axle boot????

[dohcfiend]

i am getting ready to put my engine/tranny back in. u know those rubber boots that hold the grease for the cv joints? well how do u reattach those metal rings that hold the boots together? do u need a tool for it?

like i needed a new cv joint so i got a whole 1/2 shaft assembly from a junkyard. it was strange cause the splined piece that goes into the tranny/diff was still attached. so i scammed the junkyard by taking the spline off, removing the cv joint, putting it back on, and returning it.

but putting it back together was a job. to get that metal ring back on i filed off one of the tabs and bent the hell out of that ring till i could get one of the 2 tabs to reattach.

i don't want to do that to my car though. any help on this? thanx.

[RednBlack]

You can buy a new ring. Very cheap. Tool is called "Pincers" Like dykes, (not a les thing) only the jaws are 90* to the handle.Do yourself a favor though. Buy a full half shaft, rebuild. Junkyards are just that. Junk. You never know how long they last. Or how many miles are on a certain part. Go to a boneyard for soft parts. Don't play with driveaxles. Unless you know how to rebuild them yourself. Only about $70 apiece with a warranty. Just my opinion.

[dohcfiend]

i retained my stock axle. i just took that cv joint off(just 2 o-rings) of the end of the junkyard axle. the only reason i had to replace my stock cv was that i attempted to move it and grabbed it by one of those rings that hold all those little tookpick bearings in it and the ring came off.ARGH.

i forgot to mention i was going to buy new clamps (and a pair of pincers). i was just wondering the right way to install them i figured there was some kind of tool involved and i didn't know what it was.thanx.

i would buy a new assembly but $$$ is kind of tight at the moment.

[RednBlack]

You are most welcome. Most of this info is in the Haynes Manual. Total rebuild of CV joints.