So I've posted on this the last time I was getting fed up with axles. Long story short I'm shredding boots in less than 12 hours of driving. I put at axle in Wednesday night, drove to work Thursday, got lunch, back to work, then home, then went about 50 miles to a subaru meet and tore the boot before I was halfway there. Dealt with it smoking snd what not and just went to the meet and did some light wheeling. Friday I put a new axle in drove the car to fill up and warranty my other axle. Drove about the same distance again but the opposite direction to a bigger meet and tore the boot before I was halfway again. This axle I had put new grease in the join and moved the boot inward towards the join to keep it from tearing and it didn't help. I'm getting really tired of my car constantly smoking because of axle grease and replacing axles every single time I want to go anywhere with the car. I've done the passenger side tranny mount which is the side that keeps tearing, the other side has even torn in months. I have the other mount I'm going to do next today when I throw yet another axle in the car (3rd in like 3 days). If it tears again I'm just going to have to stop driving it until I can lower the crossmember because this is ridiculous.

Didn't mean to post yet, wanted to ask is there anything else that could be causing this? Something I'm missing? I try to be pretty gentle on the gas, and my freeway speeds are 55 on the speedo MAX 65 going down hill

Quit buying shitty axles.

Quit buying shitty axles.

And which option does that leave me with, I heard napa is crap, I don't use auto zone, I get orielly axles because I have a hookup there. The closest ea82 in junkyards are about 100 miles out and that kinda leaves rebuilding oems out. I check for grease before I put them on, and it's only the passenger side that keeps blowing. I've anak tried the janky "heavy duty" axles that if you look at on amazon are "120%" new which doesn't make sense but it lasted longer but then just kind grenaded the boot and the entire joint one day on the freeway

 

I'm just going to have to stop driving it until I can lower the crossmember because this is ridiculous.

 

I'm fairly certain I remember this being what people told you the issue was last time you posted. 

 

Dan

I'm fairly certain I remember this being what people told you the issue was last time you posted.

Dan

 

I knew the issue was bad but I also believe i was told you don't generally lower the xmember with a 2 inch lift

Edited July 16, 20178 yr by XHighOctanex

Doesnt rock auto have some Heavy Duty axles of some kind??

Yeah here they are: http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=6586008&cc=1270134&jsn=396 

Have you tried these?

Yeah here they are: http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=6586008&cc=1270134&jsn=396

Have you tried these?

Yes the boots do last a little longer but once the boot goes they seem to fail much more violent and much more abrupt, mine the boot failed and on the sb8003 axled I can drive fine for like a week or 2 constantly before it's even an issue but the HD axle lasted maybe 100 miles and then one day it wobbled for 10 seconds and exploded. They're also 5x as hard to install since they have the fatter section it hits the control arm.

Or if you're having luck with those aftermarket axles not clicking or vibrating. Get some oem boots. Car-part or maybe from the dealer?

I've read a few posts here of people saying a few aftermarket axles are ok but the boots are garbage.

So get some oem quality boots and but them on your aftermarket axles.

 

Problem solved.

Or if you're having luck with those aftermarket axles not clicking or vibrating. Get some oem boots. Car-part or maybe from the dealer?

I've read a few posts here of people saying a few aftermarket axles are ok but the boots are garbage.

So get some oem quality boots and but them on your aftermarket axles.

 

Problem solved.

I'm gonna have to cave in and go the distance and buy a couple sets of axles and pull some boots too. I do plan on lowering the crossmember in just working on the ej swap and other stuff first, including a solid rear axle to eliminate axle issues all together in the back at the least.

Or if you're having luck with those aftermarket axles not clicking or vibrating. Get some oem boots. Car-part or maybe from the dealer?

I've read a few posts here of people saying a few aftermarket axles are ok but the boots are garbage.

So get some oem quality boots and but them on your aftermarket axles.

 

Problem solved.

I'm gonna have to cave in and go the distance and buy a couple sets of axles and pull some boots too. I do plan on lowering the crossmember in just working on the ej swap and other stuff first, including a solid rear axle to eliminate axle issues all together in the back at the least.

I'm gonna have to cave in and go the distance and buy a couple sets of axles and pull some boots too. I do plan on lowering the crossmember in just working on the ej swap and other stuff first, including a solid rear axle to eliminate axle issues all together in the back at the least.

I gotcha. Yeah from what I've seen people talk about on here,the oem boots are FAR superior then any of the aftermarket ones.

Could try getting new from dealer. They'd probably only be like 5 -10 dollars each for NOS

I gotcha. Yeah from what I've seen people talk about on here,the oem boots are FAR superior then any of the aftermarket ones.

Could try getting new from dealer. They'd probably only be like 5 -10 dollars each for NOS

I'll try that, my buddy works at the dealer so I'll see what he can do this week. I'll try it and update you all on how it goes

Yeah. Imo (I don't work on non EJ platforms much) but if you're having luck with the axles, JUST not the boots. Oem is the way to go and should help you're issue. Might only last 1k miles on a boot. But that is much better then 50 lol

 

Good luck

The Oreilly axles are garbage they can't hold up to the power of a ej22 out of the box. I couldn't get one that wouldn't make noise out of the box even after 6 axles. They would pop, grind, or shake. I found a factory one that i have ran for quite awhile but finally swapped it out with empi so i can reboot it for a spare. It's held up so far after about 100 miles. I have a original performance brand axle on the other side that has a few thousand miles on it now with no problems.

The Oreilly axles are garbage they can't hold up to the power of a ej22 out of the box. I couldn't get one that wouldn't make noise out of the box even after 6 axles. They would pop, grind, or shake. I found a factory one that i have ran for quite awhile but finally swapped it out with empi so i can reboot it for a spare. It's held up so far after about 100 miles. I have a original performance brand axle on the other side that has a few thousand miles on it now with no problems.

Empi? How much are those

Quick search saw one for $68.98 shipped off amazon. I got mine through my work which has whole sale accounts through parts suppliers. If mine decides to go out i can get it warrantied no problem for another which hopefully shows up as a OE performance. That axle is built better with tighter tolerances and fit snug on the stub shaft.

when you install the new axle and it blows right way - are you driving bonkers or lightly?

has it "always done this" - since you installed the latest lift/struts?

 

it is generally true that 2" is good - but does't that depend what suspension is being used?  if you're running a taller than average strut/spring combo then you can probably go less or if you're running a shorter than stock strut/spring then you can probably go more.

 

maybe you're running a tall-ish strut/spring combo and the 2" is sending it over the edge. 

 

i would start a thread and ask specifically if one side blowing is indicative of anything?  that sounds odd and worth finding out to me. 

 

OEM boots last longer than others, but if you've got a problem they're still probably temporary.

 

those heavy duty axles never had much hope, it was a high risk gamble snake oil from the beginning. 

when you install the new axle and it blows right way - are you driving bonkers or lightly?

has it "always done this" - since you installed the latest lift/struts?

 

it is generally true that 2" is good - but does't that depend what suspension is being used? if you're running a taller than average strut/spring combo then you can probably go less or if you're running a shorter than stock strut/spring then you can probably go more.

 

maybe you're running a tall-ish strut/spring combo and the 2" is sending it over the edge.

 

i would start a thread and ask specifically if one side blowing is indicative of anything? that sounds odd and worth finding out to me.

 

OEM boots last longer than others, but if you've got a problem they're still probably temporary.

 

those heavy duty axles never had much hope, it was a high risk gamble snake oil from the beginning.

The car only has the adf 2 inch lift with stock struts and springs, occasionally I'll get on it to get around someone but I try to drive pretty gentle with this car. The only thing that I csn think of that would still cause this is the opposite side trans mount is flexing and putting stress on this axle. I didn't have this issue this fast until somewhat recently but I couldn't say how recent. The axle on the driver side is 4 months old still hasn't torn the boot and it's got probably a couple thousand miles on it no problem (car is ready for an oil change). That car has been a few hundred miles alone to Nevada and back! If it was both sides i would have already gotten the drop.

ah yeah - so now we have two points: 
A.  it's only one side. 

B.  you think it's worse now than before. 

 

that sure seems to suggest there's an issue with something, but I'm not experienced to say anything more than random guesses.  i would try to track down that cause or hear from some people with similar experiences before just assuming it's boot/axle related entirely. 

If your tires are different diameters even from more tread wear on one the smaller tire will become the only driven side in most conditions. How are the motor mounts? The oreilly axle is most of your problem.

do you have a pitch stopper?

 

if not, get one installed

If your tires are different diameters even from more tread wear on one the smaller tire will become the only driven side in most conditions. How are the motor mounts? The oreilly axle is most of your problem.

All around I have fairly new 205/75/15 general grabbers, the wear looks even. Motor mounts I have not checked just tranny mounts. And I know they're not ideal I would rather have oems, but, out of the bunch of axles I've had on that side if they were hit or miss I should have had some fluctuation in life. The last one I even took their grease out and put my own grease in and moved the boot 3 notches inward. Also the last 2 or 3 axles have torn in the same spot, the very outter of the inner boot length wise parallel with the axle shaft. I'll get pictures when I get home. That tells me it isn't hitting anything to do it. Im gonna try and get those oem boots from the dealer today and see about the next axle, I have one sitting in the car.

All around I have fairly new 205/75/15 general grabbers, the wear looks even. Motor mounts I have not checked just tranny mounts. And I know they're not ideal I would rather have oems, but, out of the bunch of axles I've had on that side if they were hit or miss I should have had some fluctuation in life. The last one I even took their grease out and put my own grease in and moved the boot 3 notches inward. Also the last 2 or 3 axles have torn in the same spot, the very outter of the inner boot length wise parallel with the axle shaft. I'll get pictures when I get home. That tells me it isn't hitting anything to do it. Im gonna try and get those oem boots from the dealer today and see about the next axle, I have one sitting in the car.

 

Did you bottom out the joint while burping the air out of the boot after you regreased?  

 

When they heat the air expands, maybe you are popping them?