Hi All, was under car trying to see if brake pads were ok (failed, had to remove wheel in the end), and shock horror! Saw that an inner CV boot was badly split! Grease every where but inside boot. Have ordered a new boot kit from ICP, and wld like to know if anyone has managed to fit one using the cone method ?...Looks kinda brutal, like the boot might split..

 

the cones are designed to be used with specific 'stretchy' boots...........personally would simply strip and install a genuine Subaru boot

 

I did my 07 Fsti and it was just a circlip ,mine was the inner cv boot by the turbo, likely due to the heat , which seems to be the one to go ? What years did subaru go down the lines of not having a circlip ? , I’ve not had to change one before and was relatively easy , the only bit that can be a real bu…r is the drive shaft is stuck in the hub

 

Thanks for that, I've already bought the cone, not seen a 'stretchy' boot that's compatible, but hadn't considered removing the front cv joint as the way to go. I'll do some YouTube viewing on the subject.... every day's a school day!

 

You can use a universal stretchy boot with the cone, they can vary in quality and are not as robust as oe but they do work

 

When I changed the inner cv , the material felt very tough for a cv boot , it was a subaru original part , if it was me , I would only do a subaru part there as that’s what subaru planned , if the inner one fails then it’s grease onto a likely hot downpipe so for me a not worth taking the risk 👍

 

Thnx for that👍 have ordered a genuine boot + kit from ICP, have found a YouTube guide and have bought some of those boot clips + the pliers.

 

The good stretch boots are made by Bailcast.

Personally its all I use now, the Bailcast ones last just as long and much quicker to replace (especially with the air expander).

Yeah OE seems nice for originality, but if the OE boot is the hard plastic type and the CV joint is stuck on the shaft it can be a ball ache. Requiring complete shaft removal, big vice, hammering and a new circlip as the old ones mullared: Making a 30 minute job one taking several hours. Then the new boot pops off, CV joint knocks or shaft seal fails just to add insult making you have to do it all again. Or you have a really bad day and joint falls apart. I'm too old for dealing with that potential crap on my day off every time a boot splits, been there done that...stretchy it is LOL.

 

ALi-B....! made me chuckle.... yep, you're a realist alright 👍
Also thanks for the observations too.... made me realise I must check I've got some 90° circlip pliers, or buy some. (love collecting tools)

 

Exactly

 

Just adding an observation here.. yes folks, 2 years on, and my outer right-hand side cv boot needs changing for the mot. My original hope was to remove the axle at the inner cv joint, which is what I'd done on the left-hand side, - I followed a YouTube guide, and it was dead easy to do, BUT, on the right-hand side... there's too many exhaust pipes and shields and a crossmember in the way on my Classic Wagon MY99 and absolutely NO clearances access!. My plan was to dismantle inner cv joint, slid off the inner boot, slide ON the new outer boot, and bobs yer uncle! You can't even access the roll pin if you wanted to remove the axle! Are all models as inaccessible on the right hand side, or just the Classic - or how do others manage - hope I never have to change the inner cv boot on the right hand side! or indeed the axle or oil seal. :-(

 

have never removed a downpipe on any model to sort a CV boot?? have even done OSF boots in the car when the shaft or ball joint has been seized solid making removal a non starter

 

Lucky you!... so how did you achieve that then if you couldn't remove the cv joint (I'm about to try that myself change the o/s front outer boot after abandoning my original plan. Just been and bought a 32mm impact socket from Halfords to remove hub nut... Plan to try a stretch boot. .. Fingers crossed.!
As I said before, the n/s inner, no problem, plenty of clearance to access it.

 

don't have a classic here on the ramp but did an MY04 Forester 2weeks back and simply removed the shaft from the car and did it on the bench (preferred method) - but previously when the outer is seized in the hub then have simply stripped the shaft "in the car" after removing from the gearbox end

 

had a classic on the ramp today and just confirmed my memory that there is no reason you have no access???
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just to add I would never waste my time on a stretch boot these days...........unfortunately they never seem to last

 

Thanks for your replies 👍 have just successfully fitted a stretch boot too! - a neighbour had one of those pneumatic stretch tools. I'm really in learning territory here, your pics do look like there's clearance - mine isn't that good - have a look..!

 

is this an NA car or Turbo?? Turbo for my pix and to be fair we would rarely see any NA in the 25+ years we have messed around............

 

Yes, it's NA. You in the UK ? Am intrigued that you have an abundance of Subarus to work on!