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paulbike
Novice
Mar 20, 2023, 6:59 AM
Post #1 of 25
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2007 Solara front axle
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Brand new to this forum - differing shop opinions and could use your help. My right front axle was replaced (sort of). The mechanic replaced only the part that connects to the wheel, saying that the fixed part was rusted in. 1) can I drive it like this?
2) he replaced the boot after greasing the joint, but did not properly clamp it, causing the grease to leak out. Can I drive it like this? Can I hire a mechanic to re-grease and reaffix the boot with a proper clamp?
Thanks for any help or suggestions.
Paul
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 20, 2023, 7:53 AM
Post #2 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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You can but it's not practical to do that these days. The extra labor required to replace a boot is often more than the cost of a whole axle.
Rebooting a C/V joint that has already been driven without grease just leaves all the damage there.
My advice is to just buy a reman axle and replace the whole thing. Some axles can be bought for under $50
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Tom Greenleaf
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Mar 20, 2023, 7:54 AM
Post #3 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Paul, Welcome.
Something doesn't jive with this. Whole rebuilt shafts are the usual way. Boots alone or one joint is a real pest usually not even cheaper??
Once violated if exposed to water/dirt that new one will near certainly fail again!
You can look up the shaft yourself at places you know are around you just have all info on this car.
Been ages but did just boots and joints myself now ages ago NOTHING else available was a royal pita and really costly.
Unless I'm missing some reason why I don't get why done this way?
Tom
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paulbike
Novice
Mar 20, 2023, 8:11 AM
Post #4 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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For clarification: Two weeks ago, I bought a complete new axle and boot. The mechanic said that he could not remove the non-moving part and just replaced the moving part. He failed to properly secure the new boot and I drove the car for less than 50 miles.
I'm very tight on funds so, if the car is drivable without replacing the non-movable part, I'd like to. This mobile mechanic promised to return to clean the area and securely attach the boot, but never showed up and did not return calls/texts. Hope this helps.
I'm trying to decide if I need to replace the already attached axel and re-pay someone else and re-buy another axle or if someone can make this work.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 20, 2023, 8:33 AM
Post #5 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Mobile tech? Not equipped to do this. If stuck that bad would be the spindle in need with hub. For a 2007 a used one probably.
IDK it's not in front of me/us but heat (torches) if needed or powerful presses push the part out or something?
Key here is tech on wheels wasn't equipped for the extent this needed.
They do make or did wrap around boots you screwed together were junk all sprayed grease everywhere. I thought those went extict?
Tom
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 20, 2023, 8:40 AM
Post #6 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Forget this boot stuff. That guy is incapable of resolving this correctly.
Get away from these mobile mechanics. He couldn't get the axle out because he was trying to do it on the ground. This needs to be done on a lift.
Replace the whole axle as you should have done in the first place.
Sure you could drive it with no grease but that would be insuring that the whole axle will have to be replaced.
I understand that funds are low but half ass fixing something costs a lot more in the end.
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Sidom
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Mar 20, 2023, 10:14 AM
Post #7 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Everything moves on a front axle, but I know what you're talking about. On some axle's the inner CV joint gets stuck in the transmission and it's hard to remove for a variety of reasons. The most common reason being somebody put on too big of a retaining clip. There are a variety of techniques and tools available to remove stuck inner CV joints.
I'm just not sure if he took the outer CV joint/boot off the axle you bought And use that or just put a new boot on the old CV joint.
If the axle isn't vibrating or making noise then he probably got everything okay. The problem is that other joint would need to be sealed correctly so it doesn't lose all the grease, which could cause problems down the road.
A defective inner A defective inner CV joint will usually vibrate on acceleration only. A defective outer CV joint will either click or pop on turns
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paulbike
Novice
Mar 20, 2023, 10:16 AM
Post #8 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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First, thanks for the advice. I must say that the posts have assumed that I had choices that I did not have. Why didn't I just replace the whole axle? Well, I bought the whole axel and a new boot, but I was sitting in a parking lot at Auto Zone with my old axle removed and no way to drive the car, let alone get to work the next day.
It's easy to lie to an uninformed person (me) when we don't know what you know. And, just because someone has a lift doesn't mean that they are honest. I took the car to 4 garages and got quotes as much at $2400 from the guy who said that the rough ride was caused by bad catalytic converters. Another one wanted $1,100 to replace the axel and two more who said it was a tie rod. So, I don't even have a garage that I can trust to tow the car to.
It's nice when you know the answer, are capable of fixing things yourself or have the funds to do it right. I've got a car worth $2000 that I'm trying to baby because I can't afford to replace it.
So when I ask if, after 50 miles, the axle joint is still in good enough shape to be cleaned off, re-greased and the new boot tightly fitted to keep the grease in, it's not to be cheap about repairs.
If the answer is that I have no other choice and have to replace the axle that I just bought and paid for, then I'll try to find an honest mechanic and have it done, but past history makes that a long shot.
Sorry if this sounds rude, but lots of us out there are in a really tough spot, having been ripped off time and again. It's no fun.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 20, 2023, 10:27 AM
Post #9 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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I don't know what kind of places you are dealing with here but this is a $300-400 job with replacing the whole axle with a reman unit.
How on earth you removed an axle in a Autozone parking lot is beyond me. Stop using these fly by night people and use a reputable shop.
