My 2007 GX470 needs new CVs. Should I buy factory Lexus OEM (really don't want to because a lot of $$$) or aftermarket CVs. What is the best aftermarket company for CVs?
Thank you!
Thank you!
Lexus GX470 CV Axles (1 Viewer)
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Yes OEM is always option #1... That's said, I replaced mine with Cardone 665235HD from Rock Auto. My friend did the same... So far so good.
binaryaudax
SILVER Star
Rebuilding your OEM CVs is also an option to maintain the OEM quality for significantly less cost.
MaverickFiveO
SILVER Star
CVJ is also a great option for remanufactured CVs that use OEM cores. They are also a great option if you plan to lift, as they offer high-angle CVs to help cope with the higher CV angles from a suspension lift without a diff drop.
CVJ is the best... they use Toyota cores... but they're $$$
www.cvjreman.com
OEM is pretty universally understood to be the best (save CVJ)
Many go with cheaper ones, some have no issues, but the failure rate seems noticeably higher than on OEM. You can get some like from Napa that have lifetime warranties
CVJ Axles - CV Axles & Steering Racks for all your needs
CVJ Axles remanufactured OEM cv axles, steering racks, MB air injection smog pumps, as well as racing and off-road parts.
www.cvjreman.com
OEM is pretty universally understood to be the best (save CVJ)
Many go with cheaper ones, some have no issues, but the failure rate seems noticeably higher than on OEM. You can get some like from Napa that have lifetime warranties
I run parts house axles on my 1st Gen Tacoma with mild off-roading and no issues. I replaced one on the GX with a parts house axle because an OEM boot disintegrated. I still have the OEM axle with now new boots
If it’s busted boots that warrant the replacement then just get new boots. But get the good ones.
If it’s busted boots that warrant the replacement then just get new boots. But get the good ones.
If you can pull and replace fully assembled CV shafts, you have the skills to reboot them, its easy, just messy. Get OEM Toyota CV boot kits for an FJ Cruiser use a year of 2007, exact same kits for the Lexus. Two boots, bands and 4 bands. The bands do use custom tools for them so see if a local auto parts house rents them. OR go to hose clamps those work too. The kit comes with two tubes of grease. ONE is moly (gray balck) one is lithium-based(dingey white yellow), the lighter colored one, dingey white yellow, is the INNER and the gray back is the Outter.
DONE!
- Cut the OEM bands with a cut off disk. (try not to nick the CV'sand axle)
- Yank the inner boot to the center of the shaft and slide off the inner cv bell
- Remove the spring clip off the axle keeping the inner tri star in place.
- Slide the inner CV off the shaft (might need to tap it with rubber/plastic mallet)
- Slide both boots now off the shaft, toss
- Use lots of rags and wipe all the grease off both CVs
- Hold outer CV upright with the inner axle up. Fill CV with MOLY grease pack, roll inner axle around to distribute and add more grease
- Slide outer boot in place and clamp.
- Slide inner boot to the center of the axle
- Slide Tri-star back onto axle and replace the clip.
- Fill inner bell with lithium grease and put grease on tristar
- Slide on inner bell over tri-star
- Slide inner boot into place and clamp
DONE!
binaryaudax
SILVER Star
When I rebuilt my front axles I found this video very helpful to understand the full process in depth.
I didn't do the "stretch mod" though -- not relevant to my usage.
I didn't do the "stretch mod" though -- not relevant to my usage.
should put that in the video library thread
YouTube "How To" Library
This thread is dedicated to MUD members linking their own favorite "how to" videos from YouTube so that other members can learn and prepare to do their own maintenance and/or upgrades. This Library is limited to the 120 platform only.
forum.ih8mud.com
I rebuilt mine and it was not hard at all. If you can remove the CV axle from the truck, you can rebuild them.
Sadly, my video that I put on Youtube really sucks but it was my first time doing one.
Sadly, my video that I put on Youtube really sucks but it was my first time doing one.
I am about to order some of these. They still holding up ok? I will be adding a 3" lift in about a weeks and need to replace them while I'm in there.
The red boots for rebuilding are on backorder unfortunately.
hey there, yah i haven't had any issues with them... i'm on a 2.5" lift. but i haven't done any wheeling, and i haven't even done many miles since covid!
I had good luck w/ the Cardones as well. Had a sway bar end link back off and tore the boot. Three the Cardone on and rebuilt the OEM to have as a trail spare but the Cardone held up well. I had plans of pulling it, keeping it for the dedicated spare but was too lazy to swap them out again.
