2019 Ram 1500 *CV Boot Disaster* (dealer can't fix it) | Truck Central

[@TruckCentral]

*Don't try this at home. Visit your dealer for details.*

[@freedomrings1420]

One thing I was thinking...what if you had greased up those forks on the spreader? Would the rubber boot slide off a lot easier?

[@TruckCentral]

@@freedomrings1420 Yes 👍

[@frankchen7412]

​@@TruckCentralHave you tried to contact @SouthMainAuto to see if he has experience with the issue? I know he did wonders on the Dakota axle shaft issues

[@cle5823]

I own the 2023 version of your same truck! I really appreciate all of the videos you've made over the years. I've learned a lot about the truck and maybe I will have to do some of the same repairs some day, but now it won't seem so difficult! Thank you Justin.

[@Blakspire]

To get that shaft off the differential, get in there on the inner joint where it interfaces with the intermediate shaft on the differential with a punch and sledge hammer and give it hell. Some PB blaster up into the splines a couple days before you plan to do the work would help too. If someone stumbles across this comment, just get a new shaft. The splines are (probably) toast on yours. If there is play on the splines, you need a new shaft and intermediate shaft. Ebay is one of the only sources for a complete intermediate shaft kit with bearings and seals.

[@scothayes9220]

I agree Blakspire. I have a leveled 16 and went with HD high articulation short and long side.

[@timleuliette899]

One suggestion my dad always did with rubbers like that, put them in hot water to get them to soften up without splitting.

[@shauntoomey3299]

My thoughts are hot water heating on the boot and grease on the expander tool fingers.

[@MrJustinWheeler]

I tried hot water. It didn’t help unfortunately, but I appreciate the suggestion.

[@shauntoomey3299]

@@MrJustinWheeler the issue I have with microwaves is that they have cold and hot spots so you get uneven heat through the material. Of course you can put it through a number of heat cycles moving the position of the boot within the microwave to make sure it has even heat.

[@kentuckywindage222]

That never give up, never quit attitude working out for you. Nice work fellas.

[@scothayes9220]

About 2 months ago i had a local mechanic, that I trust, replace both front axles on my 16 Ram on account of Boot failure. I ended up going with a heavy duty high articulation set both left (short) and right. All to the tune of $1100. As you can see I'm no genius, but that's a far cry from your $100. Thanks for taking the time to share. Think I'll stick around and see what else you get into with your Ram.

[@jamespenner1412]

Nice to know with enough perseverance, you can have a seled cv joint again!!! What a process. Glad something worked out already!!

[@MrJustinWheeler]

It was a pain, but it’ll go a little faster and easier if I end up having to do it again.

[@jimlove3795]

That looked like a very unpleasant experience! Nice to know there is a way to get it fixed though. Have a great evening Justin.

[@MrJustinWheeler]

Man, it wasn’t fun. But it was still easier than when I replaced the whole shaft. Appreciate the comment Jim!

[@krdorner]

The demo of your new tool cracked me up! Thanks

[@stanlojewski6761]

Lesson learned from your video.....if my 2013 or 2021 Ram or 2006 Sierra 2500hd has a boot rip, the whole shaft is what I'll replace. I probably would have anyway, but I definitely will after seeing your investment and struggles. Thanks for another good video. Way to go in getting it done!

[@MrJustinWheeler]

In retrospect I still think the shaft replacement was a bigger PITA than the boot. Knowing the part number and having the tool for the boot will make it easier next time.

[@MrJustinWheeler]

In retrospect I still think the shaft replacement was a bigger PITA than the boot. Knowing the part number and having the tool for the boot will make it easier next time.

[@stanlojewski6761]

@MrJustinWheeler I haven't had to replace one on the Ram's yet, so Idk just how difficult it is, but having the shaft out of the hub on the Sierra is the hardest part and the rest is easy. That much I know.

[@johntankson]

Dude, you're a Hoot. Continued success on your endeavors.

[@chrisdejong2481]

Oh awesome you won that battle 🎉 congrats i didnt even know that tool existed

[@chiefdave8083]

would it have helped if you greased the air stretcher fingers before you put the boot on it? may have helped getting the boot to slide off the tool?, just a thought.

[@shauntoomey3299]

My thoughts are hot water heating on the boot and silicone grease on the expander tool.

