CV boot band replacement
 

Installed a new replacement band on the inner end of the inner CV boot today. The clamps are from NORREC Ind. (Norrec Industries - CV Clamps) and come with a tensioning bit. I think it will be a good substitute for the OE band. The original CV boot looked a bit loose I think due to age and the 2" lift I did. Kit comes with two large and two small bands with the tensioning bit that fits into a 3/8" socket. I think I was able to get it almost as snug as the the other side on which I used a regular hose clamp but could not use on the driver's side. I got this off of eBay for about $15. I'll report back with a long term report on how well it works.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...cdcb2672c5.jpg
Initial installation

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...516c77c24a.jpg
Tightening with tensioning bit (to tighten, turning the bit counter clock-wise)

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...df67384218.jpg
Tensioned, next step, shorten extra strap and secure

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...0a6863bc05.jpg
Tail end of strap bent back and secured with tabs

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...7ad754c134.jpg
One of the smaller bands and the tensioning bit.

That's a cool kit. Thanks for letting us know about it.

It is a cook kit but it didn't work out quite as I had hoped. If you notice in the final picture of the installed band, the buckle is a bit distorted. I suspect that this deformation relaxed with the tension in the band being reduced. The result was the band coming off. :(

Today I purchased a more proper band tool that will not distort the buckle (I hope). I'll report back how it works.

I'm pretty sure this would not be a problem on a non-lifted truck as the angles at the CV joints are less extreme and therefore there is less force trying to pry off the boot. I addressed this with a basic hose clamp on the passenger side but there was not enough clearance for the screw mechanism on the drivers side.

If I can get the tool in there to do the tensioning, I hoping to be able to get a replacement band installed without having to take the axle out. But if I can't, I've resigned myself to taking the axle out and putting the band on then.

I'll keep people posted.

Update:

So I decided I could not get the band on using this kit. I even purchased a tool from NAPA to help me with it.

With the lift I did, the boots now have to to flex much more than originally intended. That along with with the boots being the originals and therefore made out of pretty stiff material, I don't know if I could easily have secured the boot. Then again, I was able to do with a simple hose clamp to the same one on the passenger side. (On the drivers side there is not enough clearance for the screw mechanism on the clamp.)

After taking the original drive axle out I noticed that although it all looked clean, the grease inside the tri-pot housing looked possibly contaminated with a bit of moisture. Because I am under a time-crunch, I decided to put in a new axle instead of trying to refurbish the original one. I'll be keeping the original as a back-up for a proper reconditioning in the future if needed.

Something that I did not expect when inserting the new axle was just how hard it was to get it to fully push in through the new axle shaft seal that I replaced due to the original leaking. (Replacing the seal was the original motivation for all of my recent front end work that led me to this point.) It would get stuck with about an 1" still to go. I even considered that with the new axle being of a slightly different design (Master-Pro from O'Reilly's) that it was installed correctly. However it turned out it was just a bit more snug than the original axle shaft. I even measured the diameters with my micrometer and thought the difference negligible. (I regret I did not record the measurements at the time.) I was eventually able to get the axle in and it is now fine. The new boots are of a much more flexible material. I guess after 18 years, some products can get better! Let's hope it's true.