Front Axle Shaft Boot Change

[95BMWIC]

Front Axle Shaft Boot Change AND Timing Belt Change on the 325ix starting this weekend!!

This is the first time (on a E30 anyway)..

Any advice from the sage mechanics out there?

Yup - Got Journey in the CD Box... and Miller High Life in the fridge..

(I'm an old timer...)

Don't stop believin..

[e30jake]

I'm actually hoping to do this to mine too this weekend. All I can say is clean out the inside of the bolt heads really well so you don't strip them out (if they are the same as the rear ones on the rwd e30s.) Made that mistake on my 318i

[nando]

it's not too hard. use a vice to hold the CV shaft while you spread the circlip and tap on the back of the CV with a hammer to pop it free. helps if you clean all the grease out of the joint first.

[95BMWIC]

Searching for a pic thread on axle shafts now...

[nando]

I can't recall any. they're pretty standard CV shafts. I used to bring them to an axle shop to have the outter joint popped free (was a pain in the ass with no tools), they never even blinked when they saw it.

[Driftin]

One of my circlips would not let go, and since the pelican parts boot kit contains a new clip, I grabbed the end and just pulled. The whole thing came out, and I tapped the joint off. In retrospect I found this to be the easiest way to get them out.

[nando]

yeah, sometimes that works. but sometimes the ends of the clips just break off and you're stuck. :p

[95BMWIC]

Alright my axle shaft is out.. now its go time..

Have no clue at this point how to proceed.. Way different then my VW...

Anybody have any pics on this...? Or a write up?

[95BMWIC]

I'm actually hoping to do this to mine too this weekend. All I can say is clean out the inside of the bolt heads really well so you don't strip them out (if they are the same as the rear ones on the rwd e30s.) Made that mistake on my 318i

What do you mean by clean out the bolt heads - what bolt heads?

[canadiankid]

Alright my axle shaft is out.. now its go time..

Have no clue at this point how to proceed.. Way different then my VW...

Anybody have any pics on this...? Or a write up?

Clean off grease. Get pair of circlip pliers. Gently open up circlip as far as you can. I really stress gently. No force is necessary, this is delicate. Then gently tap the cv joint off. Clean, regrease, replace boots. Get new circlip. Place it in the joint and hit it back on.(I always use a 2x4 in between when you are hitting something with a hammer). Tighten boot clamps. Reinstall axle(hardest part ever I think). After a few hundred thousand miles, I bet it only fits in one way(the way it came out.) Be patient, one time it will just slip in. Then bolt everything else back up.



edit: Thread hijack. I saw in this thread on e30tech http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthr...cv+boot&page=3
This guy loses his AWD because his cv axle isnt seated properly. How can you tell? Just jack the car up and see if you can turn the wheel?

NVM I FIXED MY AWD! Axle wasnt seated properly in the differential. Passed the jack test!

[nando]

I've never had trouble getting the axles back in, but it shouldn't matter which way it goes.

you must have jacked up the rear wheels for your test?

[canadiankid]

Ya, I thought that was the proper way to do a jack test.

[nando]

You could do the front or the rear, i usually do the front.

[canadiankid]

Dont you need tension on the front wheels. If you jack up the front you are testing the rwd. If there is no resistance the front wheels can still spin even with a bad vc can they not?

[95BMWIC]

I just finally got the driver side axle shaft in..

The car is jacked up in the front... Both wheel are off the ground.

I have no front drive shaft in.

If I spin the drivers side wheel... should the passenger wheel turn?

Mine does not... The front diff does turn...