Ron van Seventer / van7ter@rahul.net / Palo Alto, California
View the Split Rear Axle Boot Overview page
- The best position for the axle is about level. If you have a friendly shop or gas station that will let you use a rack (with ramps!) then great. If not, back the car onto portable ramps and crawl! Or, if you don't feel comfortable doing this, jack up one side at a time, placing the floor jack under the trailing arms, and sliding the ramps under the tires. I suggest not using the floor jack or jack stands at all in the job of changing the boot.
- Drain most of the gear oil.
- Remove the old boot.
- Prepare the new boot by roughing up the mating surfaces of the splice so that the glue will adhere. I use a file.
- Position the boot so that the bulky part of the bellows is on top. I think this puts the split facing the rear, right? Try to keep the mating surfaces free of dirt and oil.
- Glue the mating surfaces, just at each end near where the clamps are. I use Permatex brand blue RTV in the big tube.
- Install the clamps. I think I've positioned the tightening clamps on top, away from the splice so that the mating surfaces will not crawl, and bind while tightening.
- Glue the rest of the mating surfaces, and install the staples. They go at each of the outermost ridges ("peaks" as you say) of the bellows. I don't think we stapled the "valleys." It might be because it may be too hard. Also, it might not be considered a good idea because the inside "valley" staples might cause abrasions in the boot. Who knows?