Define “way too much” for me.
MSRP on a new Volvo axle is $700. The GKN was about $400.
Aftermarket CV Axle Recommendation
- Thread starter Stumpy
- Start date
MSRP on a new Volvo axle is $700. The GKN was about $400.
I checked out their website, but they don't list anything for Toyotas...
My '04 Corolla has 444K miles. New OEM axles are $500 EACH. For this car, that is way too much...I doubt the entire car is worth that much...
So, less than Volvo was several years ago.
But also, less than a single payment on a new Corolla, so…
Less than a single payment? I doubt that. 3 payments, maybe...but still less than buying new, which I'll never do again...
You procure one from the junkyard, self or full service. Give the boot a good look before committing.
You can try to find a Protech CV axle for your Corolla. They have a thermoplastic outer boot (though the inner boot is still neoprene). This should at least be better than other axles with neoprene outer boots (torn boots is the main reason for CV failure).
One person on here had a Protech inner boot/joint fail, but that was on a Subaru that has unusual side-to-side movement of the engine that you don't get with other cars, so that won't happen on your Corolla.
Otherwise, just roll the dice on a GSP or Trakmotive axle.
I clicked on the link you provided for Protech and they do show axles for my car, but they don't list a price, and they don't list any company contact info. WTH?
Over the weekend, I had to buy one of these junky axles.
From my "research," I learned the following:
FVP, NAPA 100% New and O'Reilly's Import Direct = Trakmotive
Carquest and Autozone's Duralast Gold = GSP
I went with a GSP due to availability. Surprisingly there is no vibration, not even at highway speeds. But the shaft felt a bit heavier (possibly solid core vs. hollow) and the vehicle now exhibits terrible torque steer under hard acceleration.
From my "research," I learned the following:
FVP, NAPA 100% New and O'Reilly's Import Direct = Trakmotive
Carquest and Autozone's Duralast Gold = GSP
I went with a GSP due to availability. Surprisingly there is no vibration, not even at highway speeds. But the shaft felt a bit heavier (possibly solid core vs. hollow) and the vehicle now exhibits terrible torque steer under hard acceleration.
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When Mazda's MPV minivan went to FWD for MY2000, Mazda proudly pointed out that they had gone with equal-length drive axles so as to minimize torque steer.
How does a manufacturer minimize torque steer with unequal-length driveshafts? Bore out the shorter one more so that it "winds up" at the same rate of the longer one? Add strength members to the longer one?
However the OEM supplier does it, why don't the aftermarket manufacturers just clone the original?
Hey, look what I found:
https://www.trakmotive.com/wp-conte...224_TrakMotive-Premium-CV-Axle-Flyer_2020.pdf
Maybe I need to return the Duralast Gold/GSP axle and find a Trakmotive.
Anymore I feel like saying "premium neoprene dust boots" is like saying "high impact ABS plastic." Uh huh.
Yeah, I know some OEMs allegedly use neoprene, at least on the inners. Just not sure I trust Trakmotive's ability to tell the difference between good neoprene or not.
But the hollow-core design aspect is interesting!
The original costs too much to make, which is why it's priced higher. That's why the aftermarket uses cheaper quality materials and sometimes thinner too
Yup, people often buy on price alone, which is often false economy.The original costs too much to make, which is why it's priced higher. That's why the aftermarket uses cheaper quality materials and sometimes thinner too
Plus the Chinese are really good at building Potemkin villages. "It looks like the thing. Oh, you wanted to actually use it??"The original costs too much to make, which is why it's priced higher. That's why the aftermarket uses cheaper quality materials and sometimes thinner too
I used two “new” axles from Napa on my 09 Altima and am satisfied. Usually a subpar cv on a cvt would wobble like a mofo but there was no difference between oem and these. I may be needing a cv for my 21 after smoking a pothole, borderline sink hole and will go with oem. Unfortunately oem Nissan is in the $400 neighborhood.
I have a TRQ axle in my Element. I did not want oem as the rubber dampener was the cause if the replacement, rusted out underneath the dampener. Nothing else was wrong with it but the axle only had 50k miles on it. So far so good, about 5k-ish miles on it, some slight vibration noticed by me but the wife never complains or noticed it.
I put a Mopar axle on my Town and Country a couple weeks ago. It was $500, but I won’t need to do that side again. I couldn’t say that with a $150 axle. I got 127,000 out of the old one.
When my Camry tore a CV boot I took it to Toyota for the repair while I was on vacation and didn’t need the car. I assumed I would be paying for a new axle. They replaced the boot on the original axle. It was worth having the dealer do it with that result.
When my Camry tore a CV boot I took it to Toyota for the repair while I was on vacation and didn’t need the car. I assumed I would be paying for a new axle. They replaced the boot on the original axle. It was worth having the dealer do it with that result.
