[barnaby]

I just installed a new aftermarket cv axle. With the front end lifted and off the ground, and the suspension drooping, it is binding when I attempt to spin the rotor. I have Donahoe billet spacers installed, which are supposed to yeild 2.5 of lift. I was told that these don't over extend the suspension, but I don't fully grasp how these differ from other spacers that do. This lift has been on for about a year.

I still have the OEM one on the other side and it is in the same position, (off the ground) and there is no bind. The reason that I was replacing the OEM's is because I torqued them a bit a month or so ago causing them to barf grease from the inners. Thought they were broken but they weren't, but they have 128k on 'em so I thought I ought to put new ones in. I took a jack and lifted under the a-arm on the side that the new axle is on, and it alleviated the bind.

Why is the new one binding? Why isn't the OEM one? The install went smoothly, and I am confident that I did everything right.

I really need some advice here from someone. In a bit of a bind, no pun intended.

 

[Dunk]

Is the new axle completley round where it goes in to the dif? I have some that Are round instead of the normal tulip joint (looks mor triangular) and those definatley bind. I even blew apart the outer axle housing because of this (I think)....lol They should not bind even with running the DR extended coilovers. The axles Ive got from autozone and Napa seem to be just fine though. The completley round tulip ones are just junk.. baught those from some unknown manufaturer online....live and learn. Other than this I dont know what to tell ya.

 

[barnaby]

anyone? I could seriously use the help. This serves as my everything truck, but most importantly my work truck and DD and I just need to know what is going on here.

I'm getting pretty close to ordering some coilovers and upper arms and having them overnighted, but jeez, I don't want to just throw money around without having a real solid idea as to what the culprit is. I am assuming that my spacers are to blame, but I just don't know for sure.

Someone please help this newb out.

 

[barnaby]

Is the new axle completley round where it goes in to the dif? I have some that Are round instead of the normal tulip joint (looks mor triangular) and those definatley bind. I even blew apart the outer axle housing because of this (I think)....lol They should not bind even with running the DR extended coilovers. The axles Ive got from autozone and Napa seem to be just fine though. The completley round tulip ones are just junk.. baught those from some unknown manufaturer online....live and learn. Other than this I dont know what to tell ya.

No these actually have the tulip style inner joint. Pretty much just like the OEM's. They looked decent. I did note though that the boots seemed to the opposite of what is normal, ie. the boot with the fewer fins was on the outer joint, and visa versa.

 

[Dunk]

I would suggest trying out a nappa cv. I got mine with core for about 100 bucks.. and have had zero problems with cv's from them. Thats about all I can recomend. Im thinking its just a bad/wrong cv...???

 

[Bent Wheel]

anyone? I could seriously use the help. This serves as my everything truck, but most importantly my work truck and DD and I just need to know what is going on here.

I'm getting pretty close to ordering some coilovers and upper arms and having them overnighted, but jeez, I don't want to just throw money around without having a real solid idea as to what the culprit is. I am assuming that my spacers are to blame, but I just don't know for sure.

Someone please help this newb out.

Don’t through your money around like that.

I don’t think the new coilovers and upper A-arms will make a difference. A simple spacer like the one you have is lifting the truck in the same manner as the adjustable coilovers.

I think it is the new aftermarket CV Axle. You say the stock one on the other side works fine and you were running the spacer lift for a year with no problem. I would ax the new CV axle.

 

[BurntOrngeLonghorn]

Is it a re-man axle?...

I've heard of people having problems with re-man CV's...

 

[barnaby]

Dunk, I am hoping it is the cv as well.

Bent Wheel, I know what you mean. But, for one I have to get that stuff anyway. And I am being told that the coilovers lift differently than the spacers do. I don't completely follow how, but more than one CO company has explained it to me as well as a really nice online distibutor that everyone here uses. Maybe they want to sell me a bridge too, but I think they were being straight with me.

BurntOrnge, these ones are new, just cheap. They, on the outside, look just like the OEM's. Other than the boot orientation.

I thnk I am going to put the old one back in and judiciously clean this new one up....

 

[Bent Wheel]

Dunk, I am hoping it is the cv as well.

