Best CV boot tool design?

[tommydog35]

What do people think is the best CV boot tool design for maximum tightness of the clips? Looking at the two designs below, it looks like the band type design may give an advantage over the plier type design. What do people think?

Band type design:


Plier type design:

 

[FMB4]

I've long had very good luck with the plier type as long as you're using high quality band/clips of the correct size.

 

[mailpup]

I believe those two tools are for two different styles of band clamps.

 

[qqzj]

Good question. I have been looking at them recently. Apparently, the 2nd one is more accurate. There are square holes there, which allow you to use a breaker bar and a torque wrench to do it really precisely. But OEM seems prefer the 1st one better. Maybe the type without ears will distort the balance of the shaft less?

 

[Jeepster04]

Ive never had any issues using the 'ear clamp' type. Never used the band style though....

 

[Steve_P]

I have the second style; it's a generic one similar to the pic, but it works fine, no issues

 

[65ranchero]

In a pinch I have used long nylon zip ties and have never seen one come back.
I also have used the zip ties on rack tie boots when I forgot to preinstall the clamp.
With that said all the boot clamps I have used are the type2 plier clamps

 

[vwpieces]

I guess it depends on what style clamps come with the boot kit.
All the OEM type kits I've used are the pliers type or Otiker style.
So I have that tool, Blue Point version.

 

[rustyzman]

If I have the choice of clamp, the Oetiker/Perma-Quick clamps that use the pliers are my preference. Easier to work with IMO and stronger. The band clamps will snap if you try to tighten them too much.

I have used them all and that would be my choice of clamp.
Just my $.02

 

[CGarage]

If I have the choice of clamp, the Oetiker/Perma-Quick clamps that use the pliers are my preference. Easier to work with IMO and stronger. The band clamps will snap if you try to tighten them too much.

I have used them all and that would be my choice of clamp.
Just my $.02

What tool works best with these?

 

[bwringer]

For the past 20-25 years, the tool for this job has been a plastic rectangle with certain Important Numbers on it...

Are there corners of Automobiliana where replacing CV boots is still a thing?

 

[qqzj]

Well, I recently did one. Very interestingly, on a single car, Honda uses three types of CV boot clamps. The band one, the ear clamp one and a low profile ear clamp one. Each requires a difficult style of tools. So if one is working with OEM parts, he needs all three for a single car! If working with aftermarket parts, the ear clamp one is the best. I used a fair cheap set of clamps from Amazon and used 2 1/2 breaker bars and squeezed the hack out of it. It works just fine. No need to pay big bucks for OEM clamps which is $10 each.

 

[CGarage]

Are there corners of Automobiliana where replacing CV boots is still a thing?

Yes, especially if you want to pick what grease you use inside. What planet have you been on where this is NOT a thing???

 

[WWheeler]

For the past 20-25 years, the tool for this job has been a plastic rectangle with certain Important Numbers on it...

Are there corners of Automobiliana where replacing CV boots is still a thing?

If an OEM half shaft has just a torn boot and isn't clicking yet I've found installing an OEM boot kit is much cheaper and will typically outlast x2 any of the aftermarket options at the likes of NAPA, Autozone, Rock Auto. Those Cardone rebadges pieces of **** are lucky to last a year or two, whereas the reboots of the OEM shafts that lasted more than 10 years to start with I've yet to see one fail in near that same time frame. Turning in an OEM shaft for the core on one of those aftermarket pieces of **** is an insanely stupid thing to do IMHO.

It is a messy F'ing job though.

EDIT: I also use these tools (each is for a different style clamp) for inner tie rod boots, and if you're going to replace them with your little plastic rectangle it will definitely be paying for someone else to do it.

Not a technician here, just a DIYer (aka parts swapper) but I've never yet had to put one of our vehicles in the shop for anything before, and I have gotten at least 300k miles out of every one of my trucks. The way vehicles are going these days though that's probably going to change, and I hate the thought.

 

[nadogail]

My personal vehicles have seen two boot failures since 1984, the first was on a VW Rabbit and was repaired at a VW dealer with OEM parts. Just the boots and clamps were replaced, after cleaning and lubricating the CV Joint. The other is on my Volvo, the independent shop has been telling my son that he needs a new axle assembly and seem to be unwilling to try cleaning and lubricating the CV joint with a new boot.

