Finding the right CV axle

Hello all,

I've been searching here and the internet in general for an answer to this question. Due to a lost wheel, both of my CV axles were replaced about a year ago. I had just had surgery and could not do the work myself that time. Now I'm noticing that the boots are both ripped, and the mechanic that did the work is saying it's because of the lift. (The truck was already lifted when he did the work.) He says I need different axles. I'm trying to figure out:

1. How much lift I have (since I didn't do that part either), and
2. Where to find the right axle for the lift I have.

I've also called several 4x4 shops. One place talked about installing something that drops the transfer case! That sounded sketchy, but I'm new to all this.

I'm grateful for any advice you can give.

 

Transfer case? Maybe the clamshell but still useless. Slide boot mod will be your best bet but will eventually rip.

 

I'm running close to 3" of lift up front and have been running CVJ axles (with their high angle boots) for about 3 years, and they're holding up well. They're pricey though

 

'Lost a wheel' sounds like an LBJ failure, so make sure you addressed the other side if that was the case.

He probably was talking about a diff drop not a transfer case drop. Your lift puts the front diff higher in relation to the hub than stock, meaning the CV has to angle up to hit it. Diff drop lowers it back down a bit to lessen the angle. Directly reduces ground clearance as a result though.
There seems to be pretty mixed opinions on diff drops as a whole, but they do lower the CV axle angle which should length CV life.

I have a diff drop and am lifted ~2.5" with parts-store CVs, I haven't had any boot failures since the lift was installed like 4 years ago.

 

The CV axles themselves are really in two camps- Toyota OEM, or aftermarket (sold at napa, orileys, autozone etc....) usually labeled "OE" (OEM Equivalent). If the shop that replaced the CV's last used the aftermarket OE, they screwed you. The Toyota OEM are almost worth their weight in gold. Even the cores are valuable, cause you can send them to CVJ as mentioned and get back CVJ remans that are just as good or with better boots than original.

Being that's likely you no longer than OEM cv cores, just go get yourself new cvs from whatever part store you perfer and make sure they have lifetime replacement on them. Then just replace them when the boots tear.

You probably mistook the 4x4s on the transfer case thing. There is a "diff drop" which lowers the front attachment points on the front diff 3/4". It does very little in the way of decreasing the cv angles, yet they still exist as something else for these shops to sell and install. To put some gravity on that- I was around when people first starting doing them... I made my own diff drop "kit" from grade 8 bolts and washers. Ran it for awhile (a year?) until I got an aftermarket skid plate, which didn't work with the diff drop; at which point I removed it. that was over 20 years ago, running ~2.5" lift. I've had to reboot my CVs once in that timespan. I have a backup set of rebooted OEM cvs ready to go when necessary.

 

Hi 02 Hilux,

What do you mean by "transfer case?"

Someone was saying since the boot ripped, that the joint is also hyper extending, and in certain situations the knuckle might break apart. Is that true?

 

That's good to know.

And yes, the "lost wheel" was due to ball joints, and destroyed the new axles and new brakes I had already installed. $1,500 later...

 

Maybe you should post a picture of your lift and cvs.

What I am about to explain is only true if the person who lifted the vehicle originally didn't do something idiotic like combine a spacer lift on top of a preload lift, or a preload lift on top of a subframe lift, etc... stacking lifts is bad.

In short- the boots rip because the fins rub together- add dirt/grit into that mix, and they wear out quickly. They rub more on lifted trucks due to the increased angle.

Unless you're running a long travel setup (and even then), the range of motion that the control arms, cv, and knuckle cycle through is relatively fixed if everything is tight. A CV on a lifted truck will experience the exact same cycle as one on a non-lifted truck. Some of the fancy (Kings, Icons, etc) coilovers come in an "extended" version meaning they have like 1/2-3/4" more droop to them, but it's not enough to harm the CVs.

Never seen a knuckle break from a CV related failure. That being said, you can't drive the truck without (at least part of) the cvs installed, as the outer shaft holds the hub onto the knuckle.

 

I agree with everything Andy says here. High axle angles will always cause the CV boots to fail.

Would love to see your installed lift components. Also a photo that shows the ground, wheel and the axle angles at ride height.

 

I'll get some pictures tomorrow. Thanks for all this!

 

To be clear, you want a photo of the lift components on the front, and another picture from the front showing the tire and the CV axle (and the ground)?

I know the front lift is an installed part. I can't think of the name that is on it, and I'm not with the truck right now. The rear has leaf springs mounted to an extended mounting bar (or whatever that is called). It has Old Man Emu shocks on the rear--one of the few repairs I've had to make.

 

Sorry for the delay getting back. I've been working double shifts. Here are the pics:


I can also tell you that a local 4x4 shop looked at it and said the CV axles I have are the right size, but also told me you probably already know: the aftermarket CVs are terrible. Keep your originals and rebuild them if you still have them. At my local dealer they are $568 each.

 

Pictures posted above. Thanks for your help!

 

Those CV axles are not at an extreme angle at all. Definitely should've held up longer than a year, but with parts store-brand axles that's not all that abnormal either.

Just for comparison here's my CVs (at a worse angle), and they've help up well for going on 3 years now:

 

I’ve been running napas axles for years now, since they have lifetime replacement. Even with my diff drop I still go through them due to boot rips pretty often. My local Toyota dealer even suggested and encouraged napas axles.

 

Your CV angles are fine- you don't need a diff drop. That's a fabtech lift. Springs probably are worn out at this point, especially considering extra weight of that bumper. I couldn't easily find the spring rate for them on fabtech's site...

 

What brand are yours?

 

I like NAPA parts usually. Somethings I get from the dealer if I can afford it so I'm not replacing all the time. But the dealer price on CVs is crazy!

 

Thanks for the info--especially regarding the lift! How do I test the springs, or what should I do about that? Is that a "replace the spring," or "replace the whole lift unit?"

 

yeah, most of the parts on my truck are oem which I prefer also, but not my front axles. And I’m fixing to put an aftermarket starter and alternator on tomorrow.
I understand how you feel about it.