After a bit of searching and reading, I didn't find a detail of how to get the old boot off and the new boot on. I have the axle on the bench and for whatever reason can't figure out how to get the axle apart to get the new boot on. It's a 96 legacy brighten AWD.

 

 

Appreciate any help.. and all the best to everyone for this great forum.

Remove the clamps, slide the boot down the axle shaft away from the cup. (you probably figured that out already )

The outer joins usually have a cir-clip on the end of the shaft (inside the joint) that allows the joint to pop off with a little persuasion.

Get a brass drift or block of wood (~2x2) with a rag wrapped over the end. Place the drift or block against the shaft side of the inner bearing race (the part that looks like the star, I can't remember the exact name for it) and pound on it a couple times with a hammer. It helps to have a friend to catch the outer end when it falls off, or set it so it falls onto your bench. Be sure to check the cir-clip and make sure it is properly installed before putting the axle back together.

 

Pull the old boot off, slide the new one on, clean all the grit out of the bearings if you need to, re-grease, then pound the outer joint back onto the shaft. Pop the boot on and clamp in place.

the inner side joint is easier to disassemble and then you can slide the new outer boot on all the way along the shaft length. if the inner boot has any age to it at all i'd just replace it now while it's off, i seem to be replacing a lot of the inners - i've done 4 legacy boots (1997-2003) in the past couple weeks.

 

you already have the boot now but for next time, the newer style inner boots (around 2000 or 2001) have more convolutions and last much longer. i've swapped axles (meaning a 2001 will install into your car), but haven't checked yet if you can install the newer style boots onto older style axles.

Thanks to both you guys. I'll take your advise and replace the inner boot too. But I still don't see any clips or what's holding the knuckle from coming apart. On the outer, which I've got all cleaned up, I see the inner 'star' that holds the six bearings and I've beat on that a bit with a block of wood and hammer.. somethings holding it in.. and needs to be removed first.. but what,, and where?

I don't see any inner c clips etc. It's a green hub (original oem) axle.

The outer joint doesn't come apart. You have to do everything by dissasembling the inner joint.

 

http://home.comcast.net/~trilinear/axle_rebuilding.html

 

GD

cut the inner boot off. only a few millimeters inside the cup is a circular c-clip. pry it out with a flat headed screw driver. it's retained in a groove so it's hard to see, particularly with all that messy grease in there - but it's there. look for the ridge, clean the grease out first if you still can't find it. there's no trick or magic, you just need to see it which is hard with boot, grease, dirt in they way.

 

once you pry that circlip out (it literally takes like 2 seconds - wear goggles or protect your eyes in case it springs out), the joint slides right out o of the cup.

 

be ready to keep the 3 rings on the axle when you pull it out - they're going to fall off. they only install one way, so you need to look at the shape of them and be sure to keep track of them so you install them properly. the larger diameter sits closest to the axle so to speak.

 

clean the end of the axle off to reveal the snap ring. best to use an appropriate tool to remove the snap ring in case you re-use it. i often find the axle boots kits don't have the right sized clips in them so i'm reusing the original clips....which i would have left in place if the axle boots didnt' rip so i'm fine reusing them. but don't want to bend them up removing them without actual snap ring pliers.

 

then the end slides off.

 

now you're ready to install both boots from that end.

Thank you all. I just finished up in time to cook supper. I took the shaft with the outer boot cut off to my local shop and he put it in a vise, turned the outer knuckle to the side to get good purchase on the inner 'star', threw a rag over it and gave one good whack with a two pounder and off it came. There was a little spring clip in a groove (as first mentioned but I didn't quite understand) that held the outer knuckle on and was easily replaced with the new one included in the boot kit. (I didn't know what it was until I saw it after the knuckle came off. After that, it was a piece of cake. The ball joint even came off easy so I'm back in the game.

 

Thanks for your time and direction.

Yeah I should have said "big hammer". The ones I've done usually pop off with one hit from the 3lb mini sledge.

Entirely uneccesary as the inner joint is easily dissasembled by removing the retaining wire with a screwdriver. Beating on joints with hammers is not a wise move.

 

GD

Thanks GD. Will do it from the inner knuckle the next time I need to replace both boots. Makes sense.

Entirely uneccesary as the inner joint is easily dissasembled by removing the retaining wire with a screwdriver. Beating on joints with hammers is not a wise move.

 

GD

 

That's what the wood block is for!

I've actually had surprisingly good luck with a universal CV boot. You cut the old boot off, grease everything up, and stretch the new boot over the joint using a bunch of flat head screwdrivers. Once it's in place you fill it with CV grease, clamp it down with the bands and trim off the excess boot on the big end. They seem to hold up well, and you don't have to take the axle apart.

 

http://www.dormanproducts.com/catalog/OESolutions2006/055-066CVJointBootsandAccessories.pdf