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1977 Eldorado outside axle boot

Started by Rockne Smith, February 22, 2020, 04:36:52 PM

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Rockne Smith

My 1977 Eldorado driver side outside axle boot is shot.  Car has 45k miles and all other boots LOOK good.  Car only gets driven 600-800 miles per year, only in dry weather, and CV joint still LOOKS lubricated, with no noise/vibration.  I've heard bad things about the after markets boots.  Looking for recommendations on appropriate fix(s) and opinions on what to expect if I continue to occasionally drive it as is.  Picture attached.   

The Tassie Devil(le)

G'day Rockne,

Continuing to drive it with such a destroyed boot will result in road grime getting in the grease, and eventually destroying the internal machined surfaces, and making more of a mess than it and the surrounding areas are right now.

You could install an aftermarket bolt-on boot, which is what I did in 2008 when I picked up my own '72 Eldo, and that lasted at least 5,000 miles before I got home, and replaced it with the correct boot.   I am not sure how long mine had been split, but I didn't have the time to replace it before heading off to Cherry Hill for the GN.   BUT, when I got home, I found that the replacement quick-fix boot had worn a hole in it, where one of the bolting "Lugs" wore away whilst turning.
It is called a Speedi-boot  https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=12359&cc=1025862&jsn=391

I have tried getting the correct replacement boot, but even Rock Auto is out of Stock, and I found one in the Netherlands which I will be receiving next month.

Looking at your "mess", I would think that some damage may have already been done.

When I stripped mine down, I found that there was wear in the sockets, and the ball cage had a crack in it.

I had to repair it with parts from another axle as no chance of getting replacement axles down here, at a reasonable price.

Pictured is what they look like inside, and mine wasn't badly split, but still leaked out life-saving grease.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

bcroe

Seems like they did not know how to make good boots in the 70s. Here
finally had one of the 8 boots fail on the Honda CRV, after 2 decades and
at 450,000 miles.    Bruce Roe

Glen

The proper repair for these is to remove the axle and disassemble the CV joint cleaning every speck of dirt out.  Then reassemble the joint packed with the grease supplied with the boot. 

You may want to replace the axle instead of cleaning the existing one.  Only the left axle is available as the right axle with the damper in it has not been made for many years.  But the good news is the left axle fits the right side too.  The damper has been known to break.

Rock Auto has some boots and the axle in stock
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

bcroe

Quote from: Glen on February 23, 2020, 01:59:30 AM
The proper repair for these is to remove the axle and disassemble the CV joint cleaning every speck of dirt out.  Then reassemble the joint packed with the grease supplied with the boot. 

You may want to replace the axle instead of cleaning the existing one.  Only the left axle is available as the right axle with the damper in it has not been made for many years.  But the good news is the left axle fits the right side too.  The damper has been known to break.

Rock Auto has some boots and the axle in stock.

Yes just buying a rebuilt is so much more convenient.  There might be 4
(left side) half shafts here awaiting me to reboot, did one in the 80s. 
Bruce Roe