Subaru CV re-boot - fitment problems

[Trav]

From what I see -- and perhaps I misunderstood product listings -- some of the severe duty Taco CVs from common names like GSP or Trakmotive are TPE inner and outer.

So, if you can do it for Tacomas, why not Subaru?

I can't help but feel like a TPE inner would have avoided this, although it may just be low quality rubber or neoprene used. As it is there's seemingly no advantage to paying the premium for the Revolution as they only did half the job. It's like having a lathe without a mill or a tire machine without a balancer.

I have seen a lot of OE axles use TPE outer and neoprene inner on many models all with seemingly no issues. On some it is common to see the grease thinned out and leaking past the band clamps and the joint worn long before the inner boots split. On Some Subaru models that use a rear cat right under the cv axle if the heat shield is missing (common) the R/side inner boot doesnt stand a chance.

 

[D60]

I think it has to do with the grade of rubber. OE often uses thermoplastic outer and rubber inner. At least Toyota does.

Yeah, I know, that's why I figure they're just using cheap rubber.

BUT, if the aftermarket is seemingly unable to produce good rubber, maybe aftermarket TPE is a safer bet. Kinda like how inexpensive aftermarket LEDs will still be better than aftermarket incandescent (poor example due to beam pattern, etc) or in machine insert/brazed tooling cheap carbide is still better than cheap HSS

IOW, the cheapest of the "better"

 

[Trav]

When I get TPE Inner and outer for many Subaru pre CVT from Rockford it is usually these part # inner = Rockford 199-21 Outer = Rockford 194-22A. For later models I measure the joint ID big and small end and number of sections, they usually find something that fits.

Here is a cross reference for some boots to Rockford.

http://www.rockfordcv.com/pdfstore/Cross_Reference.PDF