1998 Ford Explorer CV axle boot replacement. | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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1998 Ford Explorer CV axle boot replacement.

Istvan

New Member
Joined
February 13, 2009
Messages
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City, State
Waterloo Ontario Canada
Year, Model & Trim Level
'98 XLT
I have a 1998 Ford Explorer my question is, the rubber boot over the drivers side CV joint has a small crack in the seam which is leaking out grease.Can I
change just the rubber boot,or do I have to change the whole front axle assembly?
 



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thanks bud you have been a great help
 






1998 Ford Explorer

Is it a big job to change the CV boot on the front axle assembly.Maybe some one out there can give me a step by step illustration on how it is done.
Pictures would be great. Thanks!!
 






Please keep everything in one thread. I've merged both threads together, renamed the thread, and moved it to the stock 95-01 section. There are 2 ways to do this job. One way is to pull the axle out of the hub, slide the boot off, regrease it, then install the new boot. The second way is to get a split boot that doesn't require any disassembly. Check WWW.RockAuto.Com.
 






You can replace just the boot, but if my memory serves, the boot is the last thing to come off and the first thing to go on when you have to disassemble the entire assembly... for all that effort, IMHO, it's easier to pay $70 for a re-manned halfshaft from AutoZone and swap the whole thing it. I guess it just boils down to how much time and effort you want to put into it.
 






I wouldn't waste my time even picking up a split boot. I have yet to see one of those hold for any length of time.
 






getting a new shaft at autozone for $70 would be good, if he had them stores and them prices,, but he doesn't,, Canadian is the reason,,

you will have to go look at canadian tire or whatever big parts store there is nearby, and get a price on a boot and a whole axle,, the axle is a bit of a job to take out,,

but here is a link to the story

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187964
 






Bad CV joint or bad shock?

Hey guys, i have a question concerning a noise i had while driving.
My X has 113,000 miles on it now with original parts. The noise is coming from front driver side wheel.
Anyway, the noise is a bumping one i heard while driving about 20 mph. As i pulled into a parking lot, i felt this bumping underneath my feet. A light bumping, (it wasn't the wheel hitting the top of the fender well). I drove straight down the isle, and i could feel every little bump. There was a squeaking noise too.
Now i know with a bad CV joint there is a loud clunking noise. It wasn't anything like that.
Well, i parked the car, and took out a tape measure and measured the shock's compression while sitting still. They were relatively close, i think it was off by about 1/2 inch or so. With the front left shock being 1/2 inch more compressed then the front right.
Now that i have told you my trucks symptoms, what do yall think it is? Keep in mind, i have 113,000 miles on it. I pray its just the shocks!!!
Thanks for any advice in advance!
 






It is very difficult to diagnose a vehicle "remotely". Sometimes, you really just need to be there. That said, yes it could be your shocks. It could also be the cv axle going bad, and starting to bind and then release. Here's a couple other thoughts to really confuse you:
1.)Check your driveshaft slip yokes and regrease them. Also could lead to a "pop"

2.)Check your motor/trans mounts. You didn't specify if it occured on accel, on deccel, steady speed,etc...

3.)Here's one I bet everybody forgets about. There are 3 bushings connecting your front diff housing to the chassis. Check them. Really check them. Get under there with a good strong pry bar and try to move the diff housing around and watch the rubber carefully.(w/it jacked up and the weight off the diff housing-jack stands under the little "protrusions" on the lower control arms) They are dealer only as far as I know.

4.)Of course, don't forget the possibility of worn ball joints and/or control arm mounts.

5.)The squeak may also be a clue. Check your sway bar end links. If one or both are worn or missing, it oculd cause a squeak as the suspension travels.

6.)A final possibility is the insulator pad on the torsion bar, as other have discussed somewhere on the board (try a search, maybe in the "lowering" section)

Also keep in mind, it could be more than one thing, so investigate carefully, and hopefully only have to fix it,and buy parts, once.
 






I would definetly replace the whole thing, if you do a fix like that then you are only asking for more problems out of it. I bet it wouldn't even last that long. Do the job once and forget about it. Quality!!!! lol
 






Alright... thanks Carguy!!!
Just to clear some stuff up...
The noise doesn't happen while accelerating or decelerating. Though when i'm driving at a low rate of speed in a straight line, or turning i do feel a little bit of bumping under my feet.
I think the vertical camber(if thats what you call it?) might be off some because both wheels are titled inwards slightly. Would that cause any premature wear on anything? I've been meaning to get the thing aligned but school has been hell the past few weeks.
Thanks in advance!!
 






Alright... thanks Carguy!!!
Just to clear some stuff up...
The noise doesn't happen while accelerating or decelerating. Though when i'm driving at a low rate of speed in a straight line, or turning i do feel a little bit of bumping under my feet.
I think the vertical camber(if thats what you call it?) might be off some because both wheels are titled inwards slightly. Would that cause any premature wear on anything? I've been meaning to get the thing aligned but school has been hell the past few weeks.
Thanks in advance!!

Carguys suggestion about the stabilizer bar is what I would check first. Check the tall links on the lower control arms, they are known to fracture.
 






Alright... thanks Carguy!!!
Just to clear some stuff up...
The noise doesn't happen while accelerating or decelerating. Though when i'm driving at a low rate of speed in a straight line, or turning i do feel a little bit of bumping under my feet.
I think the vertical camber(if thats what you call it?) might be off some because both wheels are titled inwards slightly. Would that cause any premature wear on anything? I've been meaning to get the thing aligned but school has been hell the past few weeks.
Thanks in advance!!

That would cause some major wear on the tires, and quick!

It could also be a wheel bearing. Jack the tire up and try to shake it. If it shakes its a wheel bearing. I had the same problem as you, a bump one in a while, then squeak once in awhile then it got worse and worse, so bad it was embarrasing to be seen in the Explorer! lol.
 






Yea, i'll check the stabalizer bar then jack it up and check if its the wheel bearing. I read somewhere on here earlier that it can still be the wheel bearing and not shake. But first things first. Its spring break for me so i have plenty of time.
Thanks for the help guys and enjoy your weekend!!
 






Alright, so i checked the stabalizer bar. And it was solid. No movement in it.
Then i jacked up the front end, and tried shaking the wheel. There was no play in it either.
Also, i haven't noticed the popping noise lately. Its just been riding really rough, and i can feel every little imperfection in the road.
My verdict is a bad shock, with CV joints on the way to being bad.
I'm taking it to a shop and having them take a look at it just to be safe.
Also, i plan to get some Rancho rs5000 shocks. Read some reviews about them and they seem to be the perfect shock for me.
Thanks for all the help!
 






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