I’m not going to go on about the struggles to free up seized bits of car.. but CV joint boots – my god.. messiest job ever.

Both boots on one side split, grease all over the car, but trying to work on the driveshaft in the garage got grease absolutely bloody everywhere. And the thickest blackest stickiest stuff imaginable. All over me, my garage, my tools, my house.. I had to actually wash up my tools and workbench after I was finished.

It was like that picture of the toddler, the TV and the paint, only in black.

I had to actually wash up my tools and workbench after I was finished.

doesnt everyone after every job…. or is that just me.*

I agree CV boots and front springs on IFS systems are my two most hated jobs…. Id rather weld on a sill ffs…

*by wash i mean wipe the worst of the oil off with a rag so my hands dont go black next time i touch them

I found it quicker and not much more expensive to fit a replacement drive shaft from ECP.

I used half a box of blue gloves (don’t normally bother) and almost a whole roll of the blue paper towels.

Could not get ball joint off swingarm, had to buy angle grinder and new balljoint. Glad I bought the grinder though, very satisfying to use if destructive.

I spent £110 on parts including filters for the service it needs and the new tie rod end that removing didn’t help release the driveshaft, £35 on the grinder, and it still comes in less than what VW would’ve charged me for JUST the service.

When I say wash up, btw, I mean spray everything with muc off and clean.. my workmate will still need hosing down.

You know you can get the split ones that you just glue together, no need to do any mechanicals???

https://www.toolstoday.co.uk/sealey-universal-cvj-boot?gclid=CNywgdDa5csCFUmeGwodgAYK6Q

Yeah, can be a pig of a job especially for £10 worth of rubber boot.

Split ones are a waist of time, if a job is worth doing…

split ones are for getting a car through an mot and flogging it if your names del boy.

they should not be confused with doing a repair.

Ive had mixed dealings with cheap drive shafts , i think if i needed one tomorrow id head to the breakers and get a good condition used one if i was in a hurry- OE shafts seems to last much longer than pattern drive shafts.

I even used the real metal band clamps too. And I’ve gone out specially to get proper new bolts. Only thing I didn’t do was mark the orientation of the cup that the inner tripod rollers sit in on the inner joint, so that I could reassemble it in the exact same orientation. Didn’t read the instructions.