Boot Slide mod. No more blowing cv boots.

I did this too, when I replaced both axles last month. Then I drove down the highway from Alaska to the lower 48. No problems.

I used the "collar" part of the old worn out boot, which I cut from the old axle, and slipped on the new axle. Then I used a nifty Clamptite tool, which allows me to make a helluva good clamp with minimal fuss using wire. Clean, clean, clean.

Now, how to get the new grease-filled boot over the top of the obstacle I just clamped on the axle?

A spoon...

Yep. A normal kitchen spoon. I inserted the spoon underneath the NEW boot (where all the grease is), turned it a few degrees to engage the shape of the spoon, and with the help of a pair of piers on the handle of the spoon, pulled, cussed, pulled some more, cussed some more and slowly, carefully, while pulling the spoon, worked the new boot over the top of the old collar. Presto! got it! Then I used my Clamptite tool again to fashion an all-too-slick wire clamp over the top of the new boot. No leaking, no slipping.

If you've not heard of a clamptite tool, you're going to freak when you see it. It does ONE THING really, really well.

 

I'm a newbie, but whatever...how about wrapping some of that badass black gorilla tape around the area where yer gonna put the hose clamp? Then the damn thing won't cut into the rubber in the first place. I'm doing this mod tomorrow on some brand new CV's and you all have had me laughing. This forum rocks....
The rubber DOES tend to slide up the shaft if it's too greasy though....

 

Btw, hello fellow Alaskan. I grew up in Big Lake, moved down to Colorado in '98.

 

sub'd

 

This is just a thought and I'm going to try this myself in the next few weeks; but what about using hair spray instead of sealant? The idea of tearing into the boot whatsoever seems less than ideal, IMO.

The reason this came to mind is from my working on my mountain bike. I have carbon handle bars that don't allow you to over torque your mounts otherwise it will snap eventually (probably while riding something super technical and sketchy with my luck). What kept happening was that my grips would not stay in place at the recommended torque for the aftermarket handle bars. You can't Just keep wrenching and hope for the best with carbon fiber but the solution I found on a bike forum was to spray the contact area with hair spray. Using this allowed me to keep the torque at the recommended force without the grips moving around on me whatsoever and didn't risk cracking the handle bars.

Relating back to this mod: the hairspray could possibly be an alternative instead of using sealant that can possibly slide around at first, or over torquing the clamp and tearing the boot.

This is just a theory but I figured I would throw it out there. That being said: what is the best way to remove the OEM clamps? Pliers? And I will need to stretch the shaft portion of the boot not the larger portion, correct?


Last thing.. Where the hell do they sell hairspray?

 

Hmm, interesting idea. If I have to take off my clamps I'll give this a try.
I used a flathead screwdriver to pry the OEM clamps up off of the 3 notches that hold em on

 

Gonna try this tomorrow, in a few hours.

 

I have ~2.5" of lift and 130k on the original boots before the left inner one blew out. I am replacing the axles and don't expect to worry for another 100k

How about a bonding agent, aka "glue"?

 

My dad used to do something similar to this when he was a young whipper snapper working as a motorcycle mechanic. But instead, he used windex. It's perfect for grips because it goes on slippery but then becomes sticky over time. I think it is a commonly known trick.

 

Where the hell do I find a hose clamp to fit the small end....they are either too wide or the ones about 9mm wide are not long enough....tried advance, autozone and oreillys....

 

Go to Advance and ask for an ATV boot clamp "kit". It's a box that comes with the band style clamps (you'll also need to purchase a tool) and you can really tighten those suckers down.

 

This is the sort of thing I was thinking of but instead of using hairspray I use spray paint to hold my motorcycle grips in place when I installed a new throttle. It works great!

So I was thinking you could spray some paint on the axle then slide the boot down over it and it should provide a stick or hold (once it dries of course). I don't know about the paint sealing it but it wouldn't hurt.

EDIT: this is to be used with the hose clamps of course.

 

You can take two smaller diameter, and hence smaller width hose clamps, and make them into one larger diameter clamp. You will now have two screws to tighten and adjust the clamping power and it fits in the groove.
No extra tool needed.
Beware, you can tighten too much.

 

Nice! hose clamps are so much nicer to deal with than the CV boot clamps.

Heres my situation, open to feedback.

2" lift, inner boot fins werent rubbing but appeared to be cracking close by the small clamp. They were just starting to lose grease so I replaced both inners & outers on both axles, all Yota parts. Now the inner boot fins ARE rubbing. Popped the small clamps and tried to slide out boot (mimicking the boot slide mod) and used hose clamps which were too big. Boots slid back (not surprising) and are rubbing pretty bad. Basically I'm looking at replacing the inners...again and I guess doing the slide mod. Concern is that the originals started to tear because they looked stretched already...

Suggestions? I know there are some long travel outers available but none for inners...

What are peoples feelings on Dorman OE solutions boots or Moog problem solver boots over Yota?

 

Ok redid the boots, couple of points to pass for this round.

1) Avoid the dorman boots. They are "universal." I went with yota gear again.

2) Did boot slide mod, jury is still out on the stretch.

3) Used stainless mini hose clamps from Home Depot. Took actually 3 linked to make it around but seems to work well and you can always reach a hex head to adjust.

4) Quick trick I figured out. Finished up and drivers side boot was still rubbing fins. WTF? No worries, loosen the hose clamp and slid a small screwdriver up into boot and it allowed the pressure to equalize. Sucked in a little air and fins relaxed, no more rubbing. Retighten hose clamp and rally the piss out of her!

 

I did this, It lasted a week. THIS DOES NOT WORK!!!! I do have a good tube a 3m adhesive now.

 

Exactly what didn't work.

 

Stretching and Gluing the CV boot to the shaft and waiting 24hrs.

 

I didn't glue or anything. Just stretched a little and clamped, worked great. I haven't had a blow out on my first bootslidemod in close to 30k miles.

 

by "fins" do you guys mean the ribs of the boot?