After Market CV Axles on RockAuto

Can anyone recommend a good aftermarket CV axle from Rock Auto? Mine is a V6 4liter 4WD Access Cab Automatic transmission with a leveling kit. I've been planning to get rid of the leveler and put Bilstein 5100's in to level it out that way. Any suggestions?

 

Generally. OEM are better CV's (than what you find at Rock Auto). Why are you replacing yours?

 

Yeah I’ve heard they’re better but I don’t wanna pay for em. Is it highly advisable not to use aftermarket? Mine are leaking grease and there is a clink coming from the front left every time I brake with the wheel turned.

 

Oem is best but not the worst to save some cash.
Napa has lifetime warranty as do a few others. Get one of those and at least if there’s problems you get a new one free.

 

My man! I normally get killed when I just tell people to go NAPA.

 

Napas are fine. Just check for binding at full droop. In my experience, with napa replacements they are either slightly shorter or don't allow as much angle. In everyday street driving they will be fine. The lifetime warranty is a plus. You can rebuild your oem axles while they're off the truck

 

If you aren't going to use OEM, use whatever parts store is nearby, all have lifetime warranties for when they break or start flinging grease in a few years and it's easier to walk to the local spot then wait for rock auto. Or just buy several of the $38 special.

 

I like the OEM ones because they are notches to help with removal and installation.

 

I like the rebuild idea. How hard is it to rebuild them?

 

Easy with the right tools. Messy no matter what!

 

This ^ , very simple process and simply very messy

 

Look for remans and they'll most likely be fine.

It's the new aftermarket ones that are complete junk.

 

I did not buy garbage. I took my quality parts and put new boots on them. It is not hard.

you do what you want.

boots are rubber. Rubber wears. Rubber gets replaced.

some people don’t change their oil and replace their engine due to this.
I change my oil and run the engine.

depends on funds. If million dollars in checking account, ignore the boots I guess.

 

I had a bad experience with NAPA axle recently.
I purchased online and picked up at a local store.
One of the CVs was seized, so went to return it. Turns out I was not allowed to return it where I picked it up. When I called NAPA to ship it back they gave me extreme grief.
I was eventually able to return it, but I won't be doing that again!

Anyone have experience with Raxles?

 

I don't see that they make a CV for a Tacoma, but they seem to be in the same game CVJ is. I've had luck with CVJ, the only CVJ axle I damaged was when I ripped an LCA off, they held up to trail abuse that killed more than a few O'Reilly's specials.

 

I second cvj if you want oem remans

 

As long as they start with an OEM core. You will find aftermarket axles that have been remanufactured these days due to a shortage of OEM cores.

 

I always say this in these threads: what you make up in cost savings by going with a cheap aftermarket CV, you'll put right back into by wasting your own time changing CV's every year due to cheap, torn boots. Not to mention the cheapies aren't built to the same tolerances for trueness, range of movement or strength.

Lifetime doesn't mean they're good forever, either. Lifetime just means they'll exchange them when the boots tear. But after years and years of exchanging CVs in my 1st gen, some years more than once per year due to torn boots, I got flagged at O'Reilly. The guy even said, "it says here you're flagged for exchanging these too often." I said "if you build a better CV with a better boot, I won't need to exchange them"

The easy choice is to buy once, cry once and go OEM. Our 2006 is still on its original CVs/boots at 240k.