CV boot "leak" - opinions? Hey, Rick?

[RivkahChaya]

@Gary_T

I disagree. I’ve seen CV joints with torn boots go quite a while – years in some cases – before they start making noise, and I’ve seen joints make noise for over a year without breaking. There is no urgency to the situation. And if the intent is to replace the axles in the future, there is simply no reason to replace a torn boot beforehand, unless you can’t stand the sight of grease.

Back when it cost quite a bit more to replace a CV joint than to replace a torn boot (with new CV joints being the only repair option), it was a cost-saving measure to replace torn boots as soon as feasible. Nowadays with the standard repair being replacement of the axle with a reman unit, which often doesn’t cost much more than replacing a boot, it can be more cost-effective to wait until it seems about to break.

I was once behind a car that had a joint fail on the highway. I was fortunately not involved in the accident that followed, but it was ugly. Front end, deep engine & transmission problems are the things that peg my “critical” meter.

It’s been a while since I worked in a shop, though, so the technology may have evolved, and I’ll take your word on this.

[GreasyJack]

@RivkahChaya

I was once behind a car that had a joint fail on the highway. I was fortunately not involved in the accident that followed, but it was ugly. Front end, deep engine & transmission problems are the things that peg my “critical” meter.

It’s definitely bad when they go, but there’s usually very ample warning beforehand. The only time I’ve had personal knowledge of a CV joint catastrophically failing, it was a buddy of mine who’s car had been clicking away through the turns for as long as* I’d * known him.