What causes axle boots to leak?
With extended use, wear, and tear, the CV boot can dry out which results in tears and cracks. Once that happens, the CV boot will allow grease to seep through inside the wheel. The lubricant could also spread to the chassis and other underside portions of your vehicle.
What happens when an axle loses grease?
Combined with the lack of lubrication from not enough grease, the joint will eventually tear itself apart. If your axles are failing, you’ll still technically be able to drive your car. Once broken completely, your car won’t move, and if they break while you’re driving, it could cause a serious accident.
How serious is an axle boot leak?
But CV boots serve a simple but important purpose and allow the CV axles and joints to stay clean and enjoy a long service life. When a CV boot leaks, it can cause the attached joint to become damaged posing a serious safety hazard.
How long can you drive with a leaking axle boot?
There is no real set time how long the bad joint will last, and it may last a year or a month. A YourMechanic technician can travel to your location and help and replace the axle CV joint boot as soon as possible.
Do you replace the axle on a 2008 Subaru Outback?
To do the outer boot on the 2008, I had to remove the inner end and boot. Ended up having to replace both inner and outer boots. Just replace the axle. Cheaper and easier in the long run. Also, since you are doing one, might as well do the other side while your at it.
Which is better Subaru remanufactured or o.e.axle?
The O.E. Subaru axle that came in the car when it was new is much superior in quality to anything that can be purchased in the aftermarket and much better than a Subaru Remanufactured axle as well. Catching the boot failure early when the boot is starting to crack will keep the costs down and yield a much better repair.
Do you need to reboot a Subaru axle?
Whatever you do don’t use any aftermarket axle. They all have high percentage of issues. Rebooting a used Subaru axle is the best option if you want to save down time, don’t trust your axle, and don’t want to buy a new Subaru axle.
What do CV boots and axles mean in Subaru?
Subaru actually calls the inner joint and boots DOJ (Dual Offset Joint) and the outer joints and boots CV. The typical industry term is inner and outer CV boots and joints and CV axle. A CV axle being a complete assembly consisting of the inner and outer joints and connecting shaft.