The broken aftermarket CV-axle issue

[brokencase]

Anyway, I just went through my rockauto orders and I have TRAKMOTIVE VW8063 (right) and TRAKMOTIVE VW8045 (left)
That was in early 2018.

Above you note the failure you disassembled is an APWI unit (?).

YMMV

That is because I missed telling you another part of this story.

A month or so after I got back from Carlisle I noticed a slight clicking in the right rear axle. I had my brother get into the car and with his weight on that side the noise went away. But if I drove by myself the noise was there.

Given your recent failure and fear of mine failing I ordered and installed the APWI axle. I was also worried that my mechanic would fail it for inspection.

So this APWI axle that failed has less the 100 miles on it.

But is it a true failure? Nothing is broken here. It just "dis-located"

Ed - have all your failures been on the outer CV?

[brokencase]

I am going to post some "post mortem" pictures and I'll try to show what I think can fix the issue..at least for this particular APWI axle and perhaps for the other aftermarket axles. I'll have to clear the grease off of everything before I can photograph.

[Ed Lijewski]

Ed - have all your failures been on the outer CV?

Yes, each failure was on the outer CV joint.

YMMV

[brokencase]

Ed - have all your failures been on the outer CV?

Yes, each failure was on the outer CV joint.

YMMV

But it has happened on both sides?

[Ed Lijewski]

Yes, on both sides.

Noah and I corresponded on this via a few emails.

The links in the email below are interesting, fyi.
.........

Hi Noah:

Things are good. Enough.

Your axle set still works without a hitch. I'm deeply indebted to you for them.

Thank you for the update with photos. I've been thinking that you'd get back to looking at the axles, so Great Minds...

I'm puzzled by that washer, whether it played any role in these failures, or not.

I looked for YouTube videos on VW Bus/Vanagon CV axles expecting to find one with those washers but haven't so far.

What a couple of the videos below did point out is that if the CV parts aren't correctly combined the joint won't be as free flexing as it should be.

The first video places emphasis on the correct and incorrect orientation of each component, pointing out chamfered edges/non chamfered edges, cage ends facing the diff and facing the axle, and clocking the bearing cage with the outer race. These details were engineered for reasons.

This is also noted in some of the other videos.

In the third video the guy reassembles an axle but says he decided not use a supplied outer washer behind the circlip (?)


https://youtu.be/EOGMB5IqqcU


https://youtu.be/5HC2V4UvWiM


https://youtu.be/LyieAwqqqq0


https://youtu.be/f_gXjvBArSo


https://mol.im/a/9887067


https://youtu.be/MCGnOMJkioU
.......

YMMV

[Fresh Air Inspector]

Hello Ed,

GREAT videos! I wonder how many XR / Scorpio replacement axle CV joint failures are the result of incorrect assembly and / or 'clocking' of the joint pair? Something to carefully check before installing on ones vehicle.

[brokencase]

Thanks for the links. The first one was very helpful in showing how to re-assemble the CV.
I can also see that his CV's are of a much better build quality that the APWI CV's .
Specifically I can see that the cages are thicker and machined much better.

So I put the APWI axle back together. I could be wrong but I think there is an orientation associated with the entire axle.
There is a groove on one side of the axle. I think it is possible that this groove was meant to be towards the diff rather than towards the outside wheel.

Why would they put that groove there?

I think I am going to contact the company directly...
https://apwks.com/contact/

[Ed Lijewski]

The first video describes the correct orientation of the grooved ("slit") joint as towards the differential.

YMMV

[Ed Lijewski]

Hello Ed,

GREAT videos! I wonder how many XR / Scorpio replacement axle CV joint failures are the result of incorrect assembly and / or 'clocking' of the joint pair? Something to carefully check before installing on ones vehicle.

This has been my surmise (posted earlier) after Noah found the circlips intact; I initially speculated broken circlips might have caused the failures.

YMMV

[brokencase]

I want to talk about these items...

washers_cv.jpg (120.09 KiB) Viewed 3871 times

The Trackmotive axles did not come with these. So I did not install them. Were they expecting me to reuse what I had?

The APWI axle did come with these but I opted not to install them. I think they are required. I think they help keep the balls contained in the CV joint.

Did the original Scorpio axles have these? I can't remember..

[brokencase]

The first video describes the correct orientation of the grooved ("slit") joint as towards the differential.

YMMV

This is the groove of which I speak...

notch_cv.jpg (132.98 KiB) Viewed 3870 times

[brokencase]

I think I need to get a set of these for the other side! Pronto!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254108003376

Dang - gotta get under there one more time...

[Ed Lijewski]

I want to talk about these items...


The Trackmotive axles did not come with these. So I did not install them. Were they expecting me to reuse what I had?

The APWI axle did come with these but I opted not to install them. I think they are required. I think they help keep the balls contained in the CV joint.

Did the original Scorpio axles have these? I can't remember..

Yes, OE. Can be reused. I'm pretty sure each of the several axles I've bought included new ones; but if not I reused the existing ones.

You see these thrust washers on buses and large trucks. I think they spread torque loads between two axle bolts (and may help to keep bolts from loosening.

YMMV

[brokencase]

I never throw anything away. I attribute this to my father's upbringing BTW.

The original Scorpio axles did have these torque washers. I found them. The Trackmotive axles did not come with these therefore one is led to believe they are not required.

In reality they are essential. They re-enforce the metal flange to keep the balls inside the joint.

Are we getting to the bottom of this issue yet? Probably not, but I know what I have to do now.

torquewashers.jpg (136.62 KiB) Viewed 3865 times

[brokencase]

I guess after installing these all I have to do now is a series of burnouts in my driveway to "proof" the cv joints.

You know, like how they use to "proof" firearms back in the day when they would load them up with double the powder load to ensure the barrels would not blow up.