CV joint replacement or new axle kit?

[Howesight]

Justcairns said:

"Chinese cv joints are junk. I was suckerd into buying complete axles
from the FLAPS. First set went bad, free replacement on those and now the replacements are making noise. Go figure."

I can't honestly say whether the chinese CV joints are junk. What I can say is that the factory CV joints are absolutely amazing in their quality and should be re-used if at all possible. Disassembling, cleaning, greasing and re-installing these CV joints is not at all difficult. Get the highest quality CV boot you can find and use the highest quality grease you can find! Also, put the joint back where it came from - - don't reverse rotation or location. You can get away with this in many instances, but I think it's just asking for trouble. The previous owner of my '86 Syncro westy was a stickler for maintenance and had the CV boots changed once at around 100,000 miles and I just changed them all again at 220,000 miles. The joints were all perfect with no dishing or signs of wear. I even re-used the factory bolts and the special "no-slip" serrated washers instead of the new bolts that came with my CV boot kit.

Anyone whose CV joints are original factory and don't make noise should just maintain them and replace the boots when torn or cracked in my view. This is still cheaper than the whole axle replacement for those trying to save a buck. Regardless of price, I think the factory VW joints are best.

I used to drag race a 2180cc Beetle with stock VW CV joints turning 12.20 ETs in the quarter mile. Nobody could afford Porshe 930 parts back then. I never broke a VW CV joint although I did break stub axles, my first gear, my differential spider gears, etc, etc. Hard to believe the CV's would take such punishment, but my rear suspension was set up to sit on the bump stops and there was no angle in the axles - - maybe that's why they lasted. Maybe just luck?!

[Timwhy]

My van needed CV's and I just bought the EMPI complete axles from BD.
It was that whole labor thing on the CV's that made me get the complete axles.
By the time you remove the old and fit with new, unless you do the work yourself.
You can save some serious $$$ by having a garage or yourself unbolt the old axles and bolt on the new axles.
Once they are done you still have the old axles and you can get the replacement kits for the CV's and do them at your own pace.
You'll have a fresh set of axles wanting for the next time you need them.
My old one are still in the new-ones boxes wanting for me to get the cv kit and do the job. Sounds like a nice winter project.

Did I mention that the garage charged me $75 for the new installation,
Wow that's a low price!
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[morymob]

[r39o]

[Spinal Tap]

[GeorgeL]

[r39o]

[tclark]

[ftp2leta]

Ha CV.

What to say...

Here is a good one, Hans from Vanaru is finishing an SVX conversion on a Syncro. So last minutes call he had to install 1 Lobro and 3 Mele/Mile (or something like that), he call me and says you know what! After 5 miles all 3 Mele exploded... the Lobro was fine. The "race" as split open!! That was yesterday. Defective of course but what about the semi defective one.

In 30K mile I'm on my second set of Lobro.

Last week I had to replace a fuel pump 3 time, brand new in the box, to noisy.

2 days ago after installing a clutch slave cylinder i road tested the van, it failed in about 25 minute.

What to think?
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[r39o]

[r39o]

[GeorgeL]

The real danger with the availability of cheap Chinese CV joints is that people will buy them and make the manufacture of the good OEM Lobro brand CVs uneconomical. We'll lose Lobro and be stuck with the Chinese junk. As the economics guys say "Cheap pushes out good!"

For a part like this, the real expense is in the hassle of replacing them. With the Lobro joints you pay once. With the cheap replacment axles you pay over and over.

[MootPoint]

[Randy in Maine]

Do this....

Buy a set of half shafts in the classifieds (or even one) and rebuild the German Lobro CV joints at your own pace. No need for a press, but having a gear puller and a vise (or even a "Black and Decker workmate" can certainly be handy.

I did it on a picnic table outside of Flagstaff at a rest area. Not pretty, but it worked.

[skifree]

I would repack them and flip them. Don't be afraid it works,without any trouble.

[r39o]

[Sheesh]

EMPI CVs. 6,000 miles. Purchased before I knew better. Preventative maintenance, I thought.

Busted down over the 4th, 600 miles from home. Two days to get another cheapie to get us home, so rented car to continue with our kids, dog and stuff for wife's parents 50th along the Madison in MT. Mechanic drops the driver's CV, which had been clunking on the inside of my hub. Bearings fall the floor as he removes bolts.

Glad that I retained my OEM shafts to rebuild now that we are home.

I should have saved money from the start by rebuilding with german bearings.

Now I know better.
_________________
1982 Westy, 2.0L AC CA emissions

[GeorgeL]

[r39o]

That cheap crap should be outlawed!

There is a market, I guess, so they will keep making them, I guess....sad.

I suppose we now need to keep an extra CV and a boot or two as spares to further weigh down our vans.
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[crazyvwvanman]

Well I have used EMPI axles in many cars including Vanagons. AFAIK, all of them are still working fine, years later, many many miles later. 6 sets in the local family cars that I can think of. On Vanagons axles that come dry with packets of grease in the box I throw out the packets and use FLAPS grease rated for CV use, Valvoline better grade.

I don't think they are as good as OEM axles were but I'm not so sure about the recent "German" parts either.

Mark