Axle boot spraying oil - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 03-14-2003, 06:45 PM

The axle boot (on the wheel end) on my rear driver's side axle is cracked, and is leaking oil - it appears to have started spraying oil all around while the car is in motion... this appears to be thin oil and not grease - where would that be coming from inside that boot?? I could understand if it was the boot at the differential end of the axle, and an oil seal was blown - but that end doesn't look bad... I guess I don't know enough about how this all fits together down there.

lrg · #2 03-14-2003, 07:06 PM

It's old grease that is now more like oil from the CV joint inside the boot. You need to replace the grease and boot before it runs dry and destroys the CV joint. Do a search under CV joints and axle boots and you should get all the info you need.

franklyspeaking · #3 03-14-2003, 08:01 PM

Actually, the original axle shafts have oil inside the boot. At the differential end there is a seal that holds the differential oil. Standard repair is to replace the axleshaft, as you can't really disassemble them. Plenty of old posts on this subject.

Good luck.

Bill DeWitt · #4 03-14-2003, 08:11 PM

If the grease that has turned to "oil" has not all ran
out of the cv you can wrap it with duct tape and drive
to a shop or your shop. Make sure there is grease still
in the joint. And as noted above a search will be
helpful. Bill

rwthomas1 · #5 03-14-2003, 08:56 PM

I just when through this recently. Follow this thread. Having a bad day.... CV boot leaking oil everywhere. Carquest has what you need for cheap. Easy to do just takes some patience. RT

lrg · #6 03-15-2003, 02:03 AM

Why replace the whole axle shaft if just the boot is bad. I had the boot split on my wagon and replaced it over a year ago and it is still perfect. Check the threads but at 1/10 the cost of replacing an axle shaft a boot replacement makes sense. The key is to keep the joint on the replacement boot totally clean. Any oil in the split joint = a leak. Unless the CV joint has run dry and is making noise, just replace the boot and save considerable aggrevation and money.

Capt Kirk · #7 03-15-2003, 02:51 AM

My dad and I use to rebuild the CV joints (new boots, repack the bearings) on our old VWs. it was a pain in the butt, but actually kinda fun, as a result I have a very keen understanding of the workings of a CV joint.

Another time when I was working on the front end of my Jetta I noticed a cut (very clean, not jagged like a tear) that must have come from when I was working on it the week before. The tear didnt look like any grease was coming out or anything got through so I just went inside, got a good sewing needle and some dental floss (mint flavored, just so y'all don't ask later) and sewed it up. When we finally had to sell the car that joint was as healthy as the rest

luckily on our rear-wheel drive vehicles the half shafts aren't as much in harms way as on the front-wheel drive VWs.

if you plan on doing it your self, do it right. once that boot tears and starts leaking oil/grease then it also means dirt and gunk is getting in. you need to take the half shaft off and clean out that joint and repack it.

rwthomas1 · #8 03-15-2003, 11:52 AM

When I did this the boots were only available from one source and they were $40 each, plus I had to order them. Carquest had complete reman axles for $69.95. I would rather have two new boots and a new axle than questionable repair that may or may not work. RT

Capt Kirk · #9 03-15-2003, 03:06 PM

yeah, new half shafts aren't that much more expensive than doing the repairs your self. On the VWs there were replacement boot kits for like $5 a boot so it was economical for them.

When my CV joints had torn boots I just waited for a little while (a month, in the Spring) until I could get new half shafts.

#10 03-15-2003, 09:13 PM

Thanks all for the replies. Looks like I should just grab a reman half shaft then, since the boots at the diff end of the shaft look like they're ready to go next... The other half shaft looks newer so I'm guessing it was replaced sometime in the past. The blown one looks like original equipment though...