CV boot replacement on rear axles

[JBaker4981]

Great write-up and great collection of other downloads on that club site too. Nice!

I looked at the article on TN-dmc and it's way better than the one I wrote!

Thanks guys! I take zero credit for any of the documents (asides my LED conversion PDF) on our website. It's simply part of my horde of documents that I have collected from here, DMC Today, and the DML for the last 20 years.

Distribution and a common place for DeLorean information was my goal and it sounds like it is being used

[MrChocky]

Thanks guys! I take zero credit for any of the documents (asides my LED conversion PDF) on our website. It's simply part of my horde of documents that I have collected from here, DMC Today, and the DML for the last 20 years.

Distribution and a common place for DeLorean information was my goal and it sounds like it is being used

He who has the horde, controls the gold? I dunno. But here's the guide I used:

https://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?1...-the-CV-Joints

See the linked PDF. All the vendors sell kits of course.

[Jonathan]

I seem to have pretty much everything that I need now for the CV boot replacement job.

A question though about the clamps... the ones I have are the metal ones with the unique clamping portion that seem to need a special pair of pliers to pinch them together properly. Can these clamps be used correctly with just a regular pair of pliers?

Or can I use zip ties instead? And if I go with zip ties, do those zip ties need to be special ones with higher strength or temperature resilience?

Thanks.

[David T]

You should use the special tool but most mechanics will use whatever they have, usually a large pair of dykes (cutting pliers) being careful to squeeze the clamp and not cut it or the rubber boot. Avoid plastic zip ties, they do not tighten enough unless you use the metal ones.

[JBaker4981]

I seem to have pretty much everything that I need now for the CV boot replacement job.

A question though about the clamps... the ones I have are the metal ones with the unique clamping portion that seem to need a special pair of pliers to pinch them together properly. Can these clamps be used correctly with just a regular pair of pliers?

Or can I use zip ties instead? And if I go with zip ties, do those zip ties need to be special ones with higher strength or temperature resilience?

Thanks.

Don't let the metal clamps discourage you as there are multiple different types. Instead of buying another tool, I took my rebuilt axles to a good ole' boy mechanic shop and paid them $20 to crimp the clamps.

[Jonathan]

Don't let the metal clamps discourage you as there are multiple different types. Instead of buying another tool, I took my rebuilt axles to a good ole' boy mechanic shop and paid them $20 to crimp the clamps.

That's a good idea. It's going to go back into the car as a complete assembly so no harm in taking it somewhere for those clamps if need be.

So far so good on the removal. I think after this is done I may write-up a small prequel section to the guide that talks about how to get them out of your car.

I have the inside half loose and braced snug right where it is using some bungee cords and one bolt back in loose. I am going to wait until tomorrow to tackle the wheel side bolts as the same force used to get the inside bolts loose just doesn't seem to be enough. It's also not the same motion or using the same arm, so it doesn't feel comfortable and I'm not eager to bonk my elbow against the floor or my hand into a suspension component. I have an impact wrench I'll use to free them up.

It's going pretty well overall, but God do I ever struggle with people and neighbours and an audience. Not saying anyone is about to do something sinister, but after all these years with this car, it is hard to let your guard down and stop being so hypervigilant trying to spot the next guy that's going to do or say something idiotic. And not being able to let your guard down is pretty much equivalent to not being able to relax and life has become some kind of an exhausting existence because of that. Just need a chance to take a break somewhere that feels safe and comfortable.

[Bitsyncmaster]

You can probably buy the clamp pliers pretty cheap on Ebay.

[Jonathan]

Making progress. I have the passenger side axle out of the car and in a vice on the workbench. I cut the old clamps off and slid up the boot. I then popped the cover off the end, removed the snap ring (carefully with snap ring pliers) and then slid off the joint intact. Then slid off the old boot. I am cleaning things up, so far just with paper towel, but had a question on cleaning the joint up:

The How-To mentions cleaning it by either soaking the entire intact joint in a bucket of degreaser OR taking it part and cleaning each component one at a time and then reassembling it.

Is one of these methods preferred? It sure seems that if I did all this work to get things out of the car and apart, it would be silly to do it half-assed in some way and not clean it well and get all that old grease out. I had my boots and flanges + seals replaced in around 2011 and I can see now that the shop only added more new grease, but didn't take the joints all apart and clean them. So I have a mix of old and new grease in there.

I don't mind this work to be honest, mostly because I can do it on the workbench with the garage door closed and not under the car all uncomfortable with it hard to see what you're doing.

[MrChocky]

Making progress. I have the passenger side axle out of the car and in a vice on the workbench. I cut the old clamps off and slid up the boot. I then popped the cover off the end, removed the snap ring (carefully with snap ring pliers) and then slid off the joint intact. Then slid off the old boot. I am cleaning things up, so far just with paper towel, but had a question on cleaning the joint up:

The How-To mentions cleaning it by either soaking the entire intact joint in a bucket of degreaser OR taking it part and cleaning each component one at a time and then reassembling it.

Is one of these methods preferred? It sure seems that if I did all this work to get things out of the car and apart, it would be silly to do it half-assed in some way and not clean it well and get all that old grease out. I had my boots and flanges + seals replaced in around 2011 and I can see now that the shop only added more new grease, but didn't take the joints all apart and clean them. So I have a mix of old and new grease in there.

I don't mind this work to be honest, mostly because I can do it on the workbench with the garage door closed and not under the car all uncomfortable with it hard to see what you're doing.

Yeah, I've now cleaned most everything, and had the bearings out before I realized there was a choice, so I'm cleaning everything. I got one end reassembled, but it's a real puzzle to
get the bearings in, and I have to give up yesterday after trying a second one.

[David T]

If the joint is not contaminated by dirt or water you can just wipe out as much of the old grease as you can, repack and close it up with the new boot. If it is dirty the best thing to do is disassemble it and clean each part. Don't over-pack the joint with grease, it will just find it's way out and make a mess.