I think he is dealing with a generation of "Parts Changers", rather than Mechanics.

 

[Vwpower]

I have the plier type. They work.
also used them to reuse a clamp I removed on my shifter boot.

 

[rustyzman]

What tool works best with these?

That second one pictured in the original post is what I use for the perma-quick types.

What I like especially is that you can get the clamp seated and snug with one hand while the other holds everything in position. Then use two to fully crimp it. It does not seem like a big advantage until you have to do one with the axle still in the car for one of various reasons, like an inner that won't come out of the transmission no matter what you do... Before we had full replacement axles available, we had to do a ton of boot jobs and a few of the designs out there were less than easy to remove (1993-ish Mazda 626 comes to mind). Most were no issue, but once in a while one would go full beyond difficult and you had to get creative.

The strap style works and allows for greater range of diameters, but they do snap if you overdo it, whereas the perma-quicks don't snap, but do need to be the right diameter.

Those low profile ones were nice too, but you really need a correct tool to them.

 

[rustyzman]

If an OEM half shaft has just a torn boot and isn't clicking yet I've found installing an OEM boot kit is much cheaper and will typically outlast x2 any of the aftermarket options at the likes of NAPA, Autozone, Rock Auto. Those Cardone rebadges pieces of **** are lucky to last a year or two, whereas the reboots of the OEM shafts that lasted more than 10 years to start with I've yet to see one fail in near that same time frame. Turning in an OEM shaft for the core on one of those aftermarket pieces of **** is an insanely stupid thing to do IMHO.

It is a messy F'ing job though.

EDIT: I also use these tools (each is for a different style clamp) for inner tie rod boots, and if you're going to replace them with your little plastic rectangle it will definitely be paying for someone else to do it.

Not a technician here, just a DIYer (aka parts swapper) but I've never yet had to put one of our vehicles in the shop for anything before, and I have gotten at least 300k miles out of every one of my trucks. The way vehicles are going these days though that's probably going to change, and I hate the thought.

It is a messy job.

CV grease is very slippery and slimy. Keeping the joint straight in line with the shaft while clamping is important, or the boot will probably pop off. Keeping the seating groove and inside of the boot where the rib is free of the grease is very important too. A bit of brake cleaner on a rag will help a lot to remove any grease. Just wiping it off on a dry rag won't really do it.

It was a great gravy job most of the time, just a messy one. I forged my own 5 foot prybar out of a K-car front sway bar to aid in the quick disassembly of the knuckle/ball joints on most cars. It was before the tool mfrs. started selling the really long prybars or those lower control arm prybars. Really helped speed things up.

 

[Mr_B]

Back in day before mass tool manufacture I used a old pair of pincer pliers flat ground and had a bolt through a welded on slot on one handle that went into a nut welded on the other and you whizzed bolt up to crimp the band ear .
I still do fair few boots when axle still seems good shape, the aftermarket/remans are junky garbage, new boots elastomer or thermo plastic are pretty cheap even for oem .
Done a Forester this week, inner boots the original oem stainless clamps can be reused easily and no special clamp tool needed, can reuse stainless outer ones on the thermo plastic boots if you pry the crimped ear out carefully,
Got original outer boots for under 15 bucks the inner elastomer was decent aftermarket and 12 bucks a kit, Doesn't take long to do and fairly clean if got a parts wash of some sort .
End result sweet and no vibration issues or wanky fitment/abs issues that can get with aftermarket axles .

 

[dnschmidt]

What about these babies: https://www.toptul.com/en/product-671068/Heavy-Duty-CV-Boot-Clamp-Pliers.html

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Oetiker clamps are my preference. Otherwise, I twist 2 strands of safety wire together into 1 wire, then use that to wire the boot on. Doubling up the wire prevents it from cutting the rubber boot.

 

[anndel]

I only work on Toyotas and this is what I use.

 

[CGarage]

I only work on Toyotas and this is what I use.

Who makes that? Link?

 

[signcrafter]

Who makes that? Link?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKGKGDT2/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Steve_P]

I haven't changed a lot of CV boots, but I've used Raxles boots and had them last longer than OE, as long as 200K miles when the cars were sold, and I lost contact with them.

