Inner CV boot slinging lots of grease, but not making noise -- unsafe?

Catastrophic CV joint failures are pretty rare. I don't think that you will have any issue at all with driving to your dealer if that is what you are asking? My driver's side inner boot was leaking a bit for years (not as bad as yours) and I replaced both axle assemblies last year when I started to get clicking noises while turning. Truck had about 110k on it at the time.

If you would have replaced just the boot as soon as you saw the grease it would have been a cheaper fix. Once you here clicking its to late, now you'll need all new, nothing better then tryin to keep the originals. Now once you replace it with an all new one you MIGHT have to deal with steering wheel shimmy. Go OEM not aftermarket, no need to get a new one, my Honda dealer had reman CVs half the price of a new one, better then a aftermarket. Been there done that and nothing but problems. Now clean that mess up, that grease is some bad $hit and it slings everywhere.

Yes, I was lazy and should have replaced the slightly leaking boot early on . . .

IMHO . . .Proper boot replacement means removing the axle(s). On parts less than 100k miles I can see doing it, particularly if you are DYI. If you are paying someone to do it, just fork out the extra $ for a new / reman set of OEM axle(s) as it will be a good investment. If you are getting up there in miles, replace the axle(s) rather than wasting you time with just the boot(s)

Regardless, there is no need to loose sleep about a catastrophic failure happening on the way to the dealer . . .

Sorry eurban that wasnt directed at you just a thought for the original poster.

No need for a trip to the dealer as most any mechanic can make this repair.

Took it to my local guys (non-dealer) before driving very far. They found that the boot isn’t torn but instead leaking grease from the clamp—they said that they don’t usually see this much grease slinging without a tear or all that many inner cv joint failures. In any case, they put another clamp on it to keep me rolling short-term.
The local dealership wants $600 for a single axle replacement. I’m going to order an axle and have it done locally or enlist some help from a buddy who has replaced the axles on his comparable year Odyssey.
Thanks for the help!

It angers me the amount of people who replace the whole axle instead of slapping boots on it. EXCEPT when it has been driven on for extended periods of time while leaking through water etc and starts making noises then you replace the axle.

Im at almost 190k(original axles) and ive done the boots twice now and it literally at minimum takes an extra 15 minutes to swap boots. At max 45 if you clean every spec of old grease out and polish the joints and repack the cv. But unless you have a bunch of dirt in the joint,water etc Just squirt the tube of grease you get in the cv and smack it back together. The inner boot is incredibly simple The outer requires a smidge of knowledge.

or regards to the ops issue. Clean the mess up. Inspect for cracks in the boot. If none. Peel the boot back a little bit and take a golf ball sized blob of axle grease and smoosh it into the cv and clean the surface the boot rides on and slap a new clamp on.

Thanks for the suggestions. I ended up needing a new axle. The inner joint was very loose and had a lot of play in it--it complaining when the load shifted (changing gears) and didn't look good.

austinandwhatnot said:

Thanks for the suggestions. I ended up needing a new axle. The inner joint was very loose and had a lot of play in it--it complaining when the load shifted (changing gears) and didn't look good.

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They have a lot of play when unloaded and thinned out grease. As soon as you pack it full of new grease and seal it up. Its fine.

I still stand by my earlier comment. . .

Even if we assume that the axle is OK in spite of what his mechanic told him, he's paying someone to remove and reinstall is axle whether he replaces just his boot or the entire axle. If he goes the boot route he is also paying for the new boot, grease and the labor to remove old boot, clean, inspect, repack and install new boot. In the end he has an axle that has miles on it already and may have a shortened life span from contamination / low amounts of grease. Installing a new axle is less labor costs but probably an additional $200 (over just replacing the boot) for materials. OEM new or rebuilt would be the way to go.

IMHO, if you have over 100k on your axles, and are paying someone to do the work, replacing the axle(s) makes more sense.

eurban said:

I still stand by my earlier comment. . .

Even if we assume that the axle is OK in spite of what his mechanic told him, he's paying someone to remove and reinstall is axle whether he replaces just his boot or the entire axle. If he goes the boot route he is also paying for the new boot, grease and the labor to remove old boot, clean, inspect, repack and install new boot. In the end he has an axle that has miles on it already and may have a shortened life span from contamination / low amounts of grease. Installing a new axle is less labor costs but probably an additional $200 (over just replacing the boot) for materials. OEM new or rebuilt would be the way to go.

IMHO, if you have over 100k on your axles, and are paying someone to do the work, replacing the axle(s) makes more sense.

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You are on the $. About 2 years ago mine was leaking. I'd have to look up my receipts, but I know I paid less that $200.00 for a new OEM right axle. 230,000 miles on the old girl and nary a leak.

eurban said:

IMHO, if you have over 100k on your axles, and are paying someone to do the work, replacing the axle(s) makes more sense.

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I second this. I do forget that not everyone works on there own stuff.

S.T.U.V said:

I second this. I do forget that not everyone works on there own stuff.

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I was willing to do the work, but not able due to my current (temporary) work/living situation--I just don't have the time (nor do I have my tools with me).

They gave me the original axle. If I can find a place in town to rebuild it, I may do that, or at least keep it on hand if the need arises.

austinandwhatnot said:

I was willing to do the work, but not able due to my current (temporary) work/living situation--I just don't have the time (nor do I have my tools with me).

They gave me the original axle. If I can find a place in town to rebuild it, I may do that, or at least keep it on hand if the need arises.

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Totally understandable. I cant count enough times I would have rathered paid a "professional" to do something for me. When you are ready I can give you a 5 ish step process to do it. Just message me.

Do you guys think I've got anything to worry about taking my truck on a trip to NC from the Philadelphia area this week? 8 hours each way?

2006 w 96k miles

https://vimeo.com/197697347

https://vimeo.com/197697441

That looks like mine has for the past 2-3 years.

If it's not making a clicking noise at full lock (both right and left), windows open, radio off. Then I would have no problem making that drive. If it's making noises while driving (straight), not turning, then I would find another way, take a different vehicle or get it fixed

I've had my Ridgeline for 11+ Years and owned multiple front wheel drive vehicles before and I've had 2 CV joints fail, both made audible noise for a while before failure. One time I even had the part, remanufactured axle at home.

I will see if I can capture the audio on a video tomorrow. It is a subtle sound that my mechanic friend didn't notice while driving it until I pointed it out.

I am on aware of any noises at full lock or anything like that. This video makes it not too easy to hear the noise but I can hear it a little bit myself. It sounds a little bit like tire noise, but I didn't know that tire noise would only get louder when you have the foot on the accelerator.

https://vimeo.com/197792139

The driver window was open, and it was raining lightly outside when I took this video.

Yea, I'm not hearing much if anything. If you can find a Cul-de-Sac and can do a low speed 5 mph, maybe slower full lock right and or left turn, you should hear it.

Otherwise enjoy the trip and keep an eye on it, like every oil change.