ULTIMATE EASY DIY OEM CV Boot replacement guide
 

Hi,

I made a small video on how to replace your CV boots with OEM Mercedes Benz boots,

No stretching required
Easy as hell :D

Sorry the audio went very slightly out of sync after I edited the video but there's lots of annotations to guide you along you should have no problem at all

This car was a 1975 240D W115
It should work for the W123, W124 ect

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnww_xC1c_c&fmt=18

Hope this works the whole idea is to encourage ppl to use Mercedes Benz Boots and not have to use a stretch-gun ect... all you need is a hammer and a punch

PS: the camera made me sound all weird LOL thats not how I sounds when I say "Brass Punch"

I'm guessing you have a fan running in the garage?
also the video being out of sync with the audio is odd.
I have not heard that this was possible...
I thought the assembly was crimped into place...
WHUNTER!!! VERIFY THIS FOR ME!!!

No it was raining... the audio being out of sync is not such a big problem there are annotations to help

Its removable like a tie-rod I have done this many times and there has been no problems

why else would they sell MB boots if they cant be replaced ? ;)

CV Replacemet
 

Great video. Thank you for going through the trouble of posting it.
This makes me rethink my axle repair.

Just to be sure. You knocked off the differential side CV spider joint right?

The rain in the background was a nice touch actually, given that you are in Sri Lanka.

Thanks

"Just to be sure. You knocked off the differential side CV spider joint right?"

Yes its the side that goes to the differential that comes off the other side doesn't

Correct
 

Crimp clamps are used to avoid balance issues and boot damage.

I will make a video documenting this procedure in a slightly different manner, and showing an axle that will not separate short of total destruction.

You MUST use a Heavy Brass drift to drive the joint off, and get the impact angle/pressure just right, a steel drift will wreck the spider, balls or race/cup.




.

What, exactly, keeps that spider joint in place on the shaft? He shows tapping it off and lightly pressing it back in place...........???

Answer
 

A very clever/nasty snap-ring.

total destruction ???? our car has been running for 11 months now almost an year with four brand new Mercedes Benz boots

yep steel would be a bad idea and by they way even with the brass drift you don't want it to touch the balls or anything and cause scratches that might wear them out so its important to keep the drift firmly on the spider and make sure it doesn't drift about

However, the video doesn't show the snap ring removal or installation............???

is there really a snap ring?
I didn't find one in any of my two joints :confused:
maybe its in the other side of the joint, the other side (side that goes to the wheel) is not removable maybe thats the side that has the snap ring ?
when I removed both of my joints I didn't find one (I even made sure to look in the inside of it/shake it after I removed it) there's no grove either in the shaft for a snap ring

Hunter or Brian are the innards of an Axle different on a 1975 240D W115 different from a 123?

On one hand if it works it works on the other hand will it work for everyone?

I say that not to be negative but as an example the simple job of removing the small Oil Pan went well for Me but another member sheared of one of the Pan Bolt/Screws; most likely due to corrosion.
So if someone ask me if it was an easy Job I would be saying yes. The other Guy would be saying the job was easy until the Bolt sheared.

If I was going to do it as in the Video I think I would not order the Boots until I knew I could get my own Axles Apart.

This has a lot to do with experience. After many years, you know just how much torque you can apply to a given fastener..........above which, you'll snap it. You can actually begin to feel it twist before it fails. At that point, experience tells you to stop.

You must heat it...........apply penetrant...........repeat..........and have patience..........until you can remove it without breakage. Now, I won't claim to be totally successful with this approach, but I do have a photo on here of a nut that secured the sway bar bushing to the body stud on the SDL. The nut was below the battery and so badly corroded at the top that the threads of the stud were visible.

It took about one hour with penetrant, heat and shock...........but I removed that nut without damaging the stud. I have no idea on how to repair a broken stud as it's buried in the body.

The 123 Body and Chassis FSM mentions the lock ring only being installed on 1st version axles and the lock ring being no longer being installed after Jan 1973.

Thanks.

That begs the question of what retains the joint if a snap ring is not utilized..........it cannot be a simply light press...........??

