For sure and sometimes they bite you in the arse

Balls...


Just ripped the front left outer CV boot...

Balls, balls, balls, balls.

And on the Bank holiday too...


BALLS....

If you didn't laugh you'd cry, right??

I did the same on mine but not on a Bank Holiday

Doing so well too. Only a ball joint away from replacing both lower control arms

Well love it or hate it, Amazon to the rescue on a bank holiday sunday. At around 1600 on saturday I ordered a universal CV boot, CV grease and CV bands and tool and they arrived before midday which is miraculous as I live in the middle of nowhere north Wales.

So, had to do a few new things to fix this slip up, removed the drive shaft as somehow I had managed to decouple the inner CV joint att he same time as ripping the outer CV boot. It was a marvellous moment DIY life people...

Anyway if this ever happens to you then this CV boot works perfectly with the outer CV.



Anyway going back to the beginning this is definitely a 5 spanner DIY job. If only because the job requires compressing the spring and damper to align the bolt holes with the new stiff bushes. Added complications are you need a 21mm ring spanner, kong with an 13, 15, 18 and 22mm socket. Plus the usual Land Rover special tools...

So as the bushes were quite worn after 150k miles and I decided to replace the whole lower control arm and ball joint, along with the anti roll bar bushes and links as well. Surprisingly all the bolts came loose with no problem at all and the bushes were well past their best

















What was surprising was that the ball joint had absolutely no grease at all in it, so if you do this job check this and if necessary fill with some CV grease.





The drivers side went nice a smoothly but the passenger side I slipped and the thread of the ball joint shredded the CV boot... Grease everywhere... Balls...







As I said above, Amazon to the rescue and a universal CV boot worked a treat. So once the inner drive CV was removed from the gearbox. At this point I realised that during the CV boot shredding the inner CV managed to pull apart as well so pulling it out allowed for fitting back together again with fresh grease. The hardest part of this is all the grease, it takes quite a bit to clean up all the CV grease. The CV joint just pops off so the boot can be replaced. The universal boot needs to be cut down a little bit at the wide end but is a snug fit on the CV joint.







It is great to have a vice at hand for this job. All back together again.

After a lot of messing around and frustrating manoeuvring the front bolt finally slotted home and everything went back together again. A good dose of lanoguard should protect this lot over the winter.



And whilst I am in the region it seemed like a good opportunity to stick the battery on a recon charge as Phoebe is not driven vast distances every day.





Oh and replaced the bonnet gas struts as well, the originals were just getting a bit weak. What I need to do next is check the oil levels as there was a little leakage from the gearbox when the inner Cv shaft popped out, only 30ml or so, but it needs to be replaced.

What a marathon on my dirty gravel driveway...

And just to finish that last section off. A short test drive and all appears to be as it should.

Plus Phoebe has got a new fuel filter, air filter and pollen filter. The latter was packed with grime.

If anyone is wondering if they actually need the fuel filter priming bulb, the answer is it does make it much much easier and has the added benefit of being able to recover the fuel from within the old filter

Back on four wheels... both of them

Balls. The inner CV clamp band is not tight enough. Grease has oozed out a bit. Shall we try this again... I knew in my heart that the band was too thin, new thicker ones on the way.

Ok... I think I have this sorted now. The moral of the story is if it looks flimsy then the grease will find a way out......





Yup, not much grease really, but it does show the CV band is not doing its job. In fact it felt like the band had released slightly since fitting.

So plan B was to replace the first band with a much bigger band of a different style. This one also needs a specific tool to fit it as well. The difference is night and day feeling secure and strong as the band was crimped in place.



These are the two styles of CV band and tool and I suspect the difference between them is entirely obvious. Those thin clamping bands are really only good for static jobs like sign posts, not CV boots.












And back on four wheels again

Ahhhh service complete... CV boot not oozing grease and the oil and filter have been changed. Next one will be in 2024...

Thanks for the pictures and explanation of the bits required.

Although I did wonder how you managed to drive across the ceillng.

Geobloke wrote:

And back on four wheels again

Did I not mention the fitting of anti-gravity tyres?! Apparently they will become essential fitment for future ULEZ compliance.

Todays little job was to put the battery on a recondition charge cycle as the mornings are getting colder and battery health is critical

During lunch break another little job is on the cards, silicon greasing the door and sunroof seals. Highly advised if you haven't done it before.