miamirice

Since I currently drive mine to the track AND I worry about potential failures like STN_Pat had, what is the regiment I should follow regarding axle life. It's an EG with K20, LSD. 4.7 final drive. Suppose to be about 218 whp.

The car is track only car, driven hard, full day at HPDE until caged and ready for scca. One of the guys local that has lots of experience and success in Hondas says to have them rebuilt after 3 weekends. Says heavier axles is not the way to go.

Thoughts?

JW racing

You can never predict or have a set life for an axle, it will go out when it wants according to your driving and use. Good to always keep a set of spare axles on you when you are at the track.

There will be a flood with posts saying use this kind or use this kind. Just shop around and look for a few key parts to a good axle.

I use Drive shaft shop heavy duty race axles and service them only once a year for my K series powered race car. Stock axles suck for track use, and you should look for an axle that has upgraded grease, upgraded boots, and ventilation tubes on the outer boots to reduce heat buildup. If you need trouble free axles let me know and I can work something out for you.

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

QFT Justin!
Nuff said!

rice_classic

I think if I doubled my HP (to replicate what you're putting down) I'd run the heavy duty axles also (Raxles or Drive shaft shop).

However, if you're stubborn and absolutely insist on running stock axles make sure you run "good" stock (not Napa/autozone). Go to the dealer and buy new. Then come home, disassemble them and replace the grease with something that those shops would use like Redline CV2 or Amsoil Polymeric Offroad Grease (NGLI2) and like JW said.. vent them or leave off the small boot clamp that's on the shaft side of the boot. Assuming they break you should get more than 3 weekends out of them.

sanimalp

i have found that with these problems, the more money you spend up front, the less you spend down the road, in both a time and new parts sense.

miamirice

Appreciate the wisdom. I prefer to have a trouble free car as much as possible. I enjoy working on the car ELECTIVELY and not REACTIVELY. I will be in touch with JW to try his approach.

STN_Pat

I am pretty sure my hub failed, and the axle was a casuality from the hub failing.

But the new type R hubs and new axles hold strong now.

Let us know what you end up doing.

vtecjj

Although others say that oem axles won't hold up, I've had different experiences. I use OEM HONDA BASE RSX axles (still have 4x100, 32mm axle nut) and they have held up WONDERFULLY!! That includes last year's championship race weekend with the 40minute championship race. For the power our cars make (less than 250whp), the OEM HONDA axles are the most reliable, in my opinion. It's cheaper than the DSS axles-which I've seen fail on TWO other HC national champs cars from NorCal.

topdog

iTrader: (1)

I've used oem rsx base myself with no issues. I ran last year on the same driver side axle plus this year. Had one passenger side failure due to the boot tearing up last year after swap out haven't had a issue. I like the oem style GSP because I can get them warranty at about any part store that carry them and that's a plus when I'm out of state or didn't bring my back up axle.

miamirice

How do you know when they are going? Any place I can read up on how to inspect, fix replace? I am pretty much clueless on this topic. Other than having back up axles. How do you inspect? Are there symptoms? And help or direction is appreciated.

rcracin13

I'm also on the bandwagon of OEM axles. What I did for my swapped car was get type r brakes all around with the 36mm front. I think Karcepts sells 36mm 4lug front hubs if you're using a 4lug setup.

Since my stock 07 Si has been through many many track days with the same OEM axles and some turbo guys are putting down over 500whp running 10's on the drag strip with OEM axles, I think they're good.

As per Hasport, you're supposed to swap the inners of the axles to accomodate the different orientation of the motor. So that's what I did and they've held up well so far on the street, but I haven't been out on track yet as the car isn't finished.

As far as having an idea of when the axles are going, periodic inspection to make sure the boots arent torn and no grease is coming out is as much as you can do. Otherwise you just have to wait until they start clicking or fail entirely.

My girlfriend once bent an axle on her '05 accord. I think it had to do with NYC potholes. But if you're getting a bad vibration and you're sure all else is fine, the axle could be the problem.

miamirice

So it's the classic CV joint stuff- clicking, torn boot, pulsing on acceleration. No catastrophic failures for the most part?

ReDemoN

I will be using GSP axles.
Two buddies of mine run them in 500+whp turbo cars.
Hold up fine.

rcracin13

No catastrophic failures as far as I know. The only really bad thing I've seen is the guy with the hub problem on his ek. I dont know if he ever found the source of it and whether it was axle related.

92integraVTECgsr

I run OEM base RSX with swapped inners and mine keep busting boots after 1 session on track. Greese everywhere. Really starting to get annoying.

K24a2/DC2/Innovative Mounts

Xian

One additional data point I'll suggest everyone look at with regards to failures is front wheel travel, wheel rate, have been due to bumpstop height/rate. For track and race cars, a lot of the axle failures that I've seen are due to excessive axle angle/suspension travel and not grease/venting/etc...

I'll also say that cheap axles are POS's with poor clearances... definitely stay away from them and focus on quality parts.

vtecjj

Sounds like axle alignment is too extreme for the eng/chassis. Might want to examine your engine mounts.

Lambo123

To revive this thread he's absolutely right. The billows are most likely rubbing together and tearing your boots since your car is lowered. I'm running ekk1 mounts which make the axle angle even worse. I just bought a set of Yonaka stage 2 base axles for cheap on ebay. Not sure if anyone has experience with Yonaka axles (yes i know they're cheap chinese axles). I plan on swapping the inners, replacing the grease with Redline CV2, and stretching the boot out as farther so the billows don't touch each other when i'm driving. I'll see if they hold up and report back.

known

iTrader: (1)

I honestly have never had any of my cheapo axles on any of my motors let go. My 200 whp motor never ate axles after track days and my STL in its short but 100s of laps worth never did. Replace the grease, carry a spare set with you.

Maybe because I dont slam my car...I dont know.

10cjennings

iTrader: (1)

Where are people buyng these OEM rsx base axles for less then the aftermarket alternatives? I'm looking to replace my axles, and my go to OEM parts sites (acuraoemparts, oemacuraparts, hondapartsunlimited) both list the axles at $500+ EACH? Have the prices skyrocketed, or am I just looking in the wrong place?

Xian

Maybe car-part.com?

10cjennings

iTrader: (1)

Salvaged axles? I think of axles as a wear part and wouldn't want to buy used. I'm just not sure if in mistaken on the price or whether people are referring to a $1000 set of oem axles in the many posts about the value and quality you get with the rsx bSe axles in an eg with a k. There are a bunch of swap axles out there but who knows whether they are any better then $50 autozone axles which come with a lifetime warranty but can vibrate when new and just aren't very well made. Limping the car back now from an event and with Dixie in 2 weeks in tryng to work quickly.

But maybe I'm mistaken, buyng used oem axles is common/effective/what all these posts are referring to?

miamirice

Ha. Ya I am still learning and not sure what to look for. I did some racing this past weekend and there were more than a couple axles pulled out of cars and the boot/cv looked like hell

92integraVTECgsr

I fixed my issue and have not had an issue since (2 seasons).

Xian

I hear ya on used/salvage parts... I'm wondering if folks are referring to using the OE axles that came with their swap or that they picked up online (which amounts to the same thing as buying them off car-part.com)?

I've always had great results with Marty @ Raxles and that's where I went when I needed axles recently. No, he's not cheap but he makes quality parts and stands behind his product. Give him a call and talk through what you're looking to do.

PS
As a data point, my EF B-swap axles were like $460 shipped.