Axle Seal?
02-27-2014, 12:17 PM
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 3
Axle Seal?
First let me say Hello, I'm new! I searched and didn't come up with the answer. I have a 2002 Infiniti i35. I have had a few issues with suspension etc. I had a grinding sound and took it into a mechanic that seemed pretty good based off reviews and I had them do some things on my old M3 in the past.
Turns out it was a wheel bearing in the front passenger side. I paid approx. $400+ for the repair. It came with a warranty and at the same time the Mech offered additional repairs like brakes ETC.
About a month or two later (barely driven) My wife noticed a intermittent sound coming from the wheel. I then noticed a bit of feeling in the wheel along with the sound. I then made an appointment with the Mechanic> I thought it would be free as the wheel bearing inspect was. No, $35 and will not go towards repair? What? So I mention the other work and they say leave it and we will call you. Turns out that it is a axle bearing over the phone and a axle seal on the quote. Not related and was not tapered during wheel bearing replacement. Another $400+ for axle bearing/ seal? Does this sound right? Would they remove seal when doing wheel bearing? The service manual shows a lot of parts that need replacement while doing this work, but no matter how much I search axle seal it doesn't exist but for sale online for $6? Can someone shed some light please?
Turns out it was a wheel bearing in the front passenger side. I paid approx. $400+ for the repair. It came with a warranty and at the same time the Mech offered additional repairs like brakes ETC.
About a month or two later (barely driven) My wife noticed a intermittent sound coming from the wheel. I then noticed a bit of feeling in the wheel along with the sound. I then made an appointment with the Mechanic> I thought it would be free as the wheel bearing inspect was. No, $35 and will not go towards repair? What? So I mention the other work and they say leave it and we will call you. Turns out that it is a axle bearing over the phone and a axle seal on the quote. Not related and was not tapered during wheel bearing replacement. Another $400+ for axle bearing/ seal? Does this sound right? Would they remove seal when doing wheel bearing? The service manual shows a lot of parts that need replacement while doing this work, but no matter how much I search axle seal it doesn't exist but for sale online for $6? Can someone shed some light please?
02-27-2014, 08:27 PM
#2
What it sounds like is that the CV joint in the axle is bad and they are going to replace the axle and the old seal in the differential where the axle goes into it. When they replaced the wheel bearing, they would not have to remove the axle to do that. Replacing the axle oil seal is recommended when replacing the axle. The axle seal is difficult to look up because a lot of places don't call it an axle seal. It is something like an output shaft seal.
However - if the current problem is really the CV joint like I'm thinking, I have to wonder about the mechanic's eyesight. When you take the steering knuckle off to do the wheel bearing, you are staring right at the CV joint of the axle. 999 times out of 1000, the rubber boot that covers the CV joint tears apart, allowing water, salt and dirt into the joint. The rubber boot will have ripped open months before the CV joint starts making noise.
To have replaced the axle at the same time when the wheel bearing was done might have gotten you a little bit of a discount on labor, but not much.
But the charging you $35 to diagnose the car is a ripoff. Then they add insult to injury when they won't give you the $35 credit if they do the repair.
The price they gave you to replace the axle (if that is what they are going to do) seems about normal. They can buy the axle for about $110-125. They will charge you about $200 for it and 2 to 2.5 hours of labor at $100 and hour to install it.
However - if the current problem is really the CV joint like I'm thinking, I have to wonder about the mechanic's eyesight. When you take the steering knuckle off to do the wheel bearing, you are staring right at the CV joint of the axle. 999 times out of 1000, the rubber boot that covers the CV joint tears apart, allowing water, salt and dirt into the joint. The rubber boot will have ripped open months before the CV joint starts making noise.
To have replaced the axle at the same time when the wheel bearing was done might have gotten you a little bit of a discount on labor, but not much.
But the charging you $35 to diagnose the car is a ripoff. Then they add insult to injury when they won't give you the $35 credit if they do the repair.
