New pair o' boots?

[hawksoob]

While under the car doing the oil change I noticed a torn CV boot on the right and a torn steering boot on the left. Both Pep Boys and the dealer want close to $500 to do both. I know I can get a new CV axle installed for around $125, but, from the looks of it, the steering boot looks fairly simple DIY.

 

Am I missing something? Their estimates include an alignment. Will that be absolutely necessary?

 

Could I do the boot and wait a few months for when I get new tires to do the alignment?

 

Am I correct in assuming the DIYness of the steering boot? Remove inner tie rod, remove boot, replace boot, replace tie rod? Should the wheel be taken off? (I'll likely do brakes soon, so if the wheel does need to come off, I'll just do it then.)

 

Thanks,

 

Hawk

[Gnuman]

While under the car doing the oil change I noticed a torn CV boot on the right and a torn steering boot on the left. Both Pep Boys and the dealer want close to $500 to do both. I know I can get a new CV axle installed for around $125, but, from the looks of it, the steering boot looks fairly simple DIY.

 

Am I missing something? Their estimates include an alignment. Will that be absolutely necessary?

 

Could I do the boot and wait a few months for when I get new tires to do the alignment?

 

Am I correct in assuming the DIYness of the steering boot? Remove inner tie rod, remove boot, replace boot, replace tie rod? Should the wheel be taken off? (I'll likely do brakes soon, so if the wheel does need to come off, I'll just do it then.)

 

Thanks,

 

Hawk

removing the tie rod makes the alignment neccessary. the wheel should be off so you have room to work. you can DIY both jobs if you are failrly good with a wrench, and have a place to work on the car. The CV joints are rebuildable, meaning that they can be removed in order to use an OEM (solid) boot. It would also be a good time to inspect the other boots for cracks indicating that they may be getting ready to go as well.

[cookie]

count the threads or measure to be sure you put it back in the same place. An alignment is always better to do after because someone may have aligned the vehicle in a worn condition. In days of being broke I used to do my alignments with simple tools like tape measures and chalk marks on the floor.

[DerFahrer]

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

 

That axle with the torn boot is as good as trash. You don't know how long it's been torn, you don't know what grease has leaked out and you don't know what foreign material has gotten in. Drive the car until that joint is making so much noise you can't hear yourself think. Then just replace the whole axle with a rebuilt one from www.cvaxles.com for $55 with a proven lifetime guarantee and save yourself time and money.

[Scoobaroo]

If the CV joint is quiet now, chances are that it will stay quiet with fresh grease and a new boot.

 

As for the steering rack boot, mark the lock nut on the threaded inner tie rod with a felt tip marker and make sure that it gets back to that exact spot upon reassembly. The toe setting will be so close that its not even worth discussing.

 

Deposit the remaining $450 into your IRA.

 

Tape measure wheel alignments can be highly accurate, too.

[george streckmann]

While under the car doing the oil change I noticed a torn CV boot on the right and a torn steering boot on the left. Both Pep Boys and the dealer want close to $500 to do both. I know I can get a new CV axle installed for around $125, but, from the looks of it, the steering boot looks fairly simple DIY.

 

Am I missing something? Their estimates include an alignment. Will that be absolutely necessary?

 

Could I do the boot and wait a few months for when I get new tires to do the alignment?

 

Am I correct in assuming the DIYness of the steering boot? Remove inner tie rod, remove boot, replace boot, replace tie rod? Should the wheel be taken off? (I'll likely do brakes soon, so if the wheel does need to come off, I'll just do it then.)

 

Thanks,

 

Hawk

I had both axles replaced by Pep boys for about $500 about 3-4 years ago and one has ripped at 18K miles. I would not use them. I replaced the axle on my 93 Legacy and the new axle (lifetime guarantee!!) cost $59 plus tax from Autozone. I can go through the procedure if you need.

 

George