We have observed that most people, when told they have "a torn or bad CV Boot", look down at their feet thinking, “My boots look okay to me!” Well, that's not where they are. Look under your car!
You'll find at least four of them, one for each CV ("Constant Velocity") joint, located on the inner and outer end of the car's two drive axels. The outer CV joints attach to the hub of the wheels and are part of the wheels' driving function; the inner CV joints attach to the transmission.
A CV boot is a soft rubber tube that has folds (like the bellows of an accordion). One end of the boot is small – it fits around the drive axel – and the other end is large – that one fits around the CV joint.
A CV boot's job is to protect your car's CV joint by keeping dirt, road grime, and water away from it and the grease that lubricates it. Clean grease promotes long life – long CV joint life, that is.
Although “Constant Velocity Joints” are now standard equipment on virtually every car, they weren't commonly used until 'front wheel drive' became more universal. They are the optimal choice for front wheel drive due to the fact that they allow the outer end of the axel to bend at the sharp angle it needs, in order to turn the car while maintaining the strength to turn the wheel.
CV Joints are complex pieces of engineering. Imagine a small coffee can with channels machined into it in six to eight places, and matching channels machined in an orb. Each channel holds a round ball bearing – sandwiching it between the orb and can. Now, press gobs of grease into every nook and cranny; then surround the can (the CV joint) with one of those soft, rubber CV boots whose job it is to keep the grease in and dirt and water out.
The CV joint works much like a knee joint: ball and socket. If the boot becomes loose, or develops tears or cracks, or just wears out, dirt gets into the grease and joint, damaging the ball bearings and channels. This ruins the joint; creating a strange 'clack, clack, clack' noise when the car turns a corner.
The cure for this is to replace the damaged axel assembly with an assembly that has re-built joints and new CV Boots. However – take note: with regular service a 'bad boot' can be caught before it is torn open. Then, in most cases, the axel can be disassembled and new boots put on, instead of a complete new, rebuilt axel. Thus being a less expensive repair.
Getting your CV boots looked at is just one more good reason to have your vehicle checked regularly at a quality auto repair shop with well trained experienced personnel. Such as Your Serene, Green Auto Repair Team at Water Star Motors.
