FWD Halfshafts - new or rebuilt ?

[gt6racer2]

Hi,
I need to put new halfshafts on the wife's '02 Passat. Given that the price, from the same manufacturer, is about the same, would you go for new or re-built ?
Of course re-built has the small inconvenience of returning a "core", but I'm thinking the base materials will be of higher standard.

 

[patprimmer]

How long did the OEM ones last.

How much longer will you keep the car.

Regards

eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
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[gt6racer2]

It's an '02 and has 60k miles. One outer CV boot is split badly, the other is just failing. I never bother to replace boots as a) it's a messy job, b) the joint may have already suffered and c) halfshafts are only $100.
As the wife really likes the car, I think she'll be happy to keep it for another 40k.

 

[dgallup]

There may not actually be any difference in the parts. We sell auto parts to the aftermarket. We don't actually remanufacture anything. We just sell the same thing 2 different ways because the market expects to be able to buy cheaper reman parts. However, in many cases, it will cost more to manually reman a part than just make a new one with a more automated process.

 

[evelrod]

I went for the after market after I went to the local VW dealer's parts counter!$$$ The rebuilt were only $70 and they worked just fine. Just don't ever let the boots go unattended, they are cheap and easy to replace.
Ck a book before you pull the axle...it comes apart a bit different than most.

As an aside, I don't quite understand why some, not all, of the German and almost all of the Japanese rubber is so crappy...just cheap!

Rod

 

[gt6racer2]

Thanks for the posts. Yes - I was surprised the boot went so early - it's not worn/abraided - just cracked at the root of the convulute. At least she wasn't going full tilt into turn 7 at Mid Ohio when it let go (as happened to me in my old IT Scirocco). I'm going to go with the rebuilt parts.

 

[RossABQ]

There are shops in my town and probably in yours that will clean, re-pack, inspect, and replace as necessary for less than the cost of reman. If your boots split, and you caught it fairly quickly, there may be little damage. Not sure of the situation with VW but there is always a chance of getting a part that isn't exactly right when buying new or reman (i.e., with / without ABS ring, etc). You know yours will fit. You may also get a choice of boot material. 60K miles is awfully short boot life IMO.

 

[evelrod]

You know a shop that will "clean, re-pack, inspect, and replace as necessary..." for $70, the price I paid for a re built axel/cv jount?
Lucky you! Ain't gonna happin out here!

Rod ;-)

 

[evelrod]

By the way:

To the OP...If you are a racer, especially an IT Vdub, why even ask such a question? Are ya just pullin our leg?

Rod

 

[RossABQ]

Someone collects old axles from shops, ships to a remanufacturer's shop.
They identify the piece and put it into the line.
They disassemble, "inspect", and re-grease it, new boot, etc.
Ship it to a distributor.
Distributor ships to local store.
Mark-ups on costs 25 - 30% at each stage.
At the retail level it's $70. How much of that cost is shipping, and how much is actual "remanufacturing"? Very little, I'd say. Yes, a local shop can do the work themselves for less on a piece that's carried in.

NAPA prices for reman are well over a $100 and I believe they may actually have some new parts in them. At that price a brand new axle is a real alternative.

 

[evelrod]

Not to sure about prices in NM, Ross. Out here in California the dealer wanted $305 and $312 for right and left axles when I went pricing several years ago. $70 was for a "re manufactured" unit, exchange.

I do my own work and a CV assembly for my 63 Mini Cooper is currently $99.95 plus $34.95 for the boot from Mini Mania, sans axles (Competition axles are ~$600) I have stock axles laying about.

You can bring an axle to me and I'll look it over. As long as it's not dry or damaged, I'll re pack it and put on a new boot for $70 but I give the standard 30/30 guarantee! ;-)

Rod

 

[RossABQ]

Exactly right, Rod! My whole point is, a $70 re-man'd axle (typically AutoZone or O'Reilly's) is NOT remanfactured at all, IMO, it's a regreased and re-booted "acceptable" quality part. If you go to a dealer for a brand new one, they're going to bone you for sure, but at least you know it's OEM quality and all-new materials. If you're paying a mechanic to R&R the shafts, the extra cost for new vs. truly reman'd shafts is worth considering. If you're trying to go cheap, reman is the way to go.

The guy I take shafts to (haven't been there since I stopped buying Chrysler products!) tells me straight out what condition each component is in after he cleans them up, and what's worth replacing or is good for another 50k miles. He gives me a warranty against the boot leaking or splitting, nothing else, unless I pay him extra for a complete new joint. BTW he will R&R the shafts at his shop for an additional $75, which is a bargain on some cars.

I would also say that I would make a point of NOT buying a VW OEM shaft if their boots only last 60k miles, that is miserable! My '93 Saturn had the original boots/shafts at 167k miles, and not a crack or weep from them. I find that kind of life is much more typical these days. It implies to me that VW is letting the front wheels turn a tighter circle at the expense of the boots.

 

[gt6racer2]

Evel rod - Those were the days. Now I have a family and travel a lot - so when before I would have rebuilt them myself on the tailgate of the truck - I have to cut back on my workload. Hence the decision to buy full axles that I can throw on in a couple hours Vs the mess of rebuild, and the reason why it's new ground to me. (BTW the VW is gone - I moved on to run EP in a Triumph GT6 - which has sat in the garage for the last 5 years....)
I haven't yet found a local shop that works to my expectations to trust with an honest rebuild - but that's another subject....
Anyway - Ive learned that remanufactured part may be either new but in a different box - or used with a new boot - and probably not the machine/oversize item I had thought it meant. New AM is questionable Vs OE but the new OE is $395.
So - I'm back to getting my hands dirty....Thanks for all your input...

 

[evelrod]

I saw Don Devendorf's red GT-6 once, up close, too close. It was at RIR T-4 and it was inverted traversing right to left about ten feet off the ground and close enough to reach out and touch. He got out ok...squeezed that 6' 5" body out the squashed to less than a foot wide window!!!
Like you said, those were the days (c1982)

Rod