OEM 2003 Buick Rendezvous CV Boot

2003 Buick Rendezvous CV Boot Parts and Q&A

• Q: What tools are required to service and repair the front inner CV Boot for the drive shaft joint and seal replacement on 2003 Buick Rendezvous?

  A: The tools needed to service and repair the Constant Velocity Joint Boot for the front wheel drive shaft inner joint and seal replacement are as follows: Drive Shaft Seal Clamp Pliers (J42572). Start by using side cutters to remove the small seal clamp from the wheel drive shaft bar and discard it and make sure you do not cut into the wheel drive shaft trilobal tripot bushing. Next, apply a large seal clamp to the tripot joints with side parts to be discarded by using side cutters. Isolate the wheel drive shaft inboard seal detached from the trilobal tripot bushing sliding the seal off from the joint into accordance with the wheel drive shaft bar. Take the housing unit off the tripot joint spider and the wheel drive shaft bar. After first tapping around the tripot spider face with a brass drift and hammer to cause the barrel retaining ring on the wheel drive shaft bar to be compressed off remove the tripot spider from the wheel drive shaft bar and throw away the barrel retaining ring. Remove joint seal off wheel drive shaft bar and check wheel drive shaft inboard seal and tripot joint spider assembly, housing, as well as trilobal tripot bushing for wear or damage. For assembly, fit the new small seal clamp on to the small end of the joint seal and push both aside on to the wheel drive shaft bar fitting the small end of the joint seal into the joint seal groove on the wheel drive shaft bar. With the help of the Drive Shaft Seal Clamp Pliers (J42572), crimp the small seal retaining clamp into a tight 136 Nm (100 ft. lbs.). Mount a new barrel retaining ring to the wheel drive shaft bar while positioning the beveled edge of the tripot spider opposite the wheel drive shaft bar. Mount the tripot spider to the wheel drive shaft bar while squeezing the barrel retaining ring with a flat-bladed tool and check the correct engagement by trying to remove the tripot spider from the wheel drive shaft bar. Shift the trilobal tripot bushing back to the face of the housing, then they put about half the grease from the service kit in the wheel drive inboard seal for the shaft, leaving the other half to repack the housing. Slide the larger new seal retaining clamp off the wheel drive shaft inboard seal, and install the trilobal tripot bushing to the housing, then slide the housing over the tripot joint spider assembly on the wheel drive shaft bar. Slide the large diameter of the wheel drive shaft inboard seal into the inboard side, installing the large clamp, sealing around the outside of the trilobal tripot bushing, and position the lip of the seal in the groove, making sure that the seal is not dimpled, stretched, or otherwise distorted. Check the seal for the right shape, adjusting the pressure if required. Mount the joint assembly to the correct size for the vehicle, align the wheel drive shaft inboard seal, tripot housing, and large seal retaining clamp, and crimp the retaining clamp. Finally using the Drive Shaft Seal Clamp Pliers (J42572) Crimp the large seal retaining clamp and tighten to 136 Nm (100 ft. lbs.) then turn the inner tripot housing 4 or 5 times to position the grease everywhere on the tripot spider bearings.