[@zorbakmoglin9065]

Thank you - I've learned so much from your videos (I now have the PCM and cold air intake installed on my new shiny 2024 Limited, having traded in the 2020 with a paltry [by your standards] 65k on it). Sports hood and exhausts (although, unless you're in TRX mode, "sports" is a misnomer on a half-ton truck). Love the humor and the brutal transparency you display, without going into libelous territory! Hope that the Dusty Dodge keeps rolling all the way to 500k!!

[@AutoAuctionRebuilds]

I will never ever do this job 😂 what a pita this was!! Very cool video though - I’ve never seen that tool before!

[@TruckCentral]

Man you have to get one of these claws, you don’t know what you’re missing!! 😂

[@13deangelus]

Good luck sir! Hope it holds up!

[@TruckCentral]

Thank you! 🤞

[@davidgraham5040]

Hopefully it’ll hold until the truck driven into the scrap yard. However that rubber might degrade faster than normal if you deal with cold winters and hot summers every year. But best of luck, great video!

[@MrJustinWheeler]

Thank you sir. I’ve been keeping a close eye on it. So far it’s held up on a trip to Kentucky, Colorado, and Texas. 🤞🏼

[@enjoylife7030]

I understand the axle was stuck and nobody could get it to come out of the transmission, but did the outer joint that you were working on not have a retainer clip? It's been years since I took one apart but the outer joint usually had a retainer clip inside the joint that could be removed with like a pair of snap ring pliers and then the joint would come off the axle. This would allow a new boot to be slip on the axle and then reinstall the joint and replace the clip.

[@mikeh2772]

Dealer could not get the shaft out? They did not try hard enough or choose to work on stuff with a bigger profit margin... My WAG.

[@TruckCentral]

Probably both of those reasons

[@miguelvega7769]

Same thing I was thinking because ain’t no way they COULDNT get it off, they literally have all the tools and ways and means to do it. They simply just did other stuff like you said

[@davidpritchard7955]

My front drive axles worked their way out on their own...

[@tomstarcevich1147]

Glad you got it fixed🛻🛻🛻🛻👍

[@vinniecorleone62]

Wow, I have never heard of a dealer service department saying they can't do a common repair. I would find a different dealer service place that can.

[@TruckCentral]

Yeah, that was one of the most bizarre dealer experiences ever. A good service dept is getting harder and harder to find.

[@Jonfavia]

I lifted my 2019 ram 3” in the front without knowing about the issues. Because of this, I’ve had to replace the CVs at about 90k with OEM then again I had to at 140k. At 140k i dropped the lift down to 2.5”, had to replace/redo the intermediate shaft due to it being worn down to almost nothing, stub shaft on driver side, a second actuator, BUT what seems to be the best investment was putting extended travel CV axles on. The angles and tolerances are 3 times better than OEM and now at 180k, no issues with the suspension …though I do have an exhaust tick and serpentine belt slipping. Never ends with these 5th gen’s after the warranty ends.

[@Hayden_gearheart]

That looks like the biggest pain to do congrats on doing that yourself

[@SYFlightdeck]

2' diameter x 4" long brass or bronze drift and a 6 to 10 pound sledge hammer works wonders when freeing up siezed splined drive shafts on a Ram .. or any other vehicle

[@casmithc2]

I have heard that Mopar came out with an UPGRADED BOOT. You might look into that.

[@MrJustinWheeler]

Lmao seriously? That would have been nice. 😂😂

[@krdorner]

I think some soapy warm water on the inside of your boot would have helped it slide off the tool. Pre soap it before putting it on the tool and soap the prongs of the tool.

[@TruckCentral]

That likely would’ve helped. In hindsight, pretty much anything would’ve been better than installing it dry

[@WethepeopleFreedom76]

I had a dealership install coilovers, and they ripped both cv axle boots. They replaced the whole axle shaft on both sides instead of repairing the boot.

[@pounderish]

There's video out there that showes how to install them with no tools and I believe you have to turn it inside out.

[@MrJustinWheeler]

I tried a few different methods before ordering this tool, but I didn’t have any luck.

[@freedomrings1420]

Luckily i only have 84 thousand on my 2012 and im retired and have only put a thousand miles on my truck a year for the last 3 years. I might be dead before i hit 100,000. So hopefully ill never have this problem.

