Cv axle replacement

First post here.
I have a 2000 Tundra with 257k miles on it. Yesterday when driving to work I got on the highway and instantly felt a noticeable “bump” coming from the passenger side front wheel. It definitely seemed bad. I went home and took our other vehicle to work (2004 sequoia). After work I took off the front wheel and noticed a good amount of grease near the upper joint of the CV axle. When I spun the hub it also seemed like the axle had a bend in it. The upper boot also seems like it’s missing the clamp and I can see a fairly significant amount of grease coming out of upper joint / boot area.


I’ve never replaced one before so I have a few questions.
1. What’s a reputable replacement that won’t break the bank? Everything available at Auto zone or Napa seems to be around 3 stars of 5 with mixed reviews.
2. Is there anything else I should consider replacing while I have it apart?
3. I’m somewhat mechanically inclined for an amateur. As an example in the past month I’ve replace coils and plugs, and brake pads (practically a pro mechanic right? Ha.). Anything I should keep an eye on or consider when doing the work myself?

thanks in advance.

 

Photos please. You need to determine if you’ve only lost grease because of a torn boot or if the CV is bad. You can repack and replace the boot is the joint is still serviceable. If not, recommend you get either OEM or Toyota remanufactured. Please look at Shifty’s megathread and also search the forum. Lots of posts about this here.

 

First off, I'm going to ask because it's one of the top 2 killers of our trucks: Are you 100% sure it's NOT the lower ball joint/LBJ? I ask, because:

• They are a wear part that should be proactively changed every 100k miles
• You CANNOT use aftermarket parts for replacement (here's 21 pages with pictures showing why, many from people who chose to ignore this warning, which you'll hear repeatedly on here and elsewhere)
• You should ideally use fresh, new bolts when changing them, due to bolt fatigue/stretch, given the immense load Toyota's LBJ-under-tension design causes
• If yours haven't been changed in the last 100k, and/or they're aftermarkets, and/or you don't really know, you may've just gotten your early warning, which is something most people don't get the luxury of
• Toyota indicates to replace the LBJ when there's less than half a millimeter of play (thanks for pointing that out @des2mtn), so unless you're superhuman or have the proper tools to measure that, don't begin to think, "Oh, I can tell when there's a lot of play!", it's not a winning gamble
• It only takes 2 minutes to visually inspect if (A) they're clearly not OEM and (B) if something seems askew and (C) another couple minutes to jack up each side and jiggle things around

The general consensus on CV axles is:

• If you have OEM axles they're fairly bulletproof, you're better off to re-boot using Toyota's kit
• If the axle is toast, and you're OK with replacing the CV axle every 1-3 years on warranty, sure, cheap out and get aftermarket like NAPA that has lifetime warranty
• If you just want to get this done once, pay once, install once, and not need to bother, buy Toyota OEM new, since re-man CVs are currently unavailable, here's the part you'll need (see note on pricing)

While the current pricing on that item shows MSRP of $572, (1) there's a 15% off sale starting in the next few days, and (2) if you start your order through the website for local pickup, you can get up to 30% off when you set your pickup to a local dealership, different picku pspots offer different discounts, and (3) some dealers like THIS ONE will ship for free and no tax, so this is your out-the-door-shipped price you'd pay for new OEM BEFORE the sale starts (during the sale, if 15% off as expected, your OTD price shipped would be ~$327):

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PS - Here's the thread @bfunke is mentioning which, if this truck is new to you, you should read: https://www.tundras.com/threads/so-you-wanna-buy-just-bought-a-1st-gen-tundra-eh.115928/

It contains years upon years of community knowledge to inform you about all the stupid shit people miss with these trucks, what kills these trucks, and what you always should/shouldn't do with them.

The first two replies can save you a SHITLOAD of headaches, and help protect your investment. If you're not aware of the LBJ issues, the timing belt issues, and the frame rust issues, and the things these trucks are finicky about, then you genuinely need to read that thread.

 

The problem with the aftermarket CV's is they are hit and miss. And when they end up failing, you have to redo the entire job again which isn't horrible, it is just a pain. And it never fails, lousy parts always shit the bed when you are the farthest away from your home/tool box/work space.

For chassis parts...CV's, ball joints, suspension bushings, just go with new Toyota parts. They aren't cheap but you know you have the best chance with them.

 

I probably didn’t search right. I’ll try to get some photos up this evening.

 

I’ll take a look. Thank you for the suggestion. I’ve owned Toyota trucks for years. I got this one with 204k miles on it. Timing belt was done at 200k. I’ve always had them replaced around 70k intervals.

I recently traded corporate life for something easier (semi retirement) and actually have time to tackle some of these jobs it’s great, because I find it interesting, but also I’m on a significantly stricter budget and it’s nice to not pay for labor if I don’t have to.

Before this Tundra I had a 99 Tacoma that I bought with 40k miles on it. It was in amazing condition with 220k miles on it when someone ran a red light and tagged me right in front of the driver side rear tire. Truck was demolished.

