S10 Axles

[lapoltba]

I've got an '83 SX4 and I'm looking at replacing the axles.

I have read in several places that the S10 axles are a direct fit.  What, if any, differences are there?  Are they slightly longer?  Does anyone have a part number, or specific year of S10 I can work with?

[carnuck]

'84 up S10. 3/8" longer compressed stock vs stock

[SnowEagle]

Never mind me here... I thought we were talking about half shafts and not axles.  I'll remove my question.

[eaglefreek]

Never mind me here... I thought we were talking about half shafts and not axles.  I'll remove my question.

Ask away, they are talking about half shafts which are also refereed to as CV axles.

[SnowEagle]

Thank you for clarifying.  I have put Javelin springs in my SX4 along with new shocks and now the half shafts appear to be a bit too short.  I heard that maybe the S10 or Cadillac half shafts from the mid-80's might work but I wanted to know if someone could be more specific or help identify what I need here.

[casper]

i got given a set of s10 front cv shafts by mistake for my honeybadger sx4. at ride height, my shafts sit perfectly level. no up or down angle. they are to long for a stock height eagle. they punched thru on the diff side, and would bind. im going to lift honeybadger 2-3" and then the s10 shafts SHOULD work. the bind was very slight. i did make a discovery on shocks for taller eagles. that will be updated in my shock thread.

[eaglefreek]

So if they bind at stock height, I would assume when the suspension collapses, it will bind even on a lifted Eagle. 

[casper]

they probably would when you get it twisted enough.

[SnowEagle]

Ok, so the SX/4 now has the Javelin springs and extended shocks up front.  That gave it about 3'' of lift and now there is serious negative camber.  I told my mechanic about the S10 half shafts, and that they were what we need because the are longer.  He is saying we actually need shorter half shafts unless we do something to the control arm.  Any ideas here?  Were we supposed to use some spacers or something to push down the steering knuckle?  Thanks!   

[carnuck]

The mechanic doesn't understand that the arc of the knuckle going lower requires a longer shaft? There is a camber adjustment on the inboard end of the lower control arm to cure that part of the issue. Already done with lots of Eagles. Sounds like you need an actual alignment shop.

[eaglefreek]

I want to revisit the S10 axle subject. I'm out of town and need to replace my right front half shaft and S10 axles are much easier to find and cheaper. I do have a little bit of a lift. Everything I read says 3/8" longer compressed. According to the parts stores websites, the S10 axles are little over 1-1/2" longer, but they measure from the end of the shaft and not where it seats in the hub. Casper reported a binding issue. Any other real world "I installed them on my vehicle and have driven many miles"experience. Not just what you heard someone else say. Thanks

[recomer]

Eaglefreek, I just replaced both my axles with NEW Toughone branded axles from Advance Auto, PN NCV82001 in August. I ordered them online and after finding a coupon for Advance Auto ($50.00 off orders over $135.00 PLUS free shipping), I paid $115.81 shipped for the pair. See http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/toughone-new-cv-axle-shaft-assembly-ncv82001/20870611-P#fragment-1

[eaglefreek]

Eaglefreek, I just replaced both my axles with NEW Toughone branded axles from Advance Auto, PN NCV82001 in August. I ordered them online and after finding a coupon for Advance Auto ($50.00 off orders over $135.00 PLUS free shipping), I paid $115.81 shipped for the pair. See http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/toughone-new-cv-axle-shaft-assembly-ncv82001/20870611-P#fragment-1

Thanks, unfortunately I'm 2,000 miles from home and no Advance Auto parts around here and I don't want to wait to have some shipped. O'Reilly's can have the S10 ones in one day.

[carnuck]

When I replaced the one on my '84 wagon back in '97, the junkyard gave me one from an '80 Caddy FWD, but only 1 side fit. I recall it was the right hand side, but it's been awhile. They had an Eagle and Caddy sitting on top of other cars side by side and that's when I noticed how much alike the lower suspensions were.

[eaglefreek]

This weekend I'm going to visit Bob in Billings, MT again and there is an O'Reilly's in Billings that has both an Eagle half shaft and S10 half shaft in stock according to their website. I plan on going there and getting some definite measurements of the shafts and on the car to help with this subject.

[eaglefreek]

I purchased an Eagle reman half shaft and an S10 reman half shaft. When measured totally collapsed, I got a 3/8" difference as mentioned by others. After I removed the old Eagle shaft. I put the hub in relation to the axle flange on the differential where I thought it would be the closest distance between the two. The distance was a 1/2" longer than the S10's collapsed length, so I installed the s10 axle. It wasn't easy though. The splined end did not want to go into the hub. I spent some time filing the splines and was able to get it to start into the hub and had to use the impact to get it to pull all the way through. It's going to be fun to remove it some day. The "new" Eagle one didn't want to go in either. The Eagle one actually appeared to be S10 parts with a new center rod that was a little shorter and the splined end was cut to match the Eagle since the S10 stub is a little longer.
OEM CV axle next to the remaned Eagle CV axle.

[carnuck]

The "tulip" cup (where the inboard tripode ujoint lives) doesn't look like it allows for enough in-out movement for major flex. That's why I questioned a company out here that builds race CV axles for a living and was told about using a different inboard cup that allowed for more in-out but he cautioned me that too much length to the in-out cup would interfere with axle angle.