My Car was due an MOT and I did a few little checks to see if everything was in order. I noticed however, that the CV boot had split (MOT fail) so it needed changing. Had my mobile with me so I've done a guide.

Things you will need:

1 x Breaker bar
1 x 32mm Hub socket
1 x Replacement CV nut (optional)
1 x 17mm spanner
1 x 17mm socket + ratchet
1 x Can of break cleaner (optional - if you're careful!)
1 x replacement CV boot + grease + clips from your motor factor!


Everybody loves pics, so here's no1 with description/how to underneath.

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/300420121145.jpg[/img]
Ok, first thing.. keeping your car on the ground, handbrake on, you're going to want to loosen the hub nut first. But you'll notice most nuts will have a 'ding' in the flange to stop it turning on its own. You're gonna need to flatten that back out. I used a hardy flat head screw driver and a hammer tapping it lightly. Careful not to break your screw driver mind!

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/Untitled.jpg[/img]
Get your 32mm socket and breaker bar on the bad boy and support it underneath as much you can. I used the jack, but then found out a wooden log worked better I couldnt at first remember which direction the nut turned incase it was one of these fandangled fancy nut that turns opposite to car direction. But alas, this [b] nut turns towards the front of the car - anticlockwise [/b] It will take quite a bit of force and a lot of expletives!

Once loosened, loosen the wheel nuts, jack the car up.. wheel off.. hub nut off..

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/300420121147.jpg[/img]

Next, get your 17mm socket and sock it to the nuts on the suspension strut thing. The other nut adjacent might want to turn with it, so get your 17mm spanner and use that to stop the nut from turning. Once loosened you can tap these out with a screw driver and hammer. Bare in mind the strut will move down by about an inch or two. So getting the last of the two nuts out is a bit trickier.

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/300420121148.jpg[/img]

She is Freee!

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/untitled-1.jpg[/img]
The next thing to do is free the drive shaft from the CV joint. You can free it by giving the CV a few medium whacks with the hammer near the shaft and where it slots into the CV being very careful of where you're whacking, dont want to damage the CV!

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/300420121149.jpg[/img]

The offensive boot! now you can cut it or just slide the boot off.

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/300420121150.jpg[/img]
New CV boot on. I'm only changing the boot, but at this point you could change the CV joint as well if needed. I took the CV out to show how easy that would be too.

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/300420121151.jpg[/img]

new CV boot on, clipped up..

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/300420121152.jpg[/img]
I used a pair of pincer plier cutter things (actual technical term that) as these are tricky to get tightened. Or you could use some heavy duty cable ties like I did before shown in previous pics above.

Once new CV boot is on there is enough play in the break assembly/hub/wishbone to move it about to get the CV in and out, so this shouldnt be a problem. I found it easier and quicker this way than taking the ball joint off.

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/300420121154.jpg[/img]
Brother's dog 'Rocky' giving me motivational support. He spent the time trying to eat the floor tile pictured.

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/300420121155.jpg[/img]
Everything all in and back on. Now alls left to do is put the suspension arm strut back. As you can see a inch or two out, this can be lined up by pushing down on the hub. Might need someone to help you at this point as pushing down and putting the bolt in is tricky. I got my brother to push down on the hub while I slotted the nut in.

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/300420121156.jpg[/img]
Lastly, if you werent as messy as me you should give the breaks and disc a spray of this to remove any grease you might have got on the discs, spray on and wipe off. Simples.

Wheel back on, all nuts tightened up..

[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee227/squidy1978/heh.jpg[/img]

You're welcome!

good guide squidy

Nice one . I've got this to do at some point and will be checking back here for sure

I've got one to do on my car as it was an advisory last year. I'm thinking of using a split universal boot to make life easier. Anyone know, for sure, if these are still ok for the MOT these days?

