Front axle shaft and CV boot repair! I did it..
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 938
Likes: 53
From: Montreal, Canada
2005 C240 2011 R350
Front axle shaft and CV boot repair! I did it..
Just to let you guys know I just replaced the front cv boot... involves removing the front axle shaft.. None of the youtube or even forum posts cover this well. Many vids are from the original ML and that is different from the newer R with the forked shock mount you have to remove too. Did not take pics as they are not that explanatory.. and my hands were full of grease. One odd thing is that the CV joint came apart with the remainder of the axle still in the transfer case and 2 ***** fell out and where in the bottom of the cv joint. I ended up taking them all out and cleaning repacking completely. They are somewhat of a press fit. Push out with screwdriver and push in with thumb. Replacing the cv joint in the spline with the circlip is a finesse job. The splines are so tiny and can be easily damaged. I had to carefully file many of the spines with needle files to fix them...after a few too enthusiastic hammer wacks.
If anyone wants to do this, let me know and I would be happy to talk to you. and guide you thru it. As they say, the first time on any job is the hardest.. thats what experience is!
If anyone wants to do this, let me know and I would be happy to talk to you. and guide you thru it. As they say, the first time on any job is the hardest.. thats what experience is!
Last edited by efzauner; Oct 8, 2020 at 11:01 AM.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 938
Likes: 53
From: Montreal, Canada
2005 C240 2011 R350
by the way... for your interest on cv joints...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consta...#Rzeppa_joints
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consta...#Rzeppa_joints
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 938
Likes: 53
From: Montreal, Canada
2005 C240 2011 R350
I did the outer boot. This one has the most articulation and seems to wear out more.
Long story here. I had a small hole in the outer boot over a year ago. I got an estimate from an indy shop to replace both inner and outer while they had it off. Well they only changed the outer and charged me the same price. Lots of bull**** about its hard to take the inner shaft off without breaking things. The owner must have been covering for something else as in maybe he did not get the inner part either. A few months later grease all over the wheel again.. well the clamp broke off and tore a hole in the boot. So this time I did it myself. yes should have done the inner too but I could not find that part on line.
Long story here. I had a small hole in the outer boot over a year ago. I got an estimate from an indy shop to replace both inner and outer while they had it off. Well they only changed the outer and charged me the same price. Lots of bull**** about its hard to take the inner shaft off without breaking things. The owner must have been covering for something else as in maybe he did not get the inner part either. A few months later grease all over the wheel again.. well the clamp broke off and tore a hole in the boot. So this time I did it myself. yes should have done the inner too but I could not find that part on line.