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Sidom
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Mar 20, 2023, 10:39 AM
Post #10 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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I can relate to tough times and money being tight. Sometimes it's hard to find a good tech/shop. I would really stay away from mobile guys that work in part store parking lots. While you might get lucky some of the time, these are the least experience guys that struggle when a problem pops up.
To be honest, most reputable shops aren't going to want to deal with this problem you have. Just for the fact it's putting a band aid On a problem a mobile mechanic created. These shops are gonna want to replace the whole axle Because if anything goes wrong with it, you're coming back to them.
But to answer your question you can drive the car a few miles and get a new boot and grease put on the outer joint. As I Explained in the previous post what defective joints do and sound like. So driving it with no grease isn't the end of the world but it is taking life off of it
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 20, 2023, 10:52 AM
Post #11 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Bummer: No way all shops are that messed up. Some crooks in anything out there so high time to find the right shop AND tech that works there.
The $$ of it known and understood up front short of some surprise that couldn't be known.
The pest with the biz is it's so dang costly for a place, the tools would choke anyone all that before making a dime.
The fix here is the right person and place you shouldn't have to be the total mechanic rather just understand it enough and let it be done right the first time.
I feel the pain good luck this is starting all over again if running OK now you should have some time with an exposed joint no water, dirt the longer it should warn you already mentioned the symptoms time to park the thing,
Tom
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paulbike
Novice
Mar 20, 2023, 12:41 PM
Post #12 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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I'll keep looking for a reputable garage, but South Florida is known for this sort of thing so it won't be easy (unless someone knows a place... hint). There are no sounds and no vibrations, so I should be ok to drive a little while I look. Thanks for the replies.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 20, 2023, 1:18 PM
Post #13 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Yes. If intact now, nothing flopping around and axle nut tight to spec it would warn you or should. Avoid dirt but plan on it needing it done, Tom
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 20, 2023, 2:10 PM
Post #14 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Looks like you're in Ft Lauderdale. I can give you a recommendation if you want to travel to Lake Worth.
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paulbike
Novice
Mar 20, 2023, 2:26 PM
Post #15 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Even though it's over an hour away, I would appreciate a referral in Lake Worth. I can always call and maybe he knows someone in my area. Thanks. I'm open to hearing from others as well.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 20, 2023, 2:54 PM
Post #16 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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What do you mean an hour away? Are you in Ft Lauderdale?
Ft. Lauderdale to Lake worth is about 20 minutes.
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paulbike
Novice
Mar 20, 2023, 6:07 PM
Post #17 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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I live in Pembroke Pines
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 20, 2023, 6:15 PM
Post #18 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Yeah, that is on the outskirts and a little further. I used to commute there every day years ago.
It's apparent you aren't interested making that trip so we'll forget about that. We tried to advise you on how to resolve you problem but you have issues with our advice.
This question has pretty much run it's course now. Nothing further we can do.
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Double J
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Mar 20, 2023, 10:05 PM
Post #19 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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The Passenger side long axle on these has a carrier bearing that seizes/rusts in the carrier bracket. They're a bitch to get out
Usually end up trashing the bearing getting them out.
Best bet is a Torch and a good air hammer, get it hot enough and blast it with the air hammer and it will come out. Just don't bust the carrier bracket. Hammer on the bearing part. Trick is ,Gotta get it hot....
Note: once you start hammering on the inner bearing, there's no looking back, it will be trashed, and it must come out.
There is another way that I won't mention, don't recommend it.
A lot of guys bypass doing this and remove just the outer half at the inner joint, take apart the new axle and just install the outer half.
Appears that what your guy did except he did a crap job.
I don't do it that way
Since you're this far and didn't drive it that far, have a reputable shop/Mechanic, clean it up, re-grease it and clamp it the right way and try it.
Guessing you bought an aftermarket axle.
Edit
Since this was done in an AZ parking lot, I'd bet he was already hammering on the bearing trying to remove the axle
So have that checked to make sure he didn't damage it if you go the cheaper route
(This post was edited by Double J on Mar 20, 2023, 10:39 PM)
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Double J
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Mar 20, 2023, 10:11 PM
Post #20 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Forgot to mention, besides the bolt in the bottom of the carrier bracket, there is also a c clip that needs to be removed before hammering/removing the axle
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 21, 2023, 3:18 AM
Post #21 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Or you could just unbolt the carrier bracket from the block and take the whole thing out to separate it on the ground.
All these things more easily done with the car in the air.
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Double J
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Mar 21, 2023, 8:42 AM
Post #22 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Agree, much easier in the air
But cannot remove one bracket bolt because its behind axle shaft
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Double J
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Mar 21, 2023, 8:45 AM
Post #23 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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Could always cut axle to access bolt then remove it a and separate it
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Hammer Time
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Mar 21, 2023, 8:49 AM
Post #24 of 25
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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I thought I remembered 2 14mm bolts accessible over the top but who knows, I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday.
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Double J
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Mar 21, 2023, 8:56 AM
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Re: 2007 Solara front axle
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I think it's like 4
If memory serves, and that went south a long time ago
I know on one of my cars it had 4, its been over a year now since i did it, I have an older Solara
It would be no problem to do on Jack stands if bracket bolt was accessible
I had to torch it and blast it out, in the air
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