"Rebuilding" a CV drive axle?

[asand1]

copy&pasted from Maxima.org.

Two weeks ago Monday I ordered a passenger side axle for my 96. It arrived that Friday with a torn inner boot. Rockauto was awesome and emailed a prepaid return shipping label and shipped the new replacement axle as soon as the tracking number on the return was active. This Friday I received the replacement APWI axle and installed.

The new axle looked good, but was missing the dust shield for the trans output seal. I swapped my old shield on to the old shaft, but it popped off when installing the shaft, due to the sealing surface of the shaft being 10mm inboard of the factory location.

I removed the shield altogether and installed the shaft. After tightening the three bolts on the carrier bearing I could turn the driver side tire in neutral and the passenger side turned the same direction, as if I suddenly had an LSD. This tells me the shaft is pressing hard into the diff cross pin "locking" the side gear and diff carrier together. Turning the driver side tire in gear results in the passenger side turning opposite with just a little effort.

My main concern is that the larger stepped portion on the sealing surface is within the output seal, causing a leak. I still need to clean the mess I made changing the axle and determine whether I am leaking gear oil.

IF it's leaking I will dissect the new shaft and swap the new inner boot and new outer joint/boot onto the OEM Nissan shaft, essentially rebuilding the original.

At this point I don't want to re-install the original shaft with worn outer joint and wait another week for another shaft.

Throughout this process Rockauto has been awesome, But I recommend spending five more dollars for the Cardone or more for the EMPI.
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Has anyone ever swapped CV joints from an aftermarket shaft to an OEM shaft? I just wonder if the spline count and diameter are the same.

Because of my financial situation, another better shaft is out of the question. I would rather have my OE shaft, even with an after market outer joint.

If anyone has a link for outer CV joints for sale in the US, that would also be awesome.

 

[Trav]

If my axle is bad i get a good used one, clean it and put new high quality boots and new Redline CV grease in them. Most of the time its a boot failure that cause them to need replacing anyway.

I don't mess with Cardone or any one of the other rebuilders or cheap Chinese junk.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: Trav
If my axle is bad i get a good used one, clean it and put new high quality boots and new Redline CV grease in them. Most of the time its a boot failure that cause them to need replacing anyway.

I don't mess with Cardone or any one of the other rebuilders or cheap Chinese junk.


Where do you get a good used one? Boneyard?

 

[martinq]

Originally Posted By: Doog
Where do you get a good used one? Boneyard?

Yep, that's a good place to start. Inspect the axle before you pay. The joints should flex by hand and be smooth but not loose, there should be some resistance if it's still in good shape. Inspect the splines for signs of damage, rust, etc.

 

[GSCJR]

IIRC, the CV axles of that vintage were designated with locking or non locking diffs. The splines would step down a size or not before entering into the transaxle if i remember correctly.

 

[asand1]

Originally Posted By: GSCJR
IIRC, the CV axles of that vintage were designated with locking or non locking diffs. The splines would step down a size or not before entering into the transaxle if i remember correctly.


I was actually referring to the splines where the outer rzeppa joint mates to the shaft, marked in red here.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: Trav
If my axle is bad i get a good used one, clean it and put new high quality boots and new Redline CV grease in them. Most of the time its a boot failure that cause them to need replacing anyway.

I don't mess with Cardone or any one of the other rebuilders or cheap Chinese junk.


Where do you get a good used one? Boneyard?


Yes. Just inspect it carefully as someone posted, no damaged boots or rust.
I use Redline CV grease and Duraboots on them, they last as long or longer in most cases than OEM. The result is a better axle by far than some Mickey Mouse rebuilt and it fits properly.

http://www.rockfordcv.com/rcvboot.htm

 

[Doog]

So should I consider just rebuilding my current CVJs at 150-200k versus waiting until the go bad?

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Doog
So should I consider just rebuilding my current CVJs at 150-200k versus waiting until the go bad?

At that kind of mileage a little preventive maintenance doesn't hurt.
If they are still okay you have time to get the needed parts and plan the job out when it suits you not when its broken and a rush job.

I did them on a couple of my cars at less than 100K because they are 13 yrs old now.

 

[zzyzzx]

I would have bought the EMPI axle from the beginning.