Cv joints: what is my best option?

I discovered that both of my inner CV boots are in need of replacement. These are both originals that came with the car. The passenger side is blown quite bad; the outboard seal to the shaft is completely separated, and chunky grease is all over the place. The left side simply looks weepy, but I do not see any obvious tears.

Ford doesn't offer a replacement boot; apparently, never has. OEM shafts are NLA. Raxles does not make anything for the SVT. Is my only option cheap remanufactured axles, thus entering the axle replacement "Circle of Doom?" They are not making any noise, but I have to take them out anyways; I would rather resolve the issue while everything is apart.

Get a lifetime warranty replacement axle. Or get a aftermarket boot or universal boot replacement kit.

Option three, ignore it and go for years that way. I've done this on several different vehicles, getting many years and hundreds of thousands of miles out of them.

inners do not take the abuse outers take

I would remove it, clean it well, and then replace the boot and add fresh CV grease. If it's not making noise yet doing this may keep that CV going for years. Or you can buy a good used one and refurbish that one and just swap it out. There has to be some SVT Focus in the recycling yards by now.

Get a universal boot kit, like so. http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-614-001-HELP-Universal-Boot/dp/B000C13Q6W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1391490537&sr=8-3&keywords=dorman+CV+boot Do NOT use the split boot style kits.

Be sure to be very thorough in cleaning and degreasing the parts.

What year is your SVT? I found a Ford part number, YS4Z3A331ZA , that fits the 1st. gen Focuses. From what I can find it fits standard and SVT alike. Looks like it's NLA from Ford, but if you Google it, you may find some NOS parts.

Here's what eBay brings up.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=ford%20focus%20svt%20inner%20cv%20boot&clk_rvr_id=582110462562

Finally, a video on how to regrease the CV joints and install new boots. My Alfa 164 needs an inner CV boot replaced so I found this very helpful. Luckily boots are still available for my car (helps that a bunch of Audis and VWs use the same size boot).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S-ofMoWsr0&t=1m45s

The first part has the guy saying to get new axles instead of doing boots, but with new axles unavailable for our cars that doesn't apply.

On my WRX, I just got the auto parts store special remans... $50 ea, lifetime warranty, and I can do the job in 30 minutes per side, skin to skin- I'm not going to kill myself worrying about their quality.

I ordered an EMPI driver's CV shaft from rock auto for $58? or so. I've yet to read anything bad about them on the focus forums.

Pull em, clean em, re-pack em with redline CV2, put on new boots with coffee stir stick vents on the larger diameter side of each boot, re-install.

I had oreilly order a pair of axles yesterday; normal reman units. The passenger side is torn all the way around the circumference, so the joint is likely close to toast.

The Focus isn't putting out crazy power, so I'll just see how the cheapies hold up.

just one thing to remember.. CV joints almost always die at the worst possible time.. like when trying to pull out in front of a semi worst possible time

Is that encouragement to replace the boot, get the remanufactured, or to just consider that I'm living life on the edge?

Duct Tape .... :)

just saying do not do "nothing about it" Fix the boot and relube, replace it, or anything, but just do not let it sit, fester, and get worse

Oh, don't worry about that! The car is already under the knife for a number of other repairs, which conveniently require me to remove the CV axles anyway. I'm just glad that I no longer have to be careful

Get it rebuilt locally? Local shop charged me $50 to rebuild both sides, sand blast/paint.

I bought a new (not "remanufactured" aka. spit and shine) CV axle (w/bearings) from autozone for $30(50% off). If it breaks it's fairly easy to replace. Make sure to check retailmenot for the latest discount code. For what the boot costs, it isn't that much more expensive to replace the entire axle.

In reply to Mmadness:

With the current state of aftermarket parts, I'd rather rebuild the original one than take a gamble with a new one.

I'd certainly keep the OE shafts if time constraints forced me to use new ones.

Take them apart and degrease the, then you can assess how much wear is there. Quality boots and grease will probably take care of it. If you have a car that doesnt have readily available remans, return and rebuild service is pretty reasonable if you have 2 weeks to spare.