Outer C/V Joint Sealing Boot

CAUTION: Boot sealing is vital to retain special lubricants and to prevent foreign contaminants from entering the C/V joint. Mishandling, such as allowing the assemblies to dangle unsupported, pulling or pushing the ends can cut boots or damage C/V joints. The LH platform driveshafts use no retention system to retain the spider assembly in the tripod housing. During removal and installation procedures always support both ends of the driveshaft to prevent damage or disengaging tripod joint. Therefore, do not pull on the interconnecting shaft when attempting to remove drive shafts from vehicle.

REMOVAL
To remove sealing boots from driveshafts for replacement, the driveshaft assemblies must be removed from the vehicle. Refer to Removal and Installation for the required driveshaft removal and replacement procedure.
1. Remove the driveshaft requiring boot replacement from the vehicle.

Fig. 32:

2. Remove large boot clamp, retaining C/V joint sealing boot, to C/V joint housing (Fig. 32) and discard. Remove small clamp, which retains outer C/V joint sealing boot to interconnecting shaft and discard. Remove sealing boot from outer C/V joint housing and slide it down interconnecting shaft.

Fig. 33:

3. Wipe away grease to expose outer C/V joint to interconnecting shaft retaining ring. Spread ears apart on C/V joint assembly to interconnecting shaft retaining snap ring (Fig. 33). Slide outer C/V joint assembly off end of interconnecting shaft.
4. Slide failed sealing boot off interconnecting shaft.
5. Thoroughly clean and inspect outer C/V joint assembly and interconnecting joint for any signs of excessive wear. If any parts show signs of excessive wear, the driveshaft assembly will require replacement. Component parts of the driveshaft assemblies are not serviceable.

INSTALLATION
1. Slide a new seal boot to interconnecting shaft retaining clamp, onto the interconnecting shaft. Then slide the replacement outer C/V joint assembly sealing boot onto the interconnecting shaft.

Fig. 34:

2. Install outer C/V joint assembly onto interconnecting shaft. Joint is installed on interconnecting shaft, by pushing interconnecting shaft into outer C/V joint, until retaining snap ring is seated in groove on interconnecting shaft (Fig. 34). Verify the snap ring is fully seated into groove on interconnecting shaft.
3. Distribute 1/2 the amount of grease provided in seal boot service package (DO NOT USE ANY OTHER TYPE OF GREASE) into outer C/V joint assembly housing. Put the remaining amount into the sealing boot.

Fig. 35:

4. Install outer C/V joint seal boot retaining clamp, onto interconnecting shaft. Install replacement outer C/V joint sealing boot onto interconnecting shaft. Outer C/V joint seal boot MUST be positioned on interconnecting shaft, so only the thinnest (sight) groove on interconnecting shaft is visible (Fig. 35).

Fig. 36:

Fig. 37:

5. Clamp sealing boot on interconnecting shaft using Crimper, Special Tool C-4975 and the following procedure. Place crimping tool C-4975 over bridge of clamp (Fig. 36). Tighten nut on crimping tool C-4975 until jaws on tool are closed completely together, face to face (Fig. 37).

CAUTION: Seal must not be dimpled, stretched or out of shape in any way. If seal is NOT shaped correctly, equalize pressure in seal and shape it by hand.

6. Position outer C/V joint seal boot, into boot retaining groove on outer C/V joint housing. Install seal boot to outer C/V joint retaining clamp evenly on sealing boot.

Fig. 38:

Fig. 39:

7. Clamp sealing boot onto outer C/V joint housing using Crimper, Special Tool C-4975 and the following procedure. Place crimping tool C- 4975 over bridge of clamp (Fig. 38). Tighten nut on crimping tool C-4975 until jaws on tool are closed completely together, face to face (Fig. 39).
8. Install the driveshaft requiring boot replacement back on the vehicle.