KVA drive axle CV boot Leak

[John]

Guys,

I have a KVA GT 40 which has drive axles to the transaxle. One end of the axle has U-joints (wheel side) while the transaxle side uses CV-joints. The rubber boot on the transaxle (Porche 930 ) side is leaking. Where do I find replacement CV boots and does the drive axle need to be removed to replace the boot?

John

[Mark Worthington]

I believe CV boots are fairly similar in size. I'd take it to an auto parts store and see what they can match up for you. And, yes, at least one end of the half shaft must be removed in order to replace the boot.

[CliffBeer]

The cheapest place online to find that CV boot kit is www.autohausaz.com. Look up under 1979 porsche 911 turbo - will be about $20.00 per boot I believe.

There are CV boot kits that can be installed without removing the drive axle. Frankly, these kits are frowned upon because they typically aren't that much easier to install and tend to have a shorter service life.

[John]

Thanks Mark and CliffBeer:

Is this the boot you're referring to? See link below. P/N 90133229312

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pro...2284@CV%20Boot

What kind of service life can I expect and what kind of lubricant do I need to pack the joint? Also, is there a special tool needed to clamp the metal ring around the boot

As the price is only $4.95, is this a qaulity boot that will last a long time?

Thanks for your help!

John

[CliffBeer]

Hi John,

Yep, that's the boot. There's usually a boot kit available as well as just the boot - the kit will include (in addition to the boot itself) the metal bands used to seal the boot at both ends, and, some grease to repack the CV joint. If you can't find the full kit, then some tie wraps work OK and you can use wheel bearing grease from any NAPA or Schucks or similar auto parts store. The best wheel bearing grease to use is the molybdenum - it's usually black in color.

The axles aren't hard to remove provided the CV bolts aren't corroded. Here's a few tips:

1. Use the correct socket for the CV bolts - it may be an internal hex, or, a 12 point star or something similar. The CV bolts are torqued to about 60 ft/lbs so they take some effort to remove.
2. Don't reuse the CV bolts. These bolts are special hardened bolts and you should use new ones anytime the CV joint is removed. Most any good fastener supply place will have the right bolts - ask for metric hardened bolts and take one of the bolts into the fastener supply store for comparison purposes.
3. Work slowly and carefully.
4. Repack the CV joint. First step is to remove the old grease which is a very dirty job. My reco is to let them sit overnight in engine degreaser in a deep pan. You'll end up using a ton of paper towels in this step. When repacking the grease, work it into the CV joint with your hands - don't be afraid to get your hands totally covered with grease.
5. Install is the reverse of removal.

Service life is highly variable. Basically, just check the boots once in a while. If you see that a boot has split then it's time to replace.

Hope the above helps!

[Ian Anderson]

Dont forget to retorque the bolts to correct specification. and I was recommended to use locktite on the threads too - they an work loose as I found out the hard way 1

Ian