Cv Boot For 95 Es300

[mrag]

I just spoke with my local mechanic whom I've used for 10 years on my "cheap Hondas. He was saying (off the the top of his head ) a remanufactured half shaft is around $120. Ebay looks to be around $60 ! However, he then told me a story of someone that brought a shaft in and when he went to install it, it was off by about a 1/4 " that didn't match up against the "exciter ring." Apparently this "exciter ring" is tied into the ABS system consequently causing the light problem mentioned above. I note he volunteered this out of the blue. He also said that the guy was able to get a free replacement of the shaft BUT, he had to charge him twice for the labor. (Labor is minimum $150)

Based on my "low" mileage, the recentness(?) of the boot tear, and seeing what Skperformance did in his case, me and my mechanic agree we'll go with a replacement boot from Toyota this time. If much higher mileage with a longer period on the torn boot, I'd probably go with any remanufactured shaft my mechanic buys and pay the $60 premium over Ebay. The labor cost is my factor here.

If so, I'd also try and exact some "warranty" on the mechanic's choice of shaft. My $.02 on the issue anyway.

[kcpth]

Damn i didn't know that. 1/4 " is a lot. Well i dont know n e thing about an exciter ring since i'm not that mechanical. But i guess it's feesable. Wut exactly is an exciter ring... n how does it tie into the ABS brakes? Sorry... i'm hoping someone can educate me. Since i have warranty on it... i suppose the next time it goes out... i can bring it in... n have them change that sucker... n hopefully get one that fits better. Does the CV Shaft matter if it came from a Camry? I dont think so right? It shouldn't if they r basically the same car. Unless that CV shaft i bought wasn't meant for one wit ABS brakes. I dont know... just a hunch. Thanks for the info mrag.

Tom

[mrag]

I've never heard of an "exciter ring" before today and the 1/4" could be 1/8" or something else-I was just repeating a phone conversation with my local mechanic on using a remanufactured half shaft or boot. He said he thought a half shaft was about $120 and I said I thought I could get it on Ebay for about $60. It was then he relayed the story about the "1/4" and a problem with the ABS brake light. Maybe he made it up or got it from a mechanic's magazine on what to tell picky customers that want to buy their own parts, but he volunteered it without any coaching and I had just read your situation-kind of eery coincidence.

My experience has been (and it is not necessarily wide experience) is that there is nothing better or cheaper if you are keeping a car a long time than a Toyota replacement part specifically water pumps and exhaust systems. When you get to $500 OEM alternators versus $150 auto store's remanufactured ones though, I change my tone a bit. Keep in mind that bit of wisdom and maybe a $1 might get you a cup of coffee.

[monarch]

Hello, I have 97 with 179,000.

Last time I checked the boot, was looking good.

What is the life of this boots?

Boot life varies between 10-15 years or 100,000 - 250,000 miles depending on driving habits (life is reduced by city driving and cold winter weather). Boots should be inspected frequently after 100,000 miles for signs of splitting and gease leakage. If caught early, before alot of grease leaks out, you can simply buy two $30 boot kits from Toyota discount dealers like 1sttoyotaparts.com Each kit comes with two super high quality genuine Toyota boots, Toyota boot grease and Toyota boot clamps. Have a Toyota dealer or Toyota speciaty shop install the new boots and then you can drive another 10-15 years or 100,000 - 250,000 troublefree miles.

Most owners do not understand the factory original axles / CV joints will last 500,000 miles if never starved of grease due to torn boots, so they let auto shops and parts stores talk them into buying replacement rebuilt axles whenever the boots tear. Then they end up with auto parts store quality axles and boots which only last half as long.

[camlex]

Hello, I have 97 with 179,000.

Last time I checked the boot, was looking good.

What is the life of this boots?

Boot life varies between 10-15 years or 100,000 - 250,000 miles depending on driving habits (life is reduced by city driving and cold winter weather). Boots should be inspected frequently after 100,000 miles for signs of splitting and gease leakage. If caught early, before alot of grease leaks out, you can simply buy two $30 boot kits from Toyota discount dealers like 1sttoyotaparts.com Each kit comes with two super high quality genuine Toyota boots, Toyota boot grease and Toyota boot clamps. Have a Toyota dealer or Toyota speciaty shop install the new boots and then you can drive another 10-15 years or 100,000 - 250,000 troublefree miles.

Most owners do not understand the factory original axles / CV joints will last 500,000 miles if never starved of grease due to torn boots, so they let auto shops and parts stores talk them into buying replacement rebuilt axles whenever the boots tear. Then they end up with auto parts store quality axles and boots which only last half as long.

Thank you.

[Toysrme]

The only problem i had when i put the CV Shaft on was that my ABS brake light has come on the dash :chairshot: .

The ABS speed sensor on the wheel hubs may be loose or bad connection, probably when the axle half shafts were serviced. Check these sensors.

Tom

I agree. Anytime the ABS system is picky after having a brake, wheel, axle, anything-in-the-fender-well service done. it's because some dummy either hit the ABS sensor, or bumped the wiring/harness to it - which easily get's fragile over time because of it's highly exposed position to the elements, road debris, moving around & dumb service people.