Good guide, by the way

They'll pass an MOT, but don't expect it to last, mine was throwing grease out 2 months after fitting it, and we did it while the car was up on a 2 post lift where we could get at it easily, my advice, get a proper one fitted, neoprene ones are the best

Yes, that's what I thought. Think I'll just leave it to fail at the MOT and leave it at the garage to get done with anything else that fails. That's what I usually do these days as I've lost my enthusiasm for DIY mechanicing, apart from the easy stuff, as I've got older.

superb guide mate, thats the way I done it and found it dead simple to do. took me 30mins in all and an hour to was my hands to get rid of that messy greese. lol

[quote="Stuz"]Like you say, it's much easier to split the suspension at the knuckle/strut instead of the ball joint, if you do choose to split it at the ball joint be aware that if you split the rubber seal it is an MOT failure and you run the risk of ruining the ball joint [/quote]

May I just add after doing my CV boots yesterday I found it so much easier to drop the ball joint off using the 2x 17mm bolts rather than taking the shocker off

[quote="Stuz"]Cable ties are the pikey way of doing the job, I personally would NEVER use them as they can cause more problems than it's worth due to slipping off etc, metal clips should be supplied with any good quality kit. [/quote]

Oi, Stu, this fela's callin' us pikey's

being a simpleton, and do most of the work on the car on my own (less arguments) (well more swearing anyway!)

i have found that using the mazda jack on the underside of the strut and pushing down on the arm slowly can aid putting the bolts back in to connect the strut to the arm

top guide as well

[quote="andym323"]They'll pass an MOT, but don't expect it to last, mine was throwing grease out 2 months after fitting it, and we did it while the car was up on a 2 post lift where we could get at it easily, my advice, get a proper one fitted, neoprene ones are the best [/quote]

did mine for an MOT and lasted most of the year too. just check it every now and then and if it's coming unstuck, re-glue it!

noticed it had started to open up on the next years pre MOT check so i just got some CV grease in a plastic syringe and carefully squirted it in (in case the old stuff was lost), found the glue I miraculously still had (promptly stuck my fingers together so it was still good), cleaned the seam and re-glued it.

If properly lined up, clean and fully sealed it will last. treat it as a medical operation and you'll be fine (lots of clean gloves and tools, helping hands, lighting and patience. (scrubs and mask optional))

saying that, if everything isn't seized and you got the tools/time/motivation, by all means do it the proper way as above

I have just done mine before looking at this guide and man do I wish I looked at this first . I had everything undone instead of just doing the suspension knuckles . My problem is this though , I put everything back together and mate sure it was all fastened up right and now when you brake there is a little knocking coming from the same side I worked on . Any advice ?

[quote="mazdamonster"]I have just done mine before looking at this guide and man do I wish I looked at this first . I had everything undone instead of just doing the suspension knuckles . My problem is this though , I put everything back together and mate sure it was all fastened up right and now when you brake there is a little knocking coming from the same side I worked on . Any advice ?[/quote]

Not sure buddy, I haven't had that problem. If you didn't have the knocking before everything was undone and then put back together then it must be something that you've overlooked? Could it be the brake calliper? or perhaps the front drop link? best way is to take wheel off and double check everything again :/

[quote="Stuz"]Fantastic guide for those not in the know, I must add a couple of points though....

Please please make sure the car is on axle stands on level ground before you even think of undertaking the work on the car.[/quote]

Ah yes, level ground is a must!

[quote="Stuz"]Cable ties are the pikey way of doing the job, I personally would NEVER use them as they can cause more problems than it's worth due to slipping off etc, metal clips should be supplied with any good quality kit.[/quote]

Haha! yes, well Mine failed an MOT because the metal ring clip fell off and the CV boot wasn't 'securely fastened'. The garage quoted £25 to put another on. I politely declined, went round the corner got some heavy duty 10mm thick quality cable tie, bunged that on, got a grumble and a 'passed' certificate ... that cable tie then went on to outlast the CV boot itself :P but yes the cable tie was a thick one, not the cheap thin ones sold in packs of 100. And That's the only time I've ever used one

[quote="Stuz"]Well done on the guide though, not many people would tackle something like that [/quote]

Thanks! .. next job is alt belt..

Yeah I agree and will be checking for the third time tomorrow when I get to work .

[img]http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k73/cba6p/lantis/20141129_121243_zpsqarz6mbj.jpg[/img]

alternative way of removing the cv