C5 2001 2.0 lt HDI - front near side cv gaitor boot

[Jeff]

Hi, has anyone changed a cv gaitor boot, what tools do I need please and whats the process? I see different boot kits are available on ebay including stretchy ones? Will the tracking be affected. Thanks for any advice, jeff

(there's a very small hole spitting grease)

[CitroJim]

Personally, I don't. I don't have the right tools for pulling the steel securing bands tightly and I hate the muckiness of the job. CV grease is very greasy and gets everywhere!

My last split boot was easy, I had a complete spare driveshaft and just swapped it wholesale.

If I do need to get a boot done I'll source a boot kit and take it and the drive shaft to my local Indy garage. They do them for a reasonably small fee.

Don't, whatever you do, try one of those split boots that are glued together in-situ and claim they can be installed without any disassembly.

I tried one once as a temporary fix and it was rubbish... Others may have different views..

Try to get a genuine CV boot kit if you can.

[Jeff]

Thanks CitroJim.

I was hoping someone would have been able to give a bit of a guide on this job on the C5, I looked on youtube and the stretch boot/cone looked easy to put on so I just need a bit of a guide on the best way of getting the drive shaft out of the front leg, what is the easiest way.....also I dont want to disturb the tracking if i can help it as not long been done... any advice please?

[CitroJim]

Jeff, I have no direct experience of the C5 but assuming it's much like a Xantia then the job will involve undoing the hub nut, which can be very tight and need a very meaty breaker bar and socket (35mm IIRC) and then splitting the lower suspension balljoint which will require a big balljoint splitter of the scissor type. Take care when using the splitter not to damage the balljoint boot.

This will allow the hub to swing sufficient to allow the driveshaft to be removed from the hub. No need to do anything with the track rod end.

If you are removing a driveshaft completely, say because you arre taking the shafts to an Indy to have the gaiters replaced then...

On a manual gearbox car there will be some oil loss from the gearbox when the shaft is pulled out so be prepared for this. Measure what comes out and top up the gearbox with the same quantity of fresh 75W/80 oil. Autoboxes don't spill their oil when a driveshaft is removed due to a difference in oil seal design.

To remove the RH driveshaft it is necessary to drift the intermediate driveshaft bearing from its housing. This requires an 11mm spanner to undo the 'Hockey Sticks'. Then turn them 90 degrees and then gently drift the bearing out with a suitable drift and large hammer.

Driveshaft removal is only necessary to replace the inner gaiter on the LH side. The RH inner gaiter can be done without removing the whole shaft.

Be sure you understand how to tension the steel securing bands on the new gaiter and have the necessary tool. They need to be seriously tight and that can be difficult to achieve without practice and the tool. If not tight the new gaiter will come adrift and/or leak grease almost immediately. Plastic cable ties are not an adequate substitute for the steel bands and will soon fail.

Hope that helps a bit Jeff...

[Jeff]

Thanks again CitroJim, I think the cars are similar. I was unsure if the driveshaft would come out of the hub easily enough...on youtube you see guys hammering the end of the shaft to remove from the hub...

Also wondering if there would be enough room to use a cone to slide a stretchy boot over the cv joint... or must the shaft be removed?

[Peter.N.]

I would agree with Jim, don't go for a stretchy boot they are pretty useless, if you can't get an original go for an OE spec one. The joint is held onto the shaft with a snap ring, you will need a smart whack with a fairly heavy hammer to remove it. using a drift against the inside of the joint against the shaft is sometimes better, it will need a good hard thump to drive it off the shaft.

Peter

[sparksie]

Ehhh, what's the problem with the stretchy boot?
Haven't used a cone for many years, because we have a boot stretcher, but can't see it causing a problem other than greasy fingers!
Lots of cars, including some Pugs, have stretchy boots as original equipment, because the joints are not dismantleable.
Even a split boot is perfectly good, provided you have steady hands and follow the directions to the letter.
The first one of those I ever fitted is still going strong, almost 11 years later!
The most important thing with them is under no circumstances allow finger and thumb to touch when holding the shaft. You could end up needing medical assistance to release it!
Next most important is scrupulous cleanliness. No trace of grease or any kind of contaminant can get in the groove without compromising the final joint.
If you can keep it properly clean and line up the tongue with the groove perfectly, it will be just as good as a non-split boot when finished.
No matter what type of boot you fit, the ends should be a reasonably good fit for the shaft/joint and they should be secured with the correct steel bands (not cable ties!!!) properly done up. There are special tools for this, but with care and common sense, you can do it with a carpenters pincers.
Good luck with it, whatever you decide

[Peter.N.]

My experience of stretchy boots is that they split in very short order.

Peter

[Jeff]

Thanks everyone for your helpful advice, last question, where can I order a boot from online? (i.e. not dealer)
I have looked but cant find one...

[lexi]

It's a dirty job. The birth of grease monkeys is a similarly messy affair

[sparksie]

Thanks everyone for your helpful advice, last question, where can I order a boot from online? (i.e. not dealer)
I have looked but cant find one...

Don't know about on-line.
I always get them from the local motor factor.
A split boot has the enormous attraction of not needing any dismantling of mechanical components, but you do need a VERY steady hand and everything needs to be surgically clean. There's also the very real risk of gluing your fingers together. That's a serious problem if your hand is around the shaft when you discover your predicament!
On balance I'd advise against it.
Yes, sometimes splines get stuck in the hub, but it's by no means as common as you'd think. In nearly 30 years it's NEVER happened to me and only once in our workshop.
If you decide to use a stretchy boot, to avoid having to take the CV off the shaft, don't use washing up liquid to lubricate the cone.
If memory serves, I used a latex friendly product from the chemist, when I was using cones. Be careful to clean it all off before filling with grease. The instructions say turn the boot inside out, if using a cone. In practice this will happen automatically.
I believe the problem with boots that split prematurely is that they were not correctly sized to begin with. If you leave either end stretched when finished it will inevitably split as soon as it begins to perish and harden. If it's fully relaxed, however, in my experience it will last as long as OE!
Hope that helps