CV Boot Clamp/Strap Replacement (pics)

[Zane]

I have a 2000 UZJ100 rig w/ 110k miles on it. After reading several posts of people having issues with there CV boots leaking after doing an OME lift with and or without Slee's drop kit, I decided to take a look at my boots before my lift and drop kit showed up this week. I noticed that the small strap on both driver and passenger inner boot had signs of leaking (greasy dirt stuck around clamp). So, I decided to clean up the boots and see if it was really leaking. Well, After cleaning both boots and driving it around for about 10 miles I noticed that they indeed where leaking. I figure the dirty mess that was around the boot was holding a lot of it in, but once I cleaned them up they began to fling a very little amount out past the original clamp. I was able to easily twist the boot near the small clamp on the CV shaft on both sides. This told me that the clamps where no longer effective for one reason or another. I figured I better replace the clamps before the lift came so I would have one less thing to do when it shows up sometime this week from Slee.

I could never find a post on how to remove the original OEM clamps so I decided to post up something to help others in there efforts to remove and replace these CV Boot Clamps/Straps.

Step 1: Jack up truck place jack stand under frame and remove tire.
Step 2: Clean area around clamp as best as you can with rag. I did not use cleaning solvents as I didn't want to put anything on the boot that may make it brittle over time.


Step 3: Locate folding tab that holds the strap down on the clamp. Take very small flat head screwdriver and gently pry the two tabs back. Tabs will bend to the driver and passenger side of the vehicle. Once tabs are bent out of the way, you will be able to pull the strap back. This will loosen the strap. See picture:




Step 4: Now that the strap is loose you can take your snips and clip the strap off without damaging the boot in any way. Once removed clean boot with rag to remove any dirt to have a clean surface to put new strap on.


Continued on my next post....

[Wellcraft19]

Zane, excellent write-up, but what happend to your photos?

[Zane]

Step 5: Place your new Clamp in place and use CV boot Clamp crimping tool to tighten clamp. I would crimp then test how loose/tight it was the crimp some more. I did this until I could no longer twist the CV boot on the shaft. (NOTE: when I say no longer able to twist the boot I never put a ton of energy behind my twisting. Just enough to know if it would ever twist on its own. You will know what is tight enough). see picture of tool and clamp:


The attached picture is what the crimp looks like after install. Its not as flat as the OEM bands, but it seems to work just fine. These clamps are called "One Ear CV Boot Clamps. I found them at NAPA Auto Parts along with the tool.


Step 6: Mount tire, remove jack stand and jack. Torque lugs appropriately and drive.

I have only 100 miles on this job, but I will keep you all posted on how it holds up. I would say this is a one job. There are two different types of clamps/straps you can use. The One Ear Crimp style CV Boot Strap and the OEM kind. If I could have found a place that had the OEM style I would have gone that route only because it is lower profile. I have not had any issues with vibration and do not expect to either.

Anyway. Hope this helps anyone that is thinking about doing this job. Very easy to do and if it needs to be done again, it only take about 15 min. per side.

Zane Zwerenz

[Zane]

Originally Posted by Wellcraft19

Zane, excellent write-up, but what happend to your photos?

Fixed now... I think... Thanks!

ZZ

[e9999]

nice pics.
did you put extra grease in?

FWIW, we had a new boot put in under the ext warranty we have. I had looked in the FSM and saw that they have very specific specs for the crimping process, something like crimp to 3mm +/- 1/2 mm etc etc. Well, it came back from the Toy dealer and it looked like a bunch of drunk monkeys had a go at the clamp with (what else) big monkey wrenches. So much for the fancy specs. Didn't look anywhere as nice as yours!

[1loudLX]

zane, seriously....can you come fix mine? I brought it to lexus in augest for the boots to be replaced, then they didnt properly clamp them so a few weeks later i went back. Still they werent clamped right and i went back last week. I doubt they are clamped correctly again, so how much are plane tickets these days?


put a link to this thread in FAQ/DIY thread if it isnt already

[ginericLC]

I was going to reclamp mine as I have some seeping, not really a full blown leak. However, all of the clamps I could find were made in China. ARGHHH! And the tool was made in China too. So I didn't buy any. I bought the whole kits and I'll rob the clamps out of them. My boots are fine. Can you buy OEM clamps without the kits? As for the tool, I'm going to take it down to a friend's shop and have him install them. He has a Snap On tool that wasn't made in China.

[Zane]

[quote=e9999;2805167]nice pics.
did you put extra grease in?


No I did not add any extra grease as I didnt feel it had lost enough to warrent the addition of any grease.

Zane

[Zane]

Originally Posted by 1loudLX

zane, seriously....can you come fix mine?

I will be in New York October 2008 for a wedding, I could help then.. Ha!

[spressomon]

Originally Posted by ginericLC

I was going to reclamp mine as I have some seeping, not really a full blown leak. However, all of the clamps I could find were made in China. ARGHHH! And the tool was made in China too. So I didn't buy any. I bought the whole kits and I'll rob the clamps out of them. My boots are fine. Can you buy OEM clamps without the kits? As for the tool, I'm going to take it down to a friend's shop and have him install them. He has a Snap On tool that wasn't made in China.

