Drive shaft gaitor leak?

gam3r · 9 Dec 2009 at 13:29

Hello

My Dad has just discovered his Vectra has a drive shaft gaitor leak and a mechanic is asking £150 to fix it. I'm not entirely sure what it even is to be honest with you...

I was just wondering is it a serious matter, and is £150 a good price to get it fixed?

Sorry I can't give better details..

Thanks

Janesy B · 9 Dec 2009 at 13:32

It'll be one of these buggers:

(little rubber boot in the middle)

The part can be had for a fiver and it'll take an hour for a competent mechanic to do.

If you don't replace it the joint will eventually run dry and you'll need to replace the joint/driveshaft which will cost even more.

kaiowas · 9 Dec 2009 at 13:33

The gaiter is just the rubber boot which protects the CV joint on the driveshafts. The part itself will be no more than a few quid so the bill is almost entirely labour. If it is leaking then the grease within the joint will be thrown out as the shaft rotates which if left will lead to the CV joint wearing out incurring greater cost.

Janesy B · 9 Dec 2009 at 13:36

It's also an MOT failure, which caught me out last week

gam3r · 9 Dec 2009 at 13:39

Thanks for the great replies.

Funny thing is that it was being MOT'd(today) when the mechanic found it and still it passed?

Janesy B · 9 Dec 2009 at 13:41

My car failed due to a split boot one side (amongst other things) and the boot was perished and beginning to split which earned me an advisory.

Participant · 9 Dec 2009 at 13:41

The inner boot is usually harder than the outer boot because the inner boot often requires complete removal of the shaft whereas the outer joint can be serviced by undoing the hubnut (can be a pig) and dropping the shaft out of the hub (may also have to remove track rod end and anti-roll bar). Do you know which boot it is?

Janesy B · 9 Dec 2009 at 13:47

Robbie G said:
The inner boot is usually harder than the outer boot because the inner boot often requires complete removal of the shaft whereas the outer joint can be serviced by undoing the hubnut (can be a pig) and dropping the shaft out of the hub (may also have to remove track rod end and anti-roll bar). Do you know which boot it is?

What about the CV Joint?

Participant · 9 Dec 2009 at 16:26

Janesy B said:
What about the CV Joint?

What about it?

Janesy B · 9 Dec 2009 at 16:32

Well you'll need to split it to get the new boot on and the old one off. The job is a PITA whatever side fails.

Participant · 9 Dec 2009 at 20:40

Of course but it's worse if the inboard fails, as you have to completely remove the drive shaft.

Janesy B · 9 Dec 2009 at 21:10

No you don't, you can slide the inner down when you spilt the CV joint so you don't have to remove the shaft.

kaiowas · 9 Dec 2009 at 21:16

Guess it all depends on the car. On the MR2s you have to unbolt the inboard end before you can get the axle out of the hub and i'm pretty sure the recomended way to replace the outboard boot is to dismantle the inboard end and slide the boot the full length of the shaft although I've not had to do that end yet.

Much easier to replace the boot when the driveshaft is off the car anyway and it's not as if it takes long to remove them.

mattyprice4004 · 9 Dec 2009 at 21:16

Robbie G said:
Of course but it's worse if the inboard fails, as you have to completely remove the drive shaft.

No you don't

Edit: And removing the shaft makes the job a bit easier IMO - due to my last car having the LSD, when I took the shafts out the gearbox oil didn't fall out either.