CV boot help

[RidinhighS10]

i just found that i have a CV boot that is busted, i took it into chevrolet but they said it would be about $300!! i thought that was way expensive. Is there any where i can get it for cheaper? i found one online for $10!! is that too cheap? can you help me out please...

[TexasBlaZeR2]

A lot of Chevy parts are available for cheaper from gmpartsdirect.com or people in the CC or ZR2 forums. I am not sure if CV boots are on that list. You should definitely be able to get them cheaper somewhere else than the dealer. It also depends on how much of the labor you do yourself.

Here is a link to someone who was selling some boots for a non-ZR2. I am not sure if he still has them or not:

CV boots for sale

[killian96ss]

A whole new CV axel at most auto parts stores only run $80-$120 with exchange. I would never pay $300 just to have a boot changed, when you can replace the whole thing for 1/3 less. Kragen Drive Shaft Axels

Steve

[BADs Crew]

I know that GM dealers around here do not replace just the boot, they replace the half shaft. I had a leak also at 32000 miles and had the driver and passanger side half shafts replaced for $500 at a local shop.

I could have had it replaced under warranty but I didn't want GM boots because I have heard that they are too hard thus causing them to fail.

I believe you can buy a split boot that just wraps around and clamps on, I think they are under $50 at the auto part stores.

[F9K9]

OR..................................................

Here ill try to make it a little less complicated (i found my official suv service manual)

here is a quick overview
1. take off the wheel
2. stick a large screwdriver through the middle of the caliper into the vent slots in the rotor to hold it still, then take the large socket and take the nut off of the cv shavt.
3. Remove the caliper and tie it up and out of the way with wire to keep it from pulling on the brake line. Also remove the caliper bracket
4. remove axle shaft from hub by putting a piece of wood against the outer edge of the axle (to protect the threads) and hit it with a BFH (big f-ing hammer)
5. remove tie rods from steering knucles, lower shock absorber bolts, abs brake line brackets from the upper control arm, upper ball joint from knuckle and suspend knuckle by wire (that is if you take the lower ball joint off the knuckle which i didn't, i just kind of let the knuckle fall forward enough to where i could get the shaft in).
6. remove the half shaft from the hub and bearing assembly
7. remove halfshaft from differential by using a block of wood and a hammer to disengage it from the diff. assembly
installation
1 install the axle into the carrier, with both hands on the tripot housing, align the splines on the shaft with the carrier. Then center the axle into the carrier seal and push the shaft straight into the carrier untill the snapring is properley seated.
2. raise the lower control arm and reconnect the following. upper ball joint, lower shock absorber bolt, axle washer and nut (tighten to 103 ft lbs.), reattach the abs line brackets to the top of the upper control arm .
3 reattach caliper and rotor, then the wheel

I hope I made more sense that time

NOW YOU CAN HAVE A PARTY
YAY
(no teacher i didnt copy most of that out of the book)

[killian96ss]

I know that GM dealers around here do not replace just the boot, they replace the half shaft.

This is what my dealer did at around 36k miles. I sprung a leak (grease everywhere ) and they just replaced the whole CV shaft. This has only happened on the drivers side. The passenger side boot is factory and I currently have 69k miles. I remember a thread somewhere here that said one of the auto parts store replacement CV shafts come with nicer boots. I think they were softer and not as crack prone as the GM boots.

Steve

[RidinhighS10]

im only at 21, 600 miles!!! im pretty sure that it busted when they were putting on my lift so im gonna ask them about it. If they wont do it then ill just take it in...im in college with no tools and nowhere to do it. Thanks for the info anyway!! If i had some stuff i would def do it myself, its the drivers side outer one that is busted. I wont get it fixed for another two days and i have been driving it like that for about a week 1/2, is this really bad??

[RidinhighS10]

i just talked to the good lift company, and they said that if the tortion bars are maxed at more than 80%, the boots will fail much easier. They also advised me not to get shackles...i just need an inch smaller tire and i have to make sure the tortion bars are not maxed, thank for all the help!!

[TexasBlaZeR2]

For questions on shackles, AALs, BL, SL, etc. I recommend using the ZR2 forum to supplement this one. Lots of people there with experience in those things...and a lot of major offroaders to draw knowledge from.

[SONOMA915]

Hey RidinhighS10, didn't your super lift come with cv boots? I thought that they put some that were stronger.

[quickbiker]

I have one boot, the official boot kit from GM if you're interested. $30 shipping included. PM me if interested.

[adrenalnjunky]

the superlift boots were included on the old 3" superlift kit, not the new one.

The old SL kit maxed out the CV angles, and the dactory boots were stiffer, making them more prone tp breaking.

The SL boots were softer and more flexible to cope with the increased angles.

Since the new SL kit maintains factory angles - there really shouldn't be a need for new boots with it.