You can break the sensor, but check it carefully before replacing. Many times they simply get bumped *just* enough to move their mount, and the farther away they get, they stop working, or become erratic. (See later explaination of how a magnetic speed sensor works.)

Hello,

I have 97 with 179,000.

Last time I checked the boot, was looking good.

What is the life of this boots?

God only knows. Their lifespan varries so wildly there really isn't an answer. More CV boost fail early, as last however long they are suppose to.

I just spoke with my local mechanic... He was saying a remanufactured half shaft is around $120... Ebay looks to be around $60 ! However, he then told me a story of someone that brought a shaft in and when he went to install it, it was off by about a 1/4 "

No, most autoparts stores I know of sell the complete half-shaft ready for installation for $40-80, depending on the model.

2 things to say about the new axle not working

1) The guy bought the wrong half-shaft

2) Not *all* axles come ready to go... Some do require parts swapping because they're not 100% complete

...Wut exactly is an exciter ring... n how does it tie into the ABS brakes?...i can bring it in... n have them change that sucker... Does the CV Shaft matter if it came from a Camry?

Tom

No, the CV joint is the exact same.

The Axle does not tie into the ABS system. Most likely (as said before) the mechanic just F'ed up and killed a wheel speed sensor.

The exciter ring

I wouldn't have them change the axle

The Exciter ring. Ok... Most of the time, when you need to tell how fast something is rotating on a car, you use an electronic speed sensor. Magnetic sensors are simple. On one side you've got a perminant magnet, and on the other you've got a wheel with teeth on it. As the teeth fly by the magnet, it prodecuses an A/C current. If you take a computer circuit programmed to watch the frequency of that A/C current - you now know exactly how fast something is rotating!

The wheel with teeth on it has many names, but a common one is the exciter ring because... It's obviously the msot exciting thing of all time!

Hello, I have 97 with 179,000.

Last time I checked the boot, was looking good.

What is the life of this boots?

Boot life varies between 10-15 years or 100,000 - 250,000 miles depending on driving habits (life is reduced by city driving and cold winter weather). Boots should be inspected frequently after 100,000 miles for signs of splitting and gease leakage. If caught early, before alot of grease leaks out, you can simply buy two $30 boot kits from Toyota discount dealers like 1sttoyotaparts.com Each kit comes with two super high quality genuine Toyota boots, Toyota boot grease and Toyota boot clamps. Have a Toyota dealer or Toyota speciaty shop install the new boots and then you can drive another 10-15 years or 100,000 - 250,000 troublefree miles.

Most owners do not understand the factory original axles / CV joints will last 500,000 miles if never starved of grease due to torn boots, so they let auto shops and parts stores talk them into buying replacement rebuilt axles whenever the boots tear. Then they end up with auto parts store quality axles and boots which only last half as long.

Ya, 10-15 years sounds good. 15 sounds longer than I've had one personally last, but I guess someone driving in good conditions on mostly flat & striaght roads could do it.

Chekc the boost every oil change.

What monarch said. The CV joints themselves will last a long, long time at stock power levels, as long as they are lubricated.

AFA the lifespan of OEM parts VS rebuilt, or new parts.

Sean McElligott is the only person I know that can give a good representation of their lifespan. Many people (Including myself) were not able to get 10 years out of the stock CV boost before they split & the outer axles were damaged.

Sean has been driving far above stock power levels for a few years now.

NOT counting boot related damage of the first set:

2x OEM Toyota replacement CV joints (new half-shaft)

2x Autozone CV joints (new half-shaft)

2x Autozone CV joints (new half-shaft)

and finally, he split one replacement half-shaft in half.

NOT the joints... The F'ing AXLE.

AFA replacement parts, to me, the axle is apparantly one part where it doesn't make a crap either way. So save your money.

[tckcumming]

My 93 ES300 had a torn right side outer CV boot last summer. I took it to a local Speedy Auto Service shop; they had done some work on my 1969 MGB, and I was very satisfied with the result. Here's what they did to repair the Lexus:

- removed both driveshafts, checked, cleaned and re-packed the CV joints, and fitted new boots to both outer joints;

- removed both inner CV boots, cleaned & re-packed the joints. The mechanic said the inner boots were perfectly OK, so he did not replace them;

- he also said the left inner CV joint seemed "stiff", so he disassembled it, checked & cleaned it, packed it with grease - problem solved.

TC

Still going strong on this repair, no problems at all after all this time. If you catch a ripped CV boot and replace it right away, before the joint gets damaged, the joint will last forever. Let it run "dry" (no grease) or let dirt or grit get in there and it's toast. If you hear any noise at all from the joint - too late! May as well replace the shaft and be done with it.

tck...

[kcpth]

i definitely had to change mine. I definitely had noise coming out of it... so i couldn't repack it wit grease n new boot... even though they said i could. I knew mine was pretty much fried... so i had to get mine changed. Especially how they salt the freaken roads up there.

Thanks Toys for that thorough walk through to answering each questions.

Tom