What does a blown CV shaft look like???

NU ARTY BOY · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 12:40 pm

After getting the Frankenlift installed last weekend (lots of help from LostRenegade) and driving it for a week the front end has not settled at all. Naturally I looked under the KJ to check the CV angle and to my suprise there is greenish-white gobs of something (gotta be grease) ALL OVER the place. Both arms, steering knuckle, wheel well liner - EVERYTHING!

WTF, over? Question #1: Can I still drive my Jeep if I don't use the 4WD?

Question #2: I obiously need to replace the drive shaft. How much is an OE shaft?

Question #3: Besides OEM, is there another (stronger) alternative?

I'll get some pics up later today of what I am talking about...

pinecone · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:07 pm

While my KJ hasn't blown a CV boot open, I can tell you what it is like for a normal FWD car.

Sounds like the boot may have split open. As a rule, CV boots are like belts in the fact that they need to be inspected and replaced when they start cracking. The function of the CV boot is to keep the grease in to lube the CV joint. With Honda (I was a Honda car mech for about 17 years), once the boot torn I would recommend outer CV joint replacement because of crap from the road contaminating the joint.

As far as driving it is concerned, as long as the joint hasn't come apart (takes awhile to occur but I have seen it) you can still drive it.

When the joint gets completely dry, it will wear much faster and start making noise when you turn. It will make a rapid knocking noise.

You may get away with just CV boots. If the offending axle is quiet, it may be OK. If it's noisy, you will need an outer CV joint or half shaft (depends on how good of a deal you can get)

As far as a stronger axle, I don't know of another alternative.

On a side note, I am curious to see how much of an angle the Frankenlift puts on the front axles. Anxiously waiting to see pics.

Hope this helps.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:20 pm

I beleive Jeepin by Al sells heavy duty replacement cv's for KJ's for about $625 if I remember right.

Eddo · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1214

They are about 120 for a remufactured one here
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList ... %2F%20Axle

OEM i believe is around 1000 dollars.

detroit_doc · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 2:26 pm

Sorry to hear about your CV boots. My CV angles looked pretty severe while I had my Frankenlift on too.

KJ-BOL · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 2:40 pm

Torn CV Boots can originate from different things, but having both boots torn is definetly because of the lift - taking a good pick of the angles of the cv joints will help some of us that have the same lift figure out how much more angled they are compared to ours.
I've had my franken for almost 9 months I think and have not had any issues with the boots at all - I wheel pretty hard and very often and fortunately do not have that problem. seeing some pics will help - I'll take some of mine today and post later.

kickit_in4wheel · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 2:51 pm

Here's a shot of mine. It tore not too long after I installed my lift and went wheeling for the first time. However, I only tore a boot, the CV was not damaged. And it was only on one side (driver's side). Since I replaced it I have had no other CV trouble.

NU ARTY BOY · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:12 pm

uvalax236 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:21 pm

yup its blown. PM me. I have a spare shaft that I need to get rid of.

NU ARTY BOY · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:31 pm

Is it truly "blown" or is the boot ripped but repairable? I know that I'd have to actually look at it for a tear but with the amount of grease thats come out I am not sure if its salvageable...

pinecone · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:11 pm

NU ARTY BOY wrote:

Is it truly "blown" or is the boot ripped but repairable? I know that I'd have to actually look at it for a tear but with the amount of grease thats come out I am not sure if its salvageable...

To me it looks like the inner CV boot is torn. I would try the re-boot option first. It should be cheaper than another driveshaft.

That driveshaft angle also looks pretty extreme to me.

I don't think I'm gonna lift my KJ.

corwyyn · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:40 pm

I agree that your CV angles look a bit much, this is what mine look like after I installed my Daystar 2.5" lift:

Prior to the lift my axles actually had a bit of negative angle, with the engine side being about 0.5" lower than the wheel side. Not sure how yours was set up before your lift.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:45 pm

pinecone wrote:

NU ARTY BOY wrote:

Is it truly "blown" or is the boot ripped but repairable? I know that I'd have to actually look at it for a tear but with the amount of grease thats come out I am not sure if its salvageable...

To me it looks like the inner CV boot is torn. I would try the re-boot option first. It should be cheaper than another driveshaft.

That driveshaft angle also looks pretty extreme to me.

I don't think I'm gonna lift my KJ.

