[demonics12]

Hey guys,

So I know that the general consensus is that only oem Honda axles are the way to go if you want an exceptionally smooth drive out of our Accords. Though I was wondering, has anyone had any good experiences with aftermarket stuff?

I have read a member had good luck with Napa, anyone else?

Also, has anyone replaced the Intermediate driveshaft bearing when doing the pass. axle? That can also cause a shake from the drivetrain.

Any positive and negative experiences are helpful, as one or both of my axles are just done, and I'd like to replace the bearing, and both axles in the relative near future, but I'd also rather put a grand towards paying the car off.

Thanks in advance.

 

[qman]

I bought the APWI HO8364 pass side axle for my AT from rockauto. No intermediate bearing. The cost was $36.79 and another $9 shipping and my car still drives smooth as silk.

I almost never do anything OEM unless I have to. OEM axles are $700 new and $400 reman so I figured $45 was worth a shot. And the job was so easy that there is hardly any risk at all if I did have to do it over.

BTW, I did a lot of shopping and the only aftermarket CV axle I could find that I could be guaranteed would have the dampener on it was that APWI from rockauto. All the local parts houses (Autozone, Advance, O'Reilly's, Carquest and even Napa) showed online pics of their axle with the dampener but when I showed up or called and made them open and look at one, it did not have the dampener. It is the dampener that makes for a sooth ride.

 

[RickBlaine]

This is an excellent question! Would be helpful "qman" if you could post a picture or two (or links) showing the dampener vs. one without, and list how many miles since you put it on that it is still driving smoothly.

My unscientific poll here shows that aftermarket can often be bad right out of the box, or fail within a few months. But every now and then someone uses aftermarket and a couple of years pass and they still run smooth.

 

[chris918]

I bought the APWI HO8364 pass side axle for my AT from rockauto. No intermediate bearing. The cost was $36.79 and another $9 shipping and my car still drives smooth as silk.

I almost never do anything OEM unless I have to. OEM axles are $700 new and $400 reman so I figured $45 was worth a shot. And the job was so easy that there is hardly any risk at all if I did have to do it over.

BTW, I did a lot of shopping and the only aftermarket CV axle I could find that I could be guaranteed would have the dampener on it was that APWI from rockauto. All the local parts houses (Autozone, Advance, O'Reilly's, Carquest and even Napa) showed online pics of their axle with the dampener but when I showed up or called and made them open and look at one, it did not have the dampener. It is the dampener that makes for a sooth ride.

I looked that up. It looks like a good deal, but I didn't see the one for the other side. Hmm

 

[qman]

Here ya go. I saw a similar pic on all of the parts houses website but when I had someone open up a box there was no dampener. I called rockauto and asked them too. They have excellent customer service BTW. It was a Saturday and the guy on the other phone tells me that if it's in the pic it should be on the part. I told him what I had seen from the parts houses sites. He did a check on the part to see if there had been any complaints on it and there had been none. He told me if it wasn't to my liking then I could return it no problem on them.

 

[qman]

I looked that up. It looks like a good deal, but I didn't see the one for the other side. Hmm

I just noticed that myself. Maybe the pass side is the side that burns up. Hmmmm is correct.

 

[demonics12]

I bought the APWI HO8364 pass side axle for my AT from rockauto. No intermediate bearing. The cost was $36.79 and another $9 shipping and my car still drives smooth as silk.

How long have you had it in service? How many miles?

 

[qman]

How long have you had it in service? How many miles?

Just a couple weeks and a few hundred miles. And one more thing. The axle is 100% new and not rebuilt. At least that's what the box says.

 

[jfuredy]

I have installed several sets of aftermarket half shafts on my last three Hondas, and never had any significant problems. They way I looked at it, I could replace these several times for the price of one OEM set of axles, especially if I did the install myself. Even with an independent shop's labor you could probably have them replaced twice vs. the cost of the OEM axles. Below is my experience:

I used Cardone Select units from RockAuto on my 2006 V6 6-speed Accord. These are new, not rebuilt, units. 66-4207 and 66-4221. These have been installed about 3.5 years, with about 42K miles on them. No issues to speak of to this day, and I'm still driving this car.

I used Cardone Select units from RockAuto on my wife's 2006 I4 4WD CR-V. These are new, not rebuilt, units for the front end. 66-4206 and 66-4207. These have been installed a little over a year, with about 14K miles on them. No issues to speak of to this day, and my wife is still driving this car.

I used "Import Direct" units from O'Reilly Auto Parts on my 2001 I4 Accord. These are new, not rebuilt, units. HO-8027 and HO-8025. I only got to drive on these less than a year and 14K miles before some idiot totaled the car. But I didn't have any issues with these axles either.

I don't have any first-hand experience with the dampeners, but I recall seeing a thread on here about an axles that snapped in two at the dampener location because water/salt was trapped against the axles by the dampener mounting strap. And I think someone pointed out that Honda doesn't use that type of dampener anymore because of this issue.

 

[demonics12]

They way I looked at it, I could replace these several times for the price of one OEM set of axles, especially if I did the install myself.

My exact thoughts!

 

[qman]

My exact thoughts!

My exact thinking too. Especially cuz I'm a CB (cheap bstrd).

 

[demonics12]

So I suppose the Cardone units seem to be the best bet for me. Has anyone replaced the bearing? I have a spare housing and thought I would be easy to get it pressed in, ready to go before I get the axles.

 

[qman]

The APWI unit has the rockauto heart next to it meaning it is the best selling. It is cheaper, it is a new unit, and it also has the dampener. I got it because of the dampener. But it sounds like you can't go wrong either way.

What bearing are you talking about?

 

[demonics12]

The APWI unit has the rockauto heart next to it meaning it is the best selling. It is cheaper, it is a new unit, and it also has the dampener. I got it because of the dampener. But it sounds like you can't go wrong either way.

What bearing are you talking about?

Cardone is only a bit more, and jfuredy has put some real miles on them with no issues. I don't know why I bought an Empire axle, only a few dollars cheaper. Cardone also has a heart next to it, and I have had excellent prior experience with various parts from them.

The bearing is listed as the differential bearing on Rockauto, here is an illustration from Honda. #23 is listed as a bearing, half shaft.

 

[qman]

You should be perfectly fine. Good luck.

 

[demonics12]

qman, you see the bearing I'm talking about?

I wonder if those who replace their axles and have issues with vibration perhaps have overlooked this bearing and don't realize it can cause issues?

 

[qman]

qman, you see the bearing I'm talking about?

I wonder if those who replace their axles and have issues with vibration perhaps have overlooked this bearing and don't realize it can cause issues?

Perhaps, and I do see it. I think that bearing is on the mannual trans model and not the auto. Seems I remember seeing it in the shop manual instructions for remove/replace.

BTW, let us know if your Cardone axle has the rubber dampener on it and let us know how it rides after the install.

I'm doing a full front suspension upgrade on my car. When I first bought it, the front end made a lot of clunk noises when going over bumps. Rear end does too (gonna do rear later). When I took off the pass side axle I noticed that the front lower control arm rubber bushing had large cracks in it so I replaced all 3 bushings (all 3 were cracked) in the control arm and now the clunks are gone from the right side. So I ordered a new lower ball joint (it's real loose) for the steering knuckle and new upper control arms for the right side and all new everything for the left. I'm gonna try to do that this weekend. I was pleased at how easy a job it was to do. I'll keep y'all posted.

 

[chris918]

Perhaps, and I do see it. I think that bearing is on the mannual trans model and not the auto. Seems I remember seeing it in the shop manual instructions for remove/replace.

BTW, let us know if your Cardone axle has the rubber dampener on it and let us know how it rides after the install.

I'm doing a full front suspension upgrade on my car. When I first bought it, the front end made a lot of clunk noises when going over bumps. Rear end does too (gonna do rear later). When I took off the pass side axle I noticed that the front lower control arm rubber bushing had large cracks in it so I replaced all 3 bushings (all 3 were cracked) in the control arm and now the clunks are gone from the right side. So I ordered a new lower ball joint (it's real loose) for the steering knuckle and new upper control arms for the right side and all new everything for the left. I'm gonna try to do that this weekend. I was pleased at how easy a job it was to do. I'll keep y'all posted.

How did you get the old bushings out? Especially the rear most bushing?

Your car must have been a rental if it had clunks in the suspension :lmao:

 

[qman]

Not a rental. Car is a Honda original with 185,000 miles on it. Car was a one owner by some gal who bought it new. Carfax shows it and I have the original window sticker and her title showed the purchase date.

My neighbor has a press so I pressed the old ones out and new ones in. Took about 30 minutes but 25 of it was spent trying to find the right thing to use to press each bushing. They're all a different size. All I replaced were the control arm bushings and clunks gone on the right side. There are still clunks on the left side and in the rear. Apparently, this car's OE Honda rubber had it by 185,000 miles of a woman driver.

As for the rear most bushing, I hacksawed off the thick rubber so that I could sit the control arm on some steel bars and press out the bushing. I'm assuming that's what you were asking about.

 

[chris918]

Not a rental. Car is a Honda original with 185,000 miles on it. Car was a one owner by some gal who bought it new. Carfax shows it and I have the original window sticker and her title showed the purchase date.

My neighbor has a press so I pressed the old ones out and new ones in. Took about 30 minutes but 25 of it was spent trying to find the right thing to use to press each bushing. They're all a different size. All I replaced were the control arm bushings and clunks gone on the right side. There are still clunks on the left side and in the rear. Apparently, this car's OE Honda rubber had it by 185,000 miles of a woman driver.

As for the rear most bushing, I hacksawed off the thick rubber so that I could sit the control arm on some steel bars and press out the bushing. I'm assuming that's what you were asking about.

It's hard to visualize what you're saying but I basically ignored the metal lip and pressed that bushing into a socket of the correct size. It took all the force the press had, but it worked great.