As I was getting ready to do an oil change last night, I always visually inspect the underside of my car. I noticed that there was grease slung on my drivers side lower control arm. Upon further inspection I noticed that the end of my inner CV boot (where the boot meets the axle shaft) was leaking. I then realized that Mitsubishi is still using these cheap green CV boot clamps, which over time (in my case around 27k mile and 5 years [my evo is a late 2007 build]) loosen up and will, through centrifugal force, sling grease out of the boot. This was an issue with DSMs as well back in the day, even though the outer boots are held on by better "one ear" type clamps. If caught early, the band can be replaced and by using a needle fitting on a grease gun before you put the new band on and after you take the old on off you can replace the grease lost in the boot.

It can be difficult to inspect due to all the under shields, but I would highly recommend checking, if you don't already, at your oil change intervals. If they are allowed to leak, at some point it will destroy the joints, and new axles for the Evo X are price at almost $800 a piece.

Here is an idea of what it looks like (not an evo, but same type of leak)


Here is an Evo X axel, the green bands are what need replaced. (Pic/Demon X)

 

Thanks for the info.

Who makes a better clamp and where can you get them?

 

Well there are only 2 types, one eared and a universal style. I would opt for the one ear.

 

This car has turned into a nightmare. Cost cuts at every nook and cranny.

 

I have already had 2 leaking CV Boots on my car too. I need to fix my passenger side inner one now too.

Lucas

 

Luckily it's a fairly easy fix, requiring no more than 30min or so to replace the band. This is also a problem on many other cars and trucks, but most see 100k+ miles before it happens.

 

That is the risk of a lower car. To much stress on the axle .Ask any Honda owner

 

At the risk of spreading mis-information, this leak has nothing to do with a car being moderately lowered, this was simply a result of fatigue resulting from age and use of sub-standard parts. Like I said there are many vehicles that experience this same leak, but most of them have 100k+ miles on them before it happens, not less than 30k.

If anything, there is less stress on the boots from lowering a vehicle moderately. Also axles(as a whole) are designed to work in a wide range of angles. Also there is probably less stress on the trunnions/cv joints than stock due to the reduced angles, and becoming closer to being parallel to the ground. What DOES get stressed more is ball joints, especially the lower control arm ball joint and the outer steering tie rod ball joint.

I use the term moderately, for anything 1-3" lower than stock, anything past that is extreme (looking at 30-45+ degree angles) and everything is stressed at that point. I'm at 2.5 lower than stock and my axles probably have between 5-15 degrees.

 

had a chance to look at all the boots today and all of them have some sort of seepage starting so i just replaced all of the small inner boot clamps.

 

My passenger side inner boot is leaking I just noticed this after doing a oil change the other day. I did just however just put on my new Coilovers and lowered the car a bit. I will be putting new clamps on very soon. O yah I have 25,000 on the car.

 

I had to have one of these replaced under warranty at aroudn 50,000km. I would consider it wear and tear and a little on the cheap side for mitsu but still wear and tear.

 

My car is at Ivey Tune this weekend for a clutch installation.. when they threw it up onto a lift they noticed both of my CV boots were leaking and slinging grease as well.

Photos from Sam @ Ivey:





My car has 40,000 miles on the clock.

 

That looks awful. Oh man. Got me nervous, I'm over 55k

 

Same problem here. If someone has a link to a quality replacement clamp please post to make my life a little easier

I used to replace CV joints on my 74 beetle all the time since they didnt do well with 2.2l stroker power. It was easy and cheap. It seems replacing just CVs isnt a common practice with newer cars, but at $800 per half shaft I am wondering why. Anyone have some insight into this?

 

ugh. another thing for me to replace. great.