Why? thats the most extreme lift out there for the kj. I have mine lifted but its only 2in and my cv angles are tilted down just a tad.. Dont base lifting you kj on those pics. I look at that lift for the hardcore offroader that needs MAX lift. I offroad mine alot but also use the skids alot.. :wink:

The rustys lift is a good lift that doesnt lift as high as the franken lift, so its not as hard on the cv's and other suspension parts. The franken lift is a good lift, it jus seems alittle hard on cv's before it gets settled. I bet if you hung a couple hundred lbs of weights on the front for a couple of days, it would settle just fine.. :wink:

Ive always told people to try that but they never do.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:54 pm

corwyyn wrote:

I agree that your CV angles look a bit much, this is what mine look like after I installed my Daystar 2.5" lift:

Prior to the lift my axles actually had a bit of negative angle, with the engine side being about 0.5" lower than the wheel side. Not sure how yours was set up before your lift.

Thats almost what mine look like with the OME Medium front springs and two conduit nuts for the clevis lift. Mine may be alittle less than that though.. I ended up with 2" of lift.. :wink:

Alittle over that with my 245/70/16 tires though.. I have right at 8 3/4 under the front skid and I had 6.5 before the lift..

Edit: Why do you have a bumpstop for the upper balljoint?

nolakj · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:16 pm

pinecone wrote:

NU ARTY BOY wrote:

Is it truly "blown" or is the boot ripped but repairable? I know that I'd have to actually look at it for a tear but with the amount of grease thats come out I am not sure if its salvageable...

To me it looks like the inner CV boot is torn. I would try the re-boot option first. It should be cheaper than another driveshaft.

That driveshaft angle also looks pretty extreme to me.

I don't think I'm gonna lift my KJ.

Like Jeepster said, the Rustys is not so extreme. I have it and my CVs are darn near level. I will be doing a clevis and top plate soon, but a straight up Rustys or OME 2" lift will give you a good look, more clearance , better ride than stock and will still not pose much of a threat to your suspension parts.

Lift it....you know you want to.......

pinecone · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:34 pm

corwyyn wrote:

I agree that your CV angles look a bit much, this is what mine look like after I installed my Daystar 2.5" lift:

Prior to the lift my axles actually had a bit of negative angle, with the engine side being about 0.5" lower than the wheel side. Not sure how yours was set up before your lift.

I could live with that much angle on the CVs.

pinecone · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:40 pm

nolakj wrote:

Lift it....you know you want to.......

Yes I do.

Jeepin Al · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:54 pm

A couple of things,

The bump stop is on the top, to put pressure on the entire structure. If the bump stop is on the bottom it it would rip out the lower ball joint right out of the spindle.

And yes the boot is ripped. If you can find the hole and its not tear you can fix it. I used brake cleaner to clean the boot, an file to rough up the area and silcon sealant. inject a little sealant in the hole to make a plug, put some on the outside smooth it over the hole with minimal pressure. Let the KJ sit for an entire 24 hours. Pop the lower band off the boot, slip a needle grease fitting between the axle and boot (make sure you don't put another hole in it and fill that bad boy fill of grease. If there is a tear, you are SOL, time to change the boot.

Next question, is did you forge any rivers or puddles, mud bog or anything else like that before you discovered the hole. If you did you will need to clean the CV joint out. So replace the boot at that time. Most likely the CV is not toast. Keep driving it and it will be.

As for the poor angles, it appears that the ball slots in the housing catch the axle shafts causing the binding. Jeff Daniels Jeep has cut the housing down or back and regrooved the retaining ring, eliminated the bind. Neat trick.

The JE Reel shafts are really HD, I have beat mine to death and they are still going strong with minimal snap crackle pop! In fact if you grease all your CV's the binding noise will all but be eliminated.

Hope this helps a little
Al

RespectMyLibertay · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:02 pm

I have yet to have CV boot problems, but when I took the Jeep into a dealer to look at my transfer case, he told me that the front suspension, when fully drooped, put the bottom of the strut (where it fits into the clevis) right on top of the CV boot. I checked this when offroad and flexed, and he was right, even with my front swaybar on! I was amazed that I never tore it, but now I have Al's Arms and when my suspension is fully drooped the bottom of the strut is moved further out and not close at all to the CV boot. I have an older Frankenlift, with different front springs than the newer ones. It may just be a Frankenlift thing. I'm so glad I replaced my upper a-arms because now I don't to worry about this problem or any upper ball-joint issues.
All you guys should check on this if you have a lift and stock upper a-arms. It could very well be a problem if the bottom of the strut is rubbing the boot while it is rotating. I'm sure it varies with what lift you have on your rig.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:03 pm

Jeepin Al, were you talking to me about the ball joint bumpstop? Is so, I dont have a clue what your talking about by it getting torn from the spindle?

Anyway, I was just wondering why he needed the bumpstop in general? I didnt think it was needed with the daystar spacer lift since it doesnt let it droop anymore than stock. Maybe he added a different upper strut plate?

What does a blown CV shaft look like???

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