An excellent DIY for saving yourself a bit of money by replacing only the CV boots on your axles rather than an entirely new axle.
DIY: 1998 V70 Axle CV Rubber Boots Tips/Tricks
1. Go to Home Depot or any hardware store and buy a 4-foot section of 1-inch galvanized piping (for natural gas): $13.00. You need this to remove and install the 36-mm axle nut.
2. The 36-mm Nut that holds the Axle: A 1/2-inch breaker bar is good enough (no need for 3/4-inch breaker bar), but when using the galvanized pipe, insert the 1-inch galvanized pipe all the way down the shaft of the breaker bar so it does not bend the breaker bar.
3. It is better to remove the Brake Caliper and tie it to the Spring as in the write-up, as this allows more movement of the Hub. However, if you decide NOT to remove the Brake Caliper then: For L side Axle, turn the steering to the R side and vice versa. This is because the Brake Caliper sits in the front of the rotor. By turning the wheel to the opposite side, it releases the strain on the brake rubber hose.
4. Remove ABS Sensor on top of the Hub: 10-mm socket.
5. When disconnecting the Control Arm’s Lower Ball Joint, use a rag to PROTECT the its rubber boot to prevent damage from all the maneuvers!
6. To replace the Rubber Boot, it is MUCH EASIER to remove the INNER CV Joint than the OUTER Joint. It took me one hour playing with the OUTER Joint Circlip and tapping it to no avail!!! However, the INNER Joint is much easier:
- Using liquid paper, mark the locations on the axle so when re-installing, they align to the same spot.
- Remove the INNER Joint (see write-up by Mr. Winkey)
- Clamp the CV Shaft on a Vice:
Remove the INNER Joint’s circlip (Figure 02):
– Using a drift, tap the INNER joint as shown, it will come out in 1 minute! (Figure 02)
Once the Inner Joint comes out, Install the OUTER Boot first (apply grease on the small lip of the boot before installing, it makes it much easier to slide the rubber boot in, also grease prevents damage to rubber during installation!); then install the INNER Boot, also using grease.
7. INNER CV Joint:
* 120 grams of grease (Per Haynes Manual); but I used 160 grams.
* Larger clamps
8. OUTER CV Joint:
* 80 grams of grease (Per Haynes Manual); but I used 110 grams.
* Smaller clamps
9. The 36-mm Nut: Tighten it to 120 Nm torque, then turn another 60 degrees.
To make this easy: After you have achieved the 120 Nm torque, using a black marker, mark the 36-mm nut @ 12 o’clock position, then turn the Nut until the black mark points to 2 o’clock position.
10. Optional: Align the car.
