Re-booting front axle shafts

[Seanz0rz]

So I found this last night:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/IMAG0389_zps25b623b0.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/hamiltonfabrication/media/IMAG0389_zps25b623b0.jpg.html)

The axle is in good shape, it looks like the band popped and released the boot. The inner boot also failed about 2 weeks ago. It is an original axle, so 15 years isn't bad!

Question is, can I get new inner and outer boots and replace the ones I have and how much? I know this involves removing the inner joint tripod, and it looks pretty straight forward in the FSM. The axles are in good condition, and I don't think the joints have been compromised by debris, as they were fine before my latest trip.

[troyboy162]

google the porche boot for the inside. I'm about 99% positive thats where total chaos gets there long travel inner boot. Outside I think you can get at auto parts stores. Grease is supposedly available at toyota. I got cv grease packets at autozone. If "cv"grease is better then buying a cheap tub of all purpose (most say cv on the side) grease and filling...I dont know

[Seanz0rz]

I haven't had too much problem with the inner boots, just from crappy after market axles. This is the first time I've had a Toyota boot fail, and it is original to the truck.

I'll look into the Porsche boot. Any idea of one brand over another? or should I stick with Toyota OEM?

[4x4mike]

I think the factory boots come with a band and grease from the dealer. If stock works fine with your amount of suspension and type of wheeling you may be fine without long travel.

[Seanz0rz]

I'll call on Monday and see how much they are at the dealer. Otherwise, I will probably order some from RockAuto.

[YotaFun]

Sean, We have been rebooting axles all the time when they fail here at our dealer.
It comes in a kit will both boots, all the bands, and grease.
It is not a hard process to do at all and if you feel the axle is good (which honestly I have driven with torn boots forever and still have good axles -_-) you should be good to go.

My only tip for you is when you get the inner out and remove the inner tripod joint, clean it all off really well and mark what way it when on, sometimes when they get clocked differently they could cause slight vibration.

I would just go Toyota OEM and be done with it since its a complete kit, this way you really don't have to worry about what boot your getting, if it will fit, etc. I have also found aftermarket boots to not fit right 75% of the time -_-

Troy says grease is supposedly available from Toyota, I will clear this up right now, you can not get it separate from the kit.
I have tried numerous times since I have a few axles that all it needs is to be repacked with new clamps, and every time our parts guys try to type in the part number on any grease packets comes up unavailable, but they are in the kit! Another Toyota fail -_-

[Seanz0rz]

thanks avy! any idea of price?

[YotaFun]

I'll have to figure out Monday, Its been a few months since I have done a set.

[troyboy162]

this might be ours. Gonna require some more googling
http://www.toyotapartszone.com/oem/toyota~boot~kit~front~drive~shaft~04438-35030.html

[4x4mike]

Question since I've never done this. How do you get rid of all the grease? Is it just a wipe down or does it need to be soaked and degreased? Assuming there isn't much contamination.

I worked in a shop with an industrial parts cleaner for 9 years and just the thought of putting an axle in there sounds like a mess. The grease is so thick and well, greasy. That would mess up a Saftey Kleen parts cleaner quick.

[troyboy162]

I just cleaned mine out with paper towels. I didnt go for super clean, just to replace 90% of the grease since it looked like it wasn't contaminated in my case.

[Seanz0rz]

The part numbers for the toyota boot kits:

04438-35030 for the outer
04438-35040 for the inner

[Robinhood4x4]

Question since I've never done this. How do you get rid of all the grease?

Lots of paper towels and lots of newspaper on the floor so you don't get the carpet of the apartment you're living in at the time dirty.

http://antinode.smugmug.com/photos/i-xKNRVCn/0/L/i-xKNRVCn-L.jpg

I just wiped everything down as well as I could and didn't use any solvents.

[4x4mike]

That seems logical especially if the grease isn't full of sand or something. Plus once you expose the grease to solvent it's degraded/contaminated so putting more grease in there and sealing it up doesn't sound like the best idea.

[YotaFun]

I have cleaned mine off most of the way with brake clean.
At least as much as I could.
Then repacked and was good to go.

[Seanz0rz]

I ordered from the site Troy posted. $70 for the inner and outer shipped. Not terrible. I don't believe in supporting my crooked local dealer...

I'll let you guys know when I get them and do a write up on pulling them apart.

until then, my 4runner is down and out.

[Seanz0rz]

Got my parts in today and found something curious

on toyodiy.com, it shows the two boot kits, inner and outer, as seperate part numbers.

04438-35030 should be the outer boot kit and -35040 is the inner boot kit. 04438-35030 has been replaced by -35060, which I assumed was either a newly designed part, or they made one part fit more vehicles or whatever.

BUT! 04438-35060 is now a full axle boot set. It includes both inner and outer boots, grease tubes, and clamps.

to reiterate

04438-35060 - BOOT KIT, FR DRIVE includes both boots, clamps, and grease. THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT! It can be had for under $35, which ends up being about the same price as questionable quality 3rd party units.


I will install in a few days, and let you know how they fit.

[Seanz0rz]

Did it yesterday after I got my shocks in.

It was pretty easy. Since the boots were already disconnected, when I pulled the the front suspension apart, the axle fell out, minus the tulip.

To pull the tripod off, all I needed to do was pull off the clip, and the tripod slid off the shaft.

Most of the inner boot grease was still present, but it came out with the boot and got tossed. I did a quick inspection on the tripod and it looked great.

I pulled off the outer boot and inspected that joint, it was also fine and completely free of debris. I scooped out as much grease as I could get and cleaned up the entire shaft with just paper towels, no solvents.

Tape up the splines for the tripod with electrical tape, install outer boot and clamps, pour grease in the boot, seat it all up and crimp the clamps with a big pair of nail nippers. put clamps and outer boot on, reattach tripod with new clip and DOH! I forgot to put match marks on it!!! Finished my assembly anyway. poured grease in the boot and in the tulip, then clamped it all together.

took me about 3 hours working at a leisurely pace. (I can have an axle swapped in in about 30-45 minutes)

as for not doing match marks, we will see how it affects it. I already have so much vibration through the front end, I can't imagine it could make it any worse! If it does, I will find a couple of junkyard axles and rebuild them properly.