I have a ripped front cv boot and i was wondering how difficult it would be to replace it i have oxlite brush gaurds and they do a great job but i should fix it

How long will it take?

 

"As far as the axles go...after you remove the tire-hub -brakes-tie rod- ball joints from the steering knuckle you will be able to slide the knuckle from the axle. Then the axle just pops out of the differential. I don't think it has any keepers on it. Hope this helps ya."
--shastadog

"once you have your front end components unhooked from the front axle, use a prybar to pop it out of the differential."
--derekjes
(these are the only useful quotes I found about replacing these Boots)


I am now in the same boat. Today I sliced my Wolverines CV Boot. The Boot kit from yamaha is anywhere from $50-$60. I do plan on doing this my self. Do the clamps require a special tool? If so, could I take just the DS in to the dealer with the CV attached and have them do it? Or, should i use another style of Clamp?

Is there anything that will keep the DS from comming out of the front differential, once the spindle and what not are removed? I dont want to snap the housing or anything.

Thank you for your help, also, sorry for Digging up old files, but there is really no info on replacing these dang boots.

 

It's not too bad, messier than anything..... I've done it way too many times to count on my truck or quad... You don't need the special tool on the quad, just the trucks you do....

 

To get the axle shaft off the differential you just use a pry bar or pull like heck? This seems crazy but I have never touched any IFS system (I am a solid axle fan).

 

I had one of my front ones replaced at the shop when I was having a valve job done and he went with an after market brand. Much thicker and heavier than stock for the same price if not cheaper.

 

Ok, i got the shaft out of the diff. Just had to pull. The CV joint and all came.

Now, how do you get the boot off? or on?

Does the CV joint come apart? I have called the dealer and they have thicker aftermarket boots in-stock. I am going to purchase a Big Bear repair manual because 50 is too much for the yamaha wolverine one.

 

Good to see your taking it on your own! I managed to do it when I was 15 or so, I sure think you can! LOL... K for now, it gets real dirty! you see them metal bands around the boot, you will need to cut them off of the boot that is damaged. Once you have it off, you have to dig around with a pic, or something of the sort to find a big c-clip that holds the inner cv together against the cv housing. It will be big, the size of the outter housing of the diff! If you feel around, that's what is holding the shaft and cv head together. it is right where they join from where the shaft goes into the cv joint, just feel around an pop/pull it out. The new kit should supply replacements which are recommend to use instead of reusing the old one that's been stressed from removal. On one end I believe there is a small c-clip(inner?) and that large side would be the outter or it may be vice versa, been a while! Either or, depending on wether or not it is an inner or outter boot you trashed you might only have to use one set of bands if you do it right. Just cut the old metal bands with like tin snips or unto them with a screwdriver on the clamp section and work it loose, be real gentle on the boot that is in good shape if you have to take it off not to rip that one open too! Once you got it apart, clean it up real good with like paint thinner or some sort of solvent like kerosene till it looks like new and no dirt is aparant whatsoever. Now your ready for reasembly. Put both small clamps on the axle shaft and slide both boots on opposing eachother with the clamps dangling between them. then slide the bigger outside clamps which come with the kit like the small clamps. Pack in as much CV greese that comes with the kit in each CV and CVboot and when your done place them how they should look when you seem them on the quad, over the lips of the cv housing and on the axle seat for the boots. Now you gotta get the clamps on! This at times get mad tricky! I somtimes use a small piece of 2x4 on the back end of the clamp lips to stop them from spining around the cv housing when tightening them, you'll see what I mean if you experience complications. The clamps fold over onto themselve naturally tightening for how they were designed and when they are completely collapsed onto the clamp you fold over the "rabbit ears" kinda clamp wings to hold the clamp in place, doing this be careful and make sure the boot is where it should be seated. If you experience complications like I have in the past, I have noticed that some CV's like on my Timberwolf have one larger clamp then the other on the large one's. You can remove the old clamps remembering which end they came off and compare sizes to make sure to keep that in mind, or you can simply guess when one goes on too easy, and one goes on too hard, but that sux that way cause the clamps are basically a work once on install, taking them off and on wears them out and can break them apart! So check the housing sizes and co-relate the clamp sizes with them, both small axle clamps I am pretty much 98% positive are of the same size no matter what. It's just the axle there, same component both ends.... Good luck, msg me if you need more info on a certain hold up or complication, take your time! Nothing worse than having to go back to the shop cause you broke the clamps trying to fit the smaller large clamp on the bigger cv housing! I did that once, man what a **** off!

 

Thank you. So you do have to remove that dang C-clip. I thought maybe the Axle shaft would slide out of the CV joint. I am not going to do this yet at the dealer is a good 50 miles from my home. Gas prices are a killer and we have a large shipment comming in later this week.

BTW- I always do work on my own. The dealers are just big rip off joints. I had a warrior engine there once and they lost all of my decompression levers, and head supplies. They dont touch my stuff.