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How do you tell an OEM CV from an aftermarket?


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Hey,

 

just recently did the front end on my 87 gl, and had 2 bad out of the box CV's. one wouldnt fit when installing it, and after getting them all together one is starting to clunk and vibrate after about 50 miles.

 

people say to get the origional ones rebuilt, but how do you tell the diff? is there a stamp somewhere?

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To the best of my knowledge the OEM halfshafts are NTN brand, but I could be wrong so hopefully someone can confirm or deny.

 

What kind of aftermarket axles did you get? Were they new or reman? Not all aftermarket axles are created equal.

 

I just changed out the OPs on my '81. They lasted about 15 months. I replaced them with EMPIs. I usually run EMPIs, but last time I decided I needed axles right before a big trip or something so I grabbed the OPs locally. The quality of the EMPIs over the OPs is really apparent and I will only run EMPIs from now on.

 

Reman aftermarket axles of any kind are junk and shouldn't even be considered. New EMPIs can be had from Rockauto for about $60 with shipping, and remember to articulate the joints and make sure the grease is massaged into the bearing assemblies before you install. It was obvious that the EMPIs had grease in the bearing assemblies from the factory, but that was not as apparent with the OPs.

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To the best of my knowledge the OEM halfshafts are NTN brand, but I could be wrong so hopefully someone can confirm or deny.

 

What kind of aftermarket axles did you get? Were they new or reman? Not all aftermarket axles are created equal.

 

I just changed out the OPs on my '81. They lasted about 15 months. I replaced them with EMPIs. I usually run EMPIs, but last time I decided I needed axles right before a big trip or something so I grabbed the OPs locally. The quality of the EMPIs over the OPs is really apparent and I will only run EMPIs from now on.

 

Reman aftermarket axles of any kind are junk and shouldn't even be considered. New EMPIs can be had from Rockauto for about $60 with shipping, and remember to articulate the joints and make sure the grease is massaged into the bearing assemblies before you install. It was obvious that the EMPIs had grease in the bearing assemblies from the factory, but that was not as apparent with the OPs.

We have a place here that rebuilds them here $110. {junk}Last about 2mos...I get new from Advance for $60.w/a lifetime warr. that have been good,been running a pair for 3yrs. now.... Remans are junk...

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NTN is the brand for OEM; DOJ and CVJ will be painted green. I've had the most success pulling used axles that look good at the junkyard and rebooting them if needed.

 

MWE is a local Denver area rebuilder who has a pretty good reputation; has that changed?

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I was going to go with MWE's from Shawn, but I couldnt get organized right on my end to place the big order and wait for it to be shipped out. ended up getting everything from a local place.

 

everything was fine, cost was right, I asked the store manager and he said they chose the brand of axles in response to problems like I have heard from you guys, so i tried them. one was bad and wouldnt even fit in, this one is clunking bad straight out of the gate.

 

one of the ones I had looked very different than the others, and even driving 10k miles with a completely severed boot, its wasnt clunking when I took it out. was just going to check and see if it was a subaru one, if so I was going to reboot it and put it back in (was going to rebuild it anyway since the boot was the only noticeable problem).

 

I need my car back on the road so I will probably have to pull the trigger and take it in to have the local sub shop do the axles so at least theres some kind of warranty for a bit. I have to work in my driveway and I just dont have the time and space to be changing axles all the time. in a month I will have a 100 mile a day commute and i need the sub in shape for that.

 

i just wondered how to tell, Id like to aquire some subaru ones over the course and have a full set on hand. the one I took out doesnt have a smooth DOJ cup, its ribbed (apparently for the cars pleasure). didnt know if that was a sign.

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everything was fine, cost was right, I asked the store manager and he said they chose the brand of axles in response to problems like I have heard from you guys, so i tried them. one was bad and wouldnt even fit in, this one is clunking bad straight out of the gate.

 

So what were they? Brand? Reman or new?

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I was going to go with MWE's from Shawn, but I couldnt get organized right on my end to place the big order and wait for it to be shipped out. ended up getting everything from a local place.

 

everything was fine, cost was right, I asked the store manager and he said they chose the brand of axles in response to problems like I have heard from you guys, so i tried them. one was bad and wouldnt even fit in, this one is clunking bad straight out of the gate.

 

one of the ones I had looked very different than the others, and even driving 10k miles with a completely severed boot, its wasnt clunking when I took it out. was just going to check and see if it was a subaru one, if so I was going to reboot it and put it back in (was going to rebuild it anyway since the boot was the only noticeable problem).

 

I need my car back on the road so I will probably have to pull the trigger and take it in to have the local sub shop do the axles so at least theres some kind of warranty for a bit. I have to work in my driveway and I just dont have the time and space to be changing axles all the time. in a month I will have a 100 mile a day commute and i need the sub in shape for that.

 

i just wondered how to tell, Id like to aquire some subaru ones over the course and have a full set on hand. the one I took out doesnt have a smooth DOJ cup, its ribbed (apparently for the cars pleasure). didnt know if that was a sign.

Local subie shop: Superior Import Repair. http://www.fixmysuby.com Owner has been a USMB member for many years and shop does excellent work at reasonable prices. Even though I live just north of Seattle, I've had them work on my car when it's had issues while down in Portland on business. Edited by edrach
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box said "precision" for the brand. who knows for sure though. supposed to be new, but the one I got after returning the bad one said remanufactured, but then had the same part number on the box, so idk.

 

ill give fixmysuby a call. we have a place in Vancouver called NW import specialist. been doing buisness with them a long time and always happy with them. the owner is an official sub tech, worked on my friends cars and mine, XT's, SVX's, Brats, anything.

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if you had one with just broken boots - reboot it. it'll be fine.

 

i've started rebooting even a few clickety, clanking, and two heavily vibrating inner DOJ's....and they've been fine since.

 

so far i'm batting perfect doing that - way higher percentage than aftermarket, i had so many issues with those it was a waste of time.

 

last "new" one i installed blew to pieces 100 feet after i installed it- balls rolling all over the ground, it was awesome! that was when i started getting on forums and others were having issues so i decided to avoid them.

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Most remans from the retailers (either Cardone or Fenco are 90% of the readily available ones) use new cups (that are MASSIVE) and brat shafts, which are about 40% larger in diameter. The outer cups/shaft are PROBABLY originals, which see some action and probably have at-the-limit specs for the ball races... it's a crap shoot.

 

I got lucky and found a subaru reman at a junkyard and an OEM axle and just rebooted them.

 

But don't worry, you can still buy new NTN axles from Subaru. Just tell your kids that daddy (or mommy) needed a new shaft and they are getting less presents for christmas. Cause they run 440. each. :drunk:

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Most remans from the retailers (either Cardone or Fenco are 90% of the readily available ones) use new cups (that are MASSIVE) and brat shafts, which are about 40% larger in diameter. The outer cups/shaft are PROBABLY originals, which see some action and probably have at-the-limit specs for the ball races... it's a crap shoot.

 

I got lucky and found a subaru reman at a junkyard and an OEM axle and just rebooted them.

 

But don't worry, you can still buy new NTN axles from Subaru. Just tell your kids that daddy (or mommy) needed a new shaft and they are getting less presents for christmas. Cause they run 440. each. :drunk:

 

Empis work just as good and they cost about $80 brand new. nice thing about new axles is no core! I got to keep my napa reman that has two good boots so if I need parts I have a spare

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