Are universal split CV boots THAT bad?
Discussion
Are these universal split boots a bit of a gimmick, or a viable option?
Both my outer ones have split (relatively recently from the look) on a 1989 Sunny N13, and I have found some oem replacements from eBay. Interestingly enough there's a local place that does the universal split ones for the same price and they fit the joint and shaft diameters, or so according to the listing. They seem to sell a ton of these, presumably because it's much less work involved, are they going to be a crappy fit or just turn to dog s
t after a few miles?
It's a budget shed and I won't be doing the joints as they don't click or rumble, it's merely to keep it soldiering on.
Best avoided or what?
Both my outer ones have split (relatively recently from the look) on a 1989 Sunny N13, and I have found some oem replacements from eBay. Interestingly enough there's a local place that does the universal split ones for the same price and they fit the joint and shaft diameters, or so according to the listing. They seem to sell a ton of these, presumably because it's much less work involved, are they going to be a crappy fit or just turn to dog s
t after a few miles? It's a budget shed and I won't be doing the joints as they don't click or rumble, it's merely to keep it soldiering on.
Best avoided or what?
Jimmy No Hands said:
Yeah I'm not averse to doing it properly with oem boots, just short on time at the minute and the only ones I can find would be a wait for a bit of a delivery. Just wanted an opinion on them and to see if anybody has used them long term. 
I have used them once when I was pushed for time as i was going on holiday the next day. 6 months later the car failed its MOT on a split CV boot but it turned out to be the one on the opposite axle that I had replace the previous year with a OEM one!How well you fit them has a very strong effect on how long they last, we did a right a bodge when I was 18 to a friends 205 where we split a standard rubber boot then superglued it back together once fitted, but we took a lot of care to keep grease off the split while fitting.
She sold the car a couple of years later and the boot was still fine.
Would I do it on an old banger if I was pushed for time? Maybe. On a proper car if time were no object, definitely not.
She sold the car a couple of years later and the boot was still fine.
Would I do it on an old banger if I was pushed for time? Maybe. On a proper car if time were no object, definitely not.
I gave in to my "do it properly" side. Bought two OEM boots for £13 total, have almost finished the offside one today. Didn't even have to split the tie rod end ball joints as you can pretty much leverage the shaft out if you unbolt the strut. One thwack on the joint and it just popped off. Realised I don't have the piggin' strap tool for the bands, nor anything that fits.
Yup that's the plan. I fashioned a tool from some cutters I bought, the offside ones seem to have stuck solid but the other side I crimped and they just twanged off when I stuck the shaft back in the hub. So I've got one side with the supplied clips and the other with some tight cable ties. Bit of an experiment to see which lives longer and then I'll just jubilee them worst case scenario.
Wasn't an unpleasant job in the end and glad I've done it properly.
Wasn't an unpleasant job in the end and glad I've done it properly.
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