Mine is a Murano 2005 (138K miles). I have noticed the CV boot of passenger-side axle has a crack and grease is leaking out of it. Pictures are attached.
What options do I have to get it fixed?
Could this be a DIY job? The most complicated thing I’ve done was to replace the AC compressor; also did oil/fluid changes for CVT, transfer case, differential.
You can replace the whole drive axle, or replace just the rubber boot if the joint has not been damaged by dirt / sand. You can get a pretty good idea how much work is involved from Youtube videos of the axle replacement. I replaced the boot a few years ago. It's a about the same difficulty level but a little messier since you have to clean the old grease out of the joint and pack new grease in, but a little cheaper. I got the boot kit with grease from Nissan for about $35. The aftermarket axle costs btw $45-65, I believe. I don't think there is a way to patch or seal the boot.
I'm of the camp that at 138K miles, it's best to just replace the half-shaft.
If you're going to go to all the trouble of pulling the half-shaft to replace the boot, you'd be better served to just replace the whole unit.
If you're just replacing, you pull the old out and pop the new half-shaft in.
Replacing the boot is smelly and messy. After pulling the half-shaft out, everything has to be cleaned very well before installing the new boot and the new grease.
All that work and you still have 138K of wear on the half-shaft.
If you're buying and doing the job yourself, the savings are minimal. You could buy the half-shaft yourself and find a local garage/mechanic to do the labor.
Just replace the entire thing with a Duralast CV axle from Autozone. I’ve used them a couple of times on both sides of my Murano.. that’ll be your cheapest, least headache route. Trust me, I tried replacing just the boot and it’s not worth the hassle. Ended up tossing the boot, after all.
Just replace the entire thing with a Duralast CV axle from Autozone. I’ve used them a couple of times on both sides of my Murano.. that’ll be your cheapest, least headache route. Trust me, I tried replacing just the boot and it’s not worth the hassle. Ended up tossing the boot, after all.
Thank you. Will replace the whole. But were you able to loan some tools from Autozone for the job? I watched some videos and looked like there would be some special tools required, but I dont know the next time I would need them again.
Thank you. Will replace the whole. But were you able to loan some tools from Autozone for the job? I watched some videos and looked like there would be some special tools required, but I dont know the next time I would need them again.
Since you're replacing the axle and it won't matter if it gets damaged, you can try simply yanking on it real hard as if it were a slide hammer and that can work sometimes. Otherwise, you can get a slide hammer kit from Autozone but you'll need the axle removal attachment like this one.
Thank you. Will replace the whole. But were you able to loan some tools from Autozone for the job? I watched some videos and looked like there would be some special tools required, but I dont know the next time I would need them again.
The only tools I needed were the large axle nut sockets, since I didn’t have any over 30mm... The factory axle nut and the Duralast nut are two different sizes.. I believe the Duralast one is a 35mm or 36mm.. I believe that the factory nut is smaller(?).. can’t remember exactly. Otherwise, I haven’t used any other special tools. I use a pry bar and give it one good tug/jerk near the trans (between the axle and trans) and pop out the axle that way.
I guess you can do the same job several different ways. If you watch a video online and see a specific tool you think will be necessary, Autozone will loan it to you. You can use it an then return it once you’re done, for a full refund.
The only tools I needed were the large axle nut sockets, since I didn’t have any over 30mm... The factory axle nut and the Duralast nut are two different sizes.. I believe the Duralast one is a 35mm or 36mm.. I believe that the factory nut is smaller(?).. can’t remember exactly.
The Nissan original factory axle nut is 32 mm. I could be wrong but I thought your replacement axle has to have the same size, or it won't go through the center hole of the hub if it's larger. Or, maybe you are talking about larger nut but the same thread diameter?
The Nissan original factory axle nut is 32 mm. I could be wrong but I thought your replacement axle has to have the same size, or it won't go through the center hole of the hub if it's larger. Or, maybe you are talking about larger nut but the same thread diameter?
Aftermarket axle manufacturers sometimes use axle nuts with the same inside diameter and thread pitch, but a different wrench size--likely because it costs less (for them). 32mm is the factory wrench size, but when I last swapped out an axle the replacement (Cardone) had a larger axle nut (probably 36mm). It fit, just different wrench size. I ended up re-using the original because I was too lazy to look in my box for the larger deep socket
This ^^^^ / Correct, same thread and inner diameter, just a larger overall nut.
Because I also had to rent the large sockets in the past, I actually wrote the size of the nut on the nut itself with a permanent marker.. you can always reuse the factory nuts if that works for you.
If you have an AWD, you separate the cv joint at the mid support without removing the mid support. NO need to change the axle seal if its not leaking since you are not removing the inner shaft from the TC.
FWD on the other hand requires to remove the entire inner shaft along with the cv axle. FSM suggest to change the axle seal. Oem cost about 10 bucks. You will need a quart or so of CVT NS2 fluid. Take care in inserting the new axle to avoid damaging the new or old axle seal. Using a hanger wire to hang the axle mid way could help you get it in aligned/level without straining or going in an angle. Good luck.
Thank you both! Fortunately mine is AWD, passenger side.
Is the mid support circled area in this picture? Do I even need to take the 3 bolts out? Looking at the picture, it does not look like the joint is hold by the bolts.
Thank you both! Fortunately mine is AWD, passenger side.
Is the mid support circled area in this picture? Do I even need to take the 3 bolts out? Looking at the picture, it does not look like the joint is hold by the bolts.
Today I received the Duralast axle from Autozone, but it has a 1” crack at the axle nut size. Is it a problem that I need to return or is it designed that way, since I do not see grease coming out of it?
Today I received the Duralast axle from Autozone, but it has a 1” crack at the axle nut size. Is it a problem that I need to return or is it designed that way, since I do not see grease coming out of it?
That's not by design. Does the axle have a lifetime warranty? If so, your call on whether to return now or not. That crack will likely turn in to a leak at some point, but you may end up getting rid of the car by then...
