CVJ Axles experience

Just need to vent a little...
I had purchased a complete axle from CVJ which I believed to meet OEM specs from the way they presented their axles. They had said their axles are "CVJ remanufactured OEM", "OEM engineered" and also went on to say how Chinese axles do not meet OEM specs which lead me to believe their axles are identical to OEM. With that being said I ordered it, really nice lady on the phone and fast shipping...yay for me right? Well it arrived and I disassembled it since I just needed the core for the total chaos extended axle shaft and it didn't go as planned. The fitting was off and btw, the total chaos shaft is the same as an OEM shaft besides the length. I also compared it to my other OEM shaft which was also disassembled and it did not match their axle. Aghh ok well I'll just return it. I emailed them saying how it did not work out since their axle wasn't OEM and the guy appologised and said if I just ship it back on my dime they won't charge me a return fee. I was a little frustrated t that, their product was misleading but whatever I'll just send it back. Next email I sent them was a picture of how they were different (the groves and diameter were different) and he replies with something about how theirs is manufactured in Japan and mine was manufactured in the west and then what frustrated me was that he said I'll most likely get a refund deduction for disassembling the axle. Btw before I shipped it back I reassembled the axle... I'll wait and see if I get a deduction on my refund

Besides that here is their website http://www.cvjreman.com/axles.php
The axle was $200 and good quility but didn't meet OEM specs

 

mind posting your pictures?

 

They are supposed to be rebuilt OEM axels. Both of mine were OEM. Someone probably sent back a non OEM core and they didn't catch it

I will vouch for their service. I had a boot fail and it was out of warranty and I called the lady (I forgot her name) and said it was out of warranty and wanted a quote to replace the boot. She said, "no problem, send it in, we'll do it for free."

 

I'd say they're a little different. I ordered 2 replacements from CVJ about a year and a half ago and the 2 axles I got from them were about an inch shorter than my OEM shafts.....I made it work but its pretty tight.

 

I do believe they have great quality parts and yeah the lady was very nice but I don't think thats the case since the shafts still don't match up...

 

Yeah they are just a little different but that difference means a lot. The shaft went in with ease with an actual OEM core that I ended up buying.

 

Like I said, they probably have some none OEM shafts from people who send in non OEM cores and they don't catch it. I know I sent in two OEM cores with my purchase.

 

Just got another email from them, apparently Toyota makes two different kinds of axles for the Tacoma... maybe thats the case but theirs is different from my 2007 OEM axle that came right off my truck as well as a brand new axle I got from the dealership last week.
I'm just sick of their excuses, first they tell me they may have sent me the wrong one, then it had to do with where they were made and now they're telling me Toyota makes 2 different kinds of axles for the tacoma...I don't see why they can't just say sorry and admit their axles are different than OEM as well as threaten me with fee's.

 

If you paid with a credit card they will settle the problem.

 

Because they don't make their own axels Their entire buisness is rebuilding OEM axels; not sure how a non OEM axel got into the fray but you are the first Ive heard that had this issue. I would ask them to send a second pair.

 

Yeah...not possible. Especially if all they do is specialize in axles. I've taken apart 4 cv's completely and can tell the difference without disassembling.

Hmm. Interesting.

Only go for OEM. I bought one brand new to tear apart and I found some used with blown boots .

Wouldn't waste my time, 99.9% of their customers don't do what he's trying to do.

 

Last update, I'll get my full refund back besides for the shipping I had to pay for to send it back.
I'm still curios to know if Toyota actually does make 2 different kinds of cv axles for the 2nd gen 6 lug...

 

Only one PN I've found...

 

I think the difference is for the auto locking hubs vs the manual locking hubs. I'm considering ordering axles from cvj, and not installing the "import direct" I bought from oreillys. Any update on this since?

 

They are wrong and you are right,have your credit card company do a charge back.

 

Update so far:

Haven't finished with my CV's yet, lots of conflicting information regarding best option for replacing CV boots.
I did take my wheel off and verified that yes, my axle nut is actually 35mm (I don't know why the O'reillys new axle had 41mm nut).

I bought new OEM CV boots from the dealer with grease, for about $100. Comes with all 4 new CV boots and grease. A local shop is going to inspect, regrease/rebuild my CV shafts, for like 20 or 30 bucks a shaft. CVJ, altogether wanted like $430, and they install neoprene boots unless upgraded.

I stopped at NAPA and inspected their rebuilt CV axles. Based on what CVJ claims is the way to identify an OEM axle - it looked like the NAPA rebuilt was an OEM rebuilt (tri-lobal metal part on the diff side). Also the NAPA rebuilt axles are like $65 a piece... BUT they have neoprene boots and not the good OEM ones.

So at this point hard to say, plan is next week on my next day off going to pull the CVs, take them to the shop, and if they say they aren't worth rebuilding then I'll go with the NAPA rebuilt ones I suppose.

 

Oops wrong thread...

 

So what exactly was the issue? The shaft having ome groove vs two?

 

Cheap auto part store CV Axles don’t hold up long...especially if your truck is lifted. Been there. When I bought my truck used from the dealer, it had aftermarket cv axles. The boots didn’t last long. I ended up replacing both cv axles with CVJ 9808 TR CV Axles. I recently noticed that my passenger inner boot(red silicone high angle boot) tore open and spit grease all over. It lasted almost 3 years. I have about 3” of lift in the front though. I think I’m going to lower the front end after I replace the cv axle to see it that helps. The red boots don’t last as long as the more durable plastic OEM ones but, if you have lift and don’t want the boot fins to rub, it’s just part of it I guess.