Do you guys recommend The stock C-V joints/shafts or aftermarket?
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I gotta do my CVs next week and I'm tempted to go with the napa shaft/joint guarantee. I mean, dang, i'd hate to purchase the stock rebuild only to have them fail a year from now.
What to do, what to do...
Which would you hate more - spending $400 on a quality device that will likely last most folks many seasons if you don't abuse them or spending $120 on something you know for certain is going to fail; it's just a matter of how far into the trail it fails on you.
The CVs are the weakest link in the system, (2-pinion diffs and rumored A343F's aside). If you throw a bunch of 'challenges' at the truck it's going to stress them. The OEM's have the best chance of enduring offroad tortures. Considering the remote places we frequent, an extra two bills for quality is not a problem.
I gotta do my CVs next week and I'm tempted to go with the napa shaft/joint guarantee. I mean, dang, i'd hate to purchase the stock rebuild only to have them fail a year from now.
What to do, what to do...
A "lifetime guarantee" isn't worth a darned thing when that part leaves you stranded within months of you installing it, and then you pull it, and put in another "new" part with the same guarantee, and then it happens again, etc. etc. etc. I've played that game with reman smog pumps on the FJ60.
Sometimes it's best just to pay the higher price for a part from our beloved Toyota parts man, knowing that part is almost certain to last so far into the future that we won't be cussing to replace it again.
Based on the pic of the internals of the NAPA CV, there is absolutely no way I would put it on my truck.
But that is all just my opinion.
I gotta do my CVs next week and I'm tempted to go with the napa shaft/joint guarantee. I mean, dang, i'd hate to purchase the stock rebuild only to have them fail a year from now.
What to do, what to do...
Do you really need to replace the axles or can you reboot your OEM? The reboot kits are cheap - think it's $30 each side. The only reasons I can think of to replace instead of reboot are:
1) your axles are shot - if you hear clicking already, or they've been contaminated for a while, or upon inspection you see problems with them, or they've got 200k miles on 'em and you don't want to chance it?
2) if you are paying labor - what happens is the labor for rebooting is more hours but less parts, whereas for new axles is more in parts but less in labor, so say it's 600 to reboot or 800 for new axles altogether, many people would just opt for new axles.
3) even if you're doing the labor yourself, you are willing to pay for the new axles to simplify the DIY job and keep a backup pair of axles for the trail or whatever.
my .02
Griffin said:I gotta do my CVs next week and I'm tempted to go with the napa shaft/joint guarantee. I mean, dang, i'd hate to purchase the stock rebuild only to have them fail a year from now.
What to do, what to do...
I will drive my old CV to your house to show you the build quality.
Do NOT go with Napa on a 100.
Looks like it. On the mfgr page they show both reman and new, however I bet the reman is reman of aftermarket, not OEM. You'll need to run through the year/make/model menus yourself.
Make sure to print a copy of this webpage and put it in your in-vehicle toolbox so that when you're changing the CV on the trail you'll remember who to be mad at.
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a may be off a few bucks, but i was quoted $540 w/labor to replace the shafts and both joints (napa liftime), whereas just replacing the joints OEM was like 400 +/-. So assuming my numbers are honest, i'm making a 140 dollar gamble the OEMs stick together.
EDIT: talking about the whole CV. I may be confusing the matter with my lack of terminology.
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The 600 and 800 I quoted was theoretical - my point was that it often costs "nominally" more to get completely new axles since the labor is so much less unless you're doing the work yourself and then rebooting is dirt cheap
I don't follow your 140 dollar gamble point.
Fyi - the 540 assumes napa joints which are cheap to begin with (100 each new or 70 each remfd). OEM alone is ~370 per side for the shaft assembly. So if you heed the advice everyone's giving and go with OEM, the math on your options looks more like 400 for reboot or something like ~1k for OEM new axles (540 - 200 parts = 340 labor + 700 OEM axles = 1040). If you trust the mechanic doing your work, they should tell you whether your oem ones are able to be rebuilt or if they're too far gone.
That brings me to another question for you - what spurred the need for new cv joints? Did you hav a leak, hear the click/popping?
Also, about terminology, I believe we're all referring to the entire assembly whether we say cv joint, driveshaft, half axle - it's the entire assembly (i.e. shaft + inboard and outboard joints). Even though it might be possible, I don't think anyone here ever replaces just the inboard or outboard joint, they replace the ENTIRE assembly.
Good luck!
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for the love of god, just get OEM and save the huge pain in the ass in 3 months. You think the OEM ones are expensive? Try buying NAPA ones then having to purchase OEM+labor again, or send in the NAPA CV's and wait 3 weeks for the warranty replacement+labor and not have a 100 for that down time.
