Zoidman

Looking for some advice for my 2000 Vette.

Just found out my driver side rear CV axle boot is leaking and spraying grease all over the inside of the wheel.
I'm am very conflicted on what to do. This is my daily driver, so I need it up and running as soon as possible.

• I could pull the axle, and have the boot replaced by an Axle shop in the area. Probably about 50$
  
• I could buy a brand new axle from O'reilly or Autozone
  Autozone Axle 83$
  Oreilly Axle 70$
  
• Get a genuine GM part online
  GM Partshouse: 286$
  GM Parts Center: 295$
• Pucker up and buy it today from my local GM stealership for 449$

Now... a brand new rear axle for around 80$ is SUPER appealing to me.
I'm seriously cash strapped at the moment. The damn car has bled me dry, so... 80$ is really attractive.

But! I do like to the take the car over 100mph sometimes, and don't want to have an axle disintegrate at high speeds.
I can't imagine the NEW parts from O'reillys or AutoZone being too bad, especially with a lifetime warranty! I don't drag race, or even track the car... It's just a quick daily driver.


Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

junk c5

I have always been instructed to stay away from aftermarket half shafts. I would take it and get it re-booted then in the meantime look on the forum for somebody selling a set just to have on the side. Depending on how modded your car is you might need them one day. I've seen a guy locally go mid nine's on factory Chevrolet half shafts .

I tore a boot and had it re-booted for $25. Then a few months later I found somebody on this forum selling a set of OEMs $150 bucks which are sitting in my garage for a rainy day.

Zoidman

I've read the same things about the aftermarket parts... but surely they can't be THAT bad? Can they?

Autozone make all sorts of claims on the product description page
If they weren't meeting the same specs, I would expect there would be recalls, law suites when the part fails, terrible sales, and general uproar from the populous!

My understanding why most people (in the past) didn't like aftermarket half axle's was because of the old cheap style boots. This part claims to have an upgraded neoprene boot, which sounds pretty good to me!

junk c5

Try an aftermarket half shaft. If my car was factory I would. Being that my car went 9.90's leaving softly, I'll stick with OEM or a 300M.

Zoidman

That is some wicked fast times!
I'm sure that car is quite the thrill to drive :-)


Based on shipping times, it looks like I'll have to wait about a week on the current boot before a new part can show up. Is this catastrophic, or do you guys think I can get by driving the car until then?

jackthelad

The trouble is once the boot has gone and the grease has sprayed out, that joint is now running "dry" and is probably toast.

To add to your options - Rockuto sells remanufactured axle shafts, as well as aftermarket units for $49 and change - $75 core charge for the reman unit. I think I might prefer a reman factory shaft to an offbrand.

Zoidman

Excellent advice, thanks!

I didn't realize those parts were re-manufactured OEM part. I assumed they were simply their own offbrand re-manufactured.

I'm going to go ahead and order one right now!

jackthelad

I would call them to confirm; it certainly reads like they are not their own axles.