 

I got a NAPA for my 07 2UZ last summer because it was an absolute necessity 3 hours from home on a Saturday (seal was bad and buddy smoked my axle while I was peeing outside). NAPA axle is already about to fall apart from rust and it has a sensation I know isn’t normal.
My oem had 212k on it and the boot was intact and joints were still solid. I still have the axle I just need to rethread the end and cut off the junk portion before the cotter pin hole.
My limited experience is OEM

 

I'm in a similar boat. Corporate entity I was employed by for 25 years in the tech/cloud/infra/security/encryption realm laid me off March 2024. I had a hell of a time trying to find a new gig, nobody wants staff with 25+ years of experience and over 45yo I guess, because I had a shit of a time finding a new gig that wasn't bullshit jobs a gang of recruiters based out of India casting nets on LinkedIn was pushing to based purely on keyword hits, without reading my resume or profile. It was somewhat of a joke, so I gave up in January and started my own consultation/one-stop-shop for small business technology deployments, end to end, everything from low voltage cabling to firewall appliances, telephony, smart integrations, CCTV, you name it.

My hours are less, some money is flowing but at 75% less than what I made at my corporate gig, so I'm having to penny pinch a hell of a lot more - I can relate. However, more than ever today, I need to "Buy once, cry once". I can't afford the expense of having to buy another aftermarket part to replace the cheaper aftermarket part I chose just because aftermarket parts are utter crap these days, mostly coming from mainland China generic warehouses, which probably cost 1/4 of what I'm paying, and as a result it failed. After the 2nd time, you're usually at a break-even with OEM, or you're in it for more $$$, and you're definitely upside down on time lost. Thankfully, I know how to exploit my resources to the fullest, like using dealers in specific states to get OEM parts tax-free, shipped for free, and at a substantial discount. If you know how to do this, you can truly get out the door with an OEM part for roughly the same $$ as a pair of shitty aftermarket, and enjoy the next 15-20 years without having to touch that thing again - silence is golden. Or, if you have the time but not the money, rebooting is your option, you just need the reboot part kit that comes with OEM boots and grease.

But to my other point ... if money is tight, you really need to be 100% positive your lower balljoints didn't cause that clunk. They usually don't give a warning, but both clunks and difficult steering are two big warning signs others have reported. If you have 207k miles, and they haven't been replaced with new OEM (specifically) within the last 125k-150k miles, you're riding in extremely dangerous territory my friend. Not spending the ~$150 (or less) per side to replace the LBJ and their 4 bolts each may end up costing you thousands when your wheel snaps off, especially if it happens on the interstate like the member whose truck is pictured below.

The time to buy OEM parts thru the national parts system is around major holidays. There's a 15% sale incoming in the next few days. Combine that with certain dealership's normal-sale discount and you get extreme savings.

(Note: That page I linked above has page, after page, after page of photos like this, 3-wheeling 1st gens. It's serious shit.)

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Here’s a photo of the upper boot on the
Cv axle taken from underneath. It looks worse on top and there’s a gap where you can see under the boot. I wish I took a photo yesterday when I had the wheel off.

 

A few more from the front. My camera is cracked so photo quality is horrible .

 

I was literally replacing a CV yesterday....in my cage putting a used, probably aftermarket one back in, after a NAPA one was destroyed by a LBJ incident. Until then the napa one was fine after five years...probably 10K in 4WD, up until the lower ball joint failed and broke it.

Take the lower ball joint warning seriously....I didn't take it seriously enough and thought just because I had no signs of wear yet, I would be okay.

I was not.

One thing I will say is that its a lot easier to just pry the axle out with a small prybar than hammering it out. You do separate the metal dust cover doing it this way, but it just taps right back on, and if you are replacing the joint, it doesn't even matter. It's a lot easier and more controllable that way than hammer and drift.

 

I think the backlighting of the sun blaring in the background is what's killing you. A shot from an LED shop light or powerful flashlight (or maybe raising the camera to diminish the sun glare) would help.

I can't tell if you have grease sling, the outer boot looks fully intact and nicely clamped, it looks more like you have a shedload of power steering fluid leaking onto everything below.

Do you see any signs the CV axles are OEM/original? OEM/factory (non-remanufactured) axles have this pink band around the axle, which may be caked in dirt/dust/mud. My truck had 75k original miles on it in this pic, so they don't normally look this pristine. Remanufactured OEM CV will have a silver foil sticker with a Toyota logo somewhere on it. The sticker isn't always up against the inner boot.

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Are you saying you got 10k in 4WD out of your Napa? I’m less than 10k mostly 2wd and rust coated and it’s past its lifespan

 

Yeah, I want to say it's @455h0le_dachshund that's had to replace his 2 or 3 times now within a few thousands of miles too.

 

One was replaced because the boot was torn, but it was still a in decent shape. If I weren't already in there to do the spindle gussets, I'd have let it ride til it started clicking. The other one was pretty much the same just on the driver side. I was also dealing with the effed up diffs around that time and thought the snap ring might have been messed up. But that turned out to be the ecgs bushing had unseated, allowing diff oil to leak.

