NEW (literally) driveshafts

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

NAPA just offered me a brand-new driver-side Festy driveshaft for $66 + core charge. They really claimed that these are new, not rebuilt.

Is Chinese labor really that cheap that they can make whole new driveshafts (including CV joints) for such a price?

Anybody have any experience with these? Is there any advantage to new vs. rebuilt for this assembly?

[lessersivad]

I don't know if there is any real advantage but I bought a new passenger side cv shaft for my '93 from O Reillys for approx the same money.

I just figured for the core charge hassle plus the tax charged on the core (which around here at least, you don't get back) I went with the new vs. reman.

[bhazard]

You shouldn't have a core charge on a new part.

[1988lx]

don't mean to be a thread jacker or anything, but if you do get the new ones I would recommend removing and reusing the old "C" clip that holds the axle into the transaxle, ive found the new ones are made out of just a bit larger wire and they make the new axle a ROYAL PAIN IN THE CABOOSE to remove later on if you should ever need to

[jason_]

I popped apart a Chrysler drive train.

No clips. Came right out. Interested of they're necessary....

Sent from my s-off'ed m7 with cm11!

[David88]

I don't know about your NAPA there, but I bought one from my local store for the passenger side and it was missing the balancer. The core I was turning in did have it. They said, "Oh you don't need that." I thought, its factory. Factory doesn't use parts they don't need. It was pre paid order so it was mine at that point. I wasn't thrilled but took it. It was obviously reman. I agree, shouldn,t be a core on new.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[bhazard]

I popped apart a Chrysler drive train.

No clips. Came right out. Interested of they're necessary....

Sent from my s-off'ed m7 with cm11!

Changed one in a Dodge shadow once and I remember no clip. Not sure how they stay in.

[jason_]

Out suspension. If it doesn't go out, neither will the shaft.

Sent from my s-off'ed m7 with cm11!

[sketchman]

Yeah, I would think as long as the length is matched to always have the boot compressed a little and pushing the stub into the trans you wouldn't need a clip.

[rmoltis]

When I needed cv joints for the aspire.
The parts stores wanted around $120 for ea new joint. And $60+core charge for the rebuilt ones.

I went online, found a reputable cv joint company.
Looked in their c.v. joint catalog.
Then used the part #'s specific to my application and searched for them online.

Ended up paying $60 ea for new axles including free shipping.

[shadetree]

Nice

[Dragonhealer]

We use the "Duralast" new axles from Auto Zone, about 60 bucks, no core charge, lifetime warranty.
and YES do keep your factory clips to put on the new shafrs, the ones they come with are hopeless ...

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

I wish I had kept original or near-original clips in the past. I've got several Festies where one or both driveshafts simply will not come out, they're obviously not originals (no balancer on the passenger/long side), and badly need replacing.

Is there a source for proper clips (new, of course)? If there's one thing that I simply dread tackling on Festies, it's driveshaft replacement, solely because of removal problems.

I did buy the new driveshaft from Napa. No core charge. However, there WAS a $15 core charge on a NEW brake master cylinder I bought at Napa. Go figure.

[cyclonecj]

Autozone has a CV shaft puller that you can borrow. I had to use this once & it worked perfect:

http://www.autozone.com/loan-a-tools...pter/2061_0_0/

[jason_]

Raxles.com

After my vw ate up 3 $150 cheapos in under 5k, and vw wants $410 each, scored good quality remans for $220.

Rolled 40k so far. No issues.

Sent from my s-off'ed m7 with cm11!