There was ZERO grease around the big end...if you look at the pic I posted you can see what I mean...the big end was perfectly clean...all the grease surrounded the small end. It was lining the a-arm right underneath the small end of the boot.

Where do you think I could find a smaller clamp to use?

My main concern about using the big clamp is that it would kink the boot and could possible crack it.

Fink:devil:

OK...talked to David at Cornfed again. He recommended using zip ties on the big end as they have a funky edge on them and then using hose clamps on the smaller end.

I showed him the pics of it and he said it was definitely leaking from the small end. i've been doing some searching online and found a place that sells some stainless rolled-edge hose clamps, could take about a week to ship though.

Here's a link to the place right now, if anybody knows of any place that might have these let me know A.S.A.P!!

http://www.bakerprecision.com/hoseclmp.htm

I'm thinking about getting them in several different sizes as I didn't have enough daylight to measure the stock clamps.

What do you all think?

Fink:devil:

Fink man, Good investigating. I am patiently watching your ideas and taking it all in since I might be in the same boat here soon.
Keep us posted dude! I am learning from you as well :D

Is it likely the CV boots will leak a few times a year with a 2.5 inch lift with diff drop??? What is the consensus out there.

-Cheers.

Consesus: You never know, but better save than sorry.
Consesus 2: SAS Baby.

Apparently the grease leaking out is "normal" but preventable.

This really isn't that serious of a problem, at first I was extremely concerned as I was not used to this happening, obviously but now that I have read about it and talked to the right people this is fairly common and easily remedied.

I'm probably gonna go ahead and order some of the rolled-edged clamps as I am really concerned that after spending the money to get the new boots put on that they will rip under the stress of the traditional style hose clamps that I have.

I will find out more when I can get under the rig tomorrow at the dealer and really take a look at whats goin on.

Fink:devil:

Holy cow..I LOVE amazon.com!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=...rds=hose+clamp

Fink:devil:

This isn't exactly rocket science. Many people have been down this road and have solved it by running down to the hardware store and getting the cheapest hose clamps and zip ties they could fine. If you're that (unnecessarily) concerned about, wrap the hose clamps in electrical tape.

LoL, I know...I'm just a perfectionist, especially when it comes to my Runner!

Sorry if I'm throwing all these useless posts out there...just trying to get it right from the beginning.

Thanks again to all that have helped!

Fink:devil:

Alright...

Took it to the shop today to get the tie rod replaced, ended up getting both replaced cause they had a tie rod there that they special ordered for a guy and he never came and got it so my buddy gave me the hook up on it. Anyway, both tie rods have been replaced.

I had the tech put a hose clamp on the small end of the CV boot and line it with some rubber padding that I got at Lowe's, he said he thinks that should work.

However, I have driven the Runner twice since I have had the clamps on and everytime I check em, they are in a different position so they are obviously moving...which in my head makes me think they aren't gonna do squat.

He said he didn't want to remove the stock clamps because he was afraid he would tear the boot and they wouldn't have had time to fix them today.

So as of now I've got some hose clamps on the small end of the boots and the big ends are still stock...I'll watch it over the next few days and see how it works.

Also, with my highway vibration after the lift...the tech said he thinks the it could be caused by the severe CV angles.

Any new ideas?

Fink:devil:

Putting hose clamps over the stock clamps aint doing much. Pry off the old clamps, clean up the axle and boot, then tighten down a hose clamp on the small end of the boot. Make sure your CV is level when you do this, it should help with keeping the clamp secure during the suspension's cycle. Also, dont tighten them too tight, they will cut the boot. Just keep testing the tightness, better too loose than too tight. Those rounded edged clamps looked really nice.

Just get under there, get your hands dirty and get your brain working. You should see how simple a fix it is and learn some things about the front drivetrain while youre down there. Come back with any questions.

As far as the clamp cutting through the boot, I don't think that will be a problem...I bought some really tough rubber stuff that we cut into strips before tightening the clamp...as of now zero grease has come out of the small end of the CV where the clamp is, however there may be a tiny bit seeping through the big end of the CV.

I'm not exaclty sure how I'm gonna be able to get the CV's level when putting the clamps on...not seeing how that could happen.

Thanks for the suggestion RT!

I would have no problem doing this myself and learning but for one, I'd be on my own and if something happened not sure I would be able to get any help for awhile and this is my only form of trasnportation, two I don't have too many tools, and three no garage space to do it in and its about 20 degrees here during the day.

