CV Boots, Non Genuine are Crap

[Reddo]

Has been covered before I know, but just in case you're in the same situation, here's some feedback.

NJ Paj split an inner CV boot. Went to bitsamissin to get new one. They first offered me a chair to sit on. Nice service I thought, no they said, it's an OH&S issue, we don't want hurt when you hear the price.

So....after confirming they had not sold a genuine one in 10 years, I was conviced to buy the Diamond brand Bistsa-backed after market CV at around one tenth of the genuine boot price.

Well 6 months later and not many K's, the Diamond part has disintegrated - passenger inner side, leaving a gaping hole.

I recall many previous posts advising against buying non-genuine CV boots, and they were right .

Up-side is that I've wasted only 25 dollars or so. Down side is the cost of the Mitsu boot(s) and the time it takes to fit the bloody things.

Recommendation - shell out for the genuine CV boot - unless you're selling the car soon.

Anyone know of any other options or had the same experience??

[klrevo]

i think theres a few posts here by me concerning cv boots, and im not sure what it is, i ended up dropping mine a bit to reduce the wear on boots and also adding manual hubs, yet i still do them. iv got another one at the moment, admittadly its on the new shaft i bought from thw reckers when i did a cv. its always the inner boots, and iv got it down toabout 40 mins to change a boot now, from wheel off to wheel on. i think iv done about 6 in a yr and iv gotta do another very soon. iv used

-nok
-repco
-replacement from local cv specialist

and the best seem to be the ones i get from the local cv and driveshaft guy. he supplies me the boot, clips and heaps of grease for $15. too easy, theyre way better than the repco and nok brands, i found they were absolute shizen hausen, and will always use these boots he supplies. the repco and nok brands are about $26.99-$29.99.

thats my experience

dean.

[Reddo]

thanks

yeah the problem started when the suspension was lifted to the max. Have dropped it now to near standard and have given up trying to make the Paj go places it don't want to go. Too many crash-bang noises from under the front-end not to mention the sill damage. Also can't afford a mortgage to buy the spares should anything serious bust under there.......

Will try the local CV shop and see how we go.

[klrevo]

yeh reddo,

my problems started the same when i lifted it, like iv said iv dropped it since the first time iv lifted it, this is really the only one iv done since and its the one i bought from the wreckers and it probably sat around for a while, i guess you could spray them with silcone spray to perhaps extend the life, im not sure?

dean

[Noisey]

Try bearing joints aswell - they seem to stock more than you would expect.

My last lot cost me under $10 bucks each and have been on the car for nearly 2 years now - they have even been taken off broken CV's and put onto replacement units.

CBC (consolidated bearing company) has served me very well in the past from bearings to boots and seals.

Things like the rubber on CV joints tend to hold a memory - they do not like running on a certain angle for years and then have that angle changed by a lift or suddenly being used off road.

[klrevo]

yeh im with blair,

they do hold a memory and as soon as you lift them or flex them up offroad they tear no worries,

i remember blair also saying he had CBC supply him with boots down in melbourne, i tried a couple of local bearing supplies up here on the coast and none of which could supply them . but i now get them from local cv/driveshaft guy and im happy with them for sure, just was checking them earlier and the ones i get from him still look like theyre new, probably 6 months old, but are probably use to the lift and they seem to hold up real well, and theyre $15

dean

[Reddo]

Will give the CV man a go and if that fails, I'll save up for a couple of years and go see the Mitsu Man.

The last one to fail was installed after the lift, and may have failed when the lift was then reduced (cause the handling was scary and the suspension was hitting bump stops real hard) although it seems a bit pathetic if this is what happened.

Never mind, the car has not given any other probs in 8 years, cept a cracked manifold, idler pulleys and yeah, it eats rear brake pads.

Very good car, need to get rid of it, but seems like the wrong thing to do ATM as the re-sale value has crashed lately.

[Glennb]

have had an after market cv boot on my car for about 18mths now with no problems (touch wood) with wound torsion bars about 2"