11 replies to this topic

[blackbelt1990]

I’m having a bit of a nightmare keeping my CV boots secured to the outer CV joint since I got my mini back on the road.

What’s the most common method people are using? I’ve had plastic cable ties and metal cable ties with the little ball bearing in. Both either pull too tight and slip the boot off or not tight enough to pull the boot off but then slip off after a few miles anyway!

[Steve220]

Use the metal clips with the proper tool

[weef]

When the outer cv joint boots keep coming off like that it is best to replace them, they have possibly lost a bit of their flexibility and are a bit streched.

[sonscar]

The boot has a lip which fits over a groove in the joint if I remember right.If the groove or boot is greasy(?)it will tend to slip off.This is my experience,Steve..

[mbolt998]

I had a bit of trouble with one of mine. I found cable ties don't work because the square bit with the "zip" in it is too lumpy. Then I got some of these from Amazon below. Also too lumpy until I bashed the little bend flat before putting them on. Probably I'm an idiot but it worked for me.

 

I don't think the tie needs to be all that tight but to get them on properly you need to pull them right over the joint which means undoing the driveshaft nut and getting it out of the hub. You can get away with only undoing the top balljoint (the taper on the lower one is stuck fast on my car on that side-- one day will have to take the lower arm off and blowtorch it), but it's tricky. I managed it after yanking on the boot itself with long-nosed pliers to pull it over. Once it's fully on I think it should stay there. At least mine was the last time I checked.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09CPWYVK8

 

[68+86auto]

I don't want to remember how many bands I went through to get one of mine to stay, they were Wurth ones so not cheap.

Don't use cable ties, use the proper thing.

[bpirie1000]

Try alittle sand paper on the pot joint before the c.v. boot is slipped over.

[Spider]

The Cable Ties some come with are nothing but heartache.

In lue of most other ties especially those that need tooling, if you don't have said tools, Tie Wire is excellent. Two wraps around, pull and twist.

[Ethel]

I manage to wire 'em with  just combo pliers. Two wraps, as Spider says, then cross the end with half a turn so you can grip with the edge of the jaws, pliers in the middle. Aim for equal tension so they wind around each other and tighten against the CV. Trim to length and lay against the CV with the direction of rotation. Galvanised fencing wire works. 

[mini-mad-mark]

The Cable Ties some come with are nothing but heartache.

In lue of most other ties especially those that need tooling, if you don't have said tools, Tie Wire is excellent. Two wraps around, pull and twist.

I remember my Dad showing me this as he couldn't afford the proper ties - he used copper wire stripped from odd bits of twin and earth domestic cable.

 

Its a reasonable thickness but you had to be careful not to twist it too tight otherwise it would break

[Cooperman]

I always use three turns of locking wire. Once it pulls the gaiter into the groove and the wire is pulled tight, just twist the ends together, cut the wire and lay the twisted end along the wire. That way the end does not hit the hub. I've done that on all my cars over the years with no problems. Make sure it is proper locking wire, not cheap muck.

[Spider]

I remember my Dad showing me this as he couldn't afford the proper ties - he used copper wire stripped from odd bits of twin and earth domestic cable.

 

Its a reasonable thickness but you had to be careful not to twist it too tight otherwise it would break

 

Ha ! Funny you say your dad used copper wire, I actually use 80 Amp Fuse Wire, which when snipped off is tinned copper wire.

It will break if you try to just twist it tight, hence why I suggest twisting about 1/2 a turn, then pull it tight, finishing by twisting while having that pull pressure on - if that makes sense. I'll do a youtube clip one day