Ok, so my inner CV boot tore on my 03 S on the drivers side tore and threw fluid everywhere. Caught it in time so i didnt ruin my axel. . I had previously done the passenger side about a year ago and it was a PITA, so i decided to do a frame-stop this time and see if I could optimize the process (FYI, the stealership ordered the wrong part the first time. Make sure the box (for inner boot replacement) has 1 boot, 4 clamps, 2 tubes of grease, and 2 circlips (dealer is just as cheap as anywhere else). Oh, and they had no idea as "we don't do CV boot replacements, as usually by the time we get to them the axel is ruined" so they had no idea how to do it, or what was supposed to be in the box. But blah blah blah, I optimized the process a bit. Only used 2 of the 4 clamps, and one thing of grease too because I disassembled the axel from the inside out instead of from the hub -> in as per the Bentley instructions. MUUCH easier. However in hindsight, I didnt need to remove the brake rotor or carrier, or even caliper to do this, I could have just removed that assy from the strut and lower control arm and set it aside.

ALSO, this way, THERE IS NO NEED TO DRAIN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID!

this is NOT a how to, as its just a frame-stop video with timestretch by bassnectar thrown over it. If you don't like the music, hit mute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnygA...yJBsms0EHbCwA=

enjoy!

 

i dont understand why you didnt just take it out of the transmission? i feel like it would have made it a little easier to handle? also when i did it i never took the wheel hub spindle off the strut. i just unbolted the control arm and the steering rack and while it was hanging there just swung it away from the car and popped the axle out. good vid tho and good music i didnt hit mute btw

 

I realized after the fact that I could have taken off just the control arm and removed that whole assembly in tact.

But as for taking it apart in the car.
even though I drained the fluid, in the future you would no longer have to drain the fluid and re-fill it (saves a few $$ and some time)

And assuming you use the correct clamp the first time, It is EXTREEMLY easy to take the axle apart and re-assemble it while it is still in the car.

Further, I didn't have the tool to pull the axle out of the transmission. On the passenger side my bottom bracket tool for my bike just so happened to fit perfectly and not risk damaging the seal. On the drivers side however the gap was a little narrower and I didn't want to risk damaging the seal. Plus as i said, minus the minor clamp mixup, it was incredibly easy.

I did the passenger side a little over a year ago, and removing the outside CV boot was a bear and a half (clamp the shaft in a vice and whack the **** out of it for at least 30 minutes) as it is held on by 2 circle clips that are inside the mechanism and are an even bigger PITA to put it back on.

If I was to do it again, Id say it would be an easy 1 hour job taking it apart in the car. (minus the time to clean up all of the grease slung everywhere)

 

I've just noticed my inner passenger side boot pretty much gone.
Done know how long. Noticed a tear in it when I changed the drive accessory belt about 3 weeks ago. A friend mentioned (Subaru) that he found complete aftermarket axles for a little more then the boot kits.
MINIMania has axles for $575 and boot kits for $71 each. Auto parts warehouse has complete axles for $86 ($408 list). I'm very much OEM, but money is a bit short right now. I'm thinking that 3 weeks of exposure may have introduced too much dirt. Sounds like a bit of a job to go through to replace the boot if the CV joint is contaminated.
The process in the vid doesn't look too bad, but I guess I'm tired of doing all this on a gravel/dirt driveway.
If replacing the whole axle is quicker it gets me off the driveway sooner.

Appreciate any thoughts.

 

OK in looking at the rest of the pages that popped up in response of my search I see that FEQ is a definite no way. Now it's just a matter of the more expensive axle or boot replacement only.

 

great video, where you buy the replacement parts and the parts number? gonna save this for future use

Thanks