I have an 83' 300TD beater that has a completely torn open diff-side CV boot. The SLS has acted up for years with the previous owner and the extreme angle tore the boot finally before I could get the system sorted.

The good news is that it doesn't clunk in corners and doesn't seem to make any noise. Now with the age of the car, I think it really only makes sense to completely replace both drive axles and I'm considering taking this job on myself. Currently though, I don't have the funds and am a bit intimidated to do the job.

So, my question is, has anyone used a split-boot as a temporary solution to prevent further damage? My plan was to pack the CV full of grease, put on the boot and keep packing it with grease every few months as needed till I can afford to do the axle job and feel confident in doing so.

Any recommendations on a boot that might work or any other solutions? I just want to keep it packed with grease till I can get it sorted properly.

Example

Keeping it clean and full of grease is most important. The axle is ruined now. You can prolong it but it'll need replacement eventually. I'd try to keep it as protected as possible and greased properly.

The job isn't horrible. Another forum member and myself helped Uberwasser for a part of the job on his 123. Lengthy, but not horrible.

That's what I figured, they're toast and I'm hoping to replace them by the end of 2016. This would just be to keep them from completely drying out till I can get it done.

I read the thread on it a few times, seems straight forward. There was some business that was a bit murky about spacers that you had to put in exactly out they came out, didn't totally follow that and the implications as there were no pictures.

Half shafts are cheap at the junkyard and not too hard to pull. I recently found relatively new homokinetic half-shafts - the ones that are easy to re-boot. When working underneath cars at the junkyard you can stack up some wheels on each side as makeshift jack stands to stay safe.

I'd rather pay the $200 for aftermarket OEM shafts, make sure they're good as new.

The W201 axles at the dealership were seriously discounted recently - worked out cheaper than GKNs...

...generally speaking buying parts at the dealership isn't cheap but this time (for me) they were.

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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!

I think it's always worth it to limp an OEM CV joint along, especially when replacement isn't VW-easy. As long as you can be methodical and clean the split boots work just fine.

-Rog

That might not be so. Over the years I there has been at least 3 people that had torn boots and did the replacment with no further issues.

The spacers go between the Differential and the Axle and slide over the Axle stub Shaft. If you are rebooting an axle that came off of your Car it just keep the same spacer with the Axle that you took off. However, still need to check the clearance wich is simply that the C-Clip should go in with out difficulty and there should be on in and out play of the Axle in the Differential. There is different thicknesses of Spacers if there is an issue.

If another axle is used the Spacers may need to be changed so it fits. If an Afermarket China Axle is used there could be a few issuse fitting it.

This is on a Gasser Chevy Caviler that has front wheel drive. I was working on a friends car and discovered the wheel side CV Axle was flopping around (don't kow how long).
I got a Split Boot, a gallon of Solvent and I already had a Solvent Spray Gun (need an Air Compressor for it to work). I hosed out the CV Joint with the Solovent and let it dry.
Re-packed it with Grease and installed the Split Boot. That was 20 Years ago.
I admit My Friend barly drove the Car due to some medical issues during that time. But, my Friend gave me that Car last year and I have been driving it nearly daily and there is no issue with the CV Joint.

So if the you Axle is not clunking and you can clean out the CV Jiont a Boot is cheap so it is a inexpensive gamble to do that and you won't loose much if it does not work.

Note you did not say if you have homokinetic Axles (both ends look similar) or Annular Axles (the differential end has Bolts going through it)
On the Annular ones it is easy to replace the Boot on but the Axle does have to come out of the differential.

Some notes on split boot
AXLE Boot Threads
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?p=2474094#post2474094
AXLE Boot Split Axle Boot
Okay I looked today to refresh my memory I replaced both my inner joints with the speedi-boot 03606 (the reason 03606 is not in their catalog anymore is because it's been replaced by 03608) it is a boot that is bolted together I have never used any that are glued I have had very good results with the bolted ones use them on a variety of cars. What you have to do 1st off is measure the axle diameter on both ends you have to cover and find one that exactly or closely fits. The m.b. inner joint measures 70mm×26mm the 03606 measures 75mm×24mm so you see it was a little big on one end and little small on other I made it fit and both are holding up couple of yrs. now. I used grease inside. Maybe if enough people would write the company dorman they would start making an exact fit for the m.b.s as Im sure they would sell a lot of them with all these old cars on the road yet. I m sure not everyone would not like the repair I made that is your choice it worked for me and saved me a lot in time and money. The main thing with the axle joints is to keep them protected and lubed.

Thread with Split Boot Part Number mentioned in it.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/363706-axle-failure-repairable-not.html

In the pic you really need to pack the Grease down inside and fill the whole can with Grease. In addition to that I filled about 1/2 of the Boots with Grease when I did mine.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

If the cv is still tight, I agree, no reason not to clean, lube it and install a new boot.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

If you're thinking along those lines, spend another $100 or so and get refurbished CVJ axles. They are going to be way better than any $200 aftermarket Made in China axles.

The other upside is that you then send yours in as cores, keeping these very robust and refurbish friendly original axles in circulation, versus you throwing them in the trash after installing the new aftermarket ones.

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1979 300D 040 Black on Black - 1985 300D Maaco job (sadly sprayed over 199 Black Pearl Metallic) on Palamino

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I used a split-boot type to repair an inner CV gaiter that had failed.

I knew when the old one went--the rear window of tailgate got covered in oil-spray, so investigated at the time.
One inner one had a small split in one the convolutions, so the joint was still clean, just the small split let the oil out.--Not bad for a 30 year old rubber gaiter!

Removed the old one, packed the joint with CV Grease full, and a small amount of grease into the gaiter after I had stuck the seam up.

--Tip--When sticking the seam together, do a little--say 1/2" at a time--with the glue provided, and hold in position for at least 30 seconds before moving on up the seam.
--Even though 'superglue' based, it does take 30-40 seconds to actually stick the rubber.

Been on there around a year and half, still good, checked it a week ago when replacing exhaust rubbers....

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Alastair AKA H.C.II South Wales, U.K. based member

W123, 1985 300TD Wagon, 256K,
-Most recent M.B. purchase, Cost-a-plenty, Gulps BioDiesel extravagantly, and I love it like an old dog.

W114, 1975 280E Custard Yellow,
-Great above decks needs chassis welding--Really will do it this year....

What company made the Boot?

Did you fill the CV Joint with Oil or did you use Grease?

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I used the Astoria flex boots that VStech and others recommended to me on this forum. I think they were around $20 each. The inners had been torn on dads 240D long before he got it.

Got the flex boots and used a greased up funnel to stretch them up and on.

Filled them with gear oil, not with the supplied grease. Used the $15 band clamping tool available at autozone. Did the job in a couple of hours. His joints did not show any visible rust or pitting when I looked at them. If your joints are rusty and full of play, fresh grease won't save them, but just because the boot is torn open doesn't mean the axle is dead.

For around $100 you could repair all the boots properly and have a long lasting fix.

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68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

Indeed I'm also interested to hear about those boots.

You used to be able to get them everywhere (even Halfords) but I haven't seen them for years and years.

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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!

No noise or clunks, what more do you want? If it ain't broke, don't ...
Trying to replace a perfectly good part w/ new may make more problems, and many vehicles hit the heap from such attempts. I used a split boot on my 1982 FWD car years ago and it held for years until I junked the car for other reasons (blown head gasket, crazed paint, ...). Just keep everything clean and work carefully. If the boot fails in 10 years, just put another split boot on and keep driving.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans