Ripped CV boot? (picture)

[HemiRoar]

I was having a little pre-winter white lithium grease party with the suspension and saw this. Both axles are new, less than 7K miles on them. Driver's side is fine. Perhaps time to take the levelling kit off?

EDIT: no clicking/popping noises. Suspension is quiet.

 

[red_line]

How high of a level? Now you've got me worried.

 

[HemiRoar]

How high of a level? Now you've got me worried.

2.5".

When I first got it levelled, the stock CV boots ripped a month later. I assumed it was due to age, got new ones under warranty this past summer.

Now it looks like the new passenger side cv boot is ripped, I can't think of anywhere else the grease would come from.

ALTHOUGH, I did get rust protection done this past summer as well and I know they put chassis lubing grease into zerk fittings, that could be it as well. It's a not splatter, just a big glob on the strut

 

[jlb]

Looks like the CV boot to me. Mine looked almost identical when it went bad. I heard a slight creak/click noise when I was in 4x4 trying to get out of some ruts, and then about 5 miles later I stopped for gas, and checked it since I had heard the sound. I found a similar mess.

It took about 300-400 miles with some pretty tight cornering before I really started feeling/hearing it consistently.

 

[HemiRoar]

Looks like the CV boot to me. Mine looked almost identical when it went bad. I heard a slight creak/click noise when I was in 4x4 trying to get out of some ruts, and then about 5 miles later I stopped for gas, and checked it since I had heard the sound. I found a similar mess.

It took about 300-400 miles with some pretty tight cornering before I really started feeling/hearing it consistently.

thanks jlb, think i'm gonna take off the level and have the dealer check it out under warranty.

 

[jlb]

Is your dealer reasonably chill? I took mine in under warranty, without removing the level, and they didn't say anything. I think in a lot of cases they don't notice since the only real giveaway is the reversed shock housing.

 

[HemiRoar]

I'm sure the dealer won't mind, they sell lifted trucks on the lot. I'm starting to think that the CV angles are causing the boots to wear so quick, these CV axles are like 4-5 months old.

 

[jlb]

You could try swapping to a 2" instead. How often do you send your front suspension components into full droop? I have put around 10k on my truck with my 2" spacer (I have an outdoorsman though so my strut pushes me up another 0.7") and other than my one CV axle I have had good luck. That one I think was related to steering lock/droop in combination more than anything else though.

With all the people running bilsteins, and spacers on here without any trouble I don't understand why you would be going through CVs so quickly.

 

[HemiRoar]

Just had the levelling blocks removed, to me it looks like a Dakota again but man, I forgot how much smoother the ride was at stock height. Doesn't ride like an F250 anymore.

Dealer is going to replace the axle on tuesday under warranty.

Crazy thought though, both times I had the boot rip, I had some work done at this shop that was close to my old place. The tech that removed the level said that the boot had a cut right in the middle up top. I wonder if those guys damaged them on purpose, so I'd have to come get that replaced..lol. Mad conspiracies.