CV AXLE POP OFF (1 Viewer)

EndlessAloha · Feb 2, 2022

VEHICLE INFO:

2007 FJ CRUISER
150,XXX MILES

LIFT: 2.5-3" LIFT BILSTEIN 5100 WITH OME SPRINGS
SPC ADJUSTABLE UCA'S

SITUATION: LAST NIGHT WHILE I WAS DOING MY MONTHLY ROUTINE OF DRIVING THE FJ IN 4WD TO GET EVERYTHING LUBRICATED. I WAS REVERSING INTO MY DRIVEWAY TO PARK IT AWAY FOR THE NIGHT WHEN I HEARD A POP (CLICK) OF SOME SORTS. DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT.

THE NEXT DAY WHILE I WAS HEADING TO LOWES, I NOTICED THE VEHICLE SWAYING WHILE I WAS MAKING A TURN. FELT LIKE A FLAT TIRE. SO I GET THE CAR BACK HOME, AND CHECK EVERYTHING UNDERNEATH. NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD SOME GREASE THE SPRAYED A LITTLE BEHIND THE AXLE.

DRIVER SIDE LOOKED NORMAL.

HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF THE CV AXLES AND/OR HALFSHAFTS OF WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW.

QUESTION IS...HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THESE ISSUES ON A MERE 2.5-3" LIFT? DO I REALLY NEED A DIFF DROP KIT FOR 3"? MY AXLES DONT HAVE AN EXTREME ANGLE TO THEM AT ALL.

HELP AND COMMENTS WELCOMED!

bigredmachine · Feb 3, 2022

cut the old clamps off, shot a little grease in there and reclamp it. some have had success with using a hose clamp which would be easier and cheaper than taking the axle out and rebooting it. just check the boots to make sure that they arnt torn.

BMThiker · Feb 3, 2022

I'm going to be honest. I checked your profile to see if all of your posts are in ALL CAPS. Thankfully, not.

But to answer your question, what bigred said above is a good option to mend the loose clamps on the boots. The factory clamps just don't hold up very well.

As for the swaying, I don't think it's related to a leaky boot. You might need new swaybar links. Because of your lift, you may want an adjustable HD aftermarket option, or you may want to try this method

fjc-man · Feb 3, 2022

On the topic of axles with CV joints, not all live axles have CV joints with balls on both ends. I remember back when I was a Mercedes tech the front drive axles on their 4WD models ( AWD actually ) had “tripod” style inner joints, I discovered the inner boot kits came with a tube of grease that wasn’t molybdenum grease. Fast forward to my FJ Cruiser inner boots leaking like EndlessAloha’s. I got an OEM boot kit which also came with a tube of grease with a part number. I decided I’d buy another tube of grease for the other inner boot, pump them full of grease, hose clamp and call it good. You can’t buy just the grease. To cut this a little shorter, this grease is polyurea based grease. I sourced a can, used a needle tip, filled, clamped, done.