I found aftermarket CV axles with a thermoplastic outer boot!! The brand is Protech

[slacktide_bitog]

A company called Protech seems to use thermoplastc for their outer boots. This makes them by far the best aftermarket choice for a CV axle.

As most of you know, almost every CV failure is because of torn boots, and it's always the outer boot/joint that fails due to the outer joint doing more movement. Most aftermarket axles, both new and poorly "rebuilt" "reman" axles, use cheap neoprene that only lasts a few years before it tears, and of course their "lifetime" warranty never covers torn boots

 

[The Critic]

1) Where can I buy them?
2) Boots are only part of the issue with aftermarket CV axles. You have been around long enough to know this by now....I hope.

 

[Trav]

A company called Protech seems to use thermoplastc for their outer boots. This makes them by far the best aftermarket choice for a CV axle.

As most of you know, almost every CV failure is because of torn boots, and it's always the outer boot/joint that fails due to the outer joint doing more movement. Most aftermarket axles, both new and poorly "rebuilt" "reman" axles, use cheap neoprene that only lasts a few years before it tears, and of course their "lifetime" warranty never covers torn boots

It depends on the type of joints being used. Over time the grease can break down to the point it is not doing a good job of lubricating and actually start weeping out of the boots at the clamp with no boot tearing, in the salt belt rust can get under the outer part of the boot where the clamp is and actually loosen the clamp enough so it weeps.

On some joints the inner are prone to wearing out long before the outer, these are usually plunge/tripod types, some car are prone to right side wear because of either longer shafts or jack shafts being used, oil soaked or soft engine torsion mounts, higher HP cars and wider tires can further exacerbate the issue.

The fact the company uses a thermoplastic boot does not necessarily mean they are a better unit as a whole it simply means the use a better boot.

 

[nobb]

^Good points, although I've never heard of grease in CVs breaking down to a point where the physical joint starts to deteriorate (assuming the boot is still intact). On my Toyota, they use a different grease on the outer vs inner joint which is technically the proper way, but I've been using the generic CV grease in both joints and haven't noticed any issue. I did notice that all CV rebuild kits never supply enough grease for the joints though.

IMO I still think the best option would be to rebuild the existing CV using a thermoplastic boot kit but that can be quite hard to source economically.

 

[Trav]

Yes tripod types take a lighter grease. I use Redline CV grease on the outer and after much research and advice from Mola Schaeffer's 219 NLGI 1 (red cap) on the tripods, it seems to work as well as the very expensive OE stuff.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I’ve always been told Neoprene was better for boots is it not?

 

[Trav]

No, poly is best.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Oh that’s good to know. I wish I’d have known that when I bought new CV axles for my dads car. They have Neoprene on them because everyone I asked at the time told me Neoprene was the best of the best.

 

[Cujet]

Are the OEM ones that much more expensive when purchased from a discount warehouse?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Are the OEM ones that much more expensive when purchased from a discount warehouse?

OEM axles for Japanese cars are ridiculously expensive, if you can even get them. Plus, most of them only sell reman, not all-new. Often, the "rebuilds" are (poorly) done by Cardone.

Only Ford, GM, and some European cars have all-new OEM axles available. Everyone else only does reman.

Raxles rebuilds axles properly, and they offer their axles for Honda/Acura, VW/Audi, and Subaru. However, I don't know what kind of boots they use. I emailed them a month ago and still never got a response. Torn boots are essentially the only reason CV axles fail, so you want thermoplastic which is what OE is most of the time. Aftermarket and reman axles typically use neoprene which is inferior.

 

[Blinker]

CV axles fail for other reasons than just torn boots, people. I’ve been fortunate enough to put +200k miles on some vehicles with original cv axles. The boots can be 100% intact but the cv axle will eventually wear out. I’ve had a handful of cars with over +200k miles with clicking/clunking cv axles, yet the boots were not torn.

 

[gathermewool]

The front right axle on the Forester started clicking earlier this year. It’s gotten noticeably worse, but only while turning. No noise at all while turning slightly only even twisty roads, just low speed, harder turns.

The boot looks great and there’s no seepage of grease.

 

[nobb]

CV axles fail for other reasons than just torn boots, people. I’ve been fortunate enough to put +200k miles on some vehicles with original cv axles. The boots can be 100% intact but the cv axle will eventually wear out. I’ve had a handful of cars with over +200k miles with clicking/clunking cv axles, yet the boots were not torn.

I wonder if that's more common for FWD vehicles, as opposed to AWD or trucks that only have on demand 4x4. Since the axle on a FWD bears the load the entire time, vs a 4x4 truck where the axle sees almost no load most of it's life except when 4x4 is engaged.

 

[Trav]

Are the OEM ones that much more expensive when purchased from a discount warehouse?

It depends, some Euro cars are 2-4 times as much but worth it. Some inner boots are almost $100ea and the grease alone is another $50, a cheap Chicom axle is $75.