Best CV boot clamp solution?

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Skidoo

Skidoo

10 Year 15 Year
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Have gone through a number threads on clamping these beasts, but haven't seen a sure fire solution (waiting for word from Spresso on new axle).

What are your best solutions, for lifted rig, that sees some serious off road use?

Running Carl's UCA, ~2" lift, Slee drop dif, Fox shocks, 16" limit straps. So I have some more travel than stock UCA.

I have been using the clamps from Car Quest that you tighten with a tool sort of like used to open canned hams. These seem to work for a while but then start leaking.

The outer large clamp started leaking pretty bad on a trip so replaced with hose clamp, and that worked great on highway but after about 20 miles of Nevada off-road, hose clamp has slipped of the end of boot, and gobs of grease are everywhere.
The advice on tighten but not too tight, seen here are a little vague, anyone have a more precise way?
Put hose clamp back on and tighten the hell out of it, then drive 250 miles looking for a store with CV grease.
Now running a test on how compatable Sta-Lube's CV grease is. ;)
BTW I was checking temp of CV joint in case it didn't have enough grease left.
Have some more off road coming up today so will find out if hose clamps hold up.

On hose clamp I notice the ones I have are wider than slot in boot and compress outer ridge, are there hose clamps that fit in slot for large end of boot?

Anyone tried these plastic ones, look like they stick out too far for large end of boot?
https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/424183-strange-cv-boot-issue.html#post5987995
 
I followed Summit Cruiser's lead and used the worm-drive clamps he found:
3/16” smooth band worm-drive hose clamps from McMaster-Carr part #5574K25 4” to 4-3/4” and part #5574K16 1” to 1-5/8”
See Summit Cruisers post here https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/388534-cv-boots-replaced-directions.html and tsarte's post here https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/417664-cv-reboott-parts-tools-needed.html.

I was a little apprehensive b/c conventional wisdom is don't use hose clamps - first b/c the edges can break tear rubber and second b/c they might throw off the wheel's balance and cause vibration.

However, these mcmaster carr bands have rolled edges and if you're concerned about balance, you can set them up opposite each other. A few other benefits of these clamps - cheap, you don't have to take off the axle to replace them, they can be tightened after install, they can be reused, they fit our boot groove nicely.

I have 4k on my cv boot job with these clamps and just looked - they're perfectly dry and haven't had vibration issues (I did offset them to attempt to improve the balance).

I've been pleased with these clamps and they made the job easier (being able to adjust tightness without removing the axle, not requiring a special clamp tool, not having to worry that I didn't clamp them perfectly as specified in the FSM)...
 
i had this same problem about a month ago when i was trying to get a secure seal on the cv boot. i had searched high and low for all different types of cv clamps. after trying the conventional cv bands with tool i eventually gave up and went in search of more of a hose style clamp. at he local moto shop i was able to find exactly what i was looking for. a hose style clamp that had the threads pressed into the band as apposed to cut out. the edges of the band were also rolled up giving them a smooth edge so that they would not cut into the boot at proper tension. you can probably find these at you local moto/atv shop, and they are very inexpensive. tension is very easy to adjust, and can also be adjusted in very small increments. i have been running these bands for a couple of months now and have had zero balance or leaking issues. i will post a pic later, as i am at school at the moment. good luck with your search.
 
like i said in the other thread....if toyota didnt cover all that stuff for me i wouldnt hesitate to use zip-ties. if it makes you feel better you can also get them w/ cable/wire reinforcement.
-i do like the plastic worm-drive ones in the link above but would worry about them going loose overtime?
-i dont like anything metal. to tight or to loose will both give you issues. not o mention the clamps do take a small amount of "expertise" to get right.
-cant see the hose clamps bieng much of a balance issue as they are mch further towards the center of rotation, unlike say...the tread of the tire. thats not to say that it couldnt cause an issue.
 
Was wondering if any of you guys with the hose clamped CVs have any followup regarding how they've performed after time.

I just received my boot kits from Beno (thanks, btw) and am getting ready to pull my CVs and rebuild them. Planning on picking up a cheap NAPA CV to toss in there while I rebuild them one at a time. I am strongly considering going with the smooth-banded, rolled-edge hose clamps as suggested by others in this and previous threads on CV servicing, instead of the bands that came in the kit. Personally, I don't really anticipate any issues by going with this style clamp over the ones that come with the kit - they seem like a great solution and possibly better since they can be easily adjusted/re-tightened or removed/replaced without messing with anything else, and you don't need a special tool to put them on. Oh yeah, i was planning on putting some blue loctite on the threads of the worm-drive to help keep things in-place.

What y'all think?
 
Don't think loctite will do much good on those threads. Sets up when air is excluded, and not very protected. But give it a try. On the hose clamps make sure it is narrow enough to fit in boot groove. Too wide and it will pop off in the middle of nowhere.
 
Haven't touched the smooth rolled band clamps I installed back in May of last year. Everything is still performing like it should. FYI, my LX has 295's with the AHC adjustment lift done, so there is some stress on the boots more so than stock.
 
i also have been running the smooth edged worm drive hose style clamps for the last 2k and they seem to be solid. what i like about them is infinite adjustability, if you are worried they are too tight, just loosen em a bit and vice versa.
 
well blue loctite was just my first thought to help keep things in place. i've also got red loctite, grey rtv, toyota black fipg, jb weld and pc-11 epoxy, and shoe-goo in my adhesives inventory to keep it in place if i need to.

it is definitely true that with any style of clamp, if it's not withing the correct spec to stay in place and not be overly tight, it is plausible that the clamp could fail and come off. BUT this situation is where the hose clamp takes the lead since you can remove the failed part and replace it in the field, without having to take apart your axle. if the boot failed and tore, most likely in the same situation with a normal clamp and an old worn out boot it would tear too.

does a kevlar/rubber hybrid cv boot exist anywhere in the world? or maybe a carbon fiber/rubber hybrid?
 
hose clamps were my solution to a leaky CV boot. Then it went to a torn CV boot 35K later.

Hose clamps are still the best quick, cheap, and easy fix. I still, do this date, do not thing the torn boot was because of the hose clamp.
 
^^^ I've used these also but its difficult, even with the forged Snap On tool I use, to get them as tight as a screw clamp...especially off-the bench/under the rig. And they do tend to need a re-tighten/re-clamp after a while as they seem to relax just a little bit (typical of Oetiker style clamps in general).

YMMV.
 
(Shameless plug)

I have kits of the McMater-Carr German made 304 stainless steel, smooth band, w/ rolled edges clamps in the vendors section. (click on my sig). These kits are specifically put together and perfectly sized for 100 Series.

I also posted some install instructions and before/after pics. If you have or are planing to raise the front end, they are great insurance against a very costly repair/rebuild down the road after you have lost a significant about of CV grease.

Ever since I replaced my OEM clamps with these, I haven't experienced the slightest hint of a leak.
 
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I rebuilt mine with the Oetiker style clamps about 2 years ago and had to redo the large outer clamp on the truck a couple of times. Back at the start of this year I think I figured out that the boot can be too far onto the CV so that after clamping it slips back a little and isn't properly tight any more. Since I last clamped them in March with more care they have been leak free (about 7k miles). I bought one of pfran42's kits recently and will start using those clamps next time I'm in there, I like that I don't have to carry the special clamping tool to use them and they're reusable so one of each size spare will do vs several of the others to cover clamping screw ups :)
 
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