THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

The CV boot on my C303 has a slight tear in it. I noticed that a majority of everyone is replacing theirs with a boot from either FMV or Tanaka.

Has anyone looked at or used this this product - http://www.rcvperformance.com/product-d ... ku=174-VRT

No more CV boots again, and lifetime warranty.

Looking forward to you thoughts.

Hi Jeepboy,
This product still requires a CV boot though...

On the Volvo axle the CV runs wet (in oil), as do the bearings and gears in the portal box. The boot seperates this environment from the outside wet and muddy world.

Sadly not the holy grail...

Cheers,
Ian

Ian, thank you for the response. In talking with the gentlemen at RCV he said that a boot was not required any longer. I will call back and confirm this information.

I thought if it was that easy, everyone would do it. Guess it is time to order some new boots.

FMV or Tanaka?

For reference, here are some pictures of the CV boot installation. Note that the CV seals the axle halfshaft around the brass ring, seals the portal to the axle casing (sandwiched between flangle) and then seals to the outer box (steel ring around CV).
When my boots first split, the primary indication was the vast quantities of oil leaking out...

1st Picture shows the boot (new part).
2nd shows the portal hub with the boot removed. You can see all 3 sealing faces in this picture.
3rd shows the boot installed.

FMV or Tatanka? Good question...

The boots in the photos came from Volvo stock around 5 years ago, and despite very minimal use, have already split (last photo), which I assume is a result of age (perished) rather than wear. So I now have some of FMV's recently manufactured boots waiting to be fitted.
Christmas holiday job.

Cheers,
Ian.

Ian, thanks. That answered the question, no way you could run without the seal/boot. Do you still run yours with the small tear?

No - I don't run mine at the moment. If I did, it would leak oil again - just like last time...

I don't use mine because it is being fixed and has no diffs, steering, brakes, exhaust, seats, wiring, gauges, propshafts, etc...

I had new old stock on the truck for 200 miles before one of them split.

FMV new ones waiting to go on

Steve

I don't run mine at the moment either.

Mine is in more bits than Ian's

Ah the boots! They have been my been biggest issue with the Volvo C303 thus far...

* Both were split when purchased
* Replaced both
* One side came loose at Mogfest (rubber pulled out from between the two metal plates cause bolts loosened up, my bad)
* It's happened several more times, same side, everything is tight but the boot just pulls out. (did a field repair with gorilla tape, thanks Bill Burke!)

I've got the Volvo stock boots (2 more left) but it seems like that rubber flange should be just a little bit bigger you think? Anyone else had them "pull" out?

When it gets dry again in PDX I plan on taking it back apart and putting on a fresh boot. Not a hard job, I'd say bleeding the brake lines is the biggest pain in the ass.

Guys dont buy Volvo original boots they can be 20+ years old and dry and fragile. I've just the fmv ones and they work fine.

There is no need to bleed the brakelines, loosen the bracket that holds the lines to create a litttle longer brakelines, then loosen the brakedrum/shield by removing the 7 bolts behind the drum and then you can pull off the entire brakesystem with the brakelines still attatched. You need something 15 inches high to place the brakesystem on since the brakelines wont reach the ground. It's heavy dont drop it!

Make sure the locking differential is engaged before you start, it makes is a lot easier to put the driveshaft back in place when you are done changing the boot.

Thanks for the information.

I have tried to contact FMV multiple times with no luck. Any tips?

Strange, the owner of fmv4x4.com is a Morgan Nordlander, his alias on the swedish forum terrangbil.net is Roadkill, try sending him a PM there?

Wow. Doing CV boots today and the inside of mine is full of crud

Do you think it's grease?

I'm guessing it shouldn't be there. The boot is being thrown and i have wragged up as much as i can. Any suggestion on how to clean this out?

Can't seem to upload pics here - too big apparently

pics can be seen here http://www.pearman.cc/blog/tgb13/c303-cv-boot/

As always grateful for any help

Steve

...looks like a oil-water-mud-emulsion.
Are the vents to the axle ok ?
Take a cloth and remove it.
I also would go for an oilchange at the diff and portals (better a second oilchange after a short while)

Yes emulsion is a good word for it. The breather is totally blocked and i'd swear that when i unbolted the brake line bracket it spurted like it was pressurised inside. Does that bolt go all the way through?

Am I OK to spray some degreaser in there to clean it up?

will do the oil change too