Lift Kit Bites Me In The ***! HELP

[Proton Smoke]

i recently noticed my front passenger side cv boot was ripped and the chrome on rims is peeling. took it to the dealer and all sounded good except the rims due to time and mileage. (Just under 3 years and 31200 miles). first the bad news, the cv boot is not a "servicable part" and the entire half shaft needs to be replaced, the worse news, due to the aftermarket Calmini lift kit Isuzu claims that the extended height increased the angles in the half shaft and is the cause of the boot ripping, thusly not under warranty. they will be happy to fix it for me for only $1700.00. that's right $700.00 for the shaft and $1000.00 for the 12+ hours of labor. but there is a bright side, amazingly they are going to replace the rims for me for FREE. "freebie!, freebie!, freebie!. after finding this out, (possibly one of my worst days ever) i took my VX over to my friend, ex-Ford ASE certified Master mechanic, Todd, and he is gonna do the work for me. he is gonna try to slide a new boot over the joint, but won't know if it's possible untill we get it up on the lift and cut the old boot off. (fingers crossed). if anyone has replaced one of their boots or had to replace one of their half shafts any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[AlaskaVX]

$1700 holy ****! Did you flip your ball joints? Doesn't that help with the angle? I am going to lift mine in August and want to know all I should do to prevent this from happening to me.

[Hotsauce]

I strongly recommend on any ripped CV boot that you disassemble the whole CV joint, clean out any dirt that may have entered, and repack it with the correct abmount of fresh CV grease.

I carry as an emergency repair part a split CV boot that can be field installed. It'll get you home, but I wouldn't rely on it.

John C.

[SPAZZ]

Bought replacement at Kragen for $17.99 plus tax...with military discount on top of that. Isuzu wanted $113 for the boot and that wasn't even including installation!!!!!!!!!
Don't go for those boots you have to crimp closed without tearing everything apart. It is not that hard...just messy replacing a boot. Don't tighten boot clamp too tight over boot or you might get a tear starting at the seam. That is what mine is doing....I'm watching it to see how long it will last...but will have to change it out again soon.

[Joe_Black]

I've seen some spiral CV boots used on IFS Troopers that have gotten some good reviews, but couldn't find any web resources for them. Independent 4X4 has a whole boot kit, with tools and an instructional CD, for $119. Check it out HERE. (http://www.independent4x.com/item.jhtml?UCIDs=839915%7C1034921&PRID=955395)

[AnalogVX]

Some talk on the wire about about dropping the front diff with spacers and/or brackets to relieve some of the stress on the CV and it's boot. There are quite a few guys on this board with 3" of lift or more. Maybe they can add to what is being posted on the wire.

http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=318010&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1

[Tonka]

:eek:
How many others that have the lift have/don't have this problem? No problems yet for me. But I have yet to do any real hard core wheeling. Calmini or poor man's lift?

[driver3]

Where did you go in toledo??? I couldn't get mine replaced at 15k... I have 54 now, but dammit... the salt in ohio screws up your rims fast... I have a different set now for off road and winter... new 285/60/18's for the summer..

[VR4-Quest]

Yeah, I tried getting my rims replaced for peeling on the inside, but Fred Martin in Akron, Ohio said they are warranted for only 1 year, and to the original owner only (I have 29,000 miles).

[Rook]

I've been lifted for a little over a year (wrangler springs/torsion bar crank) and have also dealt with broken cv joints. While the phrase "you play, you pay" often applies, you can easily tear a boot without abusing the vx offroad due to the increase in stress. I do like the idea of having some beefed up cv joints.

Isuzu quoted me about $1500 to replace my left front axle assembly, and after taking it to my local mechanic, he couldn't even find a stress fracture in the axle. He immediately took care of the cv/ boot and I was out the door with an unmaxed credit card. Point being, your car may or may not have all these problems ... the way to find out is by going to a mechanic you can trust (in this case your friend). Keep us posted on what he finds.

[Green Dragon]

Broke a Passenger side axle & a Drivers side CV Joint

Reseach the salvage yards for a complete spare axle assembly. I paid $210 out the door for both Left & Right axles. You can change an axle in 1 hour thirty minutes by removing CV Boot Band& taking out the C Ring ( screwdiver to pop it out) at Inner CV Bearing Race ( Green Housing).

Of course you have to Remove wheel- Hub-Snap ring at wheel end of Axle -disconnect steering Knuckle-wheel sensor & Brake Calipers but it is quite doable for an average guy with some tools.

You can then install new boots on old Axles & Have spares ready to go. On the axle that I destroyed the CV Joint Cage. I took it to a shop & they replaced cage, bearings and boot for $84 out the door

[kpaske]

I've lifted my VX (cranked torsion bars in front, trooper springs & shocks in the rear) and haven't noticed any problems. I haven't really done much off road though, although I intend to sometime before the summer is over. Do I need to flip my ball joints? Is there anything else I should watch out for?

[Proton Smoke]

my buddy finished the half shaft install in about 5 hours for a total of 1000.00 with the 715.00 part. the people at the dealer service center didn't seem too happy, but the hell with them. they put my new rims on today. took all day, but didn't need the truck so not a big deal. while my buddy todd had it apart he noticed that the differental can be lowered an inch and still clear the cross-member. my friend nick is going to make me some spacers to do the modification. Spaceres need to be solid steel, 1 inch thick, 1.5 inches in diameter with a .5 inch hole drilled in the center and you will need six of them. also you will need 6 1 inch longer bolts for the diff case. the inch lowering of the case will decrease the angles in the half shaft, not back to stock, but will take off about 10-15 degrees out ot it. i talked to calmini and they suggest installing their manual locking hubs 129.00 a pair, but i don't think i'm going to do it.

[Daver]

I have manual locking hubs. I let my front wheels freewheel at least 75% of the time its on the road.

In severe rain storms and pretty much all winter I leave the hubs locked in.

RWD is more fun, too. ;)

-Daver

[newthings]

Daver
You switch the TOD off when you unlock the hubs, right?
Roy

[Daver]

Yep.