CV Axles - Napa new - can't get cotter pin locked

Is the issue that the cotter pin isn't lining up with the notches in the castle nut? Just keep torquing it down until the notch lines up with the hole. It's fine if you torque it over 175 ft/lbs, you just don't want to under-torque it to make it line up.

 

It's that the nut is too far recessed when torqued down properly.

Mine was the same way until I looked in the box and found the extra piece inside.

 

huh yeah that makes sense, the cotter pin will sit above the castle nut and not really do much. Well...in any case I think he'd be fine to rock it as-is...as long as it's torqued properly it should not come loose. The cotter pin definitely doesn't play a role in keeping everything intact its just a Hail Mary fail safe in case the axle nut breaks loose lol. Which it shouldn't, but he could button it up for now then grab the right spacer and put it on once he's got it.

 

Yep

Same goes for manual hubs; pull off the hub dial/cover and you'll find a bolt and large washer at the end.

Not required but also a failsafe in case the c clip/snap ring fails -



Funny how a lot of people don't even know about it cause it seems a lot of trucks don't even have the bolt in place.

 

The axle nut in the OPs pic looks like it doesn't have the little 'crown' or top piece (circled in red in 2nd pic) that the OEM axles come with...that little piece usually sits on top of the axle nut and extends out a bit, would probably make it so it reaches the cotter pin.

I've had to reuse this little crown thing many times because some aftermarket axles don't come with one

 

Yep!

That's it; That's the part I found in my box.

 

Dont think those retainers work with castellated nuts though. Thats why OP said he was going to try and source a regular nut and a retainer on the first page.

 

Hmm yeah you're right, now that I think about it I don't believe the axle nut I've used is castellated like his. Been awhile since I swapped my last one. I guess that would explain why some come with the crown and others don't.

 

On a somewhat-related topic, this might prove helpful for future readers...

I can't remember where I posted this before on TW, but I stumbled across a thread on T4R.org (or perhaps a different site) that had discovered NAPA CV's are re-branded Cardone CV's. NAPA basically just chucks a sticker on them and calls them their own.

You can buy Cardone CV's off Rock Auto. Might save some money ordering through them instead of NAPA.

 

I would have loved to order from RockAuto, Unfortunately they don't ship to most cities in Colorado due to local taxes needing to be collected. If you have an address that is not subject to city taxes then they will ship.

 

The only advantage though to getting them from Napa would be the lifetime warranty, Rockauto might offer it too but then you have to ship it and wait for the new one. With Napa and other part stores, you just take the axle in and they swap it for a new one right there.

Back in the day Napa was known for having the best aftermarket part store axles but, I don't think that's the case anymore. Cardone makes a ton of CV axles for other stores too that are rebranded and sold as something else.

 

Excellent point. I forgot to factor in their warranty!

 

FWIW - I found the post I mentioned above:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/help-selecting-a-replacement-cv-axle.648590/#post-22524724

Interestingly, I forgot my Cardone CV's came with a very thick washer.

 

Napa is selling Chinese crap like the rest of them... you might be on to something

 

Success - stock nut and retainer will work great.

Nut - 90178-28002
Retainer - 43525-35010

 

Good . thanks for follow up. I think I was wrong by saying just neede spacer. didn't realize the oem nut was flanged. sorry

 

A spacer would have solved the problem nicely. They used to supply one.