Renewing CV Gaiters

 

My ST 165 has covered 88000 miles and is 12 years old some of the general wear and tear has taken its toll on the constant velocity joint gaiters.

I have replaced three drive shaft sets of gaiters all with in a month or so of each other (spooky)...

The Toyota part no's are kit (inner and outer) 04438-20050 and just the inboard gaiter 04438-20040.

I used a pattern part made by a company called "shaftec" part no bk 35 (fits front outer and rear outer).

 

** UPDATE **

Try “Blue print”  I think they sell the gaiters now!

ST165 - you might also want to try Partco for the outer boots, part number - BLTDBC400 - £6.70 each.

 

The CV joint

End view of the CV joint

Note the lack of clearance between the joint/ring/balls. Putting this back together is a nightmare job. It looks very much like it won't go back together, but it will, just use lots and lots of patience and 2 people...

Front

To remove the drive shaft you must first chock the wheels and loosen the wheel nuts on the wheel that your working on.

Raise the car from the ground with a jack and secure with axle stands.

Remove the road wheel then pull the split pin using a screw driver and pliers and the locking cover (never reuse the split pin) then loosen the large hub nut, 30mm rings a bell.

You may have to get someone to stand on the brake pedal for this bit, (or refit wheel and lower the car), crack the hub nut with some of the weight of the car on the wheel.

To remove the drive shaft you have to undo six Allen key headed bolts that bolts the drive shaft to the gearbox flange.

Then I undid the two nuts and one bolt from the bottom of the hub, (lowest ball joint). Then using a longish bar place it between wish bone and anti roll bar and push down enabling you to swing out the suspension leg, (take care the bar doesn't slip when you are trying to swing out the leg), you then remove the split pin and nut cover and loosen the hub nut.

Leaving the hub nut on the end, (covering threads) use a plastic/copper mallet/hammer and hopefully knock out the drive shaft. You are now ready to remove the drive shaft from the car leaving the half shaft in the gear box, careful you don't disturb it or you may have a puddle of gearbox fluid on the floor.

There is a snap ring at the end of the inner joint, this has to be removed so you can slide off the inner joint. I was told NOT to remove the outer joint!!

To replace the gaiters is quite easy, if you go slowly and match mark all the components.

I found it quite hard to obtain the CORRECT gaiters from the local motor factors and in the end I had to bite the bullet and pay an expensive visit to Mr Toyota, (I’m still in shock). Obtaining the outer gaiters was easy, inners no chance...

One side the gaiter only had a small tear in it, but it made a hell of a mess on the brake backing plates and tyres, so I cleaned most of all the old grease out leaving a small amount in with the balls.

If the cv assembly falls apart in your hands all I can say is it goes together as you think is wrong! I have some pics of what it looks like when correct.

My local mechanics had a problem with a ST185 when the boy took it apart and like humpty dumpty they couldn't put it together again, (6 hours later apparently).

Then you need to re-grease and slide on the new gaiters and secure with cable ties or the supplied metal clips.

To reinstall is the opposite REMEMBER to torque up all the removed nuts and bolts

The rear cv joints and drive shafts are very similar.

I hope this is of some help and all that I have written is correct, (was for me!).

 

*Remember safety first when working on your car*

Thanks to Steve Gillies for this article