stuff leaking onto my rims

Ok, I think it is the CV; I am just making sure. There is oil or some kind of black fluid leaking onto the inside of my rims. It makes little black spots on my rims and they are a pain to get off. If it is the CV then can I fix it, or do I have to replace some stuff?

CV boot's torn most likely...just pull off your wheel, and look around, you will be sure to see a tear, or grease all over the front suspension as well. Id just replace the whole axle, unless you like getting real messy
:D


as for getting the grease off your wheel, try dishsoap(a lot) and water;)

CVs use grease, not fluid. I would be be checking my brake lines and hoses very very carefully. Also check the caliper piston seals - it might be time to have a new seal kit put in as well as having the bores honed.

Check your CVs anyway, look closely for splits although in my experience the grease gets thrown upwards no outwards.

Final thought might be that it is simply brake dust that has hardened - but you're saying it's fluid.

Originally posted by Setanta
CVs use grease, not fluid. I would be be checking my brake lines and hoses very very carefully. Also check the caliper piston seals - it might be time to have a new seal kit put in as well as having the bores honed.

Check your CVs anyway, look closely for splits although in my experience the grease gets thrown upwards no outwards.

Final thought might be that it is simply brake dust that has hardened - but you're saying it's fluid.


Grease is a fluid. Just a really thick fluid. :D

And when grease heats up it could become a liquid so it is possible it's the CV boot ripped.

if it were brake fluid, youd have a little bit worse situation than stains on your rims, brake fluid eats things, the clear coat on your rims would be toast. if it were grease, it should still have the greasy texture when its on your rims, otherwise grease would only be good for one time use right, because if its a pain to get off now, then imagine what would happen to your cv joints...right?? and when grease heats up, it doesnt get that liquidy, otherwise you would have to seal your bearings on your spindles on a rwd car because youd have no grease after an hour. it could still be grease though, does a couple lil drips while its parked, but it wont looked splattered about because grease stays. i hadda blob of grease on the inside of my winter beaters rim for 4 months and it didnt move or deteriorate. so if you touch it, and its definately not grease, then heres my guess. motor oil. leaky oil pan gasket, oil slowly seaps out (i have one) onto driveshaft which goes under rear of oil pan and makes its way to the end of your shaft and gets spun around onto your rims when you drive. oil stains things. im not tryin to be smart or a dick, just applying my education, finally!!

I would also say CV boot's torn.
I had the same thing, greasy oil shit all over my rim.
Just check your CV boot, you can see or feel fast enough wether that's the problem or not.

I will go check it sometime by the end of this week. I am a busy guy this week :licker: If it is the CV boot, where can I get a new one? Would an autoparts store carry it?

Brake fleid doesn't eat in straight away. It takes considerable time.

You can get boots from a local dealer etc, but they are a bugger to fit unless you get wrap around ones which aren't that good to start off with. If it is the CVs then check for dirt in there. If it's badly torn then it's time to replace the whole unit as it'll be rooted soon enough.

Ummm... you know you could check your engine's crank and sump seals. If you are leaking and the oil is running down the driveshafts and dripping off the brakes then there's your issue. Not good if it gets into your pads or your clutch though.

brake dust...i have the same thing on my rims, i just went downstairs and looked, brake dust...really, it is, brake dust...pollish the shit outta them, and itll be gone...

lol - that's what I said earlier (amongst other options). Damn stuff eats the paint too, and my rims are powdercoated :(

I know for a fact it isn't brake dust. Trust me, I have plenty of that stuff. I am pretty sure it is my CV boot. That was my first presumption. I don't want to get the whole freakin' unit replaced again. I got it replaced last year. I am tired of CV joints... I think I am just going to go outside and rip them off of my car right now, that will solve everything :eek:

heheh... kind of hurts the acceleration if you do that :D

And when grease heats up it could become a liquid so it is possible it's the CV boot ripped.