Itinerant Air-Cooled

I guess this question goes here, because it is a drive-train issue...

While rolling around under my bus, something I love to do every now and then...

Sorry. I'll start again.

While rolling around under my bus adjusting the rear brakes, I noticed that the CV joint boots were starting to crack ... both pairs, left and right. The CV joints themselves haven't been giving me trouble.

I see a lot of vendors for the boots like the ones on the shaft, but I also seem to remember somebody who offered a split boot that you could slip on the shaft and joints without having to disassemble them. They had a half-dozen to a dozen fasteners that you tightened to seal the split. Does this sound familiar to anybody? Is there a source for them? Are they any good?

I'm suspecting that it was something that I'd seen in a JC Whitney catalog about 40 years ago, when they were selling all kinds of crap for Volkswagens.

Anyway, if these no longer are available, what are people's feelings about quality sources for the boots, clamps and grease? (They seem to come as a kit.) I am assuming the CV Joints themselves are OK.

I think that was a vintage attempt at installing the (non-rotating) swing axle split boots onto CV joint-equipped vehicles. Some people probably got away with it, and kits may have even been offered, but I know of nothing of the sort nowadays…

Robbie

The cvj boots need to flex at all 360 degrees. The split boots do not.
There is no need to replace boots just because of "cracks", unless the boots are
actually holed. I have some original '71 boots that were covered with surface cracks back in 1995,
and the same boots look no worse and are serving well today.

kreemoweet wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 07, 2020 10:10 pm

The cvj boots need to flex at all 360 degrees. The split boots do not.
There is no need to replace boots just because of "cracks", unless the boots are
actually holed.

These are cracked all the way through. It's replacement time.

Who are the good suppliers, and which ones would you stay away from?

JLT wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 08, 2020 8:02 am

kreemoweet wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 07, 2020 10:10 pm

The cvj boots need to flex at all 360 degrees. The split boots do not.
There is no need to replace boots just because of "cracks", unless the boots are
actually holed.

These are cracked all the way through. It's replacement time.

Who are the good suppliers, and which ones would you stay away from?

I have had good luck with Reinz. These are at 70,000 miles now. Wash them with mild dishwashing detergent every now and then, rinse well. They will last a long time.
Colin

OK... I typed in "split CV boot" on *bay, several came up, don't know if they are any good.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dorman-614-700 ... 1f63d89d27

https://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-SPLI ... 1f63d89d27

https://www.ebay.com/itm/OUTER-CV-JOINT ... SwhDdXD5Zs

I decide to replace my torn boots, I have purchased 4 Lobro/GKN boots. I have a 6mm hex bit and breaker bar and could not get them loose. Sprayed PB Blaster a couple of days, nada. Notice one of the bolt head is missing/probably broken.
The Bentley says the axles have to be pressed in and out, well I don't have an impact wrench or press.
So made appointment with Wagon Works hopefully this week.

Well, I had the guys at Kombi Haus do the service. They inspected the joints and found no problems with the balls or the casings. New grease, new boots, and new bolts all around. (Justin told me that they routinely change the bolts, since they've had trouble with re-used bolts down the line.)

All for less than $400. Having done the whole job before on another bus ... four hours of labor, plus another eight hours cleaning everything up ... I figured it was money well spent.

Thanks for the info, I agree money well spent...Jay at the shop said about 3 to 4 hours, don't know their hourly rate, but $400 would be good. BTW the boot kits comes with new hardware (bolts, washers,spring clip, grease). Manual says to torque socket head bolts to 25 ft lbs. I think I'll have them swap axles left to right to even out the wear.

Picked my Thing up with new CV boots and he swap the axles left to right to even out wear. He kept it all day,
said " it was very labor intensive", I bet. It's a nasty hard job, a couple of hours cleaning out old grease glad I farmed it out. Cost $419.63.

Now it's running like there is dirt in the one of the jets / or cracked manifold boot...always something.