Anyone use GKN Loebro axles ?

[ghamilton]

Need to replace all 4 axle boots. So, it all has to come apart. 100k on car, my records dating back to 1990, including some tranny work do not show boot, axle replacement, rebuild.

So, I can get the gnk for $250 each, which save 3-4 hrs rebuild time plus parts. I just had surgery, so I won't be under car for 3-4 weeks min. My shop can do axle swap in 4 +/- hrs. So are the gnks ok?. OEM are like $1000 each.

Then I'll have a set of axles that may just need boots. They gotta be worth something to someone on the board?

Are they brand new, German, Chinese?

Thanks.

[gtc]

OEMs are most likely GKNs also.
Their quality is hit and miss. The bearing races on my last new set of GKN CVs were pretty poorly finished. I actually busted out the sandpaper and polished them smooth before putting everything together.
I try to reuse my old ones now until they are too worn.

4 hours seems like a long time for a shop to do an axle swap, if they're not rebuilding the axles. You're literally just unscrewing 24 bolts, cleaning everything well, and bolting in the new assemblies.

[gtc]

You can sell the used ones for $100 an axle, but it makes more sense (to me) to keep them around and rebuild them for next time.

[john walker's workshop]

An hour labor would be about right if you have a rack. I haven't had any issues with them. Some take a 45mm bolt instead of the original 50mm. If you use 50mm on the outers with the thinner CV, they contact the arm and lock up the axle.

[TheSt|G]

I've always had terrible luck with non factory CV axles, but that was entirely in the BMW world. Either way, happy I have a last gen 915 so the part cost is less than half of the early 915.

[Bleedsblue]

When the Pelican catalog notes that a manufacturer is the OEM Supplier (with the little German flag), I don't worry about quality. At least with the later cars, GKN is noted as the OEM supplier.

[ghamilton]

Yet, 3-4 is probably heavy on the time, John; you think it's an hour a side, or for both?

Doubt most shops can do anything in less than an hour by the time you get the car on the lift, etc...

I trust the shop, they do my dailies and are really involved with doing a bunch of high end cars including some resto 356's etc in their shop down the road.

Pretty sure they are $90/hr.

I assume I just need the hardware kit that comes with them; no locking tabs, etc??

I have read the extensive threads on this job & it seems like there is waayy too much info.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but do you need a press to do a rebuild?

[JohnJL]

I have a pair on my g50, they handle 450 plus ft lbs. I have heard there is a Ford part number for the same axle at a fraction of the price. I got mine from our fine host.

[gtc]

Originally Posted by ghamilton

Correct me if I'm wrong, but do you need a press to do a rebuild?

All you really need is a pair of snap ring pliers.
The worst part of the job is cleaning out the old grease.

[john walker's workshop]

Originally Posted by ghamilton

Yet, 3-4 is probably heavy on the time, John; you think it's an hour a side, or for both?
s with them; no locking tabs, etc??

Both. It's not that hard, just dirty.

[Joe Bob]

and nasty.....CV grease and tranny fluid......hate them worse than redheads and clowns. Good luck.

[Hendog]

Couple years ago I refreshed my suspension. Re packed the CVs while I was at it. Ordered new loewbro boots but when I compared them with my still good OEM boots they just didn't have the flex and feel of the OEM. They felt plastic-y and when flexed they sprung back slower. I reused the originals.
Yours are cracked, so you don't have a choice. Simply passing on my experience.

[Walt Fricke]

I don't know if you can purchase the nice full assemblies - both CVs plus the axle, all assembled - for the SCs. Or any 915? Only the G 50 transmissions and parts accept the nice steel cap over the greasy end of the CV. On those cars the outer stub axle is friction welded to the CV, so it is hard, if indeed possible at all, to do any rebuilding of that CV. But replacement is pretty painless - remove the nut from the outer end of the stub axle, remove the tranny CV bolts, drop and pull out the assembly. Plop in a new one, rebolt and renut, and you are good.

If you have bolts on the outer CV as well as the inner, you don't, I think, have a G50. So you will just purchase two new CVs, plus boots if needed, and pull the CVs and axle, put on the new CVs, get all greasy both removing and replacing and packing with grease, and put things back in with your old axle.