I do agree with everyone else that OEM are the best and first option along w/ CVJ.
I do agree with everyone else that OEM are the best and first option along w/ CVJ.
I just installed 2 Cardone HDs. Got them from local NAPA store. One of my old ones was actually OEM Toyota so I saved it for spare rebuild.
I have an actual Cardone HD reman on one side (from Rock Auto) and a Napa HD reman on the other side (which is a Cardone axle in a Napa box). Both have been fine so far and cost around $80. The Napa shaft has a 3-year, 36,000 mile warranty. They were very easy to install, for such a cheap price and being a OEM Toyota axle at heart I don't think it's the end of the world if they only last through the warranty period. The Napa was nice because it showed up at my local store the day after I ordered it online and it cost just a few dollars more than the Rock Auto axle - a benefit when shipping is such a mess.
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Maybe find a part out vehicle, used parts or junkyard type place that would have some oem cvs.
when I was involved in a off-road club with my 01 Tacoma around 15 years back. The first thing bought from people doing part outs or solid axle swaps was the cvs axles. The oem were considered superior and people would find for like 100 bucks. The part store warranty does sound good though especially if it’s a nation wide chain and you are traveling. I seem to remember the people that would break the part store ones would also break oem but supposedly not as frequent and they were usually running 35s.
I remember seeing some people carry a spare in a cv in pvc pipe in back of the vehicle.
I used to tear boots on my 01 taco and rebuilt them with the all pro kit that was supposedly high clearance boot fins. It wasn’t to bad putting on new cv boots. I did in my college apartment on the island counter. I would leave a cv replacement in my trucks tool box in case I broke one. My tip would be get some good snap ring plyers if you don’t have or whatever tools are needed for the rebuild
I’m not up to date on parts interchangeability but someone mentioned fj cruiser cv axles above. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me will chime in but if your able to use fj cruiser cvs that would make searching for a used oem unit easier. People seem to total those out daily on a fj cruiser Facebook club I’m in and sell the parts.
when I was involved in a off-road club with my 01 Tacoma around 15 years back. The first thing bought from people doing part outs or solid axle swaps was the cvs axles. The oem were considered superior and people would find for like 100 bucks. The part store warranty does sound good though especially if it’s a nation wide chain and you are traveling. I seem to remember the people that would break the part store ones would also break oem but supposedly not as frequent and they were usually running 35s.
I remember seeing some people carry a spare in a cv in pvc pipe in back of the vehicle.
I used to tear boots on my 01 taco and rebuilt them with the all pro kit that was supposedly high clearance boot fins. It wasn’t to bad putting on new cv boots. I did in my college apartment on the island counter. I would leave a cv replacement in my trucks tool box in case I broke one. My tip would be get some good snap ring plyers if you don’t have or whatever tools are needed for the rebuild
I’m not up to date on parts interchangeability but someone mentioned fj cruiser cv axles above. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me will chime in but if your able to use fj cruiser cvs that would make searching for a used oem unit easier. People seem to total those out daily on a fj cruiser Facebook club I’m in and sell the parts.
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Did anybody do CV's AND hubs at the same time? I'm just wondering if I should go that route on mine (incomplete service records, and both inner boots are leaking, 228k on odometer)
I did both at the same time, but honestly wouldn't matter if I did them together vs separately. It is easy enough to pull the CV... most time consuming part for me is getting the GX lifted and wheel off. I would say do them at your convenience even if it is not at the same time.
There is a lot of talk here about redoing the boots yourself. I attempted just that and discovered the CV axle that came off the truck was NOT an OEM. The oem boot kit had different diamater boots than the aftermarket CV axle. I ended up buying another CV axle from CVJ.
So, beware. All of the above is true. It is easy to do and just a bit messy. But things might not turn out so great.
So, beware. All of the above is true. It is easy to do and just a bit messy. But things might not turn out so great.
Since my last post I ripped a few more boots, which worsened after lifting my GX. I switched to All-Pro high-angle boots and they have been great in my lifted application and are very tough. It's also easy to do them DIY. If you do have a non-OEM CV, you can get a remain for less than $100 or so from NAPA, then re-boot it with the high-angle boots. Re-booting is easy enough that I'm never going to both with a reman axle again, and have my two original OEM axles stored so they can be re-booted and swapped easily when the All-Pro boots eventually rip.
