Torn CV boot

Just got home from the dealership having an alignment done on my 2019. I installed a 2in level kit on Saturday and pressurewashed under my truck yesterday. No grease was present. When the tech brought the truck back around the service writer said I had a leaking cv boot. And that they would order the parts it would be covered under warranty I said ok. About 5 minutes later he came back and said since the truck had been leveled they couldn't cover it under warranty that it would be customer pay. It appears to me it was punctured with a flathead screwdriver but there's no way I can prove it was done at the dealership. Any insight on how hard of a job this is gonna be?

 

The boot has got to go over the end of the shaft so you will need the big axle nut socket to remove the axle nut. The wheel comes off, the brake caliper comes off, the hub comes off. Check youtube! Btw, if you pull the cv axle out of the diff splines, it will go back in easier if you engage 4x4 to hold the female spline in place.

 

Last year I removed my passenger side cv axle for same issue. I bought a replacement boot kit and ended up taking the CV axle and replacement boot kit to the dealer and had the dealer install the new boots and grease for me. They charged me $100-$150 to do that. I then reinstalled the axle myself. Depending on how mechanically inclined you are it's not an impossible job but it's does require some special tools and an heavy pack gun. I doubt I'd tackle that job again myself. It's a lot of work for a shade tree mechanic. You have to drain front diff oil and should replace CV axle seal too. I had some issues getting the axle to separate from the knuckle and some issues both removing and install the axle back into the differential.

Edit: The boot kit I purchased was a Toyota genuine kit. Not an aftermarket one.

 

Take them a copy of this and it will most likely change their tune quickly. They can’t deny a claim just because of a mod. They must PROVE the mod caused the problem.


https://m7tuning.com/pdf/techinfo/MAGNUSON-MOSS ACT_LAW.pdf

Also, ask for the service manager and ask why it looks like a screwdriver did the damage. No way a 2019 should have a failed boot.

 

Not hard at all. Just messy AF. You have to remove all that potentially contaminated grease.

 

The trick is finding one. I ordered 3 cv's from 3 different places and not one of them ever shipped and I was never offered an explanation, just a refund. Waisted a week hunting for a cv. The boot kit I bought was actually in stock so I decided to go that route.

 

I'd definitely check this out before doing anything.

 

I completely agree. Its a huge pain these days trying to get anything ordered...

 

Must be a pretty nifty thermos.......

 

If you search around, you'll find a common theme: level kit or lift kit installed, CV boots start leaking.

It happened to me with my 4runner.

As others have said, you could pull it, clean it, repack it, and reboot it.

Seemed far easier to just replace it and have a spare sitting around that you could clean and repack someday if you could bored? That's the route I took. Was a learning experience by far. But I did it.

(I never did repack the old CV.)

 

As a temporary fix you can put some rtv on the hole and it will keep you rolling for a bit. Just lightly clean the grease from outside only with braklean and apply a good dab of rtv, let it dry completely before driving.

Edit: It may help it stay on longer if you run a bead of rtv all the way around the circumference of the boot in the groove that is split.

 

Another thing, if you repack with too much grease, the centrifugal force will apply too much force to the boot and tear it open. It is not designed to hold a pound of grease in motion at high rpms.

 

clean off the grease, do nothing, check it again in a few months.

 

Thank you all for the responses. I cleaned everything off today before work and was hoping that maybe they put grease on it trying to get some extra work but it slung out again on the drive to work. I haven't found the tear or puncture yet. I've read some about the boot mod and see people running hose clamps on it. Though I may try that before pulling and replacing. Either that or try another stealership.

 

CV boot pliers and give it a little tighten squeeze.

 

Boot has a leak, no boot mod or hose clamp will fix it. Looks like whatever hit the clamp made it pinch through the boot, not a warranty item for Toyota because there is damage causing the leak, and the level kit. Almost no chance the dealership did that during alignment. If you let it run out of grease, it will ruin the cv joint. Aftermarket axles are junk, new Toyota is $400, so best to re-boot what you have. Check with local shops before diy, only cost $15 per boot to replace at my local shop, still have to remove and take it there though.

 

Not true. Not all aftermarket axles are junk.

 

Case in point...

RCV Performance - Ultimate CV Axles

 

a highly regarded option here in CO........
Ask for Jeff........
https://www.cvjreman.com/

 

Lol. I have RCV’s, had to be fully rebuilt less than 8k miles. My experience and few of my friends left me concluding they are less reliable than stock on a Tundra, so…

 

My dealership replaced CV boot on my 2019 under warranry after installing lift kit...

 

I've got an extended warranty I bought through my credit union and it covers my truck with a lift kit and up to 35" tires installed.

 

The TRD Pro is lifted 2” up front, so I don’t understand how they can say a 2” leveling kit voids the warranty. Unless they’re saying the install may have somehow been the cause of the boot damage? Or maybe the level kit itself is causing some kind of overextension?

 

They never said it caused it, just that they couldn't warrant it because it had been done.

 

This is why i have black rtv in my truck toolbox. Ive never used it on a cv axle, but it might work in the location pictured just fine. Worst case youre out $6.

 

Assholes

 

if stock spec axles fail, there's proooobably something else going on that's causing it to fail.

Look into what's causing them to fail and fix that. Generally a 2in lift doesn't cause premature cv boot problems. There's something missing to this story.

 

I could be wrong but I think the alignment tech poked a hoke in it. Kinda hard to prove one way or the other. OP could have also hit something on the road on his way to the shop. Spilled milk now!