Drive shaft brands - what to go for, what to avoid

[el_freddo]

G'day all.

 

I'm looking at new front (and rear, later) half shafts/drive shafts. I have used a company called GSR I think, anyway they were made in china, copped a flogging for about 20 months but have now given up the ghost - too noisy for my liking.

 

After then fitting a second hand set I had in the shed and getting a weird vibration, I worked out that it was the drive shafts that was causing it. I now have another second hand set, history unknown, going well, eliminated the vibration but they click when crawling on the street in traffic (in a straight line), while cornering and anything under 45 miles an hour.

 

So with all of that I'm considering a new set of shafts but don't want anything made from china as that seems to be all we can get over here I've looked on Rockauto.com and have found EMPI but no details as to where they're made. I'm keen for something that's made in america or canada as I would say that they will be far superior to anything from china.

 

If anyone here can suggest brands or specific items that have served you well, I'll be keen to know about them. My search for parts pretty much stops at rockauto when looking OS.

 

Cheers

 

Bennie

[idosubaru]

this is covered in depth all the time. avoid any aftermarket axles. go with MWE since you have extra cores hanging around. or - get a $30 used one from the junk yard that's an original subaru axle and have it rebooted, i do this all the time. that's what i do and it beats all the issues i've had with aftermarkets which are a waste of time. it's a little extra effort but inexpensive and 100% successful.

[87.5ea82txt]

I got a rebuilt one from partsgeek for $50 after the core charge. Not sure if they will ship to where you are, but is the best deal I have found.

[misledxcracker]

Honestly, I've never had a problem with cheapie remans from the local store, and well, I did have quite a problem putting them on

 

But I still say if you can afford it, yeah, go OEM and re-boot, i have used Empi before, they are good quality. MWE seems to be a good product but I've never used them myself....

 

Get well acquainted with your CV axles

[el_freddo]

Thanks fellas,

 

Thinking I'll grab a set of cheapies to see me to the end of the year before I go with the L AWD gearbox and a set of 25 spline shafts - then I'll be looking at OEM shafts for the long haul

 

I guess I'll do a search for more feedback too - always forget about that function, its a really bad habit of mine

 

Cheers

 

Bennie