CV Boot & Axle
Q: Is a CV boot replacement an urgent repair item?
A: Absolutely! If a technician has determined that you have a cracked, leaking, or torn CV boot, it doesn’t take long to damage the CV joint itself, easily tripling or quadrupling the cost of repair. Once you experience any noise when turning or accelerating, such as clunking, the CV joints themselves have more than likely been damaged already and the axle will need to be replaced.
CV Boot
The CV boots are protective rubber boots that cover the flexible ends of the drive axles. The boot has a large end and a small end and looks sort of like an "accordion funnel". Each boot is attached to the axle with a metal band clamp on either end of the boot that presses the CV boot against the axle to keep it in place. Inside the boot there is special grease that lubricates the CV joint. The CV boot prevents the grease from drying out and more importantly it keeps dirt and grit from getting in and mixing with the grease to form an abrasive paste that can quickly damage the CV joint.
Axle
Modern front wheel drive cars typically combine the transmission and front axle into a single unit called a transaxle. The drive axle is a split axle with a differential and universal joints between the two half axles. Each half axle connects to the wheel by use of a constant velocity (CV) joint which allows the wheel assembly to move freely vertically as well as to pivot when making turns. A CV boot is used to protect the CV joint and prevent the grease from drying out and more importantly it keeps dirt and grit from getting in.
