How do you remove left outer CV joint from shaft to replace outer boot on 1989 Isuzu Trooper?

Answer 1

I just changed the outer CV joint boot on my 1993 Isuzu Trooper. This is a case where the popular Haynes manual is very poorly written. I will put here an overview of the job and then a link to a description. This job requires a floor jack and wheel stands: Jacking strategy: Block both rear wheels. Support front of car with jack stands at the frame. I use plywood squares to avoid metal-on-metal skidding. You need to have the floor jack and a block of wood available for lifting and positioning the lower suspension A-frame. You need the floor jack when re-assembling the suspension. Here is a dis-assembly overview: 1. This is a way to remove the entire half-axle from the car without disassembling the differential. You can replace the inner CV-joint boot or the outer CV-joint boot. 2. You have to get the outer part of the half-axle free from the brake disk and drive hub. You have to unbolt and support the brake caliper, then separate both ball joints. The axle is held by a circular clip in the center of the front hub assembly. When the circlip is removed, you slide the brake disk and kingpost off of the splined drive axle. 3. You have to release the inner part of the half-axle by un-clamping the inner cv joint boot and popping out a retaining ring. This is a 3-inch diameter round wire ring you can feel. It holds the balls and cage into the outer cup. This part of the job exposes the inner CV-joint. Clean up before removing the inner boot. 4. Then the entire half-axle slides out as a floppy two hand lift. The inner part of the axle comes out with the boot and the greasy cv joint ball and cage all together. 5. Both CV-boots slide off the same inner end of the half-shaft. The inner CV-joint balls and cage are held by a circlip just like the outer end of the half shaft. Remove the circlip, slide off the greasy balls and cage, remove boot clamps and slide off the boots. 6. This job exposes greasy parts that need to stay clean. Have plenty of clean newspaper and rags. Remove loose grit before opening the joints. http://www.4x4wire.com/isuzu/tech/CVboots/ Removing the entire axle shaft requires dropping the entire front axle assembly, in order to release the axle shafts. It is much easier to service boots on-vehicle using the pull-over boots manufactured by Mecatech. Unfortunately that's the only company I know of that makes boots which can be installed over the end of your axle shafts - and you have to order directly because I don't know of any retailers which carry them - but being able to change a CV boot in 20 minutes start to finish, without using some lame split boot, is great.