I have a 1997 Sr5 4runner, 3inch toytec coil lift, diff drop, 31 inch BFG at's and I think thats all the information you need. My problem is that i turned into my driveway the other day and i herd that distinctive "click" coming from the front passenger side. Changed my oil that afternoon and sure enough my boot slipped off. It looks to me that all the grease is gone (obviously) and the boot looks to be in good shape, No tears, No cracks. Should i take the time and replace the whole CV or just put the boot back on and pack it with grease? I dont want to do a "Band-aid" job and have to replace the CV in the Winter when i actually NEED my 4WD. Anything i should look for to tell me that the CV is junk? And for the record i only noticed the "Clicking" When i turned into the driveway. Any opinions or advice is greatly appriciated.

 

I think it's worth a try. If it still pops/clicks after you do the "band-aid", then I would replace it now and not wait for winter. If the noise goes away, you'll probably be fine for a while.

My CVs boots leaked everything out from where they're clamped quickly after I installed my lift. I repacked them w/ grease and put some normal hose clamps on over the stock clamps because I couldn't get the stock clamps any tighter. A few months later, the screw on the normal hose clamps wore holes and tore the outer boots on both sides. Then I repacked them with grease again and wrapped the hell out of both axles w/ duct tape and that bought me several more months. I drove it like that through an entire fall, winter, and spring - I estimate about 400 miles of that was in 4wd in snow. I finally replaced them because the duct tape shredded and they looked awful - but still weren't popping tough.

 

Thanks. Thats what i am thinking, Re-clamp it and hope for the best. should i try and clean it at all or just repack it and throw the clamp back on?

 

My boots didn't slip off, so I didn't take them off and clean inside either. I just greased and re-clamped. Nor did mine make noise. I guess clean it if it looks dirty, but smother it back up in grease before you put the boot back on and re-pack it. If it's already popping, it might be screwed but like I said, it worth a try IMO.

 

Cool, Thanks. By the way thats a good looking truck you got there.

 

Thank you. Ditto (from the little bit I can see of it).