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GForce Axle Install - Lessons learned

13K views 40 replies 15 participants last post by  Den_93 
#1 ·
Just finished installing my GForce anti-wheelhop axle in my 2005 and thought I'd post a couple of lessons learned. Haven't tested it out yet, still want to get to work and back and make sure there aren't any issues before I beat on it.

Total time to take the axle out and put it back in - just over an hour.

Total time to get the axle out of the Inner CV joint - 5 minutes.

Total time screwing around trying to get the axle out of the Outer CV joint - about 2 hours.

But, figured out a great trick for getting it out (my dad's brilliant idea and worked like a charm). I got a piece of pipe that was big enough for the axle go through, then I grabbed a huge washer that had an outer circumference that was big enough to cover the whole face of the cv joint. Slipped the washer over the axle shaft, put the axleshaft in the pipe with the washer in between the cv joint and the pipe. Banged the whole thing on the ground about 5 times. The axleshaft popped right out.

Before that I tried using bottle jacks and tried using a jack-all as a slide hammer but neither of those worked.

Also, torque specs that I didn't see in Chris's instructions:
Spindle Nut 118 lb/ft
Upper ball joint nut (I didn't bother to take it off, it wasn't necessary) 15 lb/ft plus additional 210 degree turn
Lower Control Arm to knuckle bolt 129 lb/ft
Lower shock mounting bolt 111 lb/ft
Trailing arm to knuckle bolt 129 lb/ft
Adjustment link to knuckle bolt 129 lb/ft

Also, changed the rear brakes, diff fluid, and drilled the exhaust and pulled all the fiberglass out. Long day.

Hope this helps someone.

Robin.
 
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#4 ·
Let us know how the single passenger half shaft works out for you. I did the mod and still have hop. It's greatly reduced, but definitely still there.

I'm wondering if compressing the cradle bushings with the DIY washer trick in combination with the GEforce axle will help cure hop completely or just bite the bullet and get the driver side half shaft is the way to go. I'll go cheaper route first.

I'm going to add SS brake lines this weekend and recheck the torque on everything to see if all is OK after 4 months worth of use.
 
#6 ·
nice writeup! how do you like the sound of the stock exhaust now with the fiberglass pulled out?
 
#7 ·
nice writeup! how do you like the sound of the stock exhaust now with the fiberglass pulled out?
It sounds a little bit meatier but not quite as loud as I was hoping. I think it's good for now though, at least the wife will still be happy, hahaha. Much better to spend $20 on a couple of chrome plugs and a large metal holesaw than $1000 on a custom exhaust.

R.
 
#8 ·
Couple other thoughts...

Was also thinking that instead of a huge washer which might be hard to find, you could also use a 6 inch piece of 2x4 with a large enough hole for the axle to slide through. That would be easier to find and should work just as well.

Also, I used a piece of 2 inch square steel tubing that was about 3 feet long.

R.
 
#11 ·
i'm about ready to start this work (tearing down and rebuilding the axle). the GForce instruction page is down. anyone have the instructions for building the Gforce axle and disassembly of the oem axle (not installation in car).
 
#13 ·
let me also ask this.. what is the difference between the available aftermarket econo axle larger diameter and the 06-07 diameter and material? I have an aftermarket axle new in the box, but took apart one of the several spare axles laying around the house. I found to my surprise that I actually have a 06-07 larger diameter axle for the passenger side of my 05V, the same side as i have for my aftermarket shaft kit. Would I be in the same posistion if i just used the larger 06-07 axle (completely assembled) as i would if i installed the aftermarket econo?

I could sell of my aftermarket axle kit and still have staggered diameter axles in my 05 and some coin in my pocket. will i see really any difference over the econo with the larger 06-07 axle?

also took apart one of my spare small 05-06 axles in prep for using the ends on the aftermarket axle shaft... gotta tell you, took 5 minutes total. used a dremel micro cutoff to cut bands on both boots and used snapring pliers to seperate the ends from the shaft.. don't know what all the fuss is taking apart? am i missing something?

In either case... I will have original 05-06 axle assemblies (or seperated) and an 07 shaft and or seperated ends for others to mix and match their axles to prevent wheel hop.
 
#14 ·
If you are asking what I think you're asking, the answer is no. Having the smaller (1.25" diameter 2004/2005) axle on one side and the larger (1.50" diameter 2006/2007) axle on the other side of the car will not achieve the tortional difference designed into the various aftermarket axles. It was tried without success by more than one forum member in the past.
 
#15 ·
roger that.... so performance speaking... the aftermarket larger axle will not perform the same as the larger oem axle. with that said should i be concernd with leaving the smaller diameter driver side in, or is that the point to disrupting the harmonics? i know having the different diameters is the key, what of the materials? I assume as much different as possible the better to prevent the hop from the axles - econo speaking?
 
#17 ·
Correct, running a stock big diameter axle doesnt have the same effect as our big axle. The 300m material that our axles are made of has very different twisting properties then the stock ones do.

If you want to run just one of our axles with a stock one, you will still need the staggared diameter, OEM small diameter 06-07 axle on the driver side and our big axle on the passenger side or you can run a big OEM 06-07 axle on the passenger side and our smaller diameter axle on the drivers side. (I think I got that right)
The best option is to run both our axles.

