no, your right, i do have a torn boot and the c/v joint is probably fine. Im not familiar with this type of job and just figured to swap the axle out would be easier than cleaning and tearing down the c/v joints.

but to swap the axle, the whole differential would have to be dropped as i think the bracket has to be pressed onto the half shaft.

anyway, see my earlier post above about would it be possible to change the outer boot without having to disaemble the inner?