Front end maintenance

[Hummerboy]

So finally getting around to changing my leaking axle seals and the mechanic I use estimated it would take about 4 hours to change them... That being said I figured I should go ahead and change the cv half shafts while he was in there. My question is this does the h3 have the same cv that a Colorado or silverado uses? The OEM CVs are $240?!!!! I've seen cardone name thrown around as a good replacement just wondering if there's a GM product that has the same ones that I could pick up for cheaper. Thanks

 

[alrock]

I believe the H3 ones are unique, and that's about the right price for OEM. I've had decent luck so far with the Cardones. I busted one, but I blame my right foot for that one.

If nothing is seized, the job is closer to one hour per side. And with practice, it's a 30 minute job. But a fair billing would likely be 2 hours total.

 

[4speedfunk]

Great plan. Definitely put half-shafts on the list of periodic replacements items...70K miles is probably a good number. More if you're a mall-crawler...less if you off-road alot. Swapping the seals is a huge job for such a small and cheap part...and while you're right there, a half-shaft swap is not any more effort.

There's a bunch of debate on H3 half-shafts, and the quality of aftermarket units. Not only is quality in question...but also the application. Some owners have had the shafts accidentally "un-plug" themselves because the length was too short. Others have had sealing issues and durability issues. Some say the Colorado/Canyon shaft is lighter-duty. None of this stuff can be proved, and when you buy aftermarket shafts...I don't think there is much thought given to them, other than "if it fits...its good". So I prefer to rebuild the factory GM shafts, rather than exchange them for some unknown shaft.

MY HALF-SHAFT STORY:
Because of these rumors...I took mine into a local shop here in Indianapolis to get them rebuilt on the spot. This is a large half-shaft re-builder that sends cores and rebuilt units all over the country....this is ALL they do. All day...every day. The counter guy said it would take about an hour, so I left and came back. I had inspected my original GM shafts quite closely beforehand, and when I returned to the shop...the ones they gave me were not the same shafts. I specifically asked them to NOT exchange them, so I put the brakes on the deal and demanded to see my original shafts. They dug-around in the back and sure enough...my shafts were in the "core bin". They brought them out and we had a little pow-wow at the counter with my dial calipers (which pretty much go everywhere with me). The OD of the main shaft (between the CV boots) was considerably smaller in diameter, and the counter guy sort of acted like he had been caught with is fingers in the pie. He grabbed his lead shop guy...pulled him away from whatever he was working on...and we went into the back room. I watched him disassemble my original GM shafts and install (4) new CVs & boots on them, right in front of me...so there was no question regarding the rebuild. I doubt if any shop would ever go to this length but, the switch & bait got me a tad pissed, and that pretty much necessitated this extra effort to save face.

I still use this shop. They know who I am, (the Hummer guy) and they know I will be checking. I have not had any further issues with them...but this story is an example of what the re-man parts business is like. Old ones go in a bin, and they get rebuilt on a production line...with little to no interest in quality control. I watched the guy do the CV-joint replacement, and quite frankly...anybody with a BFH can do it in a half-hour. So, I feel doing a joint replacement yourself will yield better results than exchanging the entire shaft for some inferior, Chinese, thrown-together, POS. My two cents.

 

[alrock]

Great points CJ. I've watched EMPI half shafts snap without good cause, and Cardone with good cause. I'm talking the middle shaft snapping, not the CV busting. Usually the CVs have busted on the GMs for their failure points. My thought is that the aftermarket ones could be using inferior steel or maybe it's a smaller OD as you suggest.

I'm still "jury out" on the Cardones but being able to buy them for so cheap and being able to swap them quickly, I'm willing to test them. If I get another quick failure or two, I'll be back with GM. But the Cardones have seen a couple of years of use with only the one well-deserved failure.

 

[RamRod]

Great points CJ. I've watched EMPI half shafts snap without good cause, and Cardone with good cause. I'm talking the middle shaft snapping, not the CV busting. Usually the CVs have busted on the GMs for their failure points. My thought is that the aftermarket ones could be using inferior steel or maybe it's a smaller OD as you suggest.

I'm still "jury out" on the Cardones but being able to buy them for so cheap and being able to swap them quickly, I'm willing to test them. If I get another quick failure or two, I'll be back with GM. But the Cardones have seen a couple of years of use with only the one well-deserved failure.

I recently broke a EMPIRE half shaft without good cause, everyone in the group was shocked when it happened