07 Silverado Axle Half Shaft Rebuilding?

Zeke · March 2, 2011

Can axle half shafts be rebuilt by a garage, or are they just bought from a parts store already remanufactured and replaced? The reason I ask is that I had both my axles replaced in my 07 4x4 Silverado a few weeks ago by a local garage and I just crawled under to look becasue there is a noise when in 4 wheel drive and I noticed the metal axle shafts between the rubber boots look like they are the original ones with badly rusted shafts and blistered off paint. On the Invoice he stated he replaced the front half shaft axles and they charged alot for each so I think i'm starting to smell a RAT especially since I never had anything done by this shop and he had the truck for two days saying he had trouble getting the right length axles..Just wondering if anyone knows if there is a rebuild kit for the outer joint under the boot or are they just replaced and the old parts exchanged?

NickS · March 2, 2011

I'm not sure man. That sucks and doesn't make sense. I had to have one of mine replaced by a shop. The whole axle with the cv joints and boots is like $90. They only charged me $150 (parts and labor) to fix mine. With the whole axle shaft and everything only $90, I don't see why they would mess with re-building them. But I'm not sure. I'd take t back.

Zeke · March 2, 2011

I'm not sure man. That sucks and doesn't make sense. I had to have one of mine replaced by a shop. The whole axle with the cv joints and boots is like $90. They only charged me $150 (parts and labor) to fix mine. With the whole axle shaft and everything only $90, I don't see why they would mess with re-building them. But I'm not sure. I'd take t back.

That's what I'm saying "doesn't make sense" Now I know he screwed me, I just went back under the truck to have another look and the boots look to be the originals also, I went to him to have the front RC leveling kit and rear spacers put in and now I have to deal with this crap. He charged me 491.00 for the two axles WITHOUT labor. I have the slip in front of me getting more pissed off the more I look at it.. I can't wait to go down there..

Thanks

NickS · March 2, 2011

Yeah, something is definently wrong there. I usually look up the part (if I know for sure what needs to be replaced) and then ask questions before I take it to them. That way, I kind of get an idea of bow much minus labor.

As for the leveling kit, if they haven't put it in yet or the rear blocks, I would try myself. There isn't much to it, and will save you some money.

Another question, why did both of your axles already screw up with not even a leveling kit or anything. That sounds weird. Mine weren't messed up, I just saw I had a crack in one of the boots and it was leaking grease. I was thinking the same thing the shop was that fixed it, and that was it's almost as cheap to replace the whole axle, than just mess with the boot because most of same parts have to come out.

I will say, the shop that did it is a little hole in the wall. I cAlled some other shops and they wanted twice that amount or more to replace it. One even told me that if the other shop could fix it for that, then he would take it there. So you may have not got screwed TOO bad for replacing both axles (only if they replaced them with new ones which it sounds like they didn't).

Zeke · March 2, 2011

Yeah, something is definently wrong there. I usually look up the part (if I know for sure what needs to be replaced) and then ask questions before I take it to them. That way, I kind of get an idea of bow much minus labor.

As for the leveling kit, if they haven't put it in yet or the rear blocks, I would try myself. There isn't much to it, and will save you some money.

Another question, why did both of your axles already screw up with not even a leveling kit or anything. That sounds weird. Mine weren't messed up, I just saw I had a crack in one of the boots and it was leaking grease. I was thinking the same thing the shop was that fixed it, and that was it's almost as cheap to replace the whole axle, than just mess with the boot because most of same parts have to come out.

I will say, the shop that did it is a little hole in the wall. I cAlled some other shops and they wanted twice that amount or more to replace it. One even told me that if the other shop could fix it for that, then he would take it there. So you may have not got screwed TOO bad for replacing both axles (only if they replaced them with new ones which it sounds like they didn't).

I went to him for the leveling kit install and he noticed one of my boots on one side was leaking that's why I had to replace the axle and he said it would make sense to do both sides since there was 37000 miles on the truck and I was leveling it so I went for it.. Leveling kit is already installed he did that also at the same time. I have a nice garage to work in and the right tools but do not have any time at all... My fault for not waiting until my buddy who is a mechanic and I had the time to install the kit it would have saved a

bundle.. When I went to pick it up and saw the cost of the half shafts I freaked but I had to pay it, he had my truck. but now I know he put my old half shafts back on and charged me for rebuilts..Bad really bad. I am going there in the morning to ask what happened and show him the pics I took under the truck and let him know I'm calling the attorney generals office to report him. Crazy thing is that he just opened about 8 months ago you would think he would do the right thing to gain more business in the area..

NickS · March 2, 2011

Yeah, I would too. But, I wouldn't have listened to that crap about "they should both be replaced". He was just trying to get more money out of you which he did. Hell, if you didn't have the leveling kit on there before, a good dealership would have warrantied that with only 37,000 miles on the truck. There is no way axles should have to be replaced that soon I don't think.

Zeke · March 3, 2011

Yeah, I would too. But, I wouldn't have listened to that crap about "they should both be replaced". He was just trying to get more money out of you which he did. Hell, if you didn't have the leveling kit on there before, a good dealership would have warrantied that with only 37,000 miles on the truck. There is no way axles should have to be replaced that soon I don't think.

I was wondering what the axle half shafts look like on the these trucks when newer or even when when there is higher mileage, the reason I ask is that mine are rusted but there is a ton of flaking silver paint, I always thought the shafts were almost black from the factory or when rebuilt but it looks like mine were painted at some point.