8,600 miles - CV boot split

FourEightZero · Jul 6, 2024

Hello all,

Completely rebuilt the front end on my 93 K1500 ECSB. It only took 8600 miles to split the inner boot on the driver's side CV shaft. Axle & driveshaft repair shop in central Phoenix refurbished both shafts and it looks like they put on new neoprene boots.

I really don't think I should be dealing with this every 10k miles. Any suggestions/solutions?

Is there a manufacturer that makes high quality boots?

Thanks

Edit: I see NAPA makes an "Extreme Environment CV Axle" with thermoplastic boots. Any of you guys have experience with these?

Supercharged111 · Jul 6, 2024

Those look like plain rubber garbage. Moog used to make a thermoplastic boot but I'm not sure if they do anymore. I had to scour the internet for the one I bought 4 years ago. If the originals aren't torn I'd rather just reuse those, but I'm sure the shop already tossed them.

FourEightZero · Jul 6, 2024

Supercharged111 said:
Those look like plain rubber garbage. Moog used to make a thermoplastic boot but I'm not sure if they do anymore. I had to scour the internet for the one I bought 4 years ago. If the originals aren't torn I'd rather just reuse those, but I'm sure the shop already tossed them.

I took them to that shop because 3 of 4 boots were torn.

Yeah, they were just regular neoprene new boots. Mevotech sells the same thing.

Thermoplastic will hold up better.. eh? I'll start searching.

Thank you.

movietvet · Jul 6, 2024

Or something came off the road and hit the boot.

1998_K1500_Sub · Jul 6, 2024

movietvet said:
Or something came off the road and hit the boot.

Truck's lifted, maybe... non-stock joint angles caused boot fatigue / failure? :think:

Maybe OP will comment.

(edit) My '98 Suburban (~270kmi) still has the OE joints/boots, don't know if that's common or not. At rest with the front wheels pointed straight, there's very little angle at the joints / stress in the boots. I make a point of parking / storing the truck with the wheels pointed straight for this reason.

Sean Buick 76 · Jul 6, 2024

Let’s have a pic of the cv angles? My 05 used to eat CV joint boots with a BDS 6.5” lift. My 2012 doesn’t eat boots as it’s a torsion bar drop 6” lift.

FourEightZero · Jul 6, 2024

Sean Buick 76 said:
Let’s have a pic of the cv angles? My 05 used to eat CV joint boots with a BDS 6.5” lift. My 2012 doesn’t eat boots as it’s a torsion bar drop 6” lift.

I'll have to get a pic later, but the front end is pretty much a factory setup with some extra crank on the torsion bar keys to avoid rubbing on the 315 tires.

Schurkey · Jul 6, 2024

I remember years (decades) ago, when putting new boots onto CV shafts was a popular repair.

Somebody (Moog, maybe?) sold "SuperBoots"; a hard thermoplastic boot that seemed to greatly outlast the normal "rubber" boots. Replacing boots on salvageable CV shafts was good work except on Hondas. Honda had CV shafts that weren't intended to be taken apart--no taper on the snap-ring grooves, so you'd have to beat the CV joint off with a sledgehammer. Occasionally, the CV joint would shatter instead of popping off the shaft.

Ten years ago, I wanted to buy SuperBoots for my Toronado, and nobody knew what I was talking about. Seems like "boot kits" are practically an endangered species; now everyone just jams in a "new" Chinese CV shaft.

I got recruited to put CV shafts into an '06 Ford Focus last year. Went six or nine months, and now there's a torn outer boot.

Windshield wipers barely last six months.

Communist rubber just doesn't last.

Caman96 · Jul 6, 2024

Schurkey said:
Communist rubber just doesn't last.

Another thing they suk at is cardboard. I always know when something is made in China just by its cardboard box. They can’t even make good cardboard.

Hipster · Jul 6, 2024

FourEightZero said:
I'll have to get a pic later, but the front end is pretty much a factory setup with some extra crank on the torsion bar keys to avoid rubbing on the 315 tires.

The boots are the symptom, you just described what's causing it. It will keep happening. Rubber isn't what it used to be. Some of the chemicals used in rubber are no longer EPA legal for use in this country. Rubber doesn't last. Plenty of info on it out there in the tire industry.

315's, thinking close to max cranked, and the real problem.

8,600 miles - CV boot split

FourEightZero

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