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colkrang
Member
Date registered: May 2015
Location: Denver
Vehicle(s): 2004 G500
Posts: 27
| G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
Has anyone had their CV axle boots fail immediately after repairing it in the front swivel assembly? I have leaks from both sides and I'm thinking its because I have dumbed up the rebuild.
Could it be that I don't have the straps tight enough? I used different color grease to get a good idea of any recidivism on the part of the CV's. |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
It's highly unlikely that the boots would fail immediately after replacement. It certainly is possible that you didn't get the clamps tight enough.
Is the grease that is coming past the swipe seals the color of the CV joint grease you used; i.e. black? Did you use a non-black multipurpose grease to fill the swivel balls so you could tell the difference? |
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colkrang
Member
Date registered: May 2015
Location: Denver
Vehicle(s): 2004 G500
Posts: 27
| Re: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
Yes and Yes. It is dark, and the grease in the swivel is green.
I was wondering if sealant around the cv joint boot seat isn't a good idea as well. Damn I don't wanna take all that apart again LOL. |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
There was a recent report of someone doing the job and not getting the clamp tight. Somehow the tab got opened up by turning in the grease and completely released allowing the CV joint grease to escape.
I think that, if I were to do the job again (I did it several times on my W460), I'd make sure that the tab on the clamp is positioned so that it can't be forced open with forward rotation of the half shaft. |
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colkrang
Member
Date registered: May 2015
Location: Denver
Vehicle(s): 2004 G500
Posts: 27
| Re: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
I wonder if another clamp type might be better for this. Perhaps one of the ones that takes pliers for example.
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
colkrang - 6/30/2015 5:33 PM
I wonder if another clamp type might be better for this. Perhaps one of the ones that takes pliers for example.
I would just make sure that the tab, when closed, is directed so the forward motion of the truck will press it closed instead of trying to lift it open.
Also, somewhere on this forum is a very good tip of using a modified hose clamp to help tighten that clamp sufficiently to seal the boot up well. |
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Floobydust
Veteran
Date registered: Mar 2014
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Vehicle(s): 1995 E320 Cabrio, 2003 G500, 2000 SL500, 1980 TR8
Posts: 284
| RE: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
I had the unfortunately experience of having the folded over tab opening up on the axle CV joint clamp. I used the "hose clamp method" that has been described in various threads and as a method of tightening the clamp, it works incredibly well. But the one thing it does not do is make sure the the tab is folded over tightly and that the tab is pressed down firmly against the clamp band. My clamp was very tight, as evidenced by the nipple indentations in the rubber boot, but because I apparently did not get the "fold" tight enough on the tab, or because I did not orient that tab so it was trailing, the clamp opened up later and spewed the CV joint grease out of the boot. I think grease was forced under it by axle rotation (because I had the "tail" forward).
I have looked at other clamp options and found several that I think would work, but I'm going to go with the genuine MB clamps (the nipples are on it for a reason), but this time I'm going to orient the tail to trail rotation and I'm going to use a short length of stainless locking wire to keep the tab from lifting (most other fold-over type CV boot clamps have retaining tabs for this purpose).
 (Boot Clamp Open.jpg)
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 Boot Clamp Open.jpg (345KB - 0 downloads)
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colkrang
Member
Date registered: May 2015
Location: Denver
Vehicle(s): 2004 G500
Posts: 27
| Re: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
Yeah - probably some combination of what happened to me. I didn't use the hose clamp method and that probably doomed me as well.
Oddly, when I pulled the unit out, there was sealant on the surface of the CV outer housing between the big ring and the inside of the boot.
I think I will try an alternate clamp mechanism just to see what happens. It looks like there is ample clearance for it.
This should be a low RPM assembly as well ( 1500 tops). Should make balance less critical. |
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colkrang
Member
Date registered: May 2015
Location: Denver
Vehicle(s): 2004 G500
Posts: 27
| Re: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
i wonder if its possible to do this job without removing the CV joints from the knuckle. That would make everything much easier I think. |
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Floobydust
Veteran
Date registered: Mar 2014
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Vehicle(s): 1995 E320 Cabrio, 2003 G500, 2000 SL500, 1980 TR8
Posts: 284
| RE: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
Here is a pic of the "hose clamp method" in action (note, you can tighten the CV boot clamps with the axle still in the swivel housing). There is also a pic of my clamp after tightening showing the safety "lock wire" I used to prevent the clamp from opening. One thing I should note is that I think it is possible to over tighten the boot clamp using the hose clamp method, something that I think would only contribute to the tendency for it to open up.
Edited by Floobydust 7/2/2015 12:11 PM
 (Hose Clamp Method.jpg)
 (Lock Wire.jpg)
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Hose Clamp Method.jpg (352KB - 0 downloads)
Lock Wire.jpg (304KB - 0 downloads)
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Floobydust
Veteran
Date registered: Mar 2014
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Vehicle(s): 1995 E320 Cabrio, 2003 G500, 2000 SL500, 1980 TR8
Posts: 284
| RE: G500 CV boot replacement - sealant question
Okay, perhaps a dumb question, but do people use sealant on the axle CV boots? I know it is required on the homeokinetic shaft because of the speed it turns at. But the WIS does not mention sealant for assembly of the axle boots, yet I think MB does so at the factory. If sealant is used, what sealant is it? I have never used sealant for other types of axle CV boots, but MB may be different.
Thanks!
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: G500 CV boot replacement - sealant question
Floobydust - 7/2/2015 10:21 PM
Okay, perhaps a dumb question, but do people use sealant on the axle CV boots?
No sealant is used on the half axle CV joint boots. Just be sure your clamps are tight. |
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colkrang
Member
Date registered: May 2015
Location: Denver
Vehicle(s): 2004 G500
Posts: 27
| Re: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
That's odd. There was definitely sealant in there on mine. No biggie. |
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colkrang
Member
Date registered: May 2015
Location: Denver
Vehicle(s): 2004 G500
Posts: 27
| Re: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
So I'm about to pull this apart and take a look at it a year later. I have a horrible crunching noise that happens over bumps and it crunches and clicks. This is after some moderate off roading.
I think it might be my suspension, but I cannot at this time tell what would cause it.
During the time we were away from this topic, I figured out I could use a soldering iron on that tab and wick solder under it. Its never coming off unintentionally after I do that. My only concern is the heat on the rubber. |
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NHDave
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Dec 2013
Location: Seacoast NH.
Vehicle(s): 2004 AMG
Posts: 464
| Re: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
Check your sway bar bushings before you go deeper? |
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colkrang
Member
Date registered: May 2015
Location: Denver
Vehicle(s): 2004 G500
Posts: 27
| Re: G500 grease leak from knuckle...after boot repair.
I don't even know what those bushings worn would look like. I'll check them out though - I'm not too heartbroken about pulling the front axle stuff as I have a CV leak anyway. Want that grease to turn green again so I know that's all healthy.
Also, I have a strong- ish vibration at 55mph under acceleration. And a new center shaft (old one was toast) I'm thinking it could be an issue with my driveshafts or cvs, and want to check them for play anyway.
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