If it's torn, the conventional and emphatic counsel is dirt
got into the joint, and it's going to fail soon.

Depending on how experienced you are, I'd buy a half-shaft
(which holds the inner and outer boots and joints for one
side) for $70 at Autozone (lifetime warranty) and do it
myself.

Replacing /just/ the boot takes more labor than slapping a
whole new halfshaft in.

You can also buy a rebuilt OEM halfshaft online for around
$135. See www.hondaautomotiveparts.com , for one.


"Peabody" <waybackNO784SPAM44@yahoo.com> wrote
>I got new tires today for my 94 Accord at Hesselbein Tires,
>and they
> found that the outer CV boot on the right side is torn. I
> confirmed
> that when I got home. The left looks ok. The car has 53K
> miles on
> it.
>
> They want about $100 to fix it, and would use an
> aftermarket boot.
>
> I've tried turning sharply in both directions, listening
> for strange
> noises, and don't hear or feel anything strange. So I'm
> gonna
> assume the axle is ok and just get the one boot replaced.
>
> I assume the vast majority of the $100 is labor, and just
> wondered
> if boot replacement is something that a normal human being
> could
> easily do, or if it really should be a mechanic who knows
> what he's
> doing. I'm pretty handy, but have never tackled anything
> like this.
> If I get them to do it, I would also get them to do the
> front
> brakes at the same time since they are the original brakes
> and the
> pads are down to alomst nothing. I would insist on Honda
> pads.
>
> Does the after-market boot sound ok? Does the $100 sound
> reasonable?
>
> I got Toyo Spectrums, by the way, total cost of $281
> including road
> hazard. So far, they ride nice, but may be a little
> firmer than the
> OE Michelins. I thought I had an option to get BFG
> Traction T/A's
> at near the same price, but that turned out not to be the
> case. So
> I went with the Toyo's.
>
>