Contest: Advanced Auto parts $69.99 axles, how long will they last?
 

Don't do it unless you are in a pinch like me.

Good: Price, "Limited" Lifetime warranty backed by the store (no shipping it anywhere if it goes bad, but will they really back it?).
Bad: Build quality. I had to send 1 back with backed out bolts holding the heads, still kinda questioning the amount of grease around the axle joints. Input shafts a bit munged.
Ugly: They don't fit with the shims shims, but they don't leak at the diff either. Without the shims they sit snug with the clip rings in but who knows. It could be a recipe for disaster.

I recommend purchasing quality axles from places like Fastlane where you know you get quality parts. My old junkyard ones ($35) were clacking away and humming at speed (my commute is only 12 miles round trip to work, so I procrastinate). The last one found (in a pinch during low inventory season at that yard) did not even have any boot remaining. Unfortunately it looks like my diff is showing some bad wear, it is a matter of time before a rebuild or replacement (But hey 338k miles isn't shabby either.

I am offering 1 euro headlight leveling switch as grand prize (with free shipping) in the following contest. He (or she) who comes closest to the failure of the first axle in terms of hundreds of miles without going over the actual number wins! This contest will close as of Feb 27th (we leave for Miss Fri night).

10,000 miles Drew.

three weeks

It will fail the farthest from your home. Probably at night, and there will be a rabid pack of dogs nearby. Oh, on a very narrow shoulder with 75mph bumper to bumper traffic. I adhere to a strict belief in Murphy's law. I crack me up. :)


Jay

mine have been on for 6mths of 85MPH highway driving ( he types with fingers crossed) so far no issues

It will start making wierd noises in about 7,000 miles.

thats what a good radio is for

10k miles

That was my bid...don't you know how to play "The Mileage is Right"? :D

10,001,Bob

You'll get curious and check them in 1,500 miles, only to find they suddenly have excess slop and fluid is dribbling from the differential.

For a non-Mercedes, I once had the joy of a halfshaft from Advance that lasted 0 feet. The moment I let out the clutch after installing it, a joint exploded. Lame.

8 months and 5k on mine and I have all fingers crossed.

haha read your mind :)

200 miles.

i had a reman do that to me last year. axle was fine for a few k of shorter trips. one long extended drive (first one) to PA, and reliably after 250 miles it started making noises. did it on the way home too.

was fine doing city driving for several more k before i got around to replacing it with a warranty part.

by the way, the reman was a CVJ, but their customer service that came with the situation was outstanding.

dd

I have cardone reman Axles on my car from Kragen (same company as Advanced). In about 1 year and half, put on 20,000 miles on the first set before the 2.88 diff modification. When I took them out, the cans were all loose and spitting out grease out of the seams, and the boots were starting to have surface cracks. I went back to Kragen and handed them back. They gave me new ones. Well see how long these last..... But I should of put on my friends used set of CVJs he had laying in my garage.


My bet is 20,000 miles, the cans get loose, spits out grease and the boots have surface cracks!