Xac called round last evening with a split CV boot kit for Juliet. We looked at it and it seemed good, it's the type of CV boot that purposely split for ease of fitment. Once fitted it's superglued together. Basically with these there's no need to dismantle the joint or remove the driveshaft.
It all seemed good in theory. I'm sure that in practice these kits would be wonderful but alas on an Activa LH driveshaft inboard joint it's a bit of a different story. Until today I never realised just how inaccessible the LH driveshaft is. It is really hemmed in by the Activa ram and it's associated pipework

I tried though and almost managed to get it to work but in reality the job did not turn out good at all. I then looked at it and thought the MOT man is going to take one look at it and think it a bodge. I reckon these split boots might work fine with the driveshaft removed but that defeats the object of them a bit. Maybe on a different car with more access to the driveshafts it might be OK.
Rather than risk a fail on this, I swapped driveshafts for a spare one. Job done but then there was the question of topping up the gearbox oil. I measure the amount that had spilled from removing the driveshaft and refilled an equivalent amount through the reversing light switch hole. That's not wonderfully accessible either but better than the alternative...
That's the recurrent theme with an Activa - access, access and access or rather, the lack of it

Then I remembered I'd not refitted the spare wheel carrier. That done, out came the ELIT to diagnose the airbag light. That was easy, just a reseat of the airbag collector under the driver's seat

Xac then took Juliet off for her MOT. I'm delighted to say she passed with flying colours except for an advisory on thinness of brake pads and the handbrake lever being near the limit of travel. The handbrake itself was good - as I found out earlier on when I managed to undo a very FT hub nut against it when swapping drivehsafts.
More good news: Robyn is coming to Somerest with me tomorrow. We're going in New V6 to see Mum and Dad and also to call in on Toby_HDi on FCF Courier duty...
On departing the Wetherby rally the other week, Rhothgar let me know one brake light was out on New V6. I've only just go round to replacing it this evening

