Axle Boots, Disconnect What?
 

So, looking at the job, you would just need to disconnect the UJ from the Trans, then remove it, right? Then slide the new boots down to the wheel end, and replace the trans end after re-attaching the UJ and torquing it back to the trans? No Need to remove the axle bolt at the wheel, correct?

Incorrect. The boots slide over the axle, ahead of the CV joints, so to replace them, the axle comes out of the car, and the CV joints come off. You will find there is little to no room to do what you describe while it is still in the car.

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You don't need to remove the axle from the car, and in fact can slide both boots out while removing only one CV joint.

You'll need to lift the car fairly high to make it easier.
Remove the bracings and midpipes, the just unbolt the inner CV joints.

Pop the end cap (hammer and punch), remove the clip on the axle, and the joint should slide out.

If it doesn't, you'll need a puller.

Be careful to use quality boot clamps, or the grease will sling out!

If you don't have access to a lift, you'll have a hard time doing it on the car. If you can take them out, do it.

I wouldn't want to do them on the car, especially if you are trying to clean out old grease etc. iI's a messy job! Besides, you might want to consider pulling the hubs and doing wheel bearings at the same time!

Followed this exact procedure, would add, remove the sway bar. Slow going, but if you keep at it, it works. UJ, outers were a bit gummy, dry, inners were better lubed, Mechanically, everything seemed fine, More than ample room, once you remove the mids and Sway bar, just pulled the outer boots down the shaft. Don't forget your clamps!


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+1 with Ben's description. I've done both this way. The clip mentioned is a external snap ring. Use a good tool it's a heavy snap ring and if it gets stretched replace it also.

Doing it the car takes way too long, it is much quicker if you just pull the axle and do it on the bench. In the shop, time is literally money, so doing both correctly and quickly is essential.

If your charging that time to the customer. for a DIY guy?
The big problem from point is the average DIY guy is the torque spec for the axle nut. Unless you rent or borrow the heavy torque wrench the job suddenly get 2-4 times as expensive. 50-400 and 100-500 ft/lb torque wrenches are pricey for the average joe to just have sitting around for one or 2 uses.

Don't need no stinkin torque wrench. Take the torque spec, 340 and divide by your real weight (no cheating). That gives you a distance measurement in feet. Now take a long breaker bar and mark out calculated distance. With the breaker bar parallel to the floor, put a foot on the mark and stand on the bar with all your weight.

There, human torque wrench.

Torque=lbs x feet

Love it! lol.