Bent Wheel, I know what you mean. But, for one I have to get that stuff anyway. And I am being told that the coilovers lift differently than the spacers do. I don't completely follow how, but more than one CO company has explained it to me as well as a really nice online distibutor that everyone here uses. Maybe they want to sell me a bridge too, but I think they were being straight with me.

BurntOrnge, these ones are new, just cheap. They, on the outside, look just like the OEM's. Other than the boot orientation.

I thnk I am going to put the old one back in and judiciously clean this new one up....

Hmm…

I am not the expert, in fact just another newb.

Maybe someone here can explain how the adjusting nut on the adjustable coilovers lift the truck any differently then a spacer would? I can’t figure it out…. By turning the adjuster nut one can effectively raise the height of the truck just like a spacer would do.

Yes, the SAW’s or Donahoe’s are a much better way to go for many reasons…. Saving money is not one of them.

 

[Dunk]

Dunk, I am hoping it is the cv as well.

Bent Wheel, I know what you mean. But, for one I have to get that stuff anyway. And I am being told that the coilovers lift differently than the spacers do. I don't completely follow how, but more than one CO company has explained it to me as well as a really nice online distibutor that everyone here uses. Maybe they want to sell me a bridge too, but I think they were being straight with me.

BurntOrnge, these ones are new, just cheap. They, on the outside, look just like the OEM's. Other than the boot orientation.

I thnk I am going to put the old one back in and judiciously clean this new one up....

A spacer lift puts a spacer between the top plate & Coil spring on the stock coilover assembly. A TOP spacer goes on top of the plate with no need to remove the top plate, coil etc. The Top-spacer lifts are in general bad as they can force you to over-droop the suspension doing harm to many components. A regular spacer lift inserted inside the assembly puts pre-load on the coil spring and lifts the truck. However, this tends to ride a little rough and might not allow the suspension to compress as well. An aftermarket coil-over assembly has a threaded shock body with a colar that screws down on the coil to adjust ride height. They generally have a higher coil rate on the coils and advanced dampening within the schock itself. Coilovers will give you better performance off-road, and superior performance over stock or spacer lift suspensions all around. Obviously the more you screw the colar down the stiffer the ride becomes as you are putting preload on the coil. These are not a necessary upgrade but highly recommended if you offroad quite a bit. A arms are really not needed unless you are running extended travel donahoes or over 2" of lift (this is a debatable subject). Niether a-arms or coilovers will have anything to do with a cv binding. I would pull that thing out, get your money back, and go buy one from a reputable remanufacturer. thats my :2cents: Hope the suspension 101 helps

 

[barnaby]

Dunk, I wish that were possible. I already installed it and I really don't know if they would take it back now. Guess it can't hurt to ask, but I won't get my hopes up. I was talking to Jason at Wheeler's and according to him my old ones are probably just fine. I think what I am going to do is dimantle the things and rebuild them. It's a good way for me to learn about them, and in the meantime I have these lifetime replacement POS's that I can run. I just can't get into any droop situations. But on a good note, when I pulled the old one out, the diff fluid that ran out was looking really good, and I am pretty happy about that considering I changed it over a year ago. Stuff was still clear, and I didn't notice any metal in it. I figured with the lift and stresses etc. that I must have been hurting the diff.

Bent, I hear ya, saving money and those parts are not two things that go together, but they are investments and I love my truck. I plan to have it for a long time.

Thanks guys for giving two shits and offering your help.

 

[cabo john]

I'll bite, Are you running the sway bar? If not put er back on.
I still run the extended hoes w/ camburgler UCA's and stocko taco cv's would bind pretty darn bad. So bad the wheels would hardly roll at full droop or if the front end was in the air / via the jack. I purchased after market cv's and they would bind even worse. Awe dangit.
I added the TC diff drop and that helped a little with the bind issue but I couln't run my skid plate...doh, I put the sway bar back on, then ditched the diff drop and just said phuckit. Lifes been good since.
No problemo ...I just carry a extra cv joint when I wheel my junk.
I guess what I am trying to say is just run yer shit and don't worry about it. If she blows she blows...it is what it is, and it's an ez fix if the cv takes a shit on ya. .


$.02

 

[TacoDell]

Hmmm... John, I'm not running my sway bar and exo'd that pos long ago and I've never had a problem... And I flex it plenty on the trails...

