I had a torn inner boot on my passenger side axle, and I was able to re-boot the axle yesterday. I got stuck on a few steps, so I'm writing what I learned to help the next person figure it out.
Although you could do this with the caliper and rotor remaining on the hub, I found it much easier to take those off. It makes it a lot easier to wrestle the hub around without all that extra weight on there.
The order of disassembly in CV removal is not ideal. After you've removed the hub nut, and while everything else is still bolted up, use a brass drift to knock the outboard end of the axle loose from the hub. You won't be able to get it out all the way, at this point, you just need to break it free. I followed the instructions, and couldn't get the splined shaft out of the hub because the hub wasn't bolted in place. When I hit it with the drift and hammer, the whole assembly just moved around. I unsuccessfully tried pushing it out with a big two-jaw puller. I was stuck on this for a while. Once I re-attached the ball joint bolts on the bottom and upper control arm ball joint on the top, I was able to break it loose with a brass drift and sledge hammer.
After the splined shaft is broken loose from the hub, unbolt the tie rod end LAST. The steering rack will hold the knuckle in place while you break loose the two big bolts holding the lower ball joint onto the hub and the upper control arm ball joint. If you do the tie rod end first, the hub twists around while you try to break free all the nuts.
I saw another thread on this forum where the person needed the cv shaft puller (special tool) to pop their driveshaft loose from the differential. I was able to do this with a brass drift and hammer. Like others have noted, I just had to rotate the drive shaft a bit at a time until it popped off (when the gap in the c-clip faced down). Special tools are nice, but I was able to get it done with regular tools.
Speaking of special tools, make sure you get a good-quality boot clamp crimper. The $10 one from advanced auto is garbage. The $35 dollar one from Napa (Carlisle brand) worked well.
The instructions I was able to find on this forum seem to be missing some steps. It has instructions to disassemble the inboard CV joint, but it seems like it's missing the steps to disassemble the outboard CV joint. Because my outboard CV boot was ok, I just cleaned the grease out of it and re-greased it without disassembling (and put the new boot on it). I totally dis and re-assembled the inboard cv joint because that was the one with the torn boot, and I wanted to make sure to clean out any contamination.
Although you could do this with the caliper and rotor remaining on the hub, I found it much easier to take those off. It makes it a lot easier to wrestle the hub around without all that extra weight on there.
The order of disassembly in CV removal is not ideal. After you've removed the hub nut, and while everything else is still bolted up, use a brass drift to knock the outboard end of the axle loose from the hub. You won't be able to get it out all the way, at this point, you just need to break it free. I followed the instructions, and couldn't get the splined shaft out of the hub because the hub wasn't bolted in place. When I hit it with the drift and hammer, the whole assembly just moved around. I unsuccessfully tried pushing it out with a big two-jaw puller. I was stuck on this for a while. Once I re-attached the ball joint bolts on the bottom and upper control arm ball joint on the top, I was able to break it loose with a brass drift and sledge hammer.
After the splined shaft is broken loose from the hub, unbolt the tie rod end LAST. The steering rack will hold the knuckle in place while you break loose the two big bolts holding the lower ball joint onto the hub and the upper control arm ball joint. If you do the tie rod end first, the hub twists around while you try to break free all the nuts.
I saw another thread on this forum where the person needed the cv shaft puller (special tool) to pop their driveshaft loose from the differential. I was able to do this with a brass drift and hammer. Like others have noted, I just had to rotate the drive shaft a bit at a time until it popped off (when the gap in the c-clip faced down). Special tools are nice, but I was able to get it done with regular tools.
Speaking of special tools, make sure you get a good-quality boot clamp crimper. The $10 one from advanced auto is garbage. The $35 dollar one from Napa (Carlisle brand) worked well.
The instructions I was able to find on this forum seem to be missing some steps. It has instructions to disassemble the inboard CV joint, but it seems like it's missing the steps to disassemble the outboard CV joint. Because my outboard CV boot was ok, I just cleaned the grease out of it and re-greased it without disassembling (and put the new boot on it). I totally dis and re-assembled the inboard cv joint because that was the one with the torn boot, and I wanted to make sure to clean out any contamination.
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