If you are going to use the OEM bands you'll need to pull the CV shafts at minimum and if you are going to replace the small clamps, which are the leak prone clamps, you'll need to disassemble/reboot the CV.

I have the Snap On tool...I thought it would offer more leverage than the Kragan tool...but it's still a chore to get the clamp tightened down to factory spec.


I don't think there is a practical way to get grease into the boot without complete on-bench rebuild.


BTW: Nice post Zane!

[rusty_tlc]

Re-build time is about 1 - 1.5 hours per axle. It would be a lot less if you have a parts washer. Most of the time is cleaning out the old grease. At +140K the grease in mine was pretty runny but it still took a roll of toilet paper and a can or two of brake/parts cleaner each to get them ready.

If you have the FSM it's a fairly easy job, the tough part is getting them out and putting everything back together.

[Real]

Nice job, Zane! Thanks for posting up. I'm sure this will be very useful for many people.

Did you clean inside the boot where the clamp goes to reduce slippage?

Spresso - What are the small clamps that you're referring to?

[cpcc]

Awesome post and great pictures. Thanks

[Campfire]

Great post Zane, and those ARE the same clamps I used on mine. Mine have held up without leaking until I tore the boot open.

[spressomon]

Originally Posted by Real

Nice job, Zane! Thanks for posting up. I'm sure this will be very useful for many people.

Did you clean inside the boot where the clamp goes to reduce slippage?

Spresso - What are the small clamps that you're referring to?

If you look at your CV you will see two different bands per each boot: 1-large diameter and 1-small diameter. Zane's pic is of the small band.

[Zane]

OK, after successfully replacing the smaller CV Boot clamps with the Single ear crimping style CV boot clamps I started to see leaking around the larger OEM CV boot clamps that where not replaced and decided to replace all of the larger bands as well. I Purchased the same style clamp as I used (in post #3) for the small side and for one reason or another I had issue getting them tight enough.

The problem I have found with the "Crimping" style is that you can only get them so tight. So, I went out to my local CarQuest parts store, who was the only parts store in the greater Kansas City area to carry the OEM style bands that you tighten and then bend back over itself, and purchased 4 big bands plus the tool.

This is the way I should have gone from the beginning. I'm not saying that the crimp style is horrible, they just have a limit to how tight you can get them. They work fine for the smaller CV boot end, but not for the larger CV boot end. My small CV boot bands are holding nicely and I will keep them as is unless they loosen up. If they do, I will replace with the OEM band style.

I just wanted to give my observations and experience for those choosing what direction to go when choosing clamps. Attached are the clamps and tool style I went with for my Larger CV boot Clamps.

[hoser]

Question... I know they say not to use hose clamps on CV boots because you can tear them but if you were careful not to over tighten them, what would be the problem? Unbalanced because of the disproportion of weight? They can be tightened at least if not more than any of the CV clamps out there.

[hks3sgte]

Originally Posted by hoser

Unbalanced because of the disproportion of weight?

That would be my concern. However, people put hose clamps on their boots all of the time. I would use something like this:

smooth

[hoser]

Okay, so then how about using two clamps like pictured (but smooth).

[Wellcraft19]

If you are concerned about the balancing (act), you can actually take two smaller clamps at put them together to have a "balanced" clamp (one screw at each side of the axle). Concern would of course be that you get another "thing" sticking out that could potentially get hung on a branch or a rock. But, I'd actually would be more concerned over the actual boot ripping than the (hose) clamp getting stuck.

Hoser, you beat me to it

[rusty_tlc]

Originally Posted by Wellcraft19

If you are concerned about the balancing (act), you can actually take two smaller clamps at put them together to have a "balanced" clamp (one screw at each side of the axle). Concern would of course be that you get another "thing" sticking out that could potentially get hung on a branch or a rock. But, I'd actually would be more concerned over the actual boot ripping than the (hose) clamp getting stuck.

Hoser, you beat me to it

If a rock gets that close to your CV you have bigger problems than a torn boot.

[Zane]

Putting on one of these OME style CV Boot Clamps is just as easy as putting on one of the hose clamp styles you guys are talking about. For the cost of the $14 tool its nice to know that you don't have to worry about the potential balancing and tearing issues you bring up.

It is truly self explanatory once you look at the band/clamp and tool together. 1. wrap band around boot. Slide end of band into band slot. Then put the band end through both the tip of the tool as well as through the slot located in the winding part of the tool. Take a open end wrench and twist bolt on tool until you get the desired tension and then bend band back over itself. Tap tabs around band to keep in place. Remove tool from band end and cut off remaining banding.

I have no idea the true effects of using the garden hose style clamps, but for the $14.00 its one less thing I need to worry about.

Just my 2 cents...

[spressomon]

Originally Posted by Zane