And for the record, we're not being parts snobs here. There are cases where I think many would agree aftermarket can make sense. But if you do your homework on this and search a little bit you'll find that MANY people complain about napa and other (low) quality aftermarket cv joints. We're just trying to save you and anyone else that reads this the pain others have experienced.
I heard from someone in the biz that the NAPA ones are non specific and the splines will fit but not match up properly. OEM for me!
The 600 and 800 I quoted was theoretical - my point was that it often costs "nominally" more to get completely new axles since the labor is so much less unless you're doing the work yourself and then rebooting is dirt cheap
I don't follow your 140 dollar gamble point.
Fyi - the 540 assumes napa joints which are cheap to begin with (100 each new or 70 each remfd). OEM alone is ~370 per side for the shaft assembly. So if you heed the advice everyone's giving and go with OEM, the math on your options looks more like 400 for reboot or something like ~1k for OEM new axles (540 - 200 parts = 340 labor + 700 OEM axles = 1040). If you trust the mechanic doing your work, they should tell you whether your oem ones are able to be rebuilt or if they're too far gone.
That brings me to another question for you - what spurred the need for new cv joints? Did you hav a leak, hear the click/popping?
Also, about terminology, I believe we're all referring to the entire assembly whether we say cv joint, driveshaft, half axle - it's the entire assembly (i.e. shaft + inboard and outboard joints). Even though it might be possible, I don't think anyone here ever replaces just the inboard or outboard joint, they replace the ENTIRE assembly.
Good luck!
both CV boots were plastered with grease, stuff was thrown out all over the undercarriage of my rig. One of the "boots" - as in the rubber cover thingy - was ripped in half. No idea how I did it, but I saw both CVs all gooped up while she was up on the lift. It must of happened 3 weeks ago. I have not noticed any performance issues such as popping, grinding, or whatever. The grease felt thick, as in not watered down or dirty.
The two option given at my local toyota mom and pop were to:
- replace the CV joints - no axle included - OEM ($400) or
- CV joints plus new axle/shaft or-whatever-i'm-confused for ($540) from napa.
But i did not price rebuild. All things said, this may be a option worth looking into.
And I hear yah Nick, Greenie will end up at ACC before its all over with.
$338.53 and be done with it. Par #'s 43410 PS or 43420 DS. The NAPA ones absolutely will break and leave you stranded. It boggles us to understand why that's even a consideration when users here have documented the rapid failures.
Diagram
(9801- )
Order here (or from Beno).
ToyotaPartSales.com
Diagram
(9801- )
Order here (or from Beno).
ToyotaPartSales.com
after rebuilding the same axle twice and my spare once I can put my money on OEM every time. The finish (after 140K) of my spare axle looks like my brand new one that I just swapped in.
I never let my boots. My new OEM axle is leaking post install of 1" more lift and I am freaking out. It's not even slinging grease, just a slight seep to saturate the shaft and make it look wet. I must fit it soon.
Griffin, If you do get NAPA, I will not expect you to make it through Beasley. But in good nature I will bring a few beers so I can watch you swear at your shiny tripod axles.
How mechanically inclined are ya? Here is how I would look at it:
- $540 for a Napa CV and have the Mom/Pop place do it. You get a life time warranty and will use it. When you do it will depend on how you drive you rig. It could be anywhere from a couple of months to years. You will have to pay labor again when you redo it warranty doesnt cover labor. And if you claim the warrany, your rig will be down for for possible weeks.
- ~$60 for (2) rebuild kits through Cdan or Beno. Spend a Saturday and rebuild both side yourselves using the rebuild threads on here. It is a pretty easy job. And you will learn a tone about your rig.
- ~$350 for (1) new OEM CV assymbly and ~$60 for (2) rebuild kits. Pull one side yourself, install new OEM CV. Rebuild pulled one and swap with otherside that is old. Rebuild that one with the other kit and have a spare incare you ever need to pull one either at home or on the trail. (This is the way I went).
- replace the CV joints - no axle included - OEM ($400)... I have no idea what the heck they are trying to tell you here.... You are either replacing the whole thing or not.
Good luck with your decision!
I replaced my PS CV axle on business trip to Wash DC....the CV Axle was $450 and with labor the Total was around $600 for ONE AXLE.
Decided to do the DS myself later and keep the one I remove as trail spare.....
These prices were Toyota prices from dealership I found in Durham NC.
Decided to do the DS myself later and keep the one I remove as trail spare.....
These prices were Toyota prices from dealership I found in Durham NC.
Sure wish i felt confident enough to rebuild, but it don't. I wouldn't know where to start, and searching for "how-to" threads here on the forums doesn't boost my confidence.
either way, I'll end up OEM.
And a real snap-ring/circlip tool 
