On a car, what is a CV Boot, and what does it do?
by 
Shopping Sheryl - home from the hospital
ANSWERS: 3
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A CV joint, or constant velocity joint, is part of a drive shaft, the shaft that attaches to a car's transmission at one end and the wheel at the other. CV joints are designed to be able to bend in any direction while continuing to turn the drive wheels at a constant velocity. CV joints are primarily used in the drive shafts of front wheel drive cars. A CV joint is covered with a bulbous rubber boot that tends to deteriorate over time. When a CV boot cracks or tears open, the CV joint is left exposed to the elements, which will quickly damage the joint. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-cv-joint.htm
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The CV boot is part of the CV axle. The CV (Constant velocity) axle is the part that connects the transmission to the wheel hub (on FWD anyways) the boot is the soft rubber bit that covers the joints on the axle that allow the suspension to work. These joints (Constant velocity joints) need to be well greased. THe trouble with axle grease is that when it gets dirt in it, it clumps up and drys up. The boot keeps the grease in and the dirt out. If your boot is torn then there's a good chance that the joint has been compromised. As cheap as the whole axle assembly usually is, (around $30 to $70 for most models) it's best to replace the whole thing as once the joint fails, the stress from the popping of the joint tends to wear down the splines on the end of the axle that connect it to the transmission and the wheel hub.
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I like that question. Years ago, I had Ford Escort and my CV Boot broke. It was not a pretty sight. I had to bring my car into a mechanic and have it replaced. It was not cheap to replace. My car drove much better afterwards.
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