New OEM Axles Vs Raxles

I've read you can swap the joints side to side. Is that true and maybe applicable?
Just new boots, new grease, new fasteners?

What is the normal (or preferred or average) maintenance for the boots? What do you need to do and how often?

Check them regularly and replace them when they fail. That's what I do, at least. It's one reason why I like to drain the oil during a change. Gets me under the car so I can take a look at the boots, among other things.

The outer boots on my axles are still intact after 413K miles, but the joints click on turns in either direction so I am about to change them out.

Those OEM boots are really good.

benIV said:

What is the normal (or preferred or average) maintenance for the boots? What do you need to do and how often?

Click to expand...

I still have the original boots at 260K miles
Never even messed with them.

There's miles, but there's also age. My car only has 170k miles on it, but it's pushing 19 years old (2000). Boots are still good. Wife's car is also a 2000 and has original boots (212k miles).

OEM axles sitting idle

G'day all,


Today the Passat got it's 5 speed manual swap overhaul. Parts from Frans! So far so good but probably lookin in near future to get a reflash to cancel out the xmas tree lights on dash. In the meantime my old axles are now spare if anyone is interested in them, minus the cv joints of course. I've never had any issues with them and if I had the patience to figure out the electrical errors that kept putting the auto into safe mode, They'd still be pulling the TDI along.