so at the local junkyard the other day when looking for a replacement rear lower link, i saw a whole bunch of cv axles layin around and thought i should come back to pick up a couple spares.

so what should i look for when hunting down spare cv's? some that i saw were in pretty good condition ie: no torn boots (looked like original boots)etc. just some minimal surface rust. should i look for any sorta rotational slop? ease of movement? im guessing i can just take care of the surface rust on the shaft itself with a quick sand & repaint. what about the splined ends..a lil rust is ok to clean up?

i know its a crap shoot with these things, but at least its better to have something than nothing right? and whats a decent going rate for these bad boys...ive seen 2nd gen ones on a local board go for about cdn$60. that about right? i payed 80 bones + tax for my rear link...kinda felt i payed a bit too much

thanks in advance

 

IMO, a spare doesnt need to be in the best shape, but I have hubs so I am only looking for one to get me off the trail.

You could also find a crappy one, but rebildable, and get it cheap and use it for a core...

just my .02

 

I think you are on the right track with looking for boot wear and fluid motion of both joints. Look for replaced boots and if you can choose between one with a standard hose clamp and one with the factory band clamp I would go with the factory one. I have seen lots of them with replacement boots that still leak grease and are not the correct boot either.

Really look down inside the ribs on the boots for cracking. May also want to check for the dust seals on both ends. Not a huge deal but just a bonus find if they are there and in good shape. They bend easily especially if the mechanic is not careful when pulling the shaft off.

Happy Hunting. I love the junk yards here in SoCal!