The price they gave you to replace the axle (if that is what they are going to do) seems about normal. They can buy the axle for about $110-125. They will charge you about $200 for it and 2 to 2.5 hours of labor at $100 and hour to install it.
Last edited by DennisMik; 02-27-2014 at 08:29 PM.
02-28-2014, 06:50 AM
#3
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 3
What it sounds like is that the CV joint in the axle is bad and they are going to replace the axle and the old seal in the differential where the axle goes into it. When they replaced the wheel bearing, they would not have to remove the axle to do that. Replacing the axle oil seal is recommended when replacing the axle. The axle seal is difficult to look up because a lot of places don't call it an axle seal. It is something like an output shaft seal.
However - if the current problem is really the CV joint like I'm thinking, I have to wonder about the mechanic's eyesight. When you take the steering knuckle off to do the wheel bearing, you are staring right at the CV joint of the axle. 999 times out of 1000, the rubber boot that covers the CV joint tears apart, allowing water, salt and dirt into the joint. The rubber boot will have ripped open months before the CV joint starts making noise.
To have replaced the axle at the same time when the wheel bearing was done might have gotten you a little bit of a discount on labor, but not much.
But the charging you $35 to diagnose the car is a ripoff. Then they add insult to injury when they won't give you the $35 credit if they do the repair.
The price they gave you to replace the axle (if that is what they are going to do) seems about normal. They can buy the axle for about $110-125. They will charge you about $200 for it and 2 to 2.5 hours of labor at $100 and hour to install it.
However - if the current problem is really the CV joint like I'm thinking, I have to wonder about the mechanic's eyesight. When you take the steering knuckle off to do the wheel bearing, you are staring right at the CV joint of the axle. 999 times out of 1000, the rubber boot that covers the CV joint tears apart, allowing water, salt and dirt into the joint. The rubber boot will have ripped open months before the CV joint starts making noise.
To have replaced the axle at the same time when the wheel bearing was done might have gotten you a little bit of a discount on labor, but not much.
But the charging you $35 to diagnose the car is a ripoff. Then they add insult to injury when they won't give you the $35 credit if they do the repair.
The price they gave you to replace the axle (if that is what they are going to do) seems about normal. They can buy the axle for about $110-125. They will charge you about $200 for it and 2 to 2.5 hours of labor at $100 and hour to install it.
DennisMik: Thank you for your response. This is what I was confused about. You answered it perfectly and appreciate the time you took to do so. I now know my direction and will at least take it to another shop. If anybody knows of a good Nissan/ Infiniti Mechanic in San Diego? Again Sir thanks
03-06-2014, 07:35 PM
#4
Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 240
Hmmm.... How do they know that the axle seals are bad? Is it trans fluid leaking from the CV where it's entering the dif? I've done two cv axle jobs on Maximas, and both times the dif seals were fine and I didn't have to replace. They are hard to get to and you need a special tool to insert them right per the manual.
I think you're right to get a second opinion if your not doing the work yourself. Although, your mechanic is in line with his prices. $35 for a check up isn't bad, and $400 for a wheel bearing job isn't bad either. The dealer wanted to charge me $575! If you do wheel bearing yourself, you're talkin $50 for wheel bearing parts, $100 to have someone press it in, and it's pretty labor intensive.
In regrds to axle bearing, You can get both CV Joints new for $100 from Rock Auto and they come with a new axle bearing, but again, it's pretty labor intensive. $400 isn't too bad for that job, but make sure that they are replacing both axles new with the axle bearing.
I think you're right to get a second opinion if your not doing the work yourself. Although, your mechanic is in line with his prices. $35 for a check up isn't bad, and $400 for a wheel bearing job isn't bad either. The dealer wanted to charge me $575! If you do wheel bearing yourself, you're talkin $50 for wheel bearing parts, $100 to have someone press it in, and it's pretty labor intensive.
In regrds to axle bearing, You can get both CV Joints new for $100 from Rock Auto and they come with a new axle bearing, but again, it's pretty labor intensive. $400 isn't too bad for that job, but make sure that they are replacing both axles new with the axle bearing.
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