For what it's worth, I've just gone through this myself. We have a couple driveline places in town that do axle rebuilds, driveshaft balancing, flywheel resurfacing, and a lot of other services including semi truck stuff. I just had my axles rebuilt with new boots for $80 each. Worth looking into at least.

 

i have a question. are both inner as well as outer boot kits needed as replacement(s) for a torn boot? i will do both sides in front.

TIA

 

Its worth a try to clean and grease but if dry they are usually shot especially if boot is really torn= pick up gravel/dirt etc.

 

exactly, why i wouldn't try to salvage a 30$ part. i'm just trying to get some input as to whether or not ( a) this is quite probably my issue, and (b) whether or not merely replacing the outer/inner boots will clear up the issue. it is NOT "yet" at the stage where i believe the actual cv JOINTS to be bad. i think ( again..) torn boot(s) only. sounds like em, and most of us and i'm sure you, ..know that sound.

 

Usually, the outer boot goes (on the front) because it has to swivel a lot with all the turning. The inner boot just goes around and there are few forces at play that cause it to rip. I would only replace the boot that is torn. A boot that is not torn is packed and full of grease and does not need to be messed with.

 

so, a torn boot could then potentially leave some grease residue at/near the undercarriage front wheel? that's what lead me to believe i might have a torn boot, as i thought they were in fact grease packed. also the "rubber" binding/creaking, very lightly barely perceptible cracking sound in the steering column on turning. a first visual shows nothing at all torn, so i'm going with replacing top mounts. i would feel better preemptively switching out the outer cv boots as well.

thx for that info.

 

Check your boots and if torn replace as I have said before if they run long damaged it ruins the joint= picks up dirt and small gravel.

 

Torn boots are really not hard to see. Once they tear, there will be grease spread all over the wheel. It is totally not a mystery when they are split. They are also pretty soft rubber and would not make any noise although once sand got in there, you could definitely have nasty sounds from the sand being ground into the mechanism.

 

yeah, not gotten that far yet. this noise has only just begun, and prelim inspection shows no torn boot, though i haven't gotten inside the top mounts to look that's where all advice leads me to r&r. that and the bearing plate under the top mount. i'm getting there. thanks!

 

Wouldn't it be great if there was a topical cream that could be smeared on the boots to keep them from drying out and splitting? Need to get out my chemistry set... Haha. Inspect the joint once the boot is off, you'll know what to do.

 

yes, will do. thx. now just waiting on parts. anyone wants to know how to ensure something is failing but not with certainty? drive it hard up/down a mountain. come back and listen again. as i wait for ups parts, i am comforted knowing none of this is imagined lol