[Devin]

My CV Shaft is kinda screwed up I think. I was mounting the subframe back up to the car after taking the engine out (I need to move it to another location) and I noticed that the boots on either side of the CV shaft connected to the tires were open (somehow they had broken open) and the knuckle on the shaft near the passenger side of the engine compartment became disconnected (my friend disconnected the knuckle while we were getting the subframe back in).

Anyway, with all of the boots broken, can I replace just the boots, or do I have to get another CV shaft intact? And can the knuckle be reconnected?

 

[Guest]

By the knuckle, I'm assuming control arm, as that's what connects to the subframe. If the mount isn't broken, you can just bolt it back in.

As far as the boots, they can be replaced, but you'll need to disasemble the CV joint. If it were me, I'd get new (or new to you used) halfshafts.

 

[Devin]

I may have had the terminology incorrect... first off, this is a MTX SHO (GEN1), I don't know whether that changes the situation at all. I'll draw a picture when I have more time, maybe that'll clear it up.

 

[Guest]

SHO's and SLO's are basically the same when it comes to the halfshafts, as far as design goes. I reread your post a few times. If you mean the joint separated at the end, I'd just get some new halfshafts. Putting it all back together is a pain.

 

[Devin]

Here is what I am talking about:

 

[Guest]

You'll definitely need to replace that. It's the carrier bearing for the axle.

 

[RWeaver]

If the boot(s) are broke open, they'll be dirt in there. To (just) replace the boot(s), you'll need to completely diassemble, clean, relube, and re-assemble each. Over the years, I've done this many times on many different makes of cars.

I don't do it any more decause the $$ of half-shafts are down to the $40.00 ~ $60.00 range. You're better off to just replace to whole thing.

 

[Devin]

So just to drive this in my thick skull, is the half shaft the whole thing?