Guys -
Anyone have instructions they can share on how to change the front CV boot (passenger side) on a 2002 996 Turbo? Recommendation on best place to order the boot would be great too!
thanks a ton!
Brian

 

Hey Brian,

There are a couple ways you can do it. Pop the tie rod loose, pop the spindle off the ball joint, remove the axle nut, and pull the carrier out of the way, remove the inner cv axle bolts and remove the axle. Once out of the car, you can disassemble the inner joint and slide the boot on from there.

The other option is to do everything up to removing the inner axle bolts, and get a boot expander tool (works off an air compressor), which will expand the boot so you can slide it over the outer stub axle end. The tool runs about $130.00, PM me if you need a link to it.


I highly recommend just going ahead and replacing the wheel bearing as well if you have the tool (same as a rear 944 bearing tool). The cars eat front bearings, so you might as well put a fresh one in there while everything is apart.

 

Hi,

On the front of the 996 turbo, should it be possible to remove only the tie rod bolt, and the lower control arm bolt to the wheel carrier, and then use a pry bar to push down the lower control arm enough to pull out the ball joint, and then pull out the drive axle? Or do I need to also loosen the bolt that holds the carrier to the front shock absorber?

Without loosening the carrier bolt connecting to the shock, it does not seem that any upward deflection is possible. I want to get the axle out, but don't want to put undue stress on suspension pieces or on the outer CV joint.

Thanks, Jon

 

Just to clarify - does this statement just mean pushing the lower control arm ball joint bolt (spindle) out through the bottom of the aluminum front wheel carrier (after removing the 18mm nut), or am I mis-understanding this step? Does the bolt (spindle) on the ball joint actually come out?

If I can get this all together, I'll try and write up a detailed process to change ball joints with pics using the Schwaben air tool for CV boots. I decided to give this a shot since I was quoted around $900 to change the 2 front outer boots.

 

I would suggest to change the whole axle. It cost 180 bucks from porscheoem parts if i recall correctly. They are a vendor on 6spo.


Its super easy and will save you a headache.

1- jack up the car
2- remove wheel
3- remove locking nut for bearing/axle
4- remove drop link
5- remove bolt for lower control arm to the wheel carrier
6- remove the tie rod for the steering
7- remove the hex bolts of axle to front diff.

You should be able to get it out easy from here on. Just a bit of a wiggle.

Replace locking nut for axle/bearing. It is a one time use. Its about $4 bucks from porsche oem parts. If you need part numbers --ill check when i get home.

With airgun tools and by myself, it took me 45 minutes total. To remove and install and start driving off. Shouldn't take long at all.

 

I'd love the axle part numbers if you have them, I've not seen the axle for $130 before - mostly in the $600+ range - thanks.

I ended up removing my rotor & caliper, and with that extra weight not on the carrier, it was actually easy to pop out the bottom control arm, and pop off the tie rod - which then made it easy to remove the axle, after a few hits with a hammer.

So, I've either got to get the boots on with the Schwaben air tool (having a few issues there!), or I'm installing a new axle, or taking my old axles to an indy to have the CV joints installed, since I don't believe I have the right tool to remove the circlip on the inner joint.