around the CV shaft and boot. Should I have the shaft replaced and the boot, or just the boot? I have a front wheel drive Mazda. What harm will this cause?
2007-12-15 06:35:52 · 6 answers · asked by mark_hensley@sbcglobal.net 7 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
I own a 05 Mazda3 sedan
2007-12-16 05:20:07 · update #1
I can't believe how many people want replace a whole axle shaft for a torn CV boot. If you are not hearing clicking noises when you make tight turns at low speeds, then there is no reason to replace the shaft. It is not always cheaper. On most vehicles the labor to replace an axle is 1.5 hours. The average cost of a shaft is $125. If the labor rate is $65 an hour you are looking at $222.50. Now The cost of a replacement boot is about $28. Add an extra .5 hours to the labor charge and your cost of repairs is only $158! Most shops want to sell the whole shaft because its easier and they make a pretty good profit on the part. Also keep in mind that the axle shaft they sell you is rebuilt, not new. You don't even want to know the cost of a brand new one!
2007-12-15 07:02:37 · answer #1 · answered by knave68 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
often times it's the same price to replace the whole CV shaft when figuring in labor time needed to do the repair properly.
Call around and get estimates. I've seen CV joints blow out just days after the boots rip, and I've also seen them last for years with little to no grease and the boots nearly completely gone - it's really a crap shoot when it comes to parts like that.
**edit**
looking at labor estimates for Mazda's Removal and Installation of one drive axle ranges between .7 and 1.3 hours for one side - still .5 for replacement of the boot - without knowing exactly which Mazda you have, his estimate of $125 for the axle could be WAY off. This still doesn't account for the .5 you'd be required to pay the tech if the joint is disassembled and some problem is found (bearings are scratched, cage is cracked, etc) and replacement of the whole axle/CV shaft assembly is required. The reason you'd have to pay the .5 is because you cannot turn in a disassembled unit for a "core charge" - on top of that, the "clicking noise" doesn't always mean the joint is bad either, just means it's normal noises are no longer being muffled by the grease and the boot.
Anyone can toss numbers around, and spit dollar figures to people to try to sound smart, but when you figure in logic, or the fact that we don't have all the information about your car, you'd understand that no one here can't make a reasonable estimate, or be critical enough to insult people in an attempt to better their own position.
2007-12-15 06:40:25 · answer #2 · answered by Dave 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You must replace the boot A.S.A.P. to prevent joint breakdown. There is a thing called a speedy boot which a do-it yourselfer can put on. The boot keeps the grease circulating around the CV joint. When the boot is torn, the lubricant will spin out of the rip and leave the joint dry. Eventually, the bearings inside will seize and break. When this happens, you won't be going anywhere. Sometimes your best bet is to purchase a properly rebuilt axle and replace it. Prices are around $100-130 for parts. Labor is more because you have to dis-assemble a lot of the suspension to R & R axle.
2007-12-15 06:43:57 · answer #3 · answered by Robert M 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If the boot is damaged and has allowed the CV joint to be contaminated, the best fix is a new shaft. It is significantly cheaper for you to have the shaft replaced as a whole, then to pay to have the CV joint torn down, repaired, cleaned, repacked, and installed.
2007-12-15 06:41:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Take it to another shop and see if something is truly wrong, or did the mechanic just decorate them with grease to get money for Christmas?
2007-12-15 06:48:46 · answer #5 · answered by teamepler@verizon.net 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Front wheel drive c---!
2007-12-15 06:47:11 · answer #6 · answered by carl l 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