learn me FWD axles

I was tinkering around on my Mazda 5 over the weekend and noticed one of the wheels was especially dirty on the inside. I did not really think much of it.

I was under there again yesterday replacing rear swaybar bushings and noticed it was only one of the wheels that was especially grimy. I put the front up on ramps and it appears that the cv boot right there at the passenger wheel is flinging some grease out. I do not hear it making any unusual noises while driving. I did not pull the wheel last night to look but felt around the boot and didnt feel any obvious tears, but the grease is certainly getting out..

Does this mean go ahead and replace the axle? Can you just replace the boot or is that a waste of time and effort?

They appear to be date stamped 07 so I am assuming they are the oem axles which is to be expected on an 83k mile 08 Mazda 5.

If the CV joint is still good ,you can just replace the boot. Check some of the remaining grease for signs of metal shavings ,or grit. If it's clean do the boot.

^+1. Unless the boot's been open for a long time, usually it just needs fresh grease and a new boot.

"Fresh grease and a new boot" are words much easier to type than to perform. Repacking/re-booting CVs is one of the nastiest routine automotive jobs out there. Rejoice in having a common car and $43 axle assemblies on RockAuto!

Or you could go for a $15 boot, $15 tube of CV grease, 2x $6 CV clamps, and a $20 CV clamp tool, $8 of brake cleaners and a $20 box of shop towels, if you're into that sort of thing. :)

Tyler H wrote: "Fresh grease and a new boot" are words much easier to type than to perform. Repacking/re-booting CVs is one of the nastiest routine automotive jobs out there. Rejoice in having a common car and $43 axle assemblies on RockAuto! Or you could go for a $15 boot, $15 tube of CV grease, 2x $6 CV clamps, and a $20 CV clamp tool, $8 of brake cleaners and a $20 box of shop towels, if you're into that sort of thing. :)

This. Replacing the axle is likely a whole lot easier.

Having done it both ways, if you can get a new axle reasonable, do it.

Outer CV joints are a PITA, but work on an inner sometime. Oh, the Phun.

We still have about 3k miles left of our extended service contract that was included with this certified used car, so will certainly be pushing to have the repair performed under that before I say berkeley that hassle and start turning wrenches myself.

Thanks for the suggestions I think you guys are right just replacing the axle sounds like less of a hassle. I dont trust those split CV boot kits and the others as you mentioned look like a pain to deal with.

havent changed an axle before but it doesnt look too bad to do other than having to hit stuck parts with a BFH. BIL is a mazda technician I am sure he has done a few axles before and can lend a hand.

I have to say I had an older altima that I replaced the inner cv boot on with a split boot kit that had little bolts and nuts to secure each rib of boot together and after completing the procedure I never had a problem with the cv boot or joint again and I drove the car another 3 years before selling it. This was after the autozone "tech" told me he had never had anyone have success with the particular boot. I did follow the instructions exactly though.

Everybody screaming "replace the axle" doesn't seem to realize that crappy $50 RockAuto axles are normally three steps down from OEM in quality. On my old Subarus the parts store axles were lucky to give you 20k miles, whereas my re-booted OEMs would go forever and ever.

SlickDizzy wrote: Everybody screaming "replace the axle" doesn't seem to realize that crappy $50 RockAuto axles are normally three steps down from OEM in quality. On my old Subarus the parts store axles were lucky to give you 20k miles, whereas my re-booted OEMs would go forever and ever.

This^^^^^^

If you can reboot do it on the bench. Most axles can be removed with out much trouble. I have rebuilt axles with quality cv joints and new boots and yes it is a bit more time and money but on the bench it is an easy job.

I'll triple that, the non-OE axles seem much, much worse than OE. If the joint is good, repack and install a new boot. Even if they don't make noise, they explode much easier trying to put power through them.

Replacing an axle boot on my mom's Civic led me to replacing the entire axle (for the reasons stated above) which convinced me I could work on cars which led to more modifications and 20+ years of wrenching and racing and posting. Be warned.

by the time you get to the axle to reboot it.. you are best off just removing it and doing it on a bench. Unless you are dealing with a german car, you should just be able to yank it to pull the axle past the circlip that holds it to the diff.