CV Boot Warning (cinch band loose / grease leak).

[JPness]

BeerHat previously said:

When I had an '04 Tundra, it had the same problem after putting a 2" d-hoe/Icon lift on it. The solution above with hose clamps worked for me as well on the tundra and that was for at least 5000 miles. Don't have the problem with the FJC, but it is stock

You were supposed to start that with "Listen to me now and believe me late-ah!"

[JoeUser]

IMO, it's probably due to the lift, as the angle of the joint is greater than stock (causing the boot to contort more). The rotation of the shaft is causing the boot to flex more than usual and the stress is transferring to the inner side and 'wobbling' the clamp at the end of the boot. My guess is that it will happen on the larger inner side than the smaller axle side, due to more boot area to clamp off.

If the rubber is stiff, and not supple enough to give, then yeah, I can see the clamps eventually loosening over time (because they're that simple band-clamp). I suspect that this could be happening more in cooler climates and less down here in the warmer south, as the rubber won't be as stiff in warmer weather.

But, better to be safe, than sorry; I'll be replacing the clamps with more robust ones soon, as well as dropping the diff 1" to lessen the angle. Hopefully doing both will alleviate the issue. Thanks for the heads-up...

Edit: If there are any aftermarket boots available that have more 'bellows', instead of the few offered on the stock boots, that would probably eliminate the problem altogether...

[BeerHat]

From Tundrasolutions.com - Note that these are for the Older generation Tundras, but may prove informative over here.

"If you're considering a coilover or spacer lift, also consider performing this modification *before* lifting.

This only applies to 4x4 vehicles equipped with front and/or rear independent suspension.

The volume of the CV boot changes with respect to the angle of the CV joint, with maximum volume at 0*. When the truck is lifted using a coilover or spacer lift, the volume decreases, forcing out a portion of the grease which keeps the CV joint properly lubricated. Evidence of a leak is black grease on the lower control arms and near the bolts which mount the lower control arm to the frame, tangent to the edges of the CV boots (the leak can be from either end of the boot). Both inner and outer boots are susceptible to leaking, but the leak is more pronounced from the inner boot.
Re-Greasing
Easy, but potentially very messy. Get a pack of disposable shop gloves (the plastic or rubber kind, not leather or fabric) and CV grease from any auto shop. A tub is sufficient, but a grease gun with a needle would be easier. Using a pair of pliers, remove the old CV clamps at the compression binding...usually just squeezing it will release the clamp. If you have a grease gun, slide the needle in whichever end of the boot it'll fit best, inject grease until it comes out the other end of the boot. If using a tub, pull back the larger end of the boot to expose the joint, and cram as much grease as possible in both joint and boot. If you haven't dealt with CV grease before, be aware it's like boogers but slicker, it will stick to everything and prevent you from getting a good grip on anything.
Clamps
The fix requires a pair of hose clamps for each original CV boot clamp, unless you can find a hose clamp of sufficient diameter to enclose the boot but thin enough to fit in the groove on the boot, about 1/4" wide. These are located in the plumbing section of any hardware store, the kind which use a worm gear to draw the band tighter. Kartek (California) may be able to supply the correct hose clamps for the larger end of the inner CV boot. Make sure you assemble the clamps around the axles , also it's easier if the worm gears are diametrically opposed, as the band can be tightened with less deformation of the boot. Inspect a day or two later, tighten if necessary.
FYI, you do not need to take anything apart if you are ONLY changing the clamps--this includes if you are replacing the oem clamps with another set of oem-style clamps, just be sure you have the proper compression tool to set the clamps in place if replacing with oem-style clamps.
Boots
The inner boot is likely to split above 2" of coilover/spacer lift, particularly if it's already leaked. The boot will be riding the driveshaft above about 2.5". There are several boots available, thus far the more durable option appears to be the Porsche 930 boots, available from Kartek (California) and some resellers (Offroad Solutions, if you're near Denver). Mecatech (sp) offers a boot which does not require disassembly of the CV joints, the boots are stretched over the joints via an adapter. A variety of boots are also available at any auto shop, this takes some hunting and some convincing of the guy at the counter that you don't want an oem-style replacement inner boot for a tundra, also some experimentation for fitment and durability, by which time you may well be wishing you'd bought the 930 boots in the first place. The member "teamwest" may be able to provide insight regarding the less expensive auto shop route.
The OEM inner and outer boots are available together as a ~40$ kit from Toyota. The outer boot is more resilient than the inner, but if the outer boot is damaged, replacements are available from Downey for ~16$ each, outer boot only.
To change the boots on a stock Tundra, remove the wheel and the center dust cover, then the stakenut at the end of the halfshaft. Remove the four bolts at the bottom of the spindle which connect the spindle to the steering knuckle, and pull the spindle away from the outer CV joint. To separate the inner joint and the halfshaft (since you're changing the boot anyway, this is the easy way), cut away the old inner CV boot and use expanding snap ring pliers to allow removal of the halfshaft. You may need to move some CV grease out of the way in order to see the snap ring retainer. With a manual hub conversion, the front is full-float, releasing the four bolts at the steering knuckle will allow the hub to pull away from the halfshaft, no snap rings involved. Refer to the Garage section of the forum for more detailed instructions and torque specifications; if any of this sounds complicated or you're uncertain how to accomplish any of the above, have someone install the boots for you.

If the new clamps are too wide, don't worry about it, and don't overtighten. Also, rumor has it the OEM clamps on an '80s (?) vintage Volvo's intake hose are a perfect fit, find them at a junk yard as the parts sold new are standard width ie not the same as the factory installed clamps. It's probably easier to just spend 10 minutes in the plumbing section to find this, though."

[BMThiker]

Are there any balancing issues with using a hose clamp? It's kind of like welding a weight to the side of your axle shaft.

I had one of my small clamps break last year while at the summit. It looked like a fatigue break near one of the welds. It cracked on one side of the spot weld and I pulled it the rest of the way off with my bare hands. I used a clamp tite tool http://www.clamptitetools.com/ to put a double wrap of stainless steel wire around it while parked on the curb in front of the Main St B&B. Later, back home, the dealer replaced it at no charge.

[BeerHat]

What I did was took 2 hose clamps and made sure that the screw ends were 180 degrees from each other. Go back and forth as you tighten them down so they remain at 180 degrees from each other. Should minimize any balancing issues on the axle itself as it rotates.