KEVOZS8

I have balanced all 4 rims/wheels ,the problem is that one of my wheel the front passenger side was damaged from inside the wheel ,this is due that in my country we have a lot off "HOLES" so I replaced the tire , balanced it and the vibration problem was solved .

silverd2

The perfect thread (I think) to rant a little (a lot, actually) about the WAY too commonly misdiagnosed symptoms that DO NOT come from CV's and axle shafts, due in large part to information coming from the "good & honest" folks (BS) at Raxles.

In this specific case (KEVOZS8) , symptom #1 on Raxles troubleshooting guide told him (if he and others read it) it was a shaft, when it rarely ever is, unless the car has been off-roaded or wrecked...many unlearned home mechanics and "guessers" have said the same thing and have been correct maybe 2% of the time (almost always turns out to be a tire, wheel or rarely a diff problem)...and then only with a badly damaged inner tripod roller joint that shows all kinds of other symptoms, too. Raxles says it and list the only solution as an axle swap, because and only because they have an agenda to sell their product, NOT to solve the real problem.

Besides a website riddled with deceptive wording about their components, most every symptom they list in their TS guide (see below...bordering on or well into criminally deceptive advertising) is infinitely more likely to be something other than a CV or axle shaft:

#1 - see above

#2 - Much more likely a control arm, motor or trans mount, worn diff...A perfectly working diff, considering the design of helical gears (no choice but to have play, right from the factory) can (and does) do this with some degree of "clunk".

#4 - A common symptom of tires (bad alignment riding outside teeth of tread, cheap tires, tread cross section cupped from over-inflation, etc) or a dry differential...almost NEVER if ever a CV or axle.

#5 - Same reason and symptom as #2...almost NEVER a CV or shaft symptom.

#7 - INFINITELY more likely a trans problem, unless ONLY in a low speed steering locked in a VERY low-speed turn...rarely, if EVER, straight ahead or at speed.

#8 - Completely inadequate description of a symptom (way too general)...could be anything else (engine, trans, diff, tires, etc)...almost never a CV unless, again, a BADLY failed inner tripod joint showing a myriad of other symptoms, too.

IMPORTANT NOTE >>>
They conspicuously leave out (why?...I don't have a clue) the most common symptom of all for an outer CV failing (much more prone to failure due to ripped boots un-sighted & left un-repaired...inner boots rarely EVER rip at any mileage...little stress compared to the vastly more movement of out CV boots) .
The symptom being: Feedback through the steering wheel rocking back and forth a few degrees during a dead slow full-lock or near lock turn under light or heavier throttle. This occurs, more often than not, well before any audible clicking is evident under the same low speed hard turn (parking lot) condition.

Although I'm sure Raxles are a merely adequate 1/2-price compromise to getting the BEST possible quality OEM axle shafts (KEEP THEM IF THEY'RE WORKING!!!..just replace boot, clean joint and repack with new grease)...especially (I assume?) compared to autoparts store cheap brands...in particular "EMPI" (worst in the industry and guaranteed to fail spectacularly and at low mileage).

I've lost count of online and local accounts of unsuspecting car owners replacing PERFECT OEM shafts (good for at least 1/4 million miles when maintained properly) with Raxles or other lesser brands, because of misread symptoms epitomized by (and unknowingly believed) Raxles pure-crap and PURPOSELY DECEPTIVE troubleshooting guide. They, much more often than not, find the misdiagnosed symptom remaining...but "say" (to save face) they still feel good about having a "new" shaft in there, even though they just sent Raxles their perfectly working $600-700 OE shaft (the toughest, longest lasting & most precisely manufactured shaft made) as a required core???!!!!

Admittedly, people quite often (due almost EXCLUSIVELY to long term boot neglect) do actually need to replace CV joints (entire shaft replacement is just a lazy and cheap option)...BUT, myself?... I would NOT likely, in good conscience & out of principle, do business with Raxles just because of their purposely "engineered" deceptive trouble shooting guide and carefully worded sales website...I would just replace the offending joint with an OEM from a reputable source...cost not that different and maintaining the original quality.

In 40 years of always maintaining my own countless VW's, Porsche's and Audi's, I have NEVER had to replace an OEM shaft or joint at ANY mileage.
...all perfect, except for a '77 Rabbit outer joint that I purposely (personal experiment) allowed to run without a boot (after it started ripping) which finally, after a couple of months, showed the most common early symptom of failure: rocking steering feedback at very low speed hard turns...it was weeks later before the joint starting clicking loud & trying to forcibly pull the steering back straight during slow turns. Then I replaced the offending joint only with an OEM.

Rant ended.

Now, take a look at the horrible advice load of crap below >>>

Cheers

KEVOZS8

I measure them with both joints on the shaft the measure is not accurate 100 % but there is a little tiny difference but of course my problem was not from the shaft obviously. thank you for your help