Re: 5KCSTQ front CV or driveshaft

[steveb@newkla.kla.com]

Hello Paul!

Do you know that the CV joint has failed?  If the boot cracked recently it 
is not necessarily true that you need to rebuild the driveshaft ... simply 
replace the boot.  The outer CV boots on the front wheels are the ones that 
are the most prone to failure as they are the ones that put up with the most 
angular difference.  If you know that the boots went recently I'd recommend 
that you go out and get some replacement boots and install them.  I think a 
rebuild kit is available from Lobro for less than US$30.  The kit includes 
the boot and clamp, a tube of CV joint grease and I'm pretty sure that it 
even includes a replacement axle nut.

Whenever I've done the boot myself I've pulled the half shaft, but I've heard 
others talk about popping the lower suspension loose to allow access to the 
outer CV.  I'm going to keep doing it the way I always have, which means that 
I need to replace the seal for the inner CV joint as well (goes between the 
inner CV and the drive flange on the tranny).  I'm pretty sure that you are 
right about the size of the axle nut ... I have an appropriately sized 6-
point impact socket that I use.  I've seen different heads on the capnuts on 
the inner CV ... the 8mm triple-square is one, but I've also seen 6mm hex 
keys and even some larger triple square bits ...

HTH!
Steve Buchholz
s_buchho@kla.com
San Jose, CA (USA)