W. AXLE Boot (G N' R)

[bmmeup]

Please advise professionals:

Rear drive side boot torn. What's best solution. 1) Boot repair, seems crazy because of amount of time to remove 2)Buy new (remanufactured ) axle assembly 3) Remove and have local shop rebuild my axle

Thanks Gents.

G N Fn Roses ( Appetite and Lies only)
Glorious misspent youth

[Kyle in NO]

Re-booting is easy, if messy. No special tools needed other than snap ring pliers. It would be crazy to have one rebuilt when rebuilds are so cheap over the counter. BTW, the shafts take under 5 minutes to remove...

[Mike W.]

I'd go to the local DIY yard, pull the best looking one and use it. Rebooting is a dirty PITA, not technically difficult, but not exactly pleasant.

[BRRV]

I'd go to the local DIY yard, pull the best looking one and use it. Rebooting is a dirty PITA, not technically difficult, but not exactly pleasant.

X2. Depending on how long the axle has been on the car, it might take you more than 5 minutes to remove it, though - the allen head bolts typically are filled with road crap and dirt, and are pretty tight if they are original. You DO NOT want to round these off - that makes for a very bad day. Clean thoroughly and soak them in penetrant; go have a cup of coffee and a donut, throw a ball around with the dog for a bit, then come back and use a breaker bar and an allen head socket with short extension to loosen all of the bolts before backing them out. I replace these bolts, by the way, and use a little blue lock-tite on 'em when I re-install. Replacing the bolts isn't strictly necessary, but I fixate on fasteners, just based on past experience. I use ramps to bring the car up, which for me makes it easier to remove the axle, since the wheel isn't fully extended as it would be on jackstands.

The axle you remove can easily be serviced by any axle repair shop; boot kits are cheap, and then you have a spare for when the other side goes down, and then, you just repeat.

Lastly, on the axle you harvest from a bone yard, swap inner and outer ends so that you equalize the wear on the joints - in other words, turn it around so that the inner joint is on the outside hub when you reinstall.

[a]

I'd go to the local DIY yard, pull the best looking one and use it. Rebooting is a dirty PITA, not technically difficult, but not exactly pleasant.

X2 . get one from a 528e auto and you should be fine. The one I replaced at 340 kmiles growled just flexing it in my hands. I swapped in one from a 250k miler and it is just fine.

[Scottinva]

Depending on the condition of the axel (meaning its good other than the boot). I have heard they make a special boot that goes over your factory one, so there is no removal at all. Just another possible option.