I don't have any complaints on Napa CVs themselves. They are a great option for people who need replacements in a pinch or plan to break shit, because there's always a Napa not too far from a town. Just hold on to your receipt, because NAPA's computer conveniently didn't remember I had bought the first set, so they wouldn't replace one under their lifetime warranty. So I bought a third CV and within a week used the receipt to make em replace one of the old ones and a month later used it again to replace another, IIRC. I've got three spares now, two of unknown brand that need rebuilt, and one from Napa that just had a small tear.

Also worth mentioning that my truck is beaten on like a redhead step child with a drunk step dad.

 

Any idea when Toyota OEM CV axle will be available again?

 

Yes, maybe not quite 10k in 4wd.....about 40k total on them, a lot of that actually in 4wd. In the winter I usually put the truck in 4wd and leave it there so thousands and thousand in 4wd.

Yes, they are rust coated but that is irrelevant to function. Boots where intact, no vibration in them when used.

Sort of a convoluted story, but about five years ago, I was getting a vibration in 4wd.

I didn't worry about it for a while, but then I got a passenger side diff leak, and thinking it might be CV's, I figured I would replace CVs since I had to take that one out anyway.

After removing the passenger side and replacing the oil seal and putting the CV in I figured out it was actually the front driveshaft U joint. So I returned the one CV I hadn't installed yet, and put the one I took out, which was presumably perfectly good, in the napa box and tucked it away.

Flash forward to last sunday, when I broke my LBJ on the highway and broke the CV....so yesterday, I pulled out the first one I kept as a spare, and put it in.

But right up until the LBJ took it out, I was happy with the napa axle over those five years.

 

It already is. I linked it above. Even screenshotted it. You just can’t get the remanufactured axles at the moment.

 

You have a good eye. My power steering reservoir cracked awhile back and leaked all over everything for a few weeks (kept filling it because it was a slow leak) until I could replace it. The upper / inner boot is not intact and grease is spewing out of it. This is new. I replaced the brake pads about 3 weeks ago and I didn’t notice all of the excess grease, outside of the power steering fluid.

 

Are you sure? I can't add to any carts via the parts network sale dealers. Like your screenshot says, unavailable!

 

I've always used small pry bars/ screwdrivers to get CVs out of the differential, but last time I had really good luck with a pickle fork. Instead of using the pickle fork to pry, I hit the butt of the pickle fork and that pushed the fork in between the CV and differential, popping it out.

 

Are you looking for 43430-0C010 or 43430-0C010-84? The former is a brand new CV and might just be on back-order which is why you can't add it to the cart now. Like it says, maybe contact the dealer? If it's on back-order, they might not want a lot of people placing orders while they are running a 25% parts sale, or may exclude this item from the 25% sale altogether currently.

 

You may be looking at the discontinued parts, they dont seem to be linked to the current part number

 

You can add it to your cart with a dealer that uses Revolution Parts, but you can't add it to your cart for dealers that use the normal autoparts.toyota.com parts system. The dealers that use Revolution Parts don't participate in the 25% sale.

https://parts.longotoyota.com/oem-parts/toyota-cv-axle-left-right-front-434300c010



https://autoparts.serratoyota.com/products/product/shaft-assy-fr-drive-434300c010

 

My Advanced Auto axles last about 3-4 years, then the boots start splitting open. They have a lifetime warranty, so I just swap em out. Have functioned well otherwise. I drive 100 miles or less a year in 4WD. They appear beefier than stock, but likely misleading as bulk does not equal increase in function or durability. The joint inside the boots is of inferior design to the OEM as far as articulation also. The steering gets heavy and lumpy sooner than with the OEMs when in 4WD.

 

Got it, ok yes I was seeing the same thing. Thanks for confirming.

 

Can you get away with using an OEM cv axel with just 1" lift? I'm about to throw some Bilstein 4600 on Dobinsons coilovers that gives about an inch lift, but I also probably need to replace my axels while at it. Id' rather stick with oem but if that's in the range of needing extended travel then I'll just go that route.

And re: remanned oem-- I been following for a couple months now--local dealer says no one has them or knows when they'll be back if at all.

 

OEMs are the same length as most replacements. They are able to move through the whole range of suspension travel, so no need to replace simply because you are riding an inch or two higher than stock. The boots however will pull away at the clamps and possibly wear out sooner when lifted. Most will use a tighter clamp on the CV to prevent the boot from pulling away. Some (with more lift) will reboot with boots that allow for more angle than stock, like the Porsche 930 boot kits.

 

OEM axles are completely fine with a 1" lift. The closer you get to 3" of suspension lift, the more likely the boots will tear or you'll see odd joint wear, especially on a joint that's spent most of it's life at OEM height. The lift you're throwing on, especially with 4600s, still allows the shock and axle to cycle the same amount of distance as a stock truck. Your lift will move where you are resting in the shock's cycle, and will result in the CV joints resting at a slightly different angle than stock.