give me some advise guys

04 explorer 4.0 doing front struts that had the old frozen in place lower bolt, cutting it out i screwed up and cut the outer boot on the CV, knowing i'm facing another cluster, just should i just do the boot or am i better off swapping the whole axle?
this is a out of my pocket for a very close buddy suffering stage 4 cancer so his family can drive him to and from doctors .. with it my choice to help with the money , keeping the cost down is a most .i just don't, like most of us want to do this 2 times or have this beast tying up my personal garage while i wait for parts that almost always seem to be SOP's

new RB axle or a boot?

 

I would replace the whole axle. Just did a freestar, boot kit and cv grease was almost the same cost as the axle. get a new axle, NOT a rebuilt.
Check rockauto if not in a hurry

 

thanks charlie
yes i'm in a hurry, it's sitting where my 64 C2 coupe sits normally, after seeing your post i checked prices, they all seem near, upside is the local advanced has it for $60.00 in stock no shipping and waiting or having to pay return shipping fees on the shippers screw up,

explorer is a new for me to work on, as mostly i'm working on super oldies or classic's and fast learning what a pain in the six they are to work on compared to the 50 years i spent fixing VDUB's where it took at most a 1/2 hour to change a boot

 

'Sploders are a learning curve, that's for sure, but once you get in there, pretty easy. Just take your time, line everything up, good to go.

I gave you a way to directly get ahold of me if you get stuck, or have a question with it. That hits my cell phone.

 

thanks charlie
going back into it tomorrow both rear strut lower bolts are seized in the lower mount like one front one was. . darn 18 mm bolts cost 20 bucks each with the special nuts only this time i'm ready brought home the old red and green hot wrench from the shop

 

lucked out!! neither lower bolt was seized,didn't need the hot wrench, but getting the 3 top mount nuts off, what a cluster, ford bolt's a rubber stop to the top mount nuts , which surrounds a nut. with only a inch and a half between the body and frame .air chisel time, and 3 hours later it's done save waiting for the new left front axle to come in to finish this thing off.
thanks dusty.

 

No problem Charlie, Glad to help a good friend!

Thank Tom, @1970something for making me aware you needed help

 

fast forward a year plus that exploder is back for work, could ford have made the starter motor easier to get out? unbolt from the bottom fish it out from the top, and i do mean fish

 

I think there is practically nothing on this truck that was made easy to get out. Alright, it isn't any harder to get the tire off than other vehicles, but that's about it. I swear that it was specifically designed to be maximally difficult to work on.

I have done allot of the repairs you are mentioning so let me know if I can help. Like most things, the repairs go from absurdly difficult to just regular difficult after you have done them a few times.

LMHmedchem