Parts Store Half Shafts

[Blkkbgt]

First off my car will never see the strip again so I don't see the need for upgraded shafts and I don't ride around on drag radials either. Currently my half shafts are in so so condition but all 4 of the boots are showing their age and are cracking on the outboard edge of the clamps. So this lead me down the path of replacing all the boots, cleaning up the shafts and ends and painting them with POR-15 since they are rusted like just about all the others out there.

When I add up the cost of the boots, clamps, clamp tool and paint I am not far off the cost of half shafts from the parts store with far less hassle. I checked rock auto and I can get a set to my door for $180 with no core charge too.

The other aspect of this is I am worried about what I will find when I take the boots off. Everything that I have set out to fix has turned into a much more involved project and I wouldn't be surprised if I find something wrong with my half shafts. Fixing the issues on my IRS has started eating into my budget pretty hard with all the stuff I have had to replace/buy recently.

Hopefully some of you have some experiences with store bought half shafts they can share. I know OE replacements or rebuilding mine would be best but the price of the store replacements makes the decision hard.

 

[olympic]

I gave up replacing CV boots/rebuilding axles many years ago, it's a major PITA and most times I couldn't even get the shaft out of the joints. The RA axles look descent and have a lifetime warranty, I say go for it and save your sanity and shop towels!

 

[Blkkbgt]

I gave up replacing CV boots/rebuilding axles many years ago, it's a major PITA and most times I couldn't even get the shaft out of the joints. The RA axles look descent and have a lifetime warranty, I say go for it and save your sanity and shop towels!

Thanks for the response. I am leaning hard in that direction especially for the price. I just hope they are at least as strong as the stockers.

 

[Blkkbgt]

I just pulled the trigger on the Rock Auto half shafts. I'll post up how they compare to the stock ones when they show up.

 

[03' White Snake]

Let me know how these work out, I'd be interested in picking up another as a spare. I have 1 stock as a spare now, but 2 are always better than 1.

 

[Blkkbgt]

Let me know how these work out, I'd be interested in picking up another as a spare. I have 1 stock as a spare now, but 2 are always better than 1.

I plan on doing a full side by side of the half shafts and updating this thread.

One thing I wish I had done before I ordered them was do research into the manufacturer GSP. They seem to be hit and miss from the reviews I have come across. I also have some concerns about the thickness of the shafts. From the pictures I have seen on Rock Auto the shafts may be a smaller diameter than stock which is an instant fail and return situation for me but we will see.

I'll have the shafts in hand Monday and due to work I will be updating this thread later next week with pictures and comparisons.

 

[03' White Snake]

Yea, they look like the 99-01 center shafts, not the 03-04. It is the spline count that really matters. They claim to be correct, but in the past, every replacement I looked for were all wrong.

 

[01yellercobra]

01's have the 31 spline inner CV. So it'll "work". But I grenaded one on a hard 1-2 shift getting on the freeway. Granted I was on drag radials and around 600hp at the time. I wouldn't chance it personally.

 

[Blkkbgt]

Wow you guys are inspiring some serious confidence lol!

 

[01yellercobra]

Wow you guys are inspiring some serious confidence lol!

To be fair when I grenaded mine it wasn't the actual shaft that broke. It was the inner CV joint. The 99/01 inner CV's are smaller than the 03/04. I would just try to track down an 03/04 shaft.

 

[Blkkbgt]

To be fair when I grenaded mine it wasn't the actual shaft that broke. It was the inner CV joint. The 99/01 inner CV's are smaller than the 03/04. I would just try to track down an 03/04 shaft.

To be clear I don't need a shaft I am just trying to avoid rebuilding mine because the cost of all 4 boots alone is nearly the cost of both shafts. I figured I'd give it a shot and see what I end up with.

 

[01yellercobra]

To be clear I don't need a shaft I am just trying to avoid rebuilding mine because the cost of all 4 boots alone is nearly the cost of both shafts. I figured I'd give it a shot and see what I end up with.

Where are you looking for boots?

 

[Blkkbgt]

Where are you looking for boots?

FTBR, ebay and Amazon. The inners are available from Dorman and have so so reviews, most people claim they are super thin.

The outers at $50 each for neoprene and half that for 2 Empi rubber boots. Then factor in the banding tool and bands plus some POR15 for the rust and it adds up quick.

 

[01yellercobra]

There's a place that specializes in CV boots. Rockford might be the name. I picked up replacement boots for my DSS halfshafts from them and it was relatively cheap IIRC.

 

[Blkkbgt]

I got one of the shafts in early yesterday and had about 15 minutes to get it out of the box and make a very quick comparison. These things are nothing short of a FAIL. I will get some pictures and measurements up soon. With that said do not bother buying these shafts.

The very fist thing I noticed is the center shaft is substantially smaller. I did a quick measurement with my el cheapo HF digital caliper. The stock shafts measure 1.7 inches and the new shafts measure a poultry 1.2 inches. That is literally a 33% reduction in diameter and unless they are made of stronger material I doubt these things would handle a single launch from a stock Terminator on street tires let alone drag radials or slicks.

Next I noticed the length seems to be off. Yes I know the shafts change length so to speak and no matter how I extend or retract the new shaft it seems to be about 1/4in shorter.

From here I will be making some more in depth measurements and comparisons with pictures.

So again STAY AWAY FROM GSP half shafts for these cars.

 

[01yellercobra]

Sounds like they sent you 01 half shafts.

 

[Blkkbgt]

Sounds like they sent you 01 half shafts.

I think they are using the same shafts and just changing the ends. GSP has different part numbers for the different years.

 

[Blkkbgt]

Here are the measurements of the shafts I promised.

Sent from my SM-G970U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[Blkkbgt]

These shafts are not even safe to run. Notice the hubs slide all the way down on the splines. There's no taper to them and you can see by the first pick the nuts would never provide a shred of clamping load.

Sent from my SM-G970U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[Blkkbgt]

Old and new hubs on the O.E shaft for comparison. Yes this is normal and the way the O.E. shafts were designed if you didn't know.

Sent from my SM-G970U using the svtperformance.com mobile app