Re: The CV joints don't crack, it's just the boots ...

Hey All,

I have an 01 Base, just wondering the level of difficulty to replace the CV joints. I am fairly adept at doing my own work, just never done CV joints so figured I'd ask first.

Thanks,
-Eric

[www.pelicanparts.com]

Why do you want to replace them? My 02 base's CV joints are just fine after 278K miles.

A boot was cracked and the tech disassembled the shafts/joints and cleaned them inspected them and found them to be ok so he repacked them and installed with new boots and the shafts/joints have been just fine now for over 20K miles.

New shafts are expensive. I was quoted around $900/each. There are probably cheaper sources (Pelican Parts) for new shafts but new ones will still cost a pretty penny. If the outer joints are bad you'll need new shafts based on what I read.

I could replace the boots, they are ripped and no grease in them right now, which is why they are suggesting new joints. No mention of the shafts, I suppose until they get in there they can't tell. I could go to a local shop I have used and have them do it, are the boots easy to replace? Is it a DIY type of job?

In my car's case the boots, just one I think, was just starting to split/crack or had just split/cracked. There was plenty of grease and no dirt/grit in the grease and after a thorough cleaning the tech's inspection found no reason to replace the joints/shafts. (I at first wanted to but he talked me out of it by looking up the price of new shafts…)

Based on what I read at the Pelican Parts link I posted inner joints are sold separately. If the outer joints are bad you'll need new shafts.

The job is DIY job given a motivated DIY'er with a suitable skill set and experience. I've never done this job on my Boxster but I have replaced CV joints on other cars. I do not recall any real difficulty.

Read the info at the Pelican Parts link I provided and decide if you want to tackle this yourself, or leave for a pro tech.

The half shaft is a tube. Never breaks

The joints last forever if you replace the boots and add grease before they rip

You can buy new inner and outer joints

You can buy a new total axle from porsche

You cannot buy a new total axle 3rd party ( half-shafts are not available)

Look up the parts on Pelicanparts.com or whatever to get an idea of avail and prices

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Thanks Mark,

That doesn't look too scary at all. I can handle that. I have the 101 projects book and was going to look later to see if the book covered it, and the link is helpful.

-Eric

Two aspects of it are messy:

1. getting the half-shaft out. It can be fun to press out the ball joint, whcih has to come out to allow the hub to swing away.

2. Dis-assembly and re-assembly of the half-shaft, all the greasing etc
- messy, messy
- I think you need to buy a dedicated CV boot clamp tool (yes, you might get by with dull cutters or ???, btu i couldn;t - not well)

You can clearly do it. But its a PITA.

2nd time is much easier.

Major tip: support the lower control arm with a jack-stand to keep the ball joint from spinning. Holding with a wrench has lots of practical ( acces) issues that may not be needed - same for re-tightening it.

tip #2: use a dremel to cut the old clamps

tip #3: make sure you have extra grease and LOTS of old newspaper

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Thanks for the advice!

... instructions:

[pedrosgarage.com]

Happy Boxstering
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

You can also remove part of the exhaust to get the drive shaft out and thereby avoid taking apart the suspension which will require alignment.

... you do not need an alignment since you only separate suspension components by their ball-joints.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

I saw that in Pelican's site, looked easier than dealing with the suspension/ball joints.

... they ask you to remove/undo more parts than mine?
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

The only difference I can see is they don't touch the ball joints and lowering part of the exhaust. Mark pointed a link to the article in his first reply.

"There are two methods you can use to remove the axle from the car. You can remove the wheel bearing carrier as detailed in Pelican Technical Article: Wheel Bearing Replacement, or you can drop down the rear sway bar and exhaust to gain enough clearance to remove the axle"

Which would you say is easier/better? I don't currently have a ball joint tool.

-Eric

I would buy the ball-joint separator and do it the easy way (Pedro's) which is just getting enough play in the wheel-carrier to push the shaft back out. I did it w/o removing the ball-joints as my tool didn't work as i had expected. That left me in a lurch as i was to drive the car for winter storage the next day and snow cold weather was forecast etc. Thus I just removed the inboard bolts to the lower control arm AFTER CAREFULLY MARKING the offset washers" which adjust the alignment. This allowed me to remove the bearing which i had guessed was noisy although i also did suspect the tires.
I was in luck and assembly was painless, but I might take the car in for an alignment when removed from the barn next w/e.
So, many ways to skin the cat as it were - fully concur mine not optimal, but also few bolts!

BTW, given the boots are ripped and we don't know for how long (left side only) and little evidence of grease, I have decided to replace the axle on that side, the best deal I found was Suncoast Parts.

-Eric

Exposed to the elements and very close to the exhaust. Its pretty darn remarkable the boots last as long as they do.

... especially (or almost exclusively) on the 6-speed cars.
MarcW's boots lasted over 200,000 miles as he says, mine are the OEM's with over 246,000.
But, the Boxster Ss with the steep angled half-axles put a lot more flexing into the boots causing them to crack and tear at about 40,000 - 50,000 miles.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Mine made it ~170,000 miles on the left, right side still going strong. I think I'll replace them after I deal with the left side, I'll at least inspect them very closely.

Can any ball joint tool be used or do I need a specific type for this car?

Thanks,
-Eric

On the '01 Base, would I need a hydraulic press to change the wheel bearing while I change the axle out using Pedro's instructions?

The easiest way to replace the bearing is with the wheel carrier out, and using a hydraulic press.
But there are special bearing-removal tools than can work with the carrier in place.
There are quite expensive and generally not worth the investment if you're only doing your own bearing.
See if someone in your area has one which he can loan you.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Thanks, will do!

-Eric