A friend of mine suggested that I ask about whether I should use new driveaxles ($200 plus from Honda, $200 aftermarket) or rebuilt driveaxles($80 aftermarket, or $133 Honda), or racing driveaxles? He seems to think the racing stuff is as durable as the stock kind and maybe the same price.

Is this a difficult job to do or tricky? If I attempt to do it, at some point in the future, could I get someone's email that can walk me thru the procedure? I looked at the Haynes manual (yes, I still have that dumb thing). It mentions taking off the damper, but I know little about identifying suspension parts, and have been unable to locate that part. That's all for now.


Modified by diyer at 2:36 PM 5/25/2004

 

well what are your plans, that should help you answer your question

 

What do you mean what are my plans?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by diyer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What do you mean what are my plans?</TD></TR></TABLE>

do you plan on racing the car or are these axles being used on a H22 or turbo accord?

the autozone axles are fine for most things, but i found on my H22 accord they don't seem to handle the power and will fail about every yr. i'm not sure how honda reman axles will hold up since reman axles i think are less strong to begin with v. a brand new axle, but the autozone ones do have lifetime warrantees. if you are into drag racing or making big power then some http://www.driveshaftshop.com axles are the way to go.

 

No, I just need them for regular everday driving and want good quality and no problems. As for warranties, I like products that hold up well and rarely need to be returned.

thanks

 

you should have no problems then with the autozone type reman axles. i think we all want products to hold up well, it's just that under extreme conditions these axles are more prone to premature failure than say a new oem axle. i'm really not sure if honda remans are any better, since CCT is the largest remanufacturer of drive axles in North America and that's what most places sell/install they could very well be the company who remans them for honda.

 

I hear that! A friend of mine who repairs Hondas on a regular basis told me he believes the quality aftermarket remans are as good or the same as the Honda remans, but for a lower price.

Another friend who owns a salvage yard told me there is only one mfr. of axles, and that all the remans were original OEM equipment at one time. In other words, the axles themselves were all Hondas. However, he would buy the Honda remans. Guess he thinks Honda uses better quality reman parts?

 

Isnt one of the great things about hondas are that they last a long time? This misconception of autozone parts is sickening to me. I dont have the facts on exactly who makes the parts but common sense suggests that there are more than one manufacturer of these parts. Besides the fact, even if this drive axle was originally a honda axle it wasnt rebuilt with honda parts especially the cv boots. The aftermarket cv boots run about 9 dollars a side as where as the honda factory boots are 20. If youve ever experienced the joy of having one of these aftermarket boots on your car youll know that there isnt a comparison between the two, especially when they blow every 10,000 miles. Also whats not to say that you buy that aftermarket axle and it lasts a year, no big deal you have the warranty and you can go down and pick up a new one. Now you have to take time out of your schedule to replace it. How many miles did your original axle last before you now need to require a new one? I have 140 on my 96 and havent had very many problems with my car at all, of course I use new factory honda parts, but do what you think you need too. I feel that saving 40 dollars just isnt worth it, even if it is just for piece of mind.

 

I think that is a good point and one that is what I have been trying to find out. In fact, all of my questions about anything are always for one purpose - to learn the truth. But that is what is so hard. People either just don't know or were misled and then pass on that misleading information.

I guess what I am trying to find out is really proprietary information. Truth # 1 - There is no doubt that Honda parts are good quality. Truth # 2 - Honda does screw up sometimes (example: Honda's OEM Balance shaft seal retainer is not as good as a certain aftermarket one). So, this leads to Truth # 3 (part assumption) -Could there be other not so good Honda parts? Truth # 4 - Could it be that Honda is becoming more and more of a marketing company, i.e., has most of their parts made for them, if not all?

You know. Snap-On Tools are great tools and usually always of good quality and design (Btw, this is off topic, but Snap-on does sell some lower quality machinist level tools and cannot compare with the industrial quality stuff). Also, point is that few people know that there is very little difference between what Snap-On does and what Sears does - they both contract out to sub mfrs. to make products for them and then just re-label it, and pass the middleman costs on to the consumer. I highly doubt that Honda is not doing the same thing. Truth # 5 (likely assumption) - Honda is a marketing company, so the key is to find out who is making their products for them (they guard this information carefully), but it is not illegal to try to discover it, and if you are on a fixed low income it is almost mandatory that you try to.

Heck, these Main-Line-Computer-Stock-Yuppie-Millionaries would be wasting their time even trying to find out this information. I think for most people, an exhausting search like this is fruitless. But again, for the poorer among us ... ?

I recently asked about the Honda SST's, and was given some information about a Sir Tool company. Guess what, they might make some Honda tools, but I think they are copycats. I think there is another mfr. doing them for Honda - so I keep searching the truth out.

Truth # 6 - Since Honda is having the parts made by a third party, find out who it is and what other brand names they mfr. under, and if the sell no name OEM or generic parts? Understand?

At any rate, if I knew Honda would be Honest with me and I discovered that they had higher manufacturing standards in place or that they did in fact make their own products, I would not hesitate to buy them, or pay only a few dollars more for a Honda part, if Honda was to decide to become price competitive.

Btw, their is a difference between Honda Factory OEM and Honda Aftermarket OEM. Factory equipment is usually of the highest quality to avoid lawsuits under a new car warranty. But vehicle mfrs. often change the original equipment vendors and sell inferior re-labeled OEM parts. I know Volvo does this for a fact. They have the factory stuff made by German vendors and then use the shitty Scantech stuff at the parts counters and re-label it and ask a fortune for it. Case in point: factory exhaust systems, especially the CATs are of top quality - Volvo OEM parts counter stuff is made by Walker, a well known USA made brand that MIDAS and MEINEKE use. They give lifetime warranty and the customer is duped. The automotive business is sleaze after sleaze after sleaze. I just wanted to get to the bottom of it and get the best value for my money.

Vehicle mfrs. have been fooling the public for sometime on that one. In fact, some aftermarket parts are actually better than even the original factory OEM stuff. Example: Edelbrock manifolds - ain't no Honda has that quality, even from the factory, and the list goes on and on and on (like Moog - great quality). But yes, some aftermarket is absolute crap, uh, like Autozone's rebuilt in Taiwan Starter motors or alternators (pure crap). Personally I would never buy tools or parts from Autozone - I think what they sell is absolute crap, unless it is a name brand qualitry aftermarket part (Bosch, Moog, Edlebrock, Bilstein, etc., etc.). It is no longer a game of all the good stuff is USA or Europe. It is a global market, and quality is really the name of the game not brand, but what about reman brands, I never heard of any of the reman brands, like ACEI or GKN? .. Say what!?

But where the truth lies as to who is making the good stuff is what is so darn hard to discover. People will go out of their way to defend a choice they made. Then there are these brand loyalists regardless if it is crap or not - MAC, Snap-On, MATCO, groupies are a good example. The G_d D___ tool could be made in Taiwan, and they will defend it. Its getting to be a long post. You get the point.

Anyway, I think I'm going to probably buy the Honda axles. Not because I believe Honda remans are better made than "all" of the aftermarket competition, and in fact, may be even be worse than some, but rather because I don't want to run the risk of guessing whether a particular brand was made well or not. The information just isn't available. I know your happy about concealing that, aren't you Honda!?


Modified by diyer at 2:52 PM 5/26/2004

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by farroutt &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Isnt one of the great things about hondas are that they last a long time? This misconception of autozone parts is sickening to me. I dont have the facts on exactly who makes the parts but common sense suggests that there are more than one manufacturer of these parts. Besides the fact, even if this drive axle was originally a honda axle it wasnt rebuilt with honda parts especially the cv boots. The aftermarket cv boots run about 9 dollars a side as where as the honda factory boots are 20. If youve ever experienced the joy of having one of these aftermarket boots on your car youll know that there isnt a comparison between the two, especially when they blow every 10,000 miles. Also whats not to say that you buy that aftermarket axle and it lasts a year, no big deal you have the warranty and you can go down and pick up a new one. Now you have to take time out of your schedule to replace it. How many miles did your original axle last before you now need to require a new one? I have 140 on my 96 and havent had very many problems with my car at all, of course I use new factory honda parts, but do what you think you need too. I feel that saving 40 dollars just isnt worth it, even if it is just for piece of mind.</TD></TR></TABLE>

alot of times you pay a hefty markup simply cause it's a honda part. look at the oem spark plugs. you can buy them for $2.50 at a autoparts store or pay $4.00 from a honda dealer for same thing except it says honda on the box instead of ngk. i was told by the parts dept that the CV boots on honda remans are better, other than that there is really no difference they were aware of. however there are some parts that i believe are best purchased through honda like timing belts, water pumps, and thermostats. the thing is honda probably has someone in japan making some of these oem parts, but things like axles are remaned in the usa by a company you can probably easily get at an autoparts store for cheaper. i don't feel the honda reman is worth the cost.

 

NGK - now there is a perfect example of what I mean.

Honda:

Make the G__ damn__ parts better and I will probably buy them - but don't charge me an arm and a leg for the same relabled part. That creates hard feelings when discovered.

 

KGAccord Im not trying to start a flame war or anything but in my opinion I think the Honda remanufactered ones are just as good. Have you ever seen an aftermarket axle from any of the aftermarket stores? They always have those easy install half slip cv boots on there, which wear out in 10,000 miles. I cant say that all the parts that Honda sells are of high quality, I havent bought all of the parts in the catalog. But out of the parts that I have bought they have been nothing short of fantastic, they fit, perform, and look like it did when it rolled off the assembly line. And that too me is worth the little extra money that comes out of my pocket.

Diyer- What you said is absolutely correct. It is a huge corporation and they arent afraid to screw a few people to make a few more dollars. Especially when you walk onto one of thier lots with intentions of purchasing a car. Im not "trying" to defend them, I personally really dont care what anyone thinks about Honda. As a matter of fact most of my family are of the big three type. They think Im nuts for having two Honda Accords. Maybe I am, but my 96 has been such a champ and my wifes 2000 seems to be even better. Until I get a bad designed and/or built part from Honda I shall stick with buying OEM.

 

No argument here about OEM quality. Just wish I could discover who is rebuilding them. But even if I did know that, Honda could still be having theirs made to a higher standard. Sometimes OEM is the best value there is. There is alot to learn. So far, I am leaning toward the Honda remans. I can say that I have had fit problems with many aftermarket parts and do not like that aspect, not to mention other problems.

Well, as it stands now, no one is piping up and offering me any better choices than Honda remans. I hear the arguments but no brands mentioned. I'm waiting to be convinced.

 

how long can OEM axle last if the boots are well maintanced and replaced when rip?

Mine just ripped and not sure whether to replace boot or the whole axle. If my stock axle can last another 50k then i'll replace the boot.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by farroutt &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">KGAccord Im not trying to start a flame war or anything but in my opinion I think the Honda remanufactered ones are just as good. Have you ever seen an aftermarket axle from any of the aftermarket stores? They always have those easy install half slip cv boots on there, which wear out in 10,000 miles. I cant say that all the parts that Honda sells are of high quality, I havent bought all of the parts in the catalog. But out of the parts that I have bought they have been nothing short of fantastic, they fit, perform, and look like it did when it rolled off the assembly line. And that too me is worth the little extra money that comes out of my pocket.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

i only have experience with CCT axles. the biggest thing that these axles have over honda is that i bet you setup a poll, more people will have CCT or some other aftermarket axle v. a honda reman. if they were that bad, i'm sure you would see post that say aftermarket remans suck buy honda remans. i agree there is a level of piece of mind with buying honda parts, i used to use honda filters and wiper blad inserts. i just don't think there is enough info, not to go with an aftermarket axle. besides the cost difference is rather large too. i got my CCTs from autozone for $70 each after you return the core. the honda ones would have been $120-130 each after returning the core. that's a big price difference, if it was $10-20 extra each i'd pay for honda, but they are almost double the price. if youbuy the honda ones you'd probably be doing a service to the honda community since i have yet to hear of someone on here with a honda reman. atleast we could have someones first hand experience with one instead of just talking hypothetically.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by david90 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">how long can OEM axle last if the boots are well maintanced and replaced when rip?

Mine just ripped and not sure whether to replace boot or the whole axle. If my stock axle can last another 50k then i'll replace the boot.</TD></TR></TABLE>

once the boot is ripped it is exposed to dirt. once dirt gets in your cv joint it will eventually fail, probably in 5k-10k.