Hello rollers,

I finally got *Modesto* into a garage here in greater Montreal to
repack/replace three torn CV boots.

I discovered the boots were shot on my drive from Los Angeles to Montreal
back in late April.

The Joints and boots were sold to me by my vw mechanic here in Quebec -
just under two years ago. Needless to say I was disappointed with that
performance (paid $650 Canadian + tax = not cheap)

So a week ago I brought him my replacement Rockford boots from T3 - and we
talked about different quality cv boots etc. I wanted a break from those
guys on the replacement because the ones he sold me didn’t last. But he
wouldn’t hear about it.

(I reluctantly agreed to pay them three hours for the reinstall)

As his guy was bolting the repacked CV axles on, he cussed and hissed that
the boots were too short - making it almost impossible for him to get the
inside bolts started in the threads. He was glaring at me, as if I’d
brought the problem into their shop with the Rockford 40mm boots.
He finally got a couple bolts in and was able to pull the whole thing into
place with the pressure of torquing...

Then this thought occurred to me: is it possible the axles themselves are
too short? Those axles are the rebuilt replacements he sold me - not my
originals.

Alternatively: is it possible the wrench-man installed (clipped) the small
end of the boot too far down the axle from the bolt-end ? ) causing the
boots to be under extreme tension? And probably fail within six months?

BTW the van is an 1982 aircooled with DK transmission.

I’ve heard that automatic vanagon cannot use manual-trans axles (and vice
versa)

Are there more than one (length) of manual cv axles our there?
Could it be my previous cv boots also tore because they were being pulled
apart rather than resting in a relaxed wAy?

I wish I had my old axles back suddenly!
Tough summer for the van.