[@TruckCentral]

A repair here or there but these trucks will outlive all of us

[@vandalsr1959]

Why didn’t you just get a new axle

[@GTIFabric]

Back in the day it was recommended service to remove the cv joints from the axle shafts and rotate them side to side so they wear evenly. Nowadays you will be hard pressed to find a single mechanic that has ever removed a cv joint from an axle shaft. The outer joints are generally held with an internal circlip and come off the axle shafts with a BFH. These split boots and boot stretchers are band aid repairs at best. Should have learned to do this properly instead of wasting money on that garbage tool. Rockford Driveline could probably supply a proper fitting boot if OE are really not available.

[@dleo297]

That was pretty difficult. If you did it the correct way you'd have been done in about 1/2 hour. separate the CV shaft from the joint by hitting the CV off with a dead blow hammer slide the boot on with NO effort then tap the shaft back in. it uses a captive spring clip on the shaft to hold it in. As bad as you stretched that final gray boot you used it will probably fail soon.

[@bobbymesser4796]

Think I would just buy whole shaft

[@TruckCentral]

That would make too much sense

[@albertm105]

@@TruckCentral Tell me he don't watch your vids without telling me he don't watch your vids 🤣

[@beekeeper8474]

As a mechanic just replace the axle

[@tooltime4640]

Why not just take the axle apart and replace it the normal way?

[@MrJustinWheeler]

I did that the first. Not a pleasant ordeal.

[@koolkev75]

What happened to that Benz from auto auction channel?

[@seanbryant345]

There is a snap ring on the axle and you can just slip it on the axel

[@MrJustinWheeler]

I’ve replaced that shaft once already and it was a bigger PITA than this process. Where is the snap ring?

[@seanbryant345]

@@MrJustinWheeler once you cut the cv boot off, it is at the end of the shaft under where the boot was covering. Where the shaft meets the cv joint

[@MrJustinWheeler]

@@seanbryant345 so I thought that might be the case. I dissected my old OEM CV shaft that I still had laying around to see if there was a snap ring like you’d see on Chevys. There wasn’t one.

[@earlburkhart8132]

For what its worth they do make split seam glueable c.v. boots. Rreplaced one on one of my dodge dakotas many years ago. Millon dollar question is if one is made for Ram trucks, you'll have search this on your own. Its been to long ago for me to remember where i got it from or who made it. Sorry not much more helpfull to you. P.S. watch stuck ring on a finger removal with a string you tube video, may give you a more creative idea how to remove c.v. boot from installtion tool. Since you seem mechanially inclined you'll figure it out.

[@tonywestvirginia]

Can we not do it right? Why is the inner boot blurred out ?

[@TruckCentral]

What are you talking about?

[@MrJustinWheeler]

It’s confidential.

[@DanielGarcia-zz9eg]

See what happens when u put after market. Should of let the dealership handle it the first time. This way it's thier problem if it goes bad. Just hold on for 2025 RAM

[@TruckCentral]

Yes, that’s how it works. It would’ve been their problem. Uh huh.

[@ezim4296]

What a pain in the balls.

[@AkioWasRight]

I definitely would've replaced the entire shaft.

[@jordanhannah5839]

Why not just replace axle shaft? Haha this was a lot of work!

[@mcneel16]

Your videos give me anxiety 😅

[@TruckCentral]

Me too! 😂

[@ironcrafter]

Heat gun! Buy one!

[@fatman5377]

Rubbers like these. Best way is piping hot water right next to the shaft. Let it sit 3-5 minutes and then while in water stretch it, it takes for the rubber about 2 minutes to get rigid to start to solidify again.

[@DalesDeadBug]

ABL.. always be lubin!

[@TruckCentral]

🤣

[@agger838]

this is why shops just replace the whole axle

[@williamwhite9767]

Seems like a hair dryer or heat gun would have been beneficial.

[@backwoodsfarms8607]

Would have been better and cheaper to have just replaced the cv axel

[@scottburns5049]

Heat gun

[@SYFlightdeck]

grease the forks folks.

[@ronaldadamson1142]

Boil your boots!

[@TruckCentral]

Advice to live by 😂

[@RealSuperRando]

CV joints don’t belong on real trucks. Next time get at least a Ram 2500 with a solid axle.

[@Over_Taxed_USA]

Please* Dont buy substandard Dorman parts folks!

[@TruckCentral]

Buy the Mopar boot. Oh wait.