 

[Fedwrench]

What about these babies: https://www.toptul.com/en/product-671068/Heavy-Duty-CV-Boot-Clamp-Pliers.html

Looks like a version of the AST unit:

Axle Boot Clamp Pliers 3/8

Assenmacher Tools Axle Boot Clamp Pliers 3/8" Drive $104.50. Call (310)626-8765. May Qualify For FREE SHIPPING. Parts# CVB15.

www.pelicanparts.com

Actually, I think both are copies of a Hazet tool.

 

[Mr_B]

Is quite a few of that style around rebranded globally by usual common tool brands and fairly cheap.
only thing I don't like on those is no shape forming stop on the top so tends make crimp ear higher & not factory neat .
You can make a better crimp performing tool out of old set of pincer pliers a bolt/nut, some small bits of flat plate and welder/grinder .

 

[CoreyB]

Actually, I think both are copies of a Hazet tool.

I have the Hazet version myself. It's actually a Audi/VW/Porsche special tool, but I believe that Hazet also sells it themselves. You can find it as either VAG1682A or Hazet 1847.

 

[sdowney717]

In a pinch I have used long nylon zip ties and have never seen one come back.
I also have used the zip ties on rack tie boots when I forgot to preinstall the clamp.
With that said all the boot clamps I have used are the type2 plier clamps

That can work if the rubber boot is not too thick and stiff. I replaced all 4 boots on my 96 trooper front axles more than year ago and used black zip ties. The outer boots are Beck Arnley. However those boots are very strong thick great quality boots. Dormin boots fell apart. For the outer CV joint, zip ties could not get tight enough to keep them on. All the other CV joints also do not turn at such a big angle, so less stress against the clamps. So replaced the zip ties with the steel bands, but only the outer large diameter CV joint. I used pliers and a screwdriver and pulled it tight enough to work. But I do like the windup tool shown in a pic here. The zip ties I used were not the real thick big ones.

 

[zmotorsports]

Like others have mentioned it really depends on the style of clamp. I have both the OP posted and they work well in their respective clamps but I recently purchased one of the Toyota style clamp tools and I really like it.

The Toyota tool shown here in the far right of the picture.

 

[Mr_B]

yes that toyota style makes nice neat controlled crimp ear . is a veryy good tool for the job on that clamp style ... .

 

[qqzj]

The best part is that that thing is tiny. You might be able to do it on the car. Had I known about it, I might have tried. It is going to be a huge time saver if it works out.

 

[jsmeece]

I have the OTC T95A-3514-A not similar in design but used for similar style clamps on Fords. Also have 3 Lisle cv boot clamp pliers 30950, 30800 and 30600. All work on great and were not expensive either.

 

[dscheidt]

My personal vehicles have seen two boot failures since 1984, the first was on a VW Rabbit and was repaired at a VW dealer with OEM parts. Just the boots and clamps were replaced, after cleaning and lubricating the CV Joint. The other is on my Volvo, the independent shop has been telling my son that he needs a new axle assembly and seem to be unwilling to try cleaning and lubricating the CV joint with a new boot.

I think he is dealing with a generation of "Parts Changers", rather than Mechanics.

Maybe. It depends on the car, and what parts are available, and at what price, and how much work it is to pull the axle.
If you can get a good quality axle for not a lot more than the what the boot and grease cost, it's probably not worth messing around with replacing the boots, especially if they have lots of miles on them (double so if the car is headed to the crusher soon because of rust). If you have a single torn boot, on a low mile car, and the replacement axle is $500, the calculus changes. In a shop, the concerns about reliability and warranty push for replacement. It ***** to fix one end of the axle, and have the other fail two weeks later, because the customer will blame you, even if it's nothing you did. (it ***** when you do this on your own car, too, but you at least know it's not your fault.) If it's making noise, no one is going to want to touch it.

 

[leadfoot415]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002SREPY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I3H6UIC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Those are the 3 I have, each have their own special applications. I am typically resealing steering gear bellows boots with a simple ear type oetiker style clamp (not rebuilding a cv axle). The dual purpose knipex ones come in handy for this steering gear work.