TheSamba.com :: View topic - Porsche 944 axles and 944 CV's for Vanagons

Thu Apr 23, 2015 5:23 pm

insyncro wrote: You get what you pay for :!:

Do a little research on the subject.
I have posted pictures of the "real" 944 CVs vs the ones for $75.

If you dont believe me, read the Porsche forums, you will hear tons of bitching over low quality parts that are now seen as "universal" by large parts warehouses.

Again, if the joint isn't north of $200, you are not getting what you think you are getting.
So the 944cv from pelican at $75 is *identical* to the $68 one from van-cafe? Yes or no.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 5:25 pm

Thu Apr 23, 2015 5:28 pm

insyncro wrote: YUP
Hmmm. Well that would be about the first time our vendors are cheaper...
I thought articulation was different, but now I'll have to buy one of each to check ;)

Thu Apr 23, 2015 5:55 pm

luVWagn wrote:
So the 944cv from pelican at $75 is *identical* to the $68 one from van-cafe? Yes or no.

insyncro wrote: YUP

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree here, depending on what we are talking about.

Ignoring price and vendors, the LOBRO 944 CV joint kit is not the same as the LOBRO Vanagon CV joint kit. They carry different part numbers and they are definitely not the same parts. The 944 CV joint has slightly smaller bearings (and cages and housing to match) that allow a bit more articulation. The Vanagon CV joint has larger bearings with less articulation. They are distinctly two different parts. I have both and you can clearly see the difference. So I guess I would say to make sure that you know what you are looking at so that you can compare apples to apples or oranges to oranges.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:04 pm

Ok.
I will post pictures of the real deal 944s I have.
You will see, than when compared to $75 944 joints that they are much much stronger and the quality is that of 930s.

A $75 joint is a $75 joint.
The Porsche Guys post regularly pictures of warn parts after very few miles, just as Vanagon Volks do.
The quality has fallen off serverly.

I hope I am wrong and $75 joints work for lifted to the max vans.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:05 pm

Christopher Schimke wrote: So I guess I would say to make sure that you know what you are looking at so that you can compare apples to apples or oranges to oranges.

So which one should I buy?
:wink: :lol:

Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:15 pm

Christopher Schimke wrote: luVWagn wrote:
So the 944cv from pelican at $75 is *identical* to the $68 one from van-cafe? Yes or no.

insyncro wrote: YUP

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree here, depending on what we are talking about.

Ignoring price and vendors, the LOBRO 944 CV joint kit is not the same as the LOBRO Vanagon CV joint kit. They carry different part numbers and they are definitely not the same parts. The 944 CV joint has slightly smaller bearings (and cages and housing to match) that allow a bit more articulation. The Vanagon CV joint has larger bearings with less articulation. They are distinctly two different parts. I have both and you can clearly see the difference. So I guess I would say to make sure that you know what you are looking at so that you can compare apples to apples or oranges to oranges.
I was somewhat suspicious when I ordered mine last year or year before.. So I compared side by side to the originals I had in a box from when they were removed some 10 yrs ago..
The 944 Lobro from PP was thicker bodied, noticeably heavier, and the balls looked smaller.. The exterior milled piece is of noticeably different color. A greyish color.. where the originals from the van have a shiny polished exterior surface
though I did not take the cage out and measure with a caliper.

Part numbers don't match, either... I hope that PP is not swapping out parts under different psrt numbers. As a vendor if that became common knowledge it would hurt their business in a big a way.
No one is suggesting that are they?

I didn't take pictures.. And now they are on the van with a nice coat of road grime to hide them away. :wink:

My 930s still sit in the box waiting for the big trans rebuild.
Lottery winnings anyone?

Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:19 pm

At $200 a pop for 944Cvs.. Complete 930 kits are cost comparable..

Why not just go with 930s, then?.. .. other than the swap to 930s is a huge pain in the butt and can't be done in a hour and a half like the 944s can be done.

Jon Slider..
Where did you source your 944s?

Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:23 pm

photogdave wrote: Christopher Schimke wrote: So I guess I would say to make sure that you know what you are looking at so that you can compare apples to apples or oranges to oranges.

So which one should I buy?
:wink: :lol:

All I was really saying is that if Van Cafe is selling the Vanagon version of the Lobro CV joint kit, it is not the same Lobro CV joint kit that is meant for the 944. That would be an apples to oranges comparison.

And all I can say is that I have been running the pants off of my GKN/Lobro 944 joints with NEO grease and they are doing great. These are on my Syncro and I have not been kind to them either. I have beat on them pretty hard.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:30 pm

Fair enough.
I bought both the Vanagon and 944 Auto zone halfshafts...the longest any lasted was 500 miles.
The balls were crappie and the boots, dont get me started.

