Hi,

just done my 4 year service at 40000 miles. All OK, including the brake fluid change until I got to the front N/S wheel. When I took the wheel off I got a big blob of grease on my hand and when I had a look, the CV gaiter is in two pieces. At the driveshaft end, the clip is still in place but just after the clip, the boot is split right the way round. It's not a flexible rubber, it's a very stiff plastic type rubber gaiter so I don't think I'll be able to just stretch the gaiter and ty-wrap it back in place.

Has anybody successfully replaced just the gaiter themself or is it a whole driveshaft replacement job that needs to go to a main dealer ?

TTFN

D

Just replace the boot.... you can now get a cone that pushes over the joint and you push a flexy boot over the top without having to take the joint itself off. Can be a bit tight and very messy

Phil

Had this happen on the Fabia, also on the N/S. Dealer replaced mine at £75 including parts. Not sure how they did it though - I always thought you had to pop the joint to get the new one on.

Thanks for the replies. I like the idea of the cone to get the boot on it could save a lot of effort and time.

Is there anything that might catch me out if I decide to go ahead and do it myself. I've replaced driveshafts before and apart from needing a breaking bar to undo the hub nut, the major problems have all been due to access. Are Octavia II's any more difficult than average, e.g. do you need VW special tool XYZ.000.3a and Part Number 0004.0006.125-X to do the job as well as the obvious big socket and replacement gaiter.

Regards,

D

Is there anything that might catch me out if I decide to go ahead and do it myself.

I had a 'stretchy' c/v boot done recently on another car. A local 'spares' place said it was an easy job, but the bloke I often use has an air-line operated 'stretcher'. IIRC the whole thing was circa £45 so wasn't worth the hassle of the disassembly. I did replace a previous Astra boot the conventional way, when I could use a pit in my garage, and found the work/savings/reward ratio to be unfavourable.

BTW definitely worth doing without delay. My previous car had the boot retaining bands fail at the c/v end, spraying grease over the brake pads, discs and inside the wheel. The pads had to be replaced but they'd already 'grooved' the disc so it required replacing soon after. The opposite boot band failed shortly afterwards but I was by then forwarned and caught it in good time.

Edited 28 September, 200916 yr by icarusi@hotmail

It's not as simple a job as it sounds. I know that we all have different skill levels, I think of myself as a reasonably competent home mechanic. I have done timing belts, replaced 'heads and 'head gaskets, clutches, taken engines out etc but I tried to replace a CV boot on my Octavia and ended up having to put it all back together again and take it to the dealer when I couldn't get the drive shaft off the hub. This is the first time in almost thirty years of playing with cars that I have had to admit defeat!

I'm not saying that it can't be done or even that it is difficult, but it's not easy either!

BTW definitely worth doing without delay. My previous car had the boot retaining bands fail at the c/v end, spraying grease over the brake pads, discs and inside the wheel. The pads had to be replaced but they'd already 'grooved' the disc so it required replacing soon after. The opposite boot band failed shortly afterwards but I was by then forwarned and caught it in good time.

It's also worth doing the other side too while you have the tools out. Apart from impact damage, they will wear/age at the same rate so the other side amy only be weeks away.

I had a dealer change mine (also NSF) when it went. I only had one side changed at 74K miles, now on nearly 90K miles and the other side is still fine.

The boot itself is dead cheap, the killer is the labour charge at the dealer.

It's not as simple a job as it sounds. I know that we all have different skill levels, I think of myself as a reasonably competent home mechanic. I have done timing belts, replaced 'heads and 'head gaskets, clutches, taken engines out etc but I tried to replace a CV boot on my Octavia and ended up having to put it all back together again and take it to the dealer when I couldn't get the drive shaft off the hub. This is the first time in almost thirty years of playing with cars that I have had to admit defeat!

I'm not saying that it can't be done or even that it is difficult, but it's not easy either!

Yes, I saw your original post and that's what made me ask questions. I'm going to have a go possibly on Saturday but go the cone and silicone lube route FNARR FNARR:O

D

Hi,

Replaced the boot today. Total time was just short of three hours including a tea break. I think it probably could be done in well under an hour with practice but I'm slow and methodical.

