as well as the actual tool. (The same style boot clamp is used on rack boots, good luck putting the CV tool on there without pulling the rack from the car!)

The metal ziptie things suck rocks. I never use them, preferring to save the old clamp.

I've re-used them, but I wouldn't do that now (you know, older and wiser). I've used diagonal cutters to carefully crimp them back together. Now I have Oetiker pliers and would suggesting beg, borrow, or steal some.

When I inherited my old jeep from my dad he said he'd done the CV boots twice but they kept popping off. Sure enough I get it home and one is popped off again. I disassembled, cleaned and greased the joints before reinstalling the boots. The step my dad missed was squeezing the air out of the boot before clamping down the band. Once I did that the boots never came off again.

bluesideup wrote: The step my dad missed was squeezing the air out of the boot before clamping down the band. Once I did that the boots never came off again.

Interesting. .. . Expansion when they heat up and pops the boot off? I have never heard of this but it kind of makes cense.

If you don't want to buy special tools.... DEI sells what amounts to be metal zip ties that are supposed to go with their various heat wraps.

Advance Auto sells them on their shelves. Reasonably cheap, and you can snug the E36 M3 out of them with just a set of channel locks.

That said, i've used thick plastic zip ties with no issues.

I've used the basic winder type tool and a small hammer the fold the lock ears successfully. If its the crimped type, I've never done it on a CV but on dust boots for slip yokes when changing u joints, they never seem to crimp back down tight enough with cutters when reusing the clamp. Two zip ties 180* out from each other work great, I'm sure the same system would work on a cv.

In reply to Swank Force One: Good idea!

I always just end up putting two worn type hose clamps together and keeping my fingers crossed. So far so good..

Buy. Rear. Wheel. Drive.

That's my hard won cv joint knowledge.

Bought the crimping tool posted above years ago. It was like $40 which seemed a lot for what it was. The very first time you fix a CV axle instead of replacing it with a new or reman it pays for itself.

Never use those cheap screw-together CV boots they sell at the autoparts store. They don't last.

ultraclyde wrote: Buy. Rear. Wheel. Drive. That's my hard won cv joint knowledge.

RWD cars with IRS still have CV joints

In reply to GameboyRMH: I'm a stick-axle driving, Mustang-loving, knuckle-dragging luddite

Swank Force One wrote: If you don't want to buy special tools.... DEI sells what amounts to be metal zip ties that are supposed to go with their various heat wraps. Advance Auto sells them on their shelves. Reasonably cheap, and you can snug the E36 M3 out of them with just a set of channel locks. That said, i've used thick plastic zip ties with no issues.

Save your money, those are just havc zip ties you can buy at home depot. They work fine on high temp exhausts but they cant clamp very hard. I'd rather just run a hose clamp.

Dont forget to put a straw/coffee stir tube on the big side of the boot to let it breath.

I use good quality zip ties on the rear axle boots on BMWs along with a red tube straw from spray bottles stuck under the rubber along the axle to keep it from building pressure when it gets really hot.

They handle the race track abuse fine so I image they would be good on a street application although you would probably have to check them all the time. Although I don't recall ever having to specifically replace one for failing.

Yeah zip ties seem to be just as good for CVs in my experience. Not nearly as good on steering rack boots though, they always slip, you need a lot of clamping force for those.

GameboyRMH wrote:

ultraclyde wrote: Buy. Rear. Wheel. Drive. That's my hard won cv joint knowledge.

RWD cars with IRS still have CV joints

Why would you buy a car with independent rear on purpose?

For the ride quality, better camber curves and lower unsprung weight of course.

Because Miata.

GameboyRMH wrote: For the ride quality, better camber curves and lower unsprung weight of course.

Well, if you want all that crap instead of performance, why even bother with RWD in the first place...