Hi Guys, Just noticed both outer CV boots on the car are leaking, Not ripped just where the metal clips have been rubbing over the years and starting to wear away a very small hole on both of them..Phoned an independent garage and was quoted £160 for both,,decided to try local VW/Skoda dealer to compare, And was quoted £350, for 2 rubber boots, I know it's the labour charge that's the killer but that is ridiculous !!!   Anyway a mate from work say he can do them both for £50 so no need to ask where im gonna get them done... 

best to get the cv boot kits from the main dealer, cost around  £25 each.

 

takes an hour or so to do per side, driveshaft needs to come off to do it right though.

dirty filthy job 

 I paid around £40 labour per side last year from an independent garage as the skoda garage wanted £150 including parts.

 

just make sure your mate has the proper vw tool for torque up the cv boot bands as the main dealer kit boots are made of plastic and need to torqued up really tight over wise they keep on slipping off. 

I think he's going to use the expandable CV boots, Slip them over a cone or compressed air type jobbies so no need to remove the CV joint.

takes an hour or so to do per side, driveshaft needs to come off to do it right though.

dirty filthy job 

 

Unless you're using those awful DIY "stretchy" boots. Then its an hour of cussing just to get the boot over the cone.

 

I think he's going to use the expandable CV boots, Slip them over a cone or compressed air type jobbies so no need to remove the CV joint.

 

I really recommend you take the driveshaft off for the sake of a spline bit and maybe a new gasket seal (if its like the Fabia). I did it on the car the other night and it was a pita, just not poor access angles, but also putting pressure on the driveshaft which could inadvertantly damage the inner joint (have some wire,webbing belt or similar to hand to support the driveshaft if you do leave it on the car). If there's a next time, it'll be driveshaft off.

 

It must be so much easier to get the boot on in a vice and even more-so to tap off the outer joint and slide a decent, non-stretch boot on. Cone only just fit behind the hub at an awkward angle and the first attempt of moving the cone to the shaft resulted in boot jumping off. The boot requires a lot of pressure to get it down and off the cone which ends up being transferred to the inner joint. The air tool probably wouldn't have that issue but I doubt it would fit behind the hub, the one I've seen is huge. Also easier to clamp and trim boots on vice. The mess was my least worry, I didn't mind that, but did get through a entire roll of kitchen towel as needed fresh friction surfaces to push the boot down the cone (grease gets everywhere) plus clean-up.

 

On the Fabia you also need to remove the lower suspension arm/wishbone from the lower balljoint, no matter which method. This means new lock plates and bolts. I found Febi lockplates on Amazon, but could only find bolts from dealer (used SkodaParts). And also a new hubnut as not reusable, which also requires the correct size thin wall socket. So worth checking that before you have the driveshaft off the car!  

 

If you go the stretch boot method, buy a decent kit not the cheapest, if you want your friendship to last. I hated the kit I had, bought a spare just-in-case and fighting with the boot over cone, first boot ended up splitting. The enclosed cone lube was just cv grease, which worked okay until the narrow bit of the boot gets stuck and won't budge either way (usually it just flies back up the cone). The better kits come with silicone to lubricate cone, ended up using motor oil to lubricate it and cleaning boot once it was on driveshaft (tried washing up liquid, also fail). The very brief instructions with my kit were next to useless as were the steel clips. I'm replacing those asap with either heavy duty clips or laser steel bands (probably the latter). You need a special tool for either type, I found pincers and needlenose pliers weren't effective, proper tool made it happen.

 

I've had the job done at garage once, but too long ago to remember cost. I was going to do it myself but it went in for something else, clutch I think, so got it all done at same time. The  boot I just replaced was 12mo and had done maybe 6000 miles, it was severely torn along two ribs. Garage replaced whole driveshaft last year, so wasn't much impressed at having to replace it so soon or that the smaller end had no clip but a free-spinning cable-tie pretending to hold it in place. So its good to have someone you trust doing it and you can clean the area properly too.

I think he's going to use the expandable CV boots, Slip them over a cone or compressed air type jobbies so no need to remove the CV joint.

you'll regret it, they dont last.

most cv boots will eventually tear at some point, but i find the vw ones last the longest.

be interesting to know if anyone has used a non vw cv boot that they'd recommend, and how long did it last ?

 Gonna try the local indi' garage again tomorrow and check to see whet CV boots he was going to use,, Ask how much with genuine VW parts..Thanks for the replies guys, was going to attempt it myself but i think it may be a bit complicated for me to have ago at..

some very good advice being offered in the above posts as cheapest is not always the best, if you are looking for a good independent in the north east I can recommend 

 

http://volksentre.co.uk/services.htm

 

they certainty know their stuff around VAG cars and offer warranty on all their work

you'll regret it, they dont last.

most cv boots will eventually tear at some point, but i find the vw ones last the longest.

be interesting to know if anyone has used a non vw cv boot that they'd recommend, and how long did it last ?

I'm sorry you are wrong on the slip over ones not lasting. they are not made of rubber like normal one's, they are made from neoprene. i sold them for years and never had one come back or a warranty claim. The ones to stay away from are the split boots that you glue together.