Cv axles

[mgFray]

I just got the summit shafts (all 4) as backups. I figure it's cheap insurance, but maybe that is all it is. Have something I can put on temporarily, but then order the AMG part for a real fix?

Any idea why it failed? Lost the boot/grease? Not enough grease internally for lubrication? etc?

 

[Mogman]

I just got the summit shafts (all 4) as backups. I figure it's cheap insurance, but maybe that is all it is. Have something I can put on temporarily, but then order the AMG part for a real fix?

Any idea why it failed? Lost the boot/grease? Not enough grease internally for lubrication? etc?

Yes, the boot split and released all the grease, this split looks different than the failures that I know were caused by over-speed, but I have 4 of the Autozone shafts on the Detroit and have had no issues with them even though it cruises at 75 comfortably and has allot of miles on them.

It is hard to actually blame the shaft failures on the DuraVee solely on the half shafts themselves, I twist these much faster than 99.9% of the other drivers do.
I have thought about re-calibrating the governor to limit top end, but would regret if I ever needed it and it was not there...
I rebuilt an Autozone shaft on the right side with OEM boots and it has held up fine for a couple years so that is what I'm going to do here..
EDIT, rebuilding the shafts are not hard I just hate the MESS!!

2ND EDIT, I do not remember anyone else complaining about the aftermarket shafts, (the AutoZone and Summit look to be the exact same but for the part number) the only bad review I remember online was a complaint about getting the wrong shaft.

 

[Mogman]

I will add pictures to this post when I get the shaft out, I did not think I had "oversped" this shaft and I thought the split looked different, upon closer inspection the boot split directly down the mold seam, clearly a product failure, would it have happened to someone that drives 55-60 who knows...
Now we get to see how the Summit warrantee works....
OK so now there is at least one confirmed failure of the Summit half shafts, GM rates the 1996-2000 H1 at a max 83MPH, we have speed limits in Texas on some roads of 85MPH.
I never exceeded 80MPH on this shaft so this is in my opinion a legitimate product failure.
Of course any product can have a failure.

 

[Mogman]

The Autozone shaft I pulled off about 3 weeks ago rebuilt with OEM 10K boots will go back on.
Messy job!!

On the road again!!! We will see if I can complete my supply run tomorrow!

 

[TOBASH]

Thinking about the ballooning problem, I looked around on the internet a bit and found a few examples of CV boots equipped with anti-ballooning rings. Some pictures and a file with links:

View attachment 882419 View attachment 882420 View attachment 882421 View attachment 882422

I was thinking about a series of large O-rings. One each in each of the flex areas. Zip ties would eventually eat away at the boot IMHO.

 

[Mogman]

I was thinking about a series of large O-rings. One each in each of the flex areas. Zip ties would eventually eat away at the boot IMHO.

Well at least for my rear shafts it should no longer be a problem, the OEM boots are more like plastic than rubber so they do not balloon out like the Chinese boots and now both shafts have OEM boots on them.
I guess the moral of this story is if you have 10K shafts just rebuild them (if not burned up), if you have 7K shafts give the aftermarket ones a try unless you are a nut job like me...
I did talk to the guy at Autozone some time ago and he looked and said they had sold a ton of these shafts so at least as far as the Autozone shafts are concerned we would probably have had more feedback if they had a high failure rate, I guess the jury is out on the Summit shafts, they look to be made by the same manufacturer but the first one I tried failed, still that may not mean anything.

 

[Mogman]

Summit has come back to me three times so far asking questions, it is obvious they are looking for a way to deny my warrantee claim, I am not amused, this will be the last business I will ever do with Summit.

 

[Mullaney]

Summit has come back to me three times so far asking questions, it is obvious they are looking for a way to deny my warrantee claim, I am not amused, this will be the last business I will ever do with Summit.

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That's a dang shame. I have bought a lot of Hot Rod parts from them. Heat shielding material and plug wires too. All with no more than one call to solve my complaints. Only twice, but their customer service was impeccable.

Maybe you got the dumb one on the phone today...

 

[Mogman]

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That's a dang shame. I have bought a lot of Hot Rod parts from them. Heat shielding material and plug wires too. All with no more than one call to solve my complaints. Only twice, but their customer service was impeccable.

Maybe you got the dumb one on the phone today...

Maybe that is the problem, I went the email route so I could send pictures, they said I will receive a return label from UPS.

 

[TOBASH]

I have two spare sets. One AutoZone and one Summit. I will just rebuild if and when the time comes.

My 1165 has 12K so that’s a new kettle of fish I guess.

Sorry you’re not being treated right by Summit.

 

[Mogman]

I have still not received a return label from Summit, this was supposed to have been emailed to me last Tue, several contacts have not given any results.
Simple trick, if you rebuild your half shafts and wonder if they are leaking, tape a piece of white paper to the rear of the truck, even a very small leak will show itself pretty quickly.

As you can see there is oil all over the rear from the original failure so this is an easy way to check.
I have tried laundry detergent, dish soap and high pressure car wash, this graphite based oil is tough to get off of CARC.