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My brakes have been making a moan sometimes squeak, every now and then. Idk if it only happens when I leave it outside or when they get wet but I got under there today to check the brakes. They look fine. Then I saw this! Is that the cv boot? Can I replace it myself?
Is it leaking out of a crack in the boot, or out of the end of the boot? If it is the end, you can remove the bad boot clamp, refill with grease using a needle on a grease gun you insert into a gap between the boot and the axle, and install a new clamp. I did this for my ES about 5000 mi ago and so far so good.
A risk I’m willing to take. I know some people fear aftermarket parts but I’m a self proclaimed “shade tree mechanic”, I’m not a pro by any means and I usually deal with fords and chevys and I’ve rarely had a problem with an aftermarket part. Anytime I did, it was always covers by warranty. This particular OEM parts is going for $400-$600. Oreily and Autozone has the same part that “meets or exceeds oem quality” and that’s fine with me. If it fails prematurely, I’ll be taking advantage of their warranty. Also, I was never comfortable working on suspension so I looked around and found a mechanic to do the job for $140 and the part will run me $80.
Don't forget the trany seal. I put a Cardone CV shaft on pass side. About $65 on Amazon, plus 12 bucks for the seal. As long as carrier bearing is not rusted, it should be a relatively easy job - the retaining clip can get tricky but we can walk you through it. You be right to replace the shaft after that many miles.
Tranny seal? I’m assuming this goes on the trans where the axle slides in through? I think I found it at oreily for a similar price. Thank you for your input.
Yes, that one. NAPA # 16194. The seal had no flange (the OEM does), so care must be taken not to press the seal into the tranny. I actually had my wife help me with this. Using the end of a wooden broom handle she gently tapped at one end as I guided the other end around the seal until it was flush with the opening in the tranny. I used a hose removal tool to remove the OEM seal; look up Ares #70078 on Amazon. Also, some ATF might leak out; so, have a pan under the tranny. I lifted the pass side about 2 inches higher than the driver side and no ATF spilled out.
CV Boot?
