CV Grease Question

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College Cruiser

College Cruiser

10 Year
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Threads
13
Messages
100
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
So i know there are several threads on here about CV's and some mention grease in them but none are definitive. I ordered Pfran's kit to replace my leaking CV straps and I will need to get some new grease in there as quite a bit has been flung out.
What greases would be best to put into the boots without having to purchase the reboot kit from Toyota? And can this be purchased from auto parts stores?

Thanks guys :cheers:
 
Just called up the local dealership and they said that they just use NAPA full synthetic grease and not a toyota specific grease. They also said that it is ok to mix with the grease that is in there. You think that stuff is ok to use if the dealership is using it?
 
College Cruiser said:
Just called up the local dealership and they said that they just use NAPA full synthetic grease and not a toyota specific grease. They also said that it is ok to mix with the grease that is in there. You think that stuff is ok to use if the dealership is using it?
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Why take a chance? Get the Toyota grease, and avoid a potential disaster of having to pull the front end to replace the CV's.
 
I've called several dealerships and they don't sell just the tubes of grease.
 
IIRC when I ordered my CV reboot kit from Beno, I'd asked him if the grease was available separate - he said it only came in the kit.
 
highonpottery said:
IIRC when I ordered my CV reboot kit from Beno, I'd asked him if the grease was available separate - he said it only came in the kit.
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what I remember reading before too, and why I keep asking what to use...

maybe somebody could check the toyota tube and look for info on what it is?
 
College Cruiser said:
Just called up the local dealership and they said that they just use NAPA full synthetic grease and not a toyota specific grease. They also said that it is ok to mix with the grease that is in there. You think that stuff is ok to use if the dealership is using it?
Click to expand...

that's at least one good bit of info. If one is to trust the dealer that is... This is the sort of issue that dealers and techs don't give a hoot about, I'm sure. "How is a customer going to prove 50K miles later that the grease caused the problem...? so let's use whatever"
 
Exactly. I've now talked to four dealerships including Josh at Lowe toyota. He confirmed that it cannot be purchased by itself. I may end up having to buy the entire kit.
 
Swepco 101 is a high performance high moly grease specifically formulated for CVs. Its the gold standard for many racers, and widely available from a number of sources. No sombrero on the package, but its great material.

http://www.shopih.com/SWEPCO-GREASE-101-p-LU.html
 
one thing to keep in mind is that we're talking refilling, so ideally it'd be just topping off without cleaning thoroughly the old stuff. Meaning then that the new grease best be compatible with the old one. You could conceivably add some terrific racing gold standard stuff but who knows what it'll do to the old stuff or vv if there is some left. So it'd be better and easier to top off with OEM stuff (perhaps unobtainium).
added: but seems possible to slide off the boot some ways and try to clean most of the old stuff out - see pic below. Probably not that much fun, though. I'd rather just squirt some stuff in with a needle with the boot still in place.
 
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It's been a couple of years since re-lubing and banding- just cut old bands, peeled back boots and cleaned up the cv really good with paper towels, then injected a good bit of Valvoline Dura Blend from the tube. I made sure to not fill the entire boot up, maybe 40- 50% full. No leaks since reboot, cvs still trucking with 200k plus miles on original rubber boots. Used the Napa band kit- the kit came with maybe an ounce or two of runny grease which I discarded, seemed to be much too little to do the job. I am a shade tree mechanic, just my observations.

Julsept2010 119.webp
 
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Thanks for the input. Did you get the OEM grease out before you put the Valvolina grease in?
 
Yes, I cleaned out every bit of the OEM grease out, it's not too difficult to get into all the boot ridges. That gray milk grease was probably compromised for quite a while, so any regular CV approved grease is better than that- no need to be too picky IMO.
 
^ This. It just high moly grease, and mixing is not an issue. Best to clean out the old grease as much as you can, and pack with any decent high moly grease. Swepco 101 is what I've been using for years, and never seen it turn to grey milkshake like the pic above. That's gnarly.
 
I'll probably be learning this the hard way this weekend, but whats the best way to get the old grease out without removing the boot? And thanks for the input, I'll be buying a CV high moly grease for this weekend.
 
If you want to do it right, buy the OEM kit, pull both axles, wash them out , grease and reboot.
 
100 TD said:
If you want to do it right, buy the OEM kit, pull both axles, wash them out , grease and reboot.
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I'm asking for ideas of how to get the old grease out without taking the boots off or axles out.
 
College Cruiser said:
I'll probably be learning this the hard way this weekend, but whats the best way to get the old grease out without removing the boot? And thanks for the input, I'll be buying a CV high moly grease for this weekend.
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Take both clamps off and slide the boot down the shaft. Use a cleaner to remove old grease and wipe out. Slide the boot back on and clamp.

I've been wondering if you can remove the C-clip, compress the axle and remove it without pulling the knuckle... That would allow a semi-rebuild without pulling major components...I still need to swap CV's and this may be the time to experiment. Thoughts? The CV can compress quite a bit, maybe just enough to slide the cage/bearings out. Of course shock unbolted, wheel cranked, and lifted off the ground.
 
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