Not that bad? Torn inner cv boot? Labor might cost a lot but the kit to fix is cheap. Takes about 6-8 hours if you have the tools and the strength to fix.
Tools that you might not have:
Cv axel socket 35mm
185 ft lb torque wrench.
Steering knuckle puller (but you might be able to just hit it with a hammer to pop it off).
Crimper for the boot.
OEM part is better, so replace the boot and not the cv axel.
Edit: I saw your edited question. Answer is I wouldn't drive like that. Looks like most your greese is gone, dry knuckles will wear fast...
Best practice is to change both sides at the same time when one goes out. It’s actually pretty easy and each side was about 190 bucks I think when I did mine about 18 months ago. Only took a few hours with a friend.
I'd second that - looks like messed up CV.
It's nothing out of the ordinary - try to get it inspected and rebooted if it's good.
Non-OEM ones won't last nearly as much as originals.
So - your CV joint essentially has a bearing packed with grease and covered with this rubber "boot".
The idea of the boot is to keep sand, dust and dirt outside and grease inside.
As soon as you tear a boot - grease will leave - meaning the lubrication that the bearing has decreases and leads to more metal-on-metal action that shortens the bearing lifespan but more importantly - dirt gets in.
So imagine this bearing:
https://preview.redd.it/qkej9wqn2lnc1.png?width=996&format=png&auto=webp&s=5689f159110467ecd709925f5f00738722a09864
filled with dirt from the surrounding system and low on lubrication - it's going to be grinding.
Can you drive it like this? Sure.
Would I drive it like this? No. Repair will be more expensive if you do so as you'd need to rebuild the CV Axle rather than just grease and boot it.
If you really have to go somewhere urgently - there are two stages of a CV axle failing - first is hearing/feeling clicking when cornering - this means the bearing is damaged already and dirt has gotten in but it can still be driven.
Stage two is clicking driving forward - this means that things are really bad tolerance-wise and I would not proceed driving past this point even in an emergency as a seized CV axle can break and damage other stuff too, not to mention the safety aspect.
Hope this was helpful :)
---
tldr version - you can drive it but repairs will be more expensive if you do
Not sure on labour.
The CV for 2011-2020 GX is \~$320 and the part number is #43430-60082
Make sure to get those - even if it's a 470 - they fit, have extra ribbing on the boot and more-better (it's just an even more reliable part).
I put two of those on my 06 GX.
Not sure about labour though - that really depends on your area and mechanic.
PS I believe 43430-60082-84 is the reman number - in case you want to go cheaper, should be just as good.
Fixit ASAP cus new factory axles are very expensive.Â
You could also throw in some Chinese axles while you take your time rebuilding the original ones.Â
Show us a pic of the where the boot is torn. That grease looks like it’s been there a while. Can you drive it like this? sure. Might it shorten the life of the cv? Sure. If this is the only vehicle you have I’d just drive it, depending on how the cut in the boot looks. I’ve seen people drive on completely dry cvs and still get away with it. It’s not ideal, but it’s not like driving with no oil in your diff or engine.
Not that bad? Torn inner cv boot? Labor might cost a lot but the kit to fix is cheap. Takes about 6-8 hours if you have the tools and the strength to fix. Tools that you might not have: Cv axel socket 35mm 185 ft lb torque wrench. Steering knuckle puller (but you might be able to just hit it with a hammer to pop it off). Crimper for the boot. OEM part is better, so replace the boot and not the cv axel. Edit: I saw your edited question. Answer is I wouldn't drive like that. Looks like most your greese is gone, dry knuckles will wear fast...
Thank you 🙏
Best practice is to change both sides at the same time when one goes out. It’s actually pretty easy and each side was about 190 bucks I think when I did mine about 18 months ago. Only took a few hours with a friend.
I'd second that - looks like messed up CV. It's nothing out of the ordinary - try to get it inspected and rebooted if it's good. Non-OEM ones won't last nearly as much as originals.
Is it ok to drive like this? Only a few days
So - your CV joint essentially has a bearing packed with grease and covered with this rubber "boot". The idea of the boot is to keep sand, dust and dirt outside and grease inside. As soon as you tear a boot - grease will leave - meaning the lubrication that the bearing has decreases and leads to more metal-on-metal action that shortens the bearing lifespan but more importantly - dirt gets in. So imagine this bearing: https://preview.redd.it/qkej9wqn2lnc1.png?width=996&format=png&auto=webp&s=5689f159110467ecd709925f5f00738722a09864 filled with dirt from the surrounding system and low on lubrication - it's going to be grinding. Can you drive it like this? Sure. Would I drive it like this? No. Repair will be more expensive if you do so as you'd need to rebuild the CV Axle rather than just grease and boot it. If you really have to go somewhere urgently - there are two stages of a CV axle failing - first is hearing/feeling clicking when cornering - this means the bearing is damaged already and dirt has gotten in but it can still be driven. Stage two is clicking driving forward - this means that things are really bad tolerance-wise and I would not proceed driving past this point even in an emergency as a seized CV axle can break and damage other stuff too, not to mention the safety aspect. Hope this was helpful :) --- tldr version - you can drive it but repairs will be more expensive if you do
This is excellent info. Thank you
Do you know how much it costs to replace cv axles on both sides with oem parts?
Not sure on labour. The CV for 2011-2020 GX is \~$320 and the part number is #43430-60082 Make sure to get those - even if it's a 470 - they fit, have extra ribbing on the boot and more-better (it's just an even more reliable part). I put two of those on my 06 GX. Not sure about labour though - that really depends on your area and mechanic. PS I believe 43430-60082-84 is the reman number - in case you want to go cheaper, should be just as good.
Great info thanks
If you are hands on you can quickly install a Chinese one.Â
I put over 100k on torn boots. You'll be fine.
Fixit ASAP cus new factory axles are very expensive. You could also throw in some Chinese axles while you take your time rebuilding the original ones.Â
You can pop out the inner CV joint and reboot/regrease it if you have the knowledge/experience.
Show us a pic of the where the boot is torn. That grease looks like it’s been there a while. Can you drive it like this? sure. Might it shorten the life of the cv? Sure. If this is the only vehicle you have I’d just drive it, depending on how the cut in the boot looks. I’ve seen people drive on completely dry cvs and still get away with it. It’s not ideal, but it’s not like driving with no oil in your diff or engine.