1G Replace outer right front CV axle boot w/o removing axle?

[XC92]

When I removed both front CV axles from my AWD '92 Talon a few months back while dropping my trans to fix a leak issue (which has now been fixed), I replaced 3 of their 4 boots, both inners and the right outer (I replaced the left outer last year).

The inners went on fine and have held up, but the right outer has come off the BJ assembly and needs to be replaced. I had a feeling this would happen as it didn't quite fit right, continually slipping off no matter what I did. I finally managed to secure it with the clamp, but it just didn't feel right.

Turns out that it was probably the wrong boot, despite RockAuto and every other site claiming that it's the right one. They all say to use this aftermarket boot:

BECK/ARNLEY 1032579

But I'm 99% sure that you need to use this one, which is the one used on the left outer:

BECK/ARNLEY 1032532

They look very similar but the latter is slightly shorter, and has a deeper ridge inside the mating surface to accommodate the BJ assembly's higher lip. Another indication that the specified part is wrong is that the photo that accompanies it has this triangular/hexagonan springy thing that doesn't match anything on the original boot:

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Anyway, I have what I believe is the correct boot and need to install it, and was wondering if, as you can do on the left side (because the carrier bearing secures the axle inside the trans), this can be done without removing the entire axle. You have to knock the BJ assembly off with a hammer, and I'm concerned that this might knock the whole axle out of the trans, causing gear oil to spill out.

I suppose that I could secure the shaft with vise grips, but that could mar it. It's pretty cold here and draining and replacing the gear oil will be difficult due to the oil getting pretty thick, so I'd rather keep the axle in the trans while doing this.

 

[97egl]

I have done it without removing the axle many times. You will have to grab the axle with a vise grip and get it stuck behind something like the sway bar or control arm, ect. The axle shaft has to be solidly in place or you'll never get the outer joint to pop off the axle shaft. Sometimes it takes a couple vice grips to get it held solidly enough. Some are much harder to pop off than others

FYI I've had one axle that I couldn't pop off in the car. It was even hard to get to pop off when I was holding the axle in the vice.

 

[XC92]

I have done it without removing the axle many times. You will have to grab the axle with a vise grip and get it stuck behind something like the sway bar or control arm, ect. The axle shaft has to be solidly in place or you'll never get the outer joint to pop off the axle shaft. Sometimes it takes a couple vice grips to get it held solidly enough. Some are much harder to pop off than others

FYI I've had one axle that I couldn't pop off in the car. It was even hard to get to pop off when I was holding the axle in the vice.

Thanks. It's not that hard a job, but not one I enjoy doing because getting the BJ off is tricky and removing the old grease and applying the new is messy. All the more so when it's barely 32F outside and it just snowed.

Btw I've posted about this specific boot before, and one of the reasons for yet another post about it is to alert others than if they need to replace this boot and don't want to go with the massively overpriced OEM one, that the one they'll likely be directed to is almost certainly not the right one. Just wanted to spare others the potential aggravation of finding out the hard way.

 

[XC92]

I have done it without removing the axle many times. You will have to grab the axle with a vise grip and get it stuck behind something like the sway bar or control arm, ect. The axle shaft has to be solidly in place or you'll never get the outer joint to pop off the axle shaft. Sometimes it takes a couple vice grips to get it held solidly enough. Some are much harder to pop off than others

FYI I've had one axle that I couldn't pop off in the car. It was even hard to get to pop off when I was holding the axle in the vice.

I just had a crazy idea. Is it possible to disconnect the main shaft from the BJ assembly w/o removing the axle nut, but instead disconnecting the knuckle from both the strut and outer tie rod and disconnecting the brake hose and speed sensor cable brackets, to allow tilting the knuckle enough to separate the two and remove the shaft from the BJ? Or is there just not enough play and room to do this? This would not only save having to remove and reinstall the axle nut, but you could pound on the knuckle instead of the BJ to disconnect it from the shaft, and perhaps even just yank on it hard enough.

 

[97egl]

I just had a crazy idea. Is it possible to disconnect the main shaft from the BJ assembly w/o removing the axle nut, but instead disconnecting the knuckle from both the strut and outer tie rod and disconnecting the brake hose and speed sensor cable brackets, to allow tilting the knuckle enough to separate the two and remove the shaft from the BJ? Or is there just not enough play and room to do this? This would not only save having to remove and reinstall the axle nut, but you could pound on the knuckle instead of the BJ to disconnect it from the shaft, and perhaps even just yank on it hard enough.

It's definitely possible to do it without separating the ball joint. I just separate the strut and knuckle. (Also remove brake hose bracket from the strut). I have never tried leaving the cv axle still installed in the hub but that may work. You'll have to report back and let us know. It would be nice to be able to smack the knuckle and not the CV joint itself. I'm not sure if it will pull straight enough to work since it will be pivoting at an angle on the lower ball joint but it is certainly worth a try!

 

[XC92]

It's definitely possible to do it without separating the ball joint. I just separate the strut and knuckle. (Also remove brake hose bracket from the strut). I have never tried leaving the cv axle still installed in the hub but that may work. You'll have to report back and let us know. It would be nice to be able to smack the knuckle and not the CV joint itself. I'm not sure if it will pull straight enough to work since it will be pivoting at an angle on the lower ball joint but it is certainly worth a try!

I'll give it a shot and post on how it went. It would make things a bit simpler and easier this way, assuming that it's even possible. I doubt that I'd damage anything by at least trying, although if it worked it would probably be best to secure the knuckle to the strut so that the extra weight of the BJ assembly doesn't put excessive strain on the lower control arm BJ.

 

[XC92]

Yeah I tried but it didn't work. Not enough room to do it this way. I couldn't even get the BJ assembly off with the axle out of the hub, so I ended up removing the axle from the trans (catching the dripping oil in a pan so it can be replaced when the axle's back in). A few whacks with a 2.5lb sledge and it was off.

One learns the hard way that short cuts usually take longer.

I removed the ill-fitting boot and clamps, took the BJ assembly apart to remove all the (not so) old grease and clean everything, put it all back together with the proper boot and clamps, and reinstalled everything. Well, mostly, as I ran out of daylight so I'll finish it tomorrow. But the new boot fit just fine.