When the op refers to bind... does he mean the boots are binding somewhat or the cv itself ? I mean hey my boots rub at full flex... even more so when the wheels are turned... It's never caused any issue that I know of... Except to wear the boots quicker... And I'm still on the original set of CV's and their boots...

 

[OldSchool89]

If you're binding now, my money's on the aftermarket CV too. While waiting to put the old one back in, you can always shim the droop bumpstop slightly to limit droop.

My CV boot ribs rub, but I don't bind on either side. Some others I know have the same lift but do bind. Go figure. Maybe their bumps are more worn or softer than mine. My setups on an older truck though so not exactly the same.

Soon as I lifted I blew out the CV boot on the L. Now the right's about to kick it. Damn. That's on the original 1989 CVs though!

 

[hytenor]

the aftermarket remans should NOT bind in the decribed situation. take it back to where you got it and complain. the one reman that I had was never a problem and the CVUs that I had never got into bind.

 

[cabo john]

Hmmm... John, I'm not running my sway bar and exo'd that pos long ago and I've never had a problem... And I flex it plenty on the trails...

When the op refers to bind... does he mean the boots are binding somewhat or the cv itself ? I mean hey my boots rub at full flex... even more so when the wheels are turned... It's never caused any issue that I know of... Except to wear the boots quicker... And I'm still on the original set of CV's and their boots...

Dell, I think we should just trade trucks.
I like it waaay better w/ no sway bar on the trail...I just disco it when we run.

 

[Bent Wheel]

Dunk, I wish that were possible. I already installed it and I really don't know if they would take it back now. Guess it can't hurt to ask, but I won't get my hopes up. I was talking to Jason at Wheeler's and according to him my old ones are probably just fine. I think what I am going to do is dimantle the things and rebuild them. It's a good way for me to learn about them, and in the meantime I have these lifetime replacement POS's that I can run. I just can't get into any droop situations. But on a good note, when I pulled the old one out, the diff fluid that ran out was looking really good, and I am pretty happy about that considering I changed it over a year ago. Stuff was still clear, and I didn't notice any metal in it. I figured with the lift and stresses etc. that I must have been hurting the diff.

Bent, I hear ya, saving money and those parts are not two things that go together, but they are investments and I love my truck. I plan to have it for a long time.

Thanks guys for giving two shits and offering your help.

Take it back and demand your money back. Tell them it is a bad part. It should not matter if you have installed it. How are you supposed to know that it was bad before the install?
Then ask them to compensate you for your time.

Bad is bad….

Don’t run a compromised system on the trail, when you say” I just can’t get in any droop situations”, that scares me. You need to be prepared for anything on the trail.

Treat yourself right, you deserve it.

 

[barnaby]

Cabo, the sway bar is on and being used, but I did have it disconnected while I was doing the install. But actually, I am just remembering that my father in law came out and gave tried to give the tire a spin after I had reconnected it and the same bad apples....turns maybe a third, and then stoppo. So I think it rules that out. Also the OEM side was disconnected at the same time and it worked fine.

Dell, the bind is the actual cv. Atleast that is what I was thinking. Could the boots actually cause the joints to bind?

Hytenor, I defintitely am going to pull it and bring it back. The more I think about it, the more I feel in the total right to do it. Another thing that I am seeing now is that it is leaking (just barely weeping) from the diff tube as well. I am certain that I didn't knick anything and did everything right, and I did notice when I pulled the OEM and put them both on the bench to compare, that the dust seal on the new one was slightly closer to the housing than on the OEM. It concerned me but I thought it must be fine. I think I was wrong. What I now think is happening is that the clip engaged in the goove and the dust seal is just a little too far outboard, allowing the weeping. I thought these would be ok becasue they were from the east coast dist. for Parts America, Advanced Auto Parts. Anyway, back they will go,

Before I yank it, I think I am gonna do a search and see about rebuilding my OEM's. The more I look at them the more faith I have in them. And to think that I thought they were broken. Live and learn. The shafts are rusty and scaled to shit, but I am being told that they are strong as hell.

Does anyone have any recommendations for rebuilding the old ones?

Thanks all.