The trouble with ‘split boots’ is that by the time you put them on to replace a damaged boot it’s too late, grease has leaked out and dirt has gotten in. Just wait for the clicking to start, then replace the whole axle (if inspection allows).
A Seran Wrap or Ziplock repair as a temporary measure tells me that the vehicle belongs to an innovator who understands how stuff works. I tip my hat to them. Better a Seran Wrap than getting the grease all gunked up with dirt.
My CV boots are good, but I wonder when they will split. So, is it worth putting on a split boot over my existing CV boot as a preventative measure? This seems like it would be cheap and quick and possible save a lot of money, right?
Think about it from the car designer’s point of view. A method is needed to somehow transfer power from the engine/xmssion, which is basically bolted to the frame, to the front wheels, which are connected to the frame only by measely springs. These poor CV joints have to handle 6-8 inches of vertical play from the springs springing. And that’s not even the hard part. They, at the same time, have to handle the steering in the azimuthal axis to +/- 45 degrees. It’s a tough design problem. Very tough.
Sure, it’s possible to encase the CV joint in the same manner a differential is housed, in a steel casing hinged in some way or another, and it probably wouldn’t need replacement for the life of the car. At least not the casing. But it would take up space and have a lot of mass, and that means it adds rotational inertia to the wheels, which would make the car more difficult to accelerate and worse, more difficult to stop. The designer needed a light-weight solution. The ball bearing CV & Neoprene boot is the compromise.
Check your owners manual. Most suggest CV joints should be serviced at regular intervals. If this is followed, you’ll likely prevent a boot tear from damaging the CV joint. Relubing/rebooting on the schedule the manufacturer suggests is less expensive than replacing the entire axel.
I get close to 100K out of my outer boots, and 200K from my inner boots. There’s a couple of things you can do to prolong the life of the CV boots. First, never apply any solvent to it or near it. If a solvent (like WD-40, gasoline, etc) ever gets on the boot, wash it off straight away with warm water and soap. Second, when you wash the car, squirt the dirt off the CV boots, especially the outer boots, if you can. Whenever I get under the car for any reason, one thing I always do is clean the dirt off the CV boots as best I can while I’m there.
I wouldn’t add a split boot, it could cause binding and wear out the old boot early.
I have seen ALL the boots get torn when the driver gets aggressive when driving through deep snow or should I say attempting to drive through it…Deep snow can get packed into the steering and suspension…The boots can’t take much of that…