CV Boot Replacement - 97 Camry

[milano maroon]

What a great forum! Glad to have found you guys.

So here's my question - My 97 Camry (4 cyl., automatic transmission) has a torn CV boot (LH side - outboard side). I removed the axle and put it in a vise. Can I just remove the outboard CV joint and replace that boot? I tried driving the outboard joint off of the splined shaft but it wouldn't budge. There is a circlip on the outer end but it looks like it just keeps the joint from going too far onto the axle. Any tricks to this? Or do I have to take the inner boot off, take that joint apart so that I can slide the new outboard boot on from that side. Any tricks to taking the inner joint apart if that is the way to go.

Thanks for any help you can give me,

Jeff

[toyomoho]

Usually to replace the outboard boot, the inboard joint must be removed. The boot is then slide over the axle and onto the outboard joint. The outboard joint is non-removable from the axle. The inboard boot must be removed to take off the inboard joint.

[Stillrunning]

Since axle removal is necessary for boot repair and more labor is required I would have waited until the CV joint went bad and replaced with new unit.