Looking for advice

Stock 97 max in need of both new 1/2 shafts (been open for months- no symptoms but it can't be good )

I have surfed advance, autozone, rockauto, amazon..

all have something different.. and I don't race the thing.. I drive it to work locally and some highway trips..

Everyone has an opinon why each option ise bad.. but.. i don't want to spend $150 per shaft for the raxels and I doubt with the boot open for 6+ months through winter, I would want to try to rebuild

Basic question.. is.. can I go wrong ? I will only do stuff with lim lifetime so the exposure is hassle of replacing it again i assume.. It has never been done .. 13 years old.. all factory stuff still.. 71,000 miles ..


Choices:
A1 Cardone remanufactured , rockauto has core
Cardone Select new rockauto 65.99+50.79 + shipping no core
Fenco Remanufactured from Advance 59.99 + 36 core
GSP New from Advance 69.99 no core,
Duralast New Autozone 69.99 no core
USA Industries remanufactured 59.99 amazon
Empi New from amazon

Appreciate the advice.

S

 

buy the axle from a local store; if it ever breaks or is defective from the start you can easily go in there and exchange it for a new one.

 

http://www.raxles.com/

 

As you said your choices are raxles.com or parts store axles. If you don't want to lay out the extra bucks for raxles, you'll find proponents of all the big parts store chains in equal amounts. My advice would be this - it doesn't really matter if the shaft is remanufactured or new, because unless you see cracks in it, or it's not straight, it's just a steel bar. Raxles uses reman'ed shafts also. What you want is for the CV joints themselves to be new, and the boots to feel thick, flexible, and tough. You might also try to find out where the joint is made, if it's new. Remans are usually done in Mexico. New - could be anywhere, but if it was me, I'd take a CV joint reman'ed in Mexico over a new joint made in China. That's a judgement based on experience with quality of manufacturing, not race or ethnicity.

 

What ever you do. DO NOT get GSP... had them brand new for a year. Not even and the Boots Ripped right at the collar. Not even dropped or did anything abnormal to them or anything.


I am getting them replaced but I will tell you if these fail. GSP can go F them selfs and I am getting Raxles. I know they are expensive but I don't care who you are, We shouldn't be replacing axles as much as we do on these cars. Its ridiculous to think my Ford I had for 14 years just started to rip and my maxima at 10 years ripped once and again a year later?

 

btw. Raxles. Are basically Custom Axles from various brands and thats what makes them good. He makes them proper and I heard he makes the boots extra strong and the cages and Races are better and shimmed correctly.

 

I don't doubt it that the rexles must be better.. if they are anything like the stock ones.. they got me 12 years before they both tore..

If AZ will take back the duralasts if they boots rip.. forever.. down side is the work involved to keep replacing them? Don't think with my body rusting I will have another 10 years to go on my 70K '97.. I just do hate buying crap..

I got one vote against the GSPs so far..

Not sure I will know how to tell looking at a set I get somewhere locally if they are going to be robust or not..

ug..