I broke a right rear axle today. Do I need to buy the special tool (boot clamp pliers) for attaching the metal clamps around the boots? I guess the 'half-shaft' kit is the way to go (gives the alxe, both boots, CV joint, and grease). Got a price of $150 delivered. Is that good?
The axle broke inside the inner boot. The outer boot is fine and the CV joint presumably is ok. I could not find a place to buy just an axle and a boot. Anyone care to suggest?

 

Buckaroo50,

I have found a pair of vice grips to work well as a substitute for the boot clamp pliers. I am assuming you have taken the axle off to see exactly what broke before ordering parts. I find this keeps me from making multiple trips to the parts store and placing separate orders. From what you have described, the "half-shaft kit" is what you need.

If you do not have a service manual, there is a great "how to replace a CV boot" walk through with really good pictures over at Arcticchat.com in the ATV forums under performance/technical info. At least it was there last time I looked.

I also have a question for you. I see in your profile that you have different tires on the front and rear of you machine? I am not sure if this is true for ATV's or not but with cars that are 4x4 if you have different tires front and rear it can add stress to the cars drive train. Maybe it is true for Atv's as well and contributed to the axle breaking? Maybe its nothing but, its just a thought.

SJ

 

Thanks Swamoy, I have the axle off and it broke inside the boot closest to the differential, took the bearing out and checked it and that is fine. I ordered a 'half-shaft kit'.

I know how the axle broke. I got stuck and was in some gravel and while it was reving pretty high in lowrange a rock got stuck between the mechanical foot brake housing and stopped the wheel, something had to give, so the axle broke and so did the housing for the brake. I have broken the brake housing before and never replaced it until I changed my tires, not going to replace it this time. Never used it anyway.

As far as tires. My AC came from factory with two different tread patterns. and I wrote to GoodYear engineres and asked if it was ok to use different tires on the front and rear, and they said it was ok as long as I used the same tire on both sides of an axle. In reality if you run 25x8x12 on front and 25x10x12 on rear, even same tire, brand, and tread pattern, you end up with a different tread pattern, the front will always have a smaller pattern. Using the 4x4 pickup/utility etc concept matching all 4 tires would mean to run say 25x10x12 on all four corners.

 

Guess other than than the front being 8 inches and the back being 10 inches wide I never looked at the tread pattern closely. But the rock would definitely cause you some trouble. I have ripped my CV boot doing the same thing before.

maybe I should look a little closer as I am about to put my 4th set of tires on my 400. One set had a premature death due to some idiot taking a sharp tool to the sidewall. The rest I have just plain wore out.

I am looking at another set of 25 inch ITP mudlites like I have now. They do what I want them to and have not failed me yet.

Good luck.

SJ

 

Having different width on front is no big deal, the only concern is the circumference of the tire. i.e. 25" tires all the way around

 

Thanks Swampy,

I have done some research for close to 3 years on tires. I wanted the front to do a certain thing and I wanted the rear to do a certain thing. The rear primarily does most of the pushing so I didn't need agressive side lugs and I wanted a flat profile, but wanted a pattern that would work pretty good on most different surfaces. (I saw a video where the rear lugs caught the side of a rut and the guy ended up flipping and rolling his machine because the back climbed up out and put the bike in an uncontrolable situation). The front however does the steering and grabbing and such, so side lugs were important to me for grabbing a rock or a stump or log or what have you. Since the front does more spinning than the back I did not want the tread to be as deep or as agressive (don't want to dig fishing holes with the front). I also need to have good lateral grip as needed while turning. Anyway what I ended up with seems to fit the bill really well. The only problem I am having with them is with wet, grandular snow (you know the kind with no substance at all). One or two revolutions of spin and I am high centered, very quickly.

 

in case this wasnt said already,because i didnt read all of this above. you may want to keep the old cv boots. cost $35 here for one, so just in case you need it in the future you'll have one. the new half shaft should come with them on it.

 

My CV boots are the same as what is on a 93 Geo Metro, so I can pick them up at any local auto parts store for about $18. =D

I actually thing the Metro version boots are a bit thicker rubber, so I'm getting heavy duty boots for less. =D

 

Thanks guys, I am keeping the broken axle (one good boot and one good outer CV joint).
Isn't the Geo Metro made by Suzuki?

My new delima is my engine noise now. Stressesd it pretty hard a couple weeks ago. Rode for 17 miles and used up a whole tank of gas and was in low range most of the time with throttle 1/2 to full just to muster up 3mph or so. Now at around say 2500prm I get a rattling sound or like marbles rolling around (anything below 2500 - quiet, anything over say 2600 - quiet). It has me stumped. Anyone got any ideas?