the boot you can tell with a visual inspection. there should be no tears in the boot. the boot is there to keep grease in and debris out. if the boot is torn and most of the grease is gone you probably should replace the shaft. if you catch it soon enough though you can just replace the boot which is much cheaper.
If the inspector sees that the rubber is torn, he'll require replacement of the part or parts (they usually wear out at the same time. Original parts may last longer than the cheaper replacements.
CV boot? Tierod boot? Ball joint boot? Driveshaft slip yoke boot? If its torn REPLACE it
Replace it.
Don't bother trying to replace a torn boot on a half shaft. It is quicker, easier and cheaper to replace the whole half shaft.
A knocking/clicking noise when making a turn is a sign of a torn CV boot. In this case it's the driver side boot that is torn.
There is a seal around the opening of the boot, if this is worn, torn, or otherwise damaged water will get in.
The wall didn't fail it was torn down in 1989 when the communist government of the Soviet Union failed.
your cv boot has torn and needs replacement
The rubber boot that covers the CV joint is what tears. When the boot tears grease is expelled and water and dirt gets in.
It is cheaper to replace the CV shaft than it is to replace the boot. If the boot has been torn for any length of time it will have collected dirt and water. That in itself spells disaster.
If the boot is torn, then more than likely the CV joint needs replacing. It at the very least needs to be inspected. You can replace the boot with a repair kit, but I would have the joint inspected.