CV joint boots

[GG]

Was poking around under the Fulvia and looking at the CV boots on the front axles, by the wheel. Saw a wire looped around  the end of the boot, say ⅛" in, serving to hold the boot tight and in place and stop the grease from going everywhere.
However, one one side, the wire had let loose, and replacing it was not quite so easy. There is no inner grove for the wire to "sit" in, and it kept wanting to slide either toward the wheel (into a trough) or back. We did find a kind of valley in the CV joint (under the boot), which sloped a bit up toward the wheel and up toward the car center about ¾" back from the end of the boot. There the wire would stay in place and hold the boot - probably good enough, but wondering what are other folks experiences of this?
Can post photo if that helps.
Thanks all,
Geoff

revision: the parts book calls for flat clamps. For the earlier cars, looks like 84.3 and 86mm (diameter), changed for s.2, listed by manufacturer. No indication of what the 1.6HF used.  Anyone use or have a source for these?

[ColinMarr]

You may have solved this already, but if it helps, I’ll stretch my memory back. I don’t recall any retaining groove, but the rubber boot was held in place with a flat metal strap, about 5mm wide and with dimples to grip onto the rubber. The fastening of the strap had to be folded back flat so as not to protrude and foul whatever it is very close to the rotating shaft. This website shows some of the options: https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/drive-shaft-boot-clamp.html   Happy days ….

[GG]

Thanks Colin - and yes you are right about CV boot clamps.

My local shop says they used wires because that was what was there, but that they do have some German CV boot clamps, with low profiles that will work. So we’re OK, and solved on this end.  Thanks for your help!

[Scott]

Noting that your local shop used wires because that was what was available ... but the default recommendation is for a strap type clip as you've found.

See https://shop.omicron.uk.com/products/cv-boot-clip-strap or https://www.pieces-fulvia.com/soufflet-de-cardan-cote-roue-lancia-fulvia-tous-modeles.htm just as examples ... but these clamps are pretty universal and you should be able to pick up from lots of places (ebay for one - just search CV boot clamps) if you wanted to move away from wire.

If it helps I include below a relevant page from the Fulvia Technical Data manual. This specifically mentions the 'locating groove' on the inboard joint which is what it sounds like you found and used. :-)

[GG]

Noting that your local shop used wires because that was what was available ... but the default recommendation is for a strap type clip as you've found.

Thanks for the drawing - and yes, inner grove is noted; oddly there is no outer grove.
As to the shop - it was a rare wrong call: the car (very original, mostly) came in with wire clamps so they did the same thing, trying to keep it as it was. They recognize this probably was an error and will fix shortly.