Thanks
Chris
 
#18 ·
I think you meant to say 04-05.

If you want to run just one of our axles with a stock one, you will still need the staggared diameter, OEM small diameter 04-05 axle on the driver side and our big axle on the passenger side or you can run a big OEM 06-07 axle on the passenger side and our smaller diameter axle on the drivers side.
 
#21 ·
negate my previous comment about "ease" of disassembly. The axle i had was not for a V. dunno what it was, maybe a cts axle. so i had a V axle in my pile. took it apart until i got to the outer stub and that's all she wrote. i even bored a hole in my bench and pulled from underneath with massive pulling drop slams to pull shaft out - no go. glad i had spare axle to mod so car is not down, but stuck on removing shaft.

guess im par for course... guess i gotta find some shop to extract shaft from stub
 
#22 ·
Did you try having someone hold it while you beat on it with a sledge hammer? We ended up using the blunt side of an axe. You laugh, but it worked. :cookoo:
 
G
#24 ·
Hold the shaft in a vise and pound on the inner end of the CV with a BRASS hammer. A few decent shots and it'll compress the spring clip and start sliding off of the splines. After you've done one, it'll literally take you about 30 seconds if you ever have to do a 2nd one.
 
#25 ·
#26 ·
ended up having a shop remove it. Had equally as much fun installing the new sheft. Could not get the ring to recompress but stay open enough to expand to retain the stub once installed. Sucked. But it is done.. Note, I was not crazt at all about the boots provided. Particularly the larger end of the boot on the axle. The boot kept wanting to slide back off even after I removed any grease.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Just about to install mine this weekend. (Hopefully) I'm having a very hard time finding a 34mm (1 1/3) deep dish socket. No one seems to have one locally and It's a very odd size.

Finally found it. Tool Depot in San Diego.

I'll put it next to my 32mm combo wrench that I used once to take off my ex girlfriends clutch fan on her 325is.
 
#28 ·
Just about to install mine this weekend. (Hopefully) I'm having a very hard time finding a 34mm (1 1/3) deep dish socket. No one seems to have one locally and It's a very odd size.

Finally found it. Tool Depot in San Diego.

I'll put it next to my 32mm combo wrench that I used once to take off my ex girlfriends clutch fan on her 325is.
I was planning on doing my install yesterday but the amsoil didn't show up on time. I had a terrible time finding a 34mm and ended up buying the largest set of sockets I've ever seen, 34mm was one of the smallest in the set and the wrench is bigger than my breaker bar.
 
#29 ·
The washer trick worked like a charm. I had a washer made at work that is 3.5 outer diameter with 1.5 inch hole in the middle made out of 1/4 inch stainless. 3 taps on the ground while holding the CV joint and axle up against the pipe and washer (that's important so the energy is not dissipated) and the axle pops right out.

I should be done with the washer in a few days if anyone wants to use it.

PM me.

I'm having a hard time cleaning out the CV joints. I scoped all the grease out I could but the parts cleaner at work doesn't make enough pressure to clean out the old grease. What a pain.
 
#31 ·
I'm having a hard time cleaning out the CV joints. I scoped all the grease out I could but the parts cleaner at work doesn't make enough pressure to clean out the old grease. What a pain.
The solvent in WD40 seemed to work fairly well for me, it will take several cans though, i then followed up with brake cleaner to remove any WD40 oil. I also used some toothpicks to help get as much out as i could...

There are probably better/cheaper solvents out there, that would work at the grease. I don't know if gas would work good on the grease or not.
 
#30 ·
i scooped out what i could then packed it with new grease. i did not know quite where to clamp the telescoping boot as i don't know that the free length should be. I just clamped the boot in mid stroke of the stub. Got my 75w-110 amsoil and the redline diff additive and breakin fluid... cutout pipes and im set for a good install day with new diff.
 
#34 ·
Is there a trick to getting the inner stub to re-seat in the diff? It just doesn't seem to want to go that last 1/4 inch.
 
#35 ·
I just did it yesterday. I pulled the half shaft out, standing by where the Wheel hub would be, just enough so the splines were still engaged then gave it a quick force-full shove so that it "clicked in." Make sure the Half-shaft and the CV splined insert are lined up as best as possible in order to transfer as much energy as possible. Kind of like a pool cue.
Keith
 
#38 ·
Thanks Chris.

I appreciate the quick response over the weekend.

LB
 
#39 ·
Adding to the lessons learned.

I had a little trouble getting one of the axles seated in the outer stub. I tried hitting the end of the axle with a dead blow hammer, but I couldn’t get it in the last ¾ inch.

So I put a wood block on the floor and drove the outer stub and the axle into the block. Just like with the washer and the pipe, this uses the weight of the axle in your favor. After about 5 hits into the block keeping the axle perpendicular to stub, the axle was seated.
 
#41 ·
Just remove and replace my GeForce Axle. It took me about an hour. I didn't have to remove the upper ball joint, rotor and calipers out. I hope the axles are fully seated. Time for some burnouts tomorrow!
 
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