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Update CV Axle Offerings

2K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  KDXClark 
#1 ·
2003 Passat Wagon 5.5 AWM 1.8T manual: I recently replaced my passenger side axle. I've previously used Raxles and Cardone (now out of business ?). Raxles great. Got the Cardone unit at AutoZone at the time; had problems with Cardone as first two units vibrated; third turned out okay. Now .... Shopped around before purchasing the replacement. (1) Raxles is costly (over $300) because I don't have an OE axle to send in as a core; Marty commented that he's running out of cores. (2) NAPA sells Chinese units under their name. (2) Advanced Auto sells Chinese units under the name CarQuest. (3) AutoZone sells Duralast either as a remanufactured unit or new unit, both made in Mexico. I went with a new Duralast unit based on some positive comments by mechanics. Cost about $80. So far so good.
 
#2 ·
I have used Oreilly, probably chinese as well. One i had completely come out from the transmission end , another got a hole and spewed grease every where, the last one took 5 minutes before destroying itself at the transmission end. They offer lifetime but you can only go back so many times before they cut you off. Currently running a advance auto one.. Waiting a 1.8t auto at pull apart to grab the oem ones and rebuild..
 
#3 ·
Go with Raxles if you don't feel like rebuilding them yourself. Every Chinese knockoff I've tried has been a total POS and lasted only a short while. One of them literally fell apart in my hands while trying to install it. I'm a firm believer in replacing the joints and boots myself now that I understand the simplicity of it.
 
#4 ·
I am a firm believer in finding and keeping an OE axle in good shape and just rebooting them until they explode. 17 years, 245,700 miles on the original axles on my Passat. 4 boots per side (8 total) in the car's lifetime. Still less than the cost of a RAxle set :)

Once you do your first reboot of an axle, it takes about 1.5-2 hours to do from start to finish. Maybe I'm fast, who knows.
 
#5 ·
I absolutely agree with vbora01 on that point. Every time I've taken one of my CVs apart to re-boot/re-grease, the condition has been perfect. As I've said before, Marty has a nice business that must rely to a large extent on people not maintaining their driveshafts properly. I recently rebooted one of mine that developed a premature split, so I just added some grease to make up for any lost, and installed the new boot. Total time was less than an hour because I didn't take the entire driveshaft out.
 
#7 ·
I've had more luck with rebuilt rather than new as they hollow axles are less likely to cause vibrations. I have a bunch of old axles in the garage I need to clean out once I get finished with my car and the donor car.
 
#8 ·
I am running a Cardone unit that's now three years old - got lucky. I completely agree re finding OE axles to rebuild but doubt success. I'd have to tell the junkie that I must have an OE unit, and aside from having tappered ends, how will I and the yard "pickers" know the difference ? Marty wants $100 for core value, the junkie probably almost the same. So I would have to do rebuilds as you fellows do to make it feasible. Thanks for all your comments.
 
#9 ·
If you knock off the CV joint you'll be able to tell if that shaft is hollow. Or if you have a small rod-like object you'll be able to stick it in down the middle of the CV joint and into the shaft if the shaft is hollow. Another and the easiest way is if it has the VW part number on it. If no VW part number (with VW sticker) then not a hollow shaft.

For reference, Marty's $300 no core is still better than the dealer's no-core of $500. Both are rebuilt hollow axles (new CV joints).
 
#11 ·
I know I had a hard time getting rebuilts on my 4MO front axles. The regular V6 axles would fit, but the warranty was for the thicker 4MO axles and that's what they wanted to replace them with. It took a week or so for them to come in.
 
#12 ·
Picked up an Oreilly atore brand which is a Cardone rebuild. It took a couple of orders to get a rebuild that was an OEM hollow rebuilt rather than the solid axle, but it is working fine. under $80 IIRC. Cardone rebuilds the solid axles too that are aftermarket when they get them as cores so you just have to reject them till you get what you want.
 
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