The tech said that he would recommend changing the boots after I figure out whether this clamp thing is gonna work as they are looking pretty weathered, he said they haven't torn yet but there are a few spots that he is afraid my go in the near future...I went back there and saw what he was talking about.

He offered to do it for me "under the table" or "out of the shop" some weekend so I may take him up on that.

So again, how should I get the CV level?

Thanks,

Fink:devil:

Wow, this is extremely rare. Make sure you are positive about this.

Take off the tire, put a jack stand on the frame rail, put your jack under the hub, jack up the front suspension until it is level. The jack stand should hold a majority of the load, not your jack. Make sense?

Thanks man!

However, here are my current thoughts...after talking to several people, mainly Steve from Sonoran Steel...I think I have concluded that the front has just been lifted too much, I really don't think I need all that lift in the front to fit the 285's and that is as big as I wanna go.

I am now thinking about taking out the Cornfed spacers and front diff drop and replacing them with OME front shocks and Tundra coils and the Sonoran Steel diff drop to see what that does for me...if it solves my high speed vibration and at least HELPS, if not SOLVES my CV problems then I will sell the Cornfeds and go with the Tundra/OME setup permanantly(sp? for some reason that doesn't look right to me, I pulled an all-nighter last night so I could just be too tired).

Hey, if nothing else, I will have a sweet new front-end setup.

What do you all think about this? I really don't want to risk my CV boots tearing and this high speed vibration is driving me crazy already!

Thanks,

Fink:devil:

i definately don't think you need all that lift in the front. i have the 2.5's in my front with more than enough room to clear my tires. i'll let you know how my front sits in the next week or so after i put in my 2.5 daystar lift in up front. As i said before, this may wind up being a temp fix for my issues because i have no where near enough money for the new springs, studs and top out spacers. I may wind up going with my 1.25" preload spacer and a couple of Andy's topout spacers if the 1.25" top out spacer that came with my kit is too much lift.

99 coils with a 3 inch spacer...thats alot of lift for your CV's to take.

Exactly...

*UPDATE*

OK...this is my current thought of a solution.

Remove the Cornfed spacers and diff drop and replace them with the Tundra 4WD coils and OME N91C shocks along with a Sonoran Steel diff drop...and then on my own I will weld on the Panhard/Trac bar drop bracket to help out the rear.

After this, I will install a 1" 4Crawler body lift...I won't be able to do it right away so I'm hoping the rig can handle running with just the Tundra/OME lift until I can get the body lift ordered and installed.

What do you all think?

In turn this would reduce the front lift by about an inch, rear would stay the same. Stress on the CV's would be MUCH less, optimal front-end performance.

That's my idea so far anyway, until then I am going to keep a CLOSE eye on my CV's until I can decide on this.

Lexus wheels are supposedly coming in tomorrow so I should have the tires mounted by tomorrow evening.

Fink:devil:

Are the one inch diff drop kits pretty much the same? Cornfed, 4Crawler, Sonoran Steel, etc ?

Fink, I have my fingers crossed that my kit will be put on Thursday. (2.5 inch spacer, 4Crawler diff drop, 891's) Once I do, I will let you know how my CV experience is...

BTW- Mad props on 4Crawler Body Lifts ! I like my 2inch BL.
Cheers

You'll be fine with the 2.5" spacer if I had to guess...most diff drops are the same but I think the Sonoran Steel is different because its at an angle and it supposedly better than the rest, I'll whatever I can get at this point so...

Good luck man, DEFINITELY keep me posted...that would be my other route. Take out the 3" and go with the 2.5" so let me know how it works out for ya!

Fink:devil:

fink,

if you're willing to pay, i say go for the tundra/OME setup and 1" body lift. or go with the 'ultimate' lift with factory tundra/tacoma/FZJ80 parts: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...&postcount=629

either way, get a 1" body lift and a smaller suspension lift. body lifts are cheap and easy. and i'm confident that you know where to get one.

the tundra coil setup is becoming, if not already, the most popular setup. go for it :great:

I wouldn't hesitate to get the "ultimate" 3rd gen lift but I've already got the rear squared away and I'd like to just leave it the way it is, plus this has been tried and true for several years now so I know it will work.

I will probably be ordering the parts tomorrow and the body lift a week or so...

Fink:devil: