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H3 Affordable/Reliable CV Axle?

Hayden

Toyo M/T
Messages
284
Location
Virginia, US
Ive been losing grease on my driver side CV for about a month now, now im getting the classic popping when turning sounds. The passenger CV is needing to be replaced also.

Theres no way i can afford RCV joints at the moment so i was wondering what experience yall have had with different CV axles and which ones are good or not. I was looking at the Duralast Gold C/Vs but i really dont want to put something in the 3 that's gonna break a month down the road and i dont know whether these are quality or not.

Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,212
Location
Tardville
You're going to get lots of opinions on this. I don't think it matters...Cardone, NAPA, AutoZone, whatever. I also know that around here...GM repair shops don't always install GM half-shafts. They go get em from the same sources you and I get them from. As you have already found out...the boot is critical piece. They rarely "break" and almost always fail due to lack of lube (ripped boot). These are throw-away parts much like brake pads, belts, or batteries. Some last for 80K miles, some for 30K and if I still had IFS...I would replace them every 50K regardless of condition. While RCVs are certainly stronger...strength is rarely the issue. Wear is wear plain & simple, and I doubt if an RCV has any longer life-span than a standard shaft. I'm sure their pretty red boots can get ripped as well...in which case you're no better off than a NAPA shaft (just lighter in the wallet). ANY CV...no matter who makes it, is toast within 100 miles of ripping a boot. Centrifugal force and heat applies to everybody.

Here in Indy there is a driveline shop that I took my factory half-shafts to for rebuilding. The first time they simply tried to exchange them, and I noticed the new shafts were a smaller diameter (Colorado/Canyon). So I busted em...called em out and said "Go get my old ones that I brought in here". Sure enough...the new ones were not as beefy. So they dis-assembled my factory shafts and re-built them on the spot while I waited. A half-hour later, they came out with brand new CV's on both ends, new boots, and polished seal surfaces. Apples are not apples, and if you have any doubts...get your factory shafts rebuilt.
 

Best4x4

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,042
Location
Vidor, TX
I got a set of new Cardone CV's for 88.00 online with free shipping. Quality of them looks great, and I haven't heard anything bad about them. The RCV's might be awesome, but with our rather delicate front diff's the last thing you want to do is beef up the CV's only to blow the next thing down the line aka the front diff.

I've owned Jeep's for years, and it always amazed me when people would spend $$$ to beef up their axle shafts only to blow the pinion gears, then they'd upgrade those, and twist a shaft, upgrade that, and then blow the transfer case..... I myself would rather blow 88.00 worth of CV's vs a 600.00 to 1200.00 front diff (depending on model).

I have heard people having issues with EMPI CV's so I would avoid those. I'd go OEM or Cardone.
 

Hayden

Toyo M/T
Messages
284
Location
Virginia, US
You're going to get lots of opinions on this. I don't think it matters...Cardone, NAPA, AutoZone, whatever. I also know that around here...GM repair shops don't always install GM half-shafts. They go get em from the same sources you and I get them from. As you have already found out...the boot is critical piece. They rarely "break" and almost always fail due to lack of lube (ripped boot). These are throw-away parts much like brake pads, belts, or batteries. Some last for 80K miles, some for 30K and if I still had IFS...I would replace them every 50K regardless of condition. While RCVs are certainly stronger...strength is rarely the issue. Wear is wear plain & simple, and I doubt if an RCV has any longer life-span than a standard shaft. I'm sure their pretty red boots can get ripped as well...in which case you're no better off than a NAPA shaft (just lighter in the wallet). ANY CV...no matter who makes it, is toast within 100 miles of ripping a boot. Centrifugal force and heat applies to everybody.

Here in Indy there is a driveline shop that I took my factory half-shafts to for rebuilding. The first time they simply tried to exchange them, and I noticed the new shafts were a smaller diameter (Colorado/Canyon). So I busted em...called em out and said "Go get my old ones that I brought in here". Sure enough...the new ones were not as beefy. So they dis-assembled my factory shafts and re-built them on the spot while I waited. A half-hour later, they came out with brand new CV's on both ends, new boots, and polished seal surfaces. Apples are not apples, and if you have any doubts...get your factory shafts rebuilt.

Yeah RCV just isnt worth the $300+ i piece to me. I think im just gonna buy new cv axles all together. That would probably be cheaper than having them rebuilt, but i am going to keep the old ones and have them rebuilt later on to have as spares. I appreciate the help! this is why i love owning a hummer

I got a set of new Cardone CV's for 88.00 online with free shipping. Quality of them looks great, and I haven't heard anything bad about them. The RCV's might be awesome, but with our rather delicate front diff's the last thing you want to do is beef up the CV's only to blow the next thing down the line aka the front diff.

I've owned Jeep's for years, and it always amazed me when people would spend $$$ to beef up their axle shafts only to blow the pinion gears, then they'd upgrade those, and twist a shaft, upgrade that, and then blow the transfer case..... I myself would rather blow 88.00 worth of CV's vs a 600.00 to 1200.00 front diff (depending on model).

I have heard people having issues with EMPI CV's so I would avoid those. I'd go OEM or Cardone.

$88 for both sides? and i agree, much cheaper and a lot less work
 
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digglesworth

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,789
Location
illinois
Don't buy EMPI... Theyre unreliable. Cardone is what I'm gonna buy as a trail spare and probably buy two more around 100k to change out with the other front end stuff...
 

Best4x4

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,042
Location
Vidor, TX
Yep 88.00 for the set of new Cardone CV Shafts which all my Jeep buddies can laugh all they want, but a single axle shaft on a Dana 30 is almost 3 times that!
 

alrock

El Diablo
Staff member
Messages
10,442
Location
Scottsdale
Cardones are $40 now on RockAuto; I now have two new spares because of the price. As for the EMPIs, there have been breakage issues that are not warranted and I can post a video here if you want to see one snap. I do think there's a difference and my opinion, if I were to rank them, would be OEM, Cardone, and way down the list, EMPI.
 

Zach

Mall Crawler
Messages
4,812
Location
So Cal
Cardones are $40 now on RockAuto; I now have two new spares because of the price. As for the EMPIs, there have been breakage issues that are not warranted and I can post a video here if you want to see one snap. I do think there's a difference and my opinion, if I were to rank them, would be OEM, Cardone, and way down the list, EMPI.

Funny! My supplier was cheap before, checked around and they were the cheapest and no one had them listed. My supplier went up in price and the next week, they were out way cheaper. Still assessing the cardone longevity. But for 50ish for a 2 compared to 450 OEM my cost. I'd rather snap them. Have 4 cardone's. willing to take the chance
 

alrock

El Diablo
Staff member
Messages
10,442
Location
Scottsdale
I agree - the Cardones, at least for me, haven't been fully tested. But they've lasted so far with my including 2 Moab trips. Jury's still out but they look promising, at least in cost/risk ratio.
 

Best4x4

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,042
Location
Vidor, TX
I've used Cardone stuff on my other rigs from Jeeps to Mitsubishi's and I didn't have any issues with the parts I used. I had a friend with EMPI stuff and he went through so many it wasn't even funny. The auto part store he used started to know him on a daily basis lol. One set we put on his truck bound up after only going 25 ft backwards!! Finally the auto store substituted another brand which were just rebuilt OEM units and he never had a problem again.

The RCV's IMHO are just way over priced and I think you'll do more damage to other more $$$ parts with them installed. I have no problem going through 80.00 to 100.00 pair after a serious wheeling trip vs blowing a diff or transfer case.
 

Reloader

Well-Known Member
A-One Cardone (or Cardont as I call them) is a huge remanufacturer of car parts and just about everyone reboxes their parts into house brands and such. Any reman brake caliper you buy is probably an A-One .

I can vouch for the poor quality of the EMPI axles. The joints them selves appear to be well built but the shaft is what failed on mine. Snapped off clean and square just like you cut it off with a chop saw.

I just replaced both my axles with new genuine GM OE units as I have an Alpha and figure they will take more abuse from the V8 than any aftermarket ones short of them RCVs. I would definately rather replace an axle than a diff anytime and would have no problem using A-1 Selects if I have a 5 cylinder in my 3. Can swap an axle in 30 on the trail and could even do it quicker if it wasnt sitting in a creek bed like when my EMPI axle snapped.
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
The ones I got from Zach are A1-Cardone. Right Zach?

I was skeptical as I always ran OEM. When my boots tore I picked up an EMPI. That POS had the boot fly off within 500 miles. Zach recommended the A1 Cardones and my first trail run out with them was clawhammer. Toughest trail I ran...No problem with them. I then continued to beat the crap out of them slinging mud and pulling people out of mud all weekend. I logged a few thousand miles on them with no issues.

While the long term durability test is not finished I can say they already beat out the EMPI. Possibly the EMPI was a freak accident with me but it was enough for my not to trust them. So far I am loving A1 cardones.

My only complaint on the A1's is that the threaded portion for the axle nut is a tad longer then stock so you cant squeeze it in the hub without dropping the lower knuckle, which pisses me off especially if I had a trail repair. I thought about cutting a small portion off the threaded part with an angle grinder. It wont do anything in terms of overextending shafts, as long as the thread axle nut is on tight there are no issues.
 

alrock

El Diablo
Staff member
Messages
10,442
Location
Scottsdale
Chris, I had boots fly off of two EMPIs on my Audi, including one before we got the car back onto the ground after the replacement of the first one. I won't be buying EMPI again.
 

EPAlpha

Member
Messages
19
Location
Texas
Hey guys, want to jump in on this and say THANKS...again! About to order 2 Cardones on RockAuto for $100 OTD. Got back from Moab on Thursday (will post a few pics elsewhere) and started getting the infamous popping the in the floorboard on the driver's side when turning. I feel like all of my CV joints are quitting on me after 65K miles ;) Any concerns with using the Cardones on an Alpha (as Reloader mentioned)?

Also, the passenger side appears to still be good, so does it make sense to change both at the same time? It seems wrong to have an OEM on one side and Cardone on the other.
 
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