Glad to hear they are holding up Chris.
As you have said previously, you did not buy them from Pelican. :wink:

The reason 944s are better for most is that stock flanges work just fine.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:40 pm

insyncro wrote:
I bought both the Vanagon and 944 Auto zone halfshafts...the longest any lasted was 500 miles.
The balls were crappie and the boots, dont get me started.

Yes, exactly! And the complete axle assemblies, LOBRO brand or otherwise, all use the Vanagon spec CV joint, not the 944-specific CV joint. They probably do this because the Vanagon joints are cheaper.

And to make matters worse, the LOBRO CV joints that come with the complete axles assembly are not even the same CV joint as the individual LOBRO CV joint that comes in the LOBRO Vanagon CV joint kit (got all that?). It's a completely different joint altogether. I had the CV joints of one of the LOBRO brand 944 complete axle assemblies last about 3000 miles before self destructing. And maybe this is why the Porsche crowd is griping so much.

The GKN/LOBRO 944 CV joint kits that come separately from the axles are completely different and like I said, work seem to work very well.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:53 pm

Christopher Schimke wrote:

The GKN/LOBRO 944 CV joint kits that come separately from the axles are completely different and like I said, work seem to work very well.
Which comes full circle.. The link provided earlier to Pelican Parts is for the separate GKN/Lobro joint @ $75 each.. not thier 944 axle kits which come in over $200.

Dylan says "No.i Its the same joint that is sold as a Vanagon joint".

The part no. is right there on the site if anyone wants to investigate further.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:54 pm

Awesome.
Sounds like the crap has been exposed and similar experiences abound.

On a related note, I have some EMPIs going strong and I have been beating them.
Oh how parts quality comes and goes.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:58 pm

Christopher Schimke wrote: photogdave wrote: Christopher Schimke wrote: So I guess I would say to make sure that you know what you are looking at so that you can compare apples to apples or oranges to oranges.

So which one should I buy?
:wink: :lol:

All I was really saying is that if Van Cafe is selling the Vanagon version of the Lobro CV joint kit, it is not the same Lobro CV joint kit that is meant for the 944. That would be an apples to oranges comparison.

Just my lame attempt at humor. I know how much you hate that question!
I'm just fine with stock and maybe upgrading to silicone boots! 8)

Thu Apr 23, 2015 7:41 pm

photogdave wrote: Christopher Schimke wrote: photogdave wrote: Christopher Schimke wrote: So I guess I would say to make sure that you know what you are looking at so that you can compare apples to apples or oranges to oranges.

So which one should I buy?
:wink: :lol:

All I was really saying is that if Van Cafe is selling the Vanagon version of the Lobro CV joint kit, it is not the same Lobro CV joint kit that is meant for the 944. That would be an apples to oranges comparison.

Just my lame attempt at humor. I know how much you hate that question!
I'm just fine with stock and maybe upgrading to silicone boots! 8)

Yeah, I got the humor (funny... like taking a stock-tired Syncro up to Gallagher Lake. Har, har!), but I figured there was actually some truth in the question, if not from you then from other people, so decided to comment on it.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 7:44 pm

Parts geek
GkN 944 CV kit
http://www.partsgeek.com/k6g517g-porsche-944-cv-joint-kit.html
Retail $200
"your cost" ~$75..

Part #: W0133-1611367

Is this a "real deal" GKN 944 CV kit? or not.

Notice the small races.. cut in the outer housing.
Compare side by side to Van Cafe's pic.. larger races cut in outer housing

They are all over the place at ~$75

Thu Apr 23, 2015 7:48 pm

Order them up and let us know.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 8:27 pm

Insyncro, thanks for the response even though my wallet doesnt like the answer. I guess its a joint a month and then some boots. By the end of the summer I should probobly be ready for them and have pieced them together by then. The good used one zip tied underneath will be a back up for now.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 8:30 pm

newfisher wrote: Insyncro, thanks for the response even though my wallet doesnt like the answer. I guess its a joint a month and then some boots. By the end of the summer I should probobly be ready for them and have pieced them together by then. The good used one zip tied underneath will be a back up for now.

Consult Christopher via pmail, he will point you to good quality at a more cost effective rate.

Thu Apr 23, 2015 8:58 pm

insyncro wrote: Ok.
I will post pictures of the real deal 944s I have.
You will see, than when compared to $75 944 joints that they are much much stronger and the quality is that of 930s.

A $75 joint is a $75 joint.
The Porsche Guys post regularly pictures of warn parts after very few miles, just as Vanagon Volks do.
The quality has fallen off serverly.

I hope I am wrong and $75 joints work for lifted to the max vans.
This wasn't the question I asked, to which you definitively stated the 944 and vanagon gkn CVS are *identical*. Chris and others say otherwise.

So will you admit to being wrong?