The snap ring is only used on the side that goes to the wheel (the side that cannot be removed) the side that is removable (side that goes to the differential) DOES "NOT" Have a snap ring or else there would be no where to get the CV boot in

The usual procedure to reboot the axles consists using a special tool to cut the "can" at the axle's end, then the entire spider still on the axle is removed. If there where a clip it would then be removed and the spider hub is pressed off the axle shaft. Everything is cleaned and inspected, as long as the parts are not overly worn the parts are reassembled with a new "can" inner section put on the axle first, then the spider hub is reassembled into the axle's end. Then a new outer can with the two rubber seal rings is put in place over the axle's end, the complete axle is placed in a crimping tool and the two parts of the axle can are pressed/crimped together, the axle spider is lubed and the boot fitted into place and clamped there.

The later axles do not use the lock ring as the spider hub is pressed onto the axle at a minimum force of 5000 Nm according to the FSM section 35.1-660

Well with the axle installed there is only so much the axle's joints and splined parts can telescope lengthwise so it doesn't have enough room to completely come apart. With the axle out of the car it would come apart if enough force was applied to move or pull apart the rubber boot which is the only thing beyond the friction holding the spider hub onto the axle shaft.

I have a busted axle from my failed lower trailing arm. I will be disecting it as soon as I get my hands on it.


By the way, my chimanese axle has squirted grease onto my undercarriage. so three months and a small but frustrating rerepair.

Nm (Joule) is a unit of work, not force. 1 Newton is a shade under 1/4 lb (.224 lb). 5000N =~ 1200lb, light as presses go. If it went on straight a 2-3 lb hammer would probably do it.

Is it splined or does it have a keyway to transmit the torque? Seems impossible for such a setup to remain together under loads............??

Well, I'll be darned... This would have saved me a lot of $$ if it was posted before. But thanks so much for posting nevertheless. I installed flexx boots on mine, which I think are not as durable as Mercedes boots. I'll keep the Mercedes ones I got before the flexx boots and follow this procedure next time. Who would've known it was that easy...? Again, thanks for posting! :D

yes it is splined and is pressed in with "force" and thats what keeps it in place

the load is transmitted in a circular/turning motion = splinted shaft transmits the power

if the force was applied in an out ward direction like it was pulling on the shaft then yes it would come apart

but the force is not really an outward or inward force its more of a turning force
although it does slightly move in and out its the whole shaft and spider that moves in while sliding on the balls and out not the shaft trying to separate from the spider

Thank You
 

Great Job!
('Will INSPIRE the more timid to MB boot their axles!)

What an IMPRESSIVE display of Precipitation by Mother Nature.
[Did I notice a small power failure during the Monsoon?]

I cant remember there was lots of thunder and lightning that day, it was the rainy season

Remember when reassembling that the spiders on either end MUST be displaced torsionally 60° to each other. This means that you should mark the spider position on the shaft before you remove it as you won't see the other end unless you strip it too. Failure to do this will result in vibration and jerky rotation when shafts are dog-legged.

Also replace the plastic plugs in shaft ends! The shafts float and can knock on either end when turning - they will still knock but you won't hear it! - Don't ask me how I know:mad:.

Lastly swap the drive-shafts to opposite sides - you can double their life in this way.

Here's the procedure on a VW ( Lobro) CV joint. Look way down towards the bottom...

http://www.4130-products.com/step/cvboot/index.htm

Is the MB joint held on the same way, with a recessed circlip on the axle, or is it just a press fit into the splines?

Maybe one of our members who has used the Flexx Boots for many years may comment.

I know other members have commented that the Mercedes type Boots are thicker.
However, the fact that the Flexx and the Dorman Boots that are able to stretch to the extent that they do they must be made some exceptionally elastic material.
Since they are so elastic I am thinking they are less likely to crack with age.
My Cardone rebuilt Axles have the stock type Mercedes Boots and they claim they are made of Neoprene. However, right out of the box they felt rather dry an inelastic.

I am guessing that either the stock or the Flexx Boots are going to outlast a rebooted Used Axle.

While I am not sure that they could be stretched as much when I was looking through the various boots that Flexx or Dorman one of the companies also sells Silicone Boots.
The Silicone Boots are for use where the Axle Boot is near a heat source; like the Engine and are supposed to withstand the heat better.

If they are anything like Silicone Sealant I do not picture them cracking like any of the Rubber Boots might. However, they cost more and no one on our Forum has tried them.

Well, I know this is not popular, but I've replaced both of my axle shafts with MOOG units from Parts America - I did "modify" both of the inner joints by removing the bolts that retain the inner joint to the shaft and applying red locktite.

Haven't had a lick of problems with them and they carry a lifetime warranty.