CV Shafts Binding

[Brandon X]

So I had my truck up on a lift the other day and when we would go to turn the front tires, they would bind up and be hard to turn. Obviously this is because of the 3" RCX lift I put on. I also noticed when I had my 4WD engaged during the winter after I put the lift on that it acted REALLY weird. I don't even know how to explain it, but it just wasn't right AT ALL.

How can I fix this? I'm thinking it's gonna be pretty expensive. I also need new boots too cause both are ripped. I swear this ******* lift was the WORST thing I have bought. $600 for the kit, $700 for the labor which included replacing a broken leaf spring, and now it's gonna be however much money I need to spend for new CV shafts and boots + labor. All that for a HORRIBLE ride, and like 2" of lift which is barely noticeable. ****!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sumo]

Axles isnt a bad job to do in the driveway. As for parts i did napa, for cheap maybe 100 a side with 50 back on cores. This is on my 89 sierra though. Shouldnt be too much of a difference.

 

[Brandon X]

Well that's not bad, figured it was gonna be more. Would I be safe replacing with OEM shafts or do I need some sort of aftermarket/custom ones?

 

[sumo]

I had similar problem in my 89, left axle totally done. It pulled to the right, made a god awful noise, I had to hold the steering wheel half cocked when it was in 4x4. When i unbolted the last bolt, it fell apart and broke in 2 pieces and internals were everywhere. I still have them in my 89 over a year now without a problem.

 

[fyremanpat]

You said it was on a lift when it was really hard to rotate the wheel. I'm assuming the suspension was at full travel with the wheels hanging. That would cause half shafts to bind.

 

[bowtiefreak]

^^^^on a lift is the max droop thetruck can have and it will bind this way. Can you take a picture of the front suspension while the truck is on the ground? This will give us a good idea of angles and so on.

 

[Brandon X]

Yeah I can take some pics. I'm not sure what angles but ill take a few.

 

[fyremanpat]

Ideally you want no half shaft angle but that's hard to do sometimes

 

[bowtiefreak]

this picture would be ideal

 

[96ProCompTahoe]

imm thinking the same thing with it being on a lift at the time.

if you go aftermarket plan to drop some big money on them.

 

[Brandon X]

I'll snap a pic tomorrow and get it up here.

Yeah ill never be lifting again. What a pain in the ******* ass. Like I said, worst thing ive bought.

 

[bowtiefreak]

If you get rid of those upper control arms.....

 

[Diller]

imm thinking the same thing with it being on a lift at the time.

if you go aftermarket plan to drop some big money on them.

OEM halfshafts are WAY overpriced!! Take this from a guy who works in a dealership. Locally, we can get them from our local Napa store with a retail price around $90 each, plus core.

I would go the aftermarket route. Even if you replace 7 aftermarket ones, you're still cheaper than 1 OEM axle at $700 retail.

We have installed about 100 of the Napa ones without a problem with a single one.

 

[Brandon X]

Here's some pics. I was told by 2 mechanics that the shafts were binding, one of which does suspension work on several cars a day.

 

[bowtiefreak]

Your CV angles are stock looking. Are the upper control arms new? Everything appears to be stock to me?

Are they saying they are binding from to much angle or something I am missing here? My angles look horrible compared to your truck

 

[992door]

Well for one thing if you look at the CV the boot has come apart so there is no grease in there. Cant tell about the one on the passenger side though. Could be your problem

 

[96ProCompTahoe]

yeah... those don't look to be binding at all unless your joints are gone under the boots...

 

[Brandon X]

Your CV angles are stock looking. Are the upper control arms new? Everything appears to be stock to me?

Are they saying they are binding from to much angle or something I am missing here? My angles look horrible compared to your truck

They don't know why it's binding, they just said they are. It could be because both boots are ripped and it's flinging all the grease out.

 

[bowtiefreak]

dry joints I guess?

 

[T-Bagg]

The solution I suggest to any CV problem on a lifted truck is RCV. Because that's what I got and I love 'em.
https://www.rcvperformance.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35&products_id=36
It doesn't use spacers which worsen the angles, it's telescoping.
Before I got them I've been through, I dunno, half dozen CV's. The one on the driver side has a torn boot that's let out most of the grease and let in the dirt and sand and water and whatever else I've driven through in and it's still not flinched. I'll fix that one of these days.
Here's what it looks like on my truck with a six inch lift.