Minneapolis CV Joint & Drive Axle Repair
We’re Your Local CV Joint and Drive Axle Repair Specialists
Drive with peace of mind knowing your axles have been serviced by experienced ASE Certified technicians. We listen carefully and take the time to understand your vehicle so we can deliver the solution that’s best for you. Stop in today for a CV & Drive Axle inspection or schedule an appointment.
Schedule An Axle Inspection
Alexander’s Import Auto Repair did an amazing job with my car. They provided great customer service – even setting me up with a complimentary loaner car so I didn’t have to miss any work.
Griffin R
CV Axle Repair: How Your Vehicle’s Axles Work
The CV and drive axles are what transfer power from the transmission to the wheels. They are essential to making your car go!
Modern vehicles mostly use CV axles. The CV part of this stands for “constant velocity.” Constant velocity means that no matter what angle the axle is at, it will still spin. This handy function allows you to turn the wheels while the car continues to apply the power that makes it go. Your axle’s two CV joints are what make it possible to apply this force while the wheels are turning. The CV joints articulate and make driving and steering at the same time possible.
Healthy CV joints are essential to a functioning vehicle. If a CV joint were to fail the car would no longer move. Due to the way most drivetrains are set up, a single failed CV joint will prevent your entire car from moving.
CV Boot Inspection
One important thing that we check when performing an inspection is the condition of the CV boots. The boots are made of flexible rubber and protect the joint from environmental contamination. The boot also holds grease on the joint to make it move smoothly. If the boot is opened due to cracks from age or something abrasive on the road (think big stick or rough ice mound), grease will leak out and contamination will get in. This causes a lot of wear on the joint.
When we see an opened CV boot we recommend replacing the entire axle. The biggest reason for this recommendation is that’s nearly impossible to remove all of the contamination. Sometimes the damage is already done, even if there are no other signs of wear. By replacing the entire axle, we no longer have to worry about future problems with the compromised axle. For most vehicles we are able to source new aftermarket axles that are priced very reasonably.
Having serviced and replaced thousands of axles, we work with our suppliers to ensure we use only the best possible parts. Dealers offer new axles, but they often come with a premium price. Many companies offer re-manufactured axles, which may or may not stand the test of time.
Some repair shops only replace axle boots. This can seem like a money-saving repair at the time, but the joint will often start to show wear and make noise over time. Because you deserve long-term vehicle performance, we replace complete axle assemblies with brand new parts for a reasonable price.
