I have a 2005 bruin 350 4x4. Outer boot on front axle is torn. I have a new one on order.

I have the front wheel broken down to the point of removing the boot. I do not know how to get the boot off/on. I do not see any retaining ring holding on the spline end.

Do I have to remove the boot from the transmission in order to remove/replace the boots? Will this mean removing the whole axle?

Secondly...do I have to have a special crimper to replace the metal boot bands?

Thanks

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Rickatom

I have a 2005 bruin 350 4x4. Outer boot on front axle is torn. I have a new one on order.



I have the front wheel broken down to the point of removing the boot. I do not know how to get the boot off/on. I do not see any retaining ring holding on the spline end.



Do I have to remove the boot from the transmission in order to remove/replace the boots? Will this mean removing the whole axle?



Secondly...do I have to have a special crimper to replace the metal boot bands?



Thanks</end quote></div>

Was there a typo in you question?
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote> Do I have to remove the boot from the transmission in order to remove/replace the boots?</end quote></div>
I am about to replace a boot on my 05 Kodiak 450. If you go to the online parts ordering sites and look under front wheel you will see an exploded view of the shaft and boot etc. There is a band at each end of all the boots if I am not mistaken. It may be that the second clamp on yours is broken and missing. I have the Kodiak manual and it does not show any special tool to install the clamp. I don't know how your axle comes apart but with the Kodiak you pop the shaft out of the diff and go to work from there. If you are going to do your own work the manual is worth having. I also got a Haynes manual to help. The Haynes gives some more info than the factory manual because it does not assume that your are a factory trained mechanic with lots of experience. Good Luck.

 

Thanks for the help....I did the exploded view already, and after alot of sweat, I finally found out where the locking ring is at. I was told by calling the "thecvman.com" that I had to put the axle in a vise and hit the cv a few times to pop it off. There I found the other locking ring. It fits inside a groove within the cv joint. I would never had found it.

As far as the clamp tool. I found that they make one, but when taking off the old ones, I was able to fold back the crimped ears and reopen the clamp. I am wondering if I will be able to just reinstall them the same way.

Thanks for the input