Are rebuilt axles available for the MSP ?

[MrDiggler]

Yes, I searched first, but I got the usual worthless results. Tons of unrelated s*** and no help. I love everything about these php style forums except the search functionality.

As the title says, I just need to know if rebuilt axles are available anywhere for the MSP. I've never gotten a definitive word on that.

 

[JDM Sam]

Dealers have rebuild kits available.

 

[MrDiggler]

Well, I've got a guy here locally at A-1 Front Wheel Drive who says he's tracked them down for $100 each, but I'll find out for sure on Sat. morning. He said that there was a listing for the Mazda Protege Turbo w/ ABS. I'm not holding out much hope that they'll be right, and am taking a spare damaged driver's side axle I have to compare the rebuilt ones with. What part of the axle is bigger on the MSP unit... all of it, or just at the splines? I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[MrDiggler]

Update: Well, they almost got it right. His supplier shipped two passenger side axles. The diameter appears to be right on both, which is a relief, but they were two different lengths, so we're baffled about that. Now we need to know what the length of a stock passenger side axle is so we know which one to send back. Does anyone out there know, or do you have one laying around you could measure? I need to know by Monday. If this works out it could be a much needed source for inexpensive rebuilt MSP axles. Thanks, and go Titans!!!

FWIW, my parts guy at the dealer (who's pretty sharp) said he couldn't find any rebuild kit for the axles. He said that the CV joints are available separately from the shafts, but it would cost as much or more to go that route than buying new complete units.

 

[Wagonbacker9]

sub. Gonna need a new driver's side unit eventually.

 

[MrDiggler]

Bump. Does anyone know the passenger's side axle length? My axle guy needs to know today.

 

[MSP2003.5_Nick]

If it wasn't winter I could go out to the axle pile in the woods and find my old one among a few dozen haha. I could build a car with the s*** in my back yard lol.

What i do know is that I ordered a new axle from napa and they didn't list the mazdaspeed so I got a regular protege one. The fitment and length is the same but there is a very noticable difference in thickness. Lucky when I snap it I still got my lifetime warranty But it works the same.

 

[MrDiggler]

If it wasn't winter I could go out to the axle pile in the woods and find my old one among a few dozen haha. I could build a car with the s*** in my back yard lol.

What i do know is that I ordered a new axle from napa and they didn't list the mazdaspeed so I got a regular protege one. The fitment and length is the same but there is a very noticable difference in thickness. Lucky when I snap it I still got my lifetime warranty But it works the same.

Ahhh, ok. Where was the stock one thinner... in the shaft area between the joints? I realized the other day that the axle ends would have to be the same diameter b/c there aren't any major differences (other than LSD, revised shift fork, IIRC) between the G-series trannies among 3rd gen Proteges, right?

 

[Metallic36]

Oh geez.. I remember when the tranny shop put a regular Protege axle on my car instead of the MSP specific one. Talk about freakin vibration from hell. It was like driving over a railroad track when I was driving. I finally had to go to Mazmart and track down an axle that was from a MSP and it fit fine. You definitely have to make sure you get a MSP one, as I believe there is a difference in the lengths.. not by much but you sure can feel it if you get the wrong one.

 

[MSP2003.5_Nick]

Oh geez.. I remember when the tranny shop put a regular Protege axle on my car instead of the MSP specific one. Talk about freakin vibration from hell. It was like driving over a railroad track when I was driving. I finally had to go to Mazmart and track down an axle that was from a MSP and it fit fine. You definitely have to make sure you get a MSP one, as I believe there is a difference in the lengths.. not by much but you sure can feel it if you get the wrong one.

Really?? I haven't had any issues so far, everything fits good, no vibration or anything. To me that just doesn't make sense because it's the same car, same motor, same tranny and same everything else as a regular protege. The msp wheel base isn't wider or anything, the MSP one is just a little thicker in the middle of the shaft. Maybe the shop didn't get the axle all the way into the tranny or something.

I can tell you when I was doing mine the bastard would NOT go in, took a good hour or more of messing with it to get all the way in. Sometimes it would look in but it was stuck part way. That little C clip on the splines has to be just in the perfect place to go in right.

 

[MrDiggler]

Well, I did get the new axles. Working on installing them as we speak. Been fighting like hell with the driver's side... I can't get the damn thing to go in. It's that f-ing clip. Arrrgghh.
I took a pic of the new axle alongside the old one, and will edit and put the pic up a little later. I'm hoping these are going to work out.

 

[MrDiggler]

To answer my original question... yes! Although these replacement axles are actually new and not rebuilt... for about $100 each! After an ordeal with a fubarred s-pipe stud, I got to drive the car tonight with the new axles, and it's as smooth as melted butter. I was pleasantly surprised. If anyone is in need of new axles (or even thinks they may be soon), I'd jump all over these for the price. They look to be at least as stout as the factory Mazda units, and maybe more so. I'll get the pics up this weekend so you can see each factory axle next to these units.

 

[Wagonbacker9]

so, how does one get ahold of these? through the dealer?

 

[MrDiggler]

No, I got them through a small local shop called A-1 Front Wheel Drive. I'm going to check with them on Monday to see how steady their source is for these and what they would be willing to sell them for. I got them for what I assume to be their cost because I was willing to be the guinea pig to see if these are indeed good replacements for the MSP axles.

 

[LMT BJ]

http://www.***************/Protege_Axles_p/supra400.htm

 

[LMT BJ]

********** have one for 695$ good for 400+ HP.

 

[MrDiggler]

Attached are the pics of the side-by-side comparison. Everything still seems to be good, but I've noticed a rhythmic vibration when going steady down the highway. At 50-55 mph, it cycles about once per second, and is just enough to make my rear view mirror shake a tiny bit.

I'm not sure the axles would be causing this, especially if it's cycling this way. I also "fixed" a torn pass. side motor mount with urethane inserts, and I know I'm getting more vibration at idle than I used to. On top of that, I had my damaged Vibrant exhaust repaired and I put it back on during all of this. The repaired area is a little less round than before, and wonder if it's causing some weird harmonic to set in at steady speeds. Dunno yet.

 

[MrDiggler]

I still haven't tried pulling the inserts out of that motor mount to see if that has anything to do with it. I suspect it's a contributor, and I think the exhaust is as well. It just doesn't feel like a driveline vibration.

I talked to the owner of the shop where I got the axles, and he said he could get more and would do $150 shipped each. However, I also realized he'd probably have to sign up for AV status to do business on here.

 

[TheMAN]

the easiest way to tell an MSP axle from a regular protege one are the CV joints... they're much larger on the MSP... the actual axle diameters are about the same

 

[11B-33T]

Good info on the axles dude, that's really helpful for future reference.

(headshake...I must be one of the only newbs on the MSP boards that doesn't know jack s*** about working on my car...