If Brian Carlton recommends, it I'll do it!
Gear Oil!
all the way.
Mobil1 75W90 for that extra oomph of protection and longevity!

One persons choice:
http://boostnbenz.1baddsm.com/DIY/CVboots/

nice DIY!
I've got serious parts washer, and I'm getting everything spic-n-span! I'm not taking the joints apart, just cleaning them and rebooting. should be fun I'll take plenty of pictures!

OK, this is what I get for assuming things.
 

Well, my experience with CV joints has been in VWs/Audis and BMWs, so I guess I blew it when I extrapolated to include MBs, where I've never touched any joints, CV or otherwise.

:eek:

dan k

vstech, I agree with your comment on Brian. He has given me advice before and I have not gone wrong by following it.

I am not sure what gear oil I will use; possibly synthetic (I have it in my transmission and it works well). If you get a chance, please PM me about the availability and cost of the flex gun. I expect to order the parts this week. I am also going to get the differential oil seal in case I need it. If not used, I can send it back.
FYI part numbers: (Inner boot - 1263500337, outer boot - 1263500237, oil differential seal - 0039978347)

I assume the flex gun you are using is a rental from peachparts.

Hello Nomorehurry,
I read in your last post the part numbers that you listed, those sound like MB part numbers based on the prefix of 126. If you are ordering those boots YOU WILL have trouble installing them. The flex gun will not work with the MB boots you HAVE to use after market boots. The difference is in the flexability and thickness of the boots. Be careful here and use the after market boots from Dorman or Astoria. Just a word of advise from someone who has been there done that. Get an extra set just in case you tear one of the boots.

I went for CVJ re-manufactured axles last January.

They're still holding up very well right now. I just got remans and plopped them in. No need to screw around with that crazy boot gun.

there's no need to "screw around with that crazy boot gun" if you order a set from me either...
and they'll be MB original axles, not rebuild ones. rebooted UNDAMAGED axles!

OK everybody. I had thought it was a fairly simple project to put the boots on with the flex gun. The effort to remove and re-install the axels will be the same regardless of whether they are origianal, rebuilt, rebooted, or whatever. Most of the thread has said I would be better off putting new boots on the existing axels and re-installing them. (My mechanical skills are not those of a professional, but not near as poor as they were when I started on this thing.)

Bluebird recommends aftermarket boots due to the thickness of the rubber, but I thought that was the reason for using a flex gun. I can easily understand MB putting on a stronger boot than needed, and I don't expect the car to last another 30 years, so a softer boot would be OK. Alternatively, since the boots on the car are not broken through, perhaps I should just use a rubber glue to fill in the cracks (like goop) and then Duck Tape or Gorilla Tape to hold everything together and just keep an eye on it. (This is starting to sound better and better all the time.)

If Astoria or Dorman are better, where can I find them? My usual mail order store only listed "viaco and GKN Loebro" for the boots and "DPH" for the seals.

As for getting new or rebuilt axels in stead of re-booting, how does the cost compare. The parts I was about to order come to just over $100. I intend to replace the gear oil in the differential anyway, since it is probably the original stuff also.

ok, the original MB specified boots are slipped on before the steel cage is crimped into place. removing and replacing with original boots, requires grinding off that connection, disassembling the joint then rebooting and then crimping a new cage into place... not really possible for the amature rebuilder. the aftermarket soft boots, stretch over the joint preventing damage to the cage.
I ordered my boots from http://www.astoria2000.com/main.html called the number,and they called me back and took my order.
dorman boots can be bought from amazon.com along with a dorman flexx type installer!

Thank you! That is an explanation that makes sense.

I checked the astoria.com website and the one I found sells coffee machines for espresso. Good stuff, but not what I need. :D I also searched for doorman and found their site (doormanproducts.com). The CV boots they sell are the universal type - one size fits all or maybe none.

So I bought some rubber sealer and will probably use that in the boot cracks as a preventative (and as a salve to my conscience). I may put some gorilla or duck tape on the boots, but I doubt it. This project started as something to fix before it breaks, but they have been cracked for a couple of years so I guess immediate repair may not be needed. Eventual repair is a certainty.

it's astoria2000.com, sorry.
I searched for astoria and flexx on google and found them!

FWIW, I took the car to a MB dealership and talked to a MB mechanic with 35 years experience. He said that the CV boots crack ater a few months on the car, and then continue to stay cracked without breaking form 30+ years. He also said that if they are changed, to use the grease that comes with the new boot, (but I am sure he was talking about MB supplied boots).

I put some silicone sealant in the cracks so I would feel better, and am going to watch and see if anything changes. I may wind up buying new axels by doing it this way, but I am tired of replacing good parts because I don't know any better.

I've pulled a lot of axles lately, and there are surface cracks, and there are serious cracks. it's hard to tell the difference, but when the serious cracks are squeezed, the boot disintigrates!
if you can squeeze your boot and it does not open up, or break, it's likely in decent shape. but when it fails, dirt gets in there, and renders the axle un-rebootable.

Thanks. I think the ones on mine are surface cracks even tho the rubber seems a little dry. I did fill the cracks with a silicone sealer as a preventative measure (probably won't work) and will keep an eye on them. I realize there is some risk, but between the cost and work required for new boots I think it is acceptable. That said, if one does break I will contact you then because I will be replacing the complete axels on both sides.