I've been out of the wheeling thing for a while now (especially since living in the middle of the city, SF), so I'm a bit out of date on the newest trends.

What's the latest thinking on the best replacement for a manual hub'd 3rd gen 4Runner CV axle?

I've got a leaky boot on one of 'em and franky, I just don't want to do the work myself. Yes I have done it before, even torn one down and replaced a leaky book, but this time I'd rather just pay to have a shop do it.

Where should I get a good replacement axle? I figured AutoZone or a similar store but maybe I'm missing out on a good website with a deal.

 

Read this https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/4...talled-211439/

The short story is... While auto store CV axles have a lifetime warranty they are mostly junk. Cheap steel and poor heat treating. It wouldn't be too bad if they always broke in the CVs but some brake inside the front diff.

Also some won't spin at full droop, or even partial.

Buy Toyota OE or rebuilds. Driveline/Axle shops can also reboot your axle, also a good place to buy rebuilt axles.

 

What a helpful reply. Thank you sir.

 

I don't know about Auto Zone but I can speak for Advanced Auto. I've wheeled the piss outta my replacement one from them and have had no problems. From what I hear, the only bad replacement cv's that come from an auto store are Oreilly's. I'd love to switch over to manual hubs on of these days, if an sas doesn't beat it to it.

 

I get rebuilt oem cv's from cvunlimited.com, they're a great company

 

I fully believe Napa parts are 2nd only to OEM. I've never had any problems with any of their parts even though they have a lifetime warranty on most chassis/suspension/driveline items. I have a Napa CV in right now and it's made very well IMO. The big thing to watch out for on CV axles is if the spines were made by pressing or if they were cut. The cut splines are much stronger and durable. You can tell the Napa CVs are cut because you can see the scoring on the surface like the OEM CVs have. Many cheap CVs like Autozones are pressed splines and break or strip easier.

 

I have NAPA CV's in one runner and am yet to see a problem with them. Haven't had them at full droop though. I would still rather go OEM if I could have afforded it at the time.

 

Just wanted to know if the axles you got from napa are the NEW max drive axles or the remanufactured max drive axles? There also appears to be a cheaper brand they sell call ultra-8. I researched the new max drive version and it is a rebranded Cardone select available though Rock auto for $46 it sounds too good to be true but thats what it says.

 

In the time since I posted that, I've snapped that Napa CV. I replaced it with a Napa one since it was free though. And they were both new Max Drives. The OEM ones break too, but you have to keep buying them so I still like Napa.

 

From the looks of your picture you do some serious crawling in your 4runner, can you give some info as to what caused the breakage were you pushing on it pretty hard? In the rocks?

 

Well, I think it was when I was high centered on a rock shelf trying to turn and get unstuck (which I did), but I didn't actually notice it until I was on the next rock and I could tell my 4wd didn't feel right.

Generally though, CVs will break the easiest when you're on the gas and turned at full lock or when you gun it when you're stuck and the truck starts bouncing trying to get traction and then a spinning tire comes to a sudden stop. But keep in mind, I also have a locker up front so that doesn't help with the strain on the CVs. But the locker has gotten me out of lots of sticky situations many times before I broke a CV. For the most part, slow and steady will save you CVs, but no matter how careful you are, if you off road hard you're bound to break one sooner or later.

 

Ok Brian one more question then I'll leave you alone. Where did the axle break inner joint or outer joint ? Did it leave the end of the axle flopping around or did it stay together?

 

It broke at the outer joint. The axle stayed together while it was in there, but it was in 2 pieces when it came out.