Learning outcomes :-

1) Wear rubber gloves - it's a messy job.

2) Turn the boot inside out and lubricate it well (I suspect that Middlesbrough's ladies of the night could do this better than me)

3) The boot needs a lot of effort to get it over the cone and you need plenty of space to work in.

4) The only tools used were a wheel brace, trolley jack, a tie down strap, Stanley knife, a screwdriver, 16mm socket, 30mm socket, socket wrench, breaker bar and torque wrench.

5) Once the drive shaft is out of the hub, turn the steering wheel to lock, this pulls the hub clear of the drive shaft and gives easier access. I also tied the hub out of place with the tiedown strap to give better access.

6) It's an easier job than expected :-

1) Jack up front of car - I only used the jack at the side I was working at.

2) Remove road wheel.

3) Remove hub cover from wheel, put the wheel back on and lower the car so the wheel is just touching the ground, slacken driveshaft bolt,

4) Raise the car so the wheel is off the ground and remove the wheel and place under car.

5) Undo three nuts holding ball joint to wishbone.

6) Lever wishbone & balljoint apart using the screwdriver.

7) Undo the driveshaft bolt then screw it in a couple of turns and push hard on it and pull on the suspension strut, this pushes the driveshaft out of the hub. Take care that you DO NOT pull the driveshaft out of the gearbox.

8) Remove the driveshaft bolt and push the driveshaft using a screwdriver in the bolt hole while while pulling the hub clear.

9) Turn the steering wheel to lock (I was at the N/S and turned the wheel as if I was steering to the N/S) and tie the hub out of the way with the tiedown strap.

10) Wipe the driveshaft and surrounding areas clean then remove the clips by prising them open with a screwdriver.

11) Cut the old boot off with the stanley knife.

12) Clean excess grease off the joint and the shaft.

13) Get the new boot, turn it inside out, lubricate it with silicone oil, coat the cone with silicone oil and put the boot big end first onto the cone. Put the cone onto the driveshaft then push the boot (HARD) over the cone and the joint. This is fiddly and messy. It also needs a bit of work to get the narow end over the joint housing. If I do it again, I'd probably clean the joint housing better and lubricate it with silicone oil.

14) Turn the boot the right way out and pack the joint with new grease

15) Get your fingers inside the boot and work the big end onto the CV joint. This is the messiest part of the whole job and a bit tricky because the grease gets everywhere and your hands will be slippy. Once in place, wipe excess grease off and fix the boot with a ty-wrap.

16) Push the small end into its correct place on the shat and fix it in place with a Ty-wrap. The small end is easier.

17) Put everything back together and torque it all up. You'll need to fit the roadwheel and have someone stamp on the brake - according to the Octavia I manual I have, the bearings could be damaged if they are allowed to take the car load when they are not tightened. Before fitting the road wheel, wipe all the excess grease off the boot, the subframe, your face and any other parts of your anatomy.

The torque wrench settings :-

Ball Joint to Subframe :- 20Nm (15 ft lb) then tighten by 90 degrees.

Driveshaft Bolt: Tighten to 225Nm (166 ft lb) then slacken by 1/2 turn, rotate the wheel at least 90 degrees then tighten again to 50Nm (37 ft lb) then tighten by another 60 degrees. (with a 5 hole wheel, nuts are at 72 degree angle so this will be a useful guide).

I don't have an official Octavia II manual so if anybody can correct the torque method above, I'd appreciate it.

D

Great guide - still not sure if I'd be confident enough to have a go at this myself, but this would certainly help a lot. One thing though - aren't driveshaft bolts "stretch bolts" i.e. single use?

Great guide - still not sure if I'd be confident enough to have a go at this myself, but this would certainly help a lot. One thing though - aren't driveshaft bolts "stretch bolts" i.e. single use?

I'll let you know when the wheel falls off

Seriously though, I don't know. I have a manual for the Octavia I (which I bought on line thinking it was for the Octavia II) and it does say "replace after each disassembly" but that's for the '12 point nut'. The bolt is pretty substantial so I'm not too worried about it breaking or stripping, I am more worried about the torque and bearing preload being wrong :thumbdwn:

Regards,

D