I recommend using synthetic gear oil in the axles. it's a step UP from MB's not a step DOWN like grease is.

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Controversial John!

I don't consider grease to be a step down particularly if the cheaper thinner flexx boots split and the oil drains away.

I haven't seen any pictures of the flexx boots you are using for your re-booted axle service but the ones I could get here were terrible. There's no way I'd put oil in one of those condoms. From the experience I've had with flexx boots I'd say that flexx boots and grease go hand in hand whilst proper thick MB style boots and oil are the other partners in crime.

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

There is really no way to compare the special Mercedes Oil with other Lubes.
But, Gear/Differential Lube seems a reasonable alternative.

CV Grease is at least made for that application. I read in one of the Threads a Member ask that CVJ the famous rebuilding Axle place and they said they use Grease.

Also in one of the threads Astoria is supposed to have said they were not sure their Boots would seal in Oil; due to the thiness of their Boots. No one has ever commented on how long or mileage there rebooted Axles have had Oil in them with Astoria or Dorman Boots.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Hmmm. I've sold a few dozen axles rebooted with astoria boots, and Synthetic gear oil. no leakers or problems yet, but it's not been 2 years since the first one went out.

the astoria FLEXX boots are quite thick, but they are much strechier than the MB originals. I keep the steel rings on the axle to keep the boot's shape Like MB designed. so far so good.

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Thanks for the feedback on the Astoria Boots.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Not from Mercedes but the Stock Type Boots on my CARDONE rebuilt Axles were Cracking after about 4 years of use. They had no cracked all the way through but I thought why wait.

Whatever the Dorman and Astoria Boots are made of for them to be able to stretch as much as the do I think the material must be of good quality.

Alughouh it is buried under a bunch of suff in My Aarage I have a Hydraulic Press and accessories that I could have insatlled the Stock Boots with.
But, it sees like a lot of trouble to go through as I have Homokinetic Axles and you need to uncrimp the 4 Cans or buy kits with new Cans (that would cost more than getting another set of CARDONE Axles).

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel