USA Industries axles are unworthy

Post by **vtl** » 18 Nov 2015, 21:30

Sourced through FCP 2 months and 4k miles ago:

CV boot is pinched. It has a thickness of condom, maybe two condoms (low quality parts used), so I was not surprised at all. Previous rebuilt axle had a snapped bolt inside (no quality assurance). Then they sent a new $59 worth Chinese axle, because they didn't have a rebuilt OE axle in stock, but still priced it at full cost, including core charge (fraud and no respect to customers). The very first axle I've got from them is still alive and it has GKN or some other higher quality boots, so apparently they cut production costs (effective management).

Dry CV joint is all I need a few days before 1400 miles trip.

Two lessons learned: avoid non-OES/OEM aftermarket parts, and Tasca has a greater variety of OE parts, lower prices and same fast shipping.

mouseskowitz · Post by **mouseskowitz** » 18 Nov 2015, 22:03

Is the problem FPC or USA Industries? I was just looking at that axle today.

Post by **vtl** » 18 Nov 2015, 22:23

FCP are nice, but they don't have control over third-party sellers. Still, that hit me as a customer, so I'm disappointed. Even with hassle free returns I need to take bad axle out, clean the mess it did, send it back...

I would also love FCP don't advertise and sell low quality aftermarket parts

Greedy me buys it and suffers.

Had to buy a new OE axle, which costs a fortune, but nobody around wanted to rebuild my old axles. I regreased/rebooted two axles which didn't have too much play in CV joints, but two others are bad (we have two Volvo wagons in family, so four front axle in total).

Tonyx · Post by **Tonyx** » 19 Nov 2015, 06:58

Agree 100% to stay with Volvo axles, I had vibration/shimmy issue with non-Volvo axles.

Just curious about the pictures, is that grease spewing or metal bits?

Post by **vtl** » 19 Nov 2015, 08:29

This is all grease. The axle still works ok, but the pinch is a week old, two at most.

dux02v70 · Post by **dux02v70** » 22 Nov 2015, 18:16

That's miserable. I can't believe that with all of the P2 Volvos on the road there is nobody other than the dealer offering rebuilt axles worth buying. I just replaced an inner boot on the passenger side of my 01 V70 T5M and after cleaning up the joint and repacking it with fresh grease the driveline feels like new. The car has 174k on it now and I can't be certain that the axle is original but based on the way the carrier bearing felt it probably is. Funny how something that has been working for that long can be so superior to something that is brand new and being sold as an equivalent quality product. It wasn't that long ago that you could get new CV joints and boots that you would put on your axles. Now you are stuck buying the whole unit and hoping that the "rebuilder" isn't some shady thief. If they are just going to put a huge markup on some junk from Asia you're probably better off trying your luck at a junkyard. Factory rebuilts are awesome axles but for my car the cost of a pair of them is approaching what the car is worth.

Post by **vtl** » 23 Nov 2015, 12:21

Just got my Volvo axle. What a quality! All shiny, thick boots, no play in joints at all, good carrier bearing with a lot of grease. I don't care about the price anymore, if in next 10 years I don't have to replace the axles every two months and pay for the shipping.

Post by **vtl** » 23 Nov 2015, 17:09

Replaced... One hour to take old axle out and clean all the mess it did, and another 30 minutes to put new axle in. I did a few pictures:

Rebuilt by USA Industries vs Volvo rebuilt:

Volvo has GKN Lobro boots and thick clamps:

USA Industries - KOK boots and thin clamps. I actually didn't see a hole in the boot, it could be that the grease just escaped the clamp.

Carrier bearing is already dry, only two months in the car! When I replaced bearing in my wife's car with cheap $15 bearing, it was more tight than this when I took axle out after two years. Also notice it was installed upside down...

Volvo axle was carefully packed, ABS ring and axle's end were covered and protected. USA Industries sends axle alone in the empty box, it is flying free over every bump. Box always arrived crashed and partly open.