New or Used Axles

[brlarl]

Can anyone give me your input on purchasing new opposed to used axles.  I found a set of new 28 spline axles for roughly $96.00 each plus tax and then I found a set of used 28 spline axles for $75.00 each plus tax.  They were all checked for being tru and straight.  What do you guys think? 

[VileZambonie]

Used is cheaper and if are in good shape are fine.

[SUX2BU99]

Wow, axles are that much? Man, no wonder the guy who just bought my complete 2.76 open rear end for $80 was just going to use it for the axles. I sure hope my driveline vibe isn't a bent axle otherwise I could have saved myself some money by parting out my old diff.

[brlarl]

Yeah, that's why I need to change my axles.  I changed the u joints and drive shaft, I switched the rear wheels to a set of factory wheels I know were tru and balanced but I still have a shimmy shimmy vibration in the rear that starts out slow at first then increases as speed is picked up then somewhat calms down at about 70 mph.  I also noticed when I took the truck in for the emissions test, when it was on the Dyno the rear of the truck was bobbing up n down. This is when I changed the rear wheels n tires thinking the tires were out of round but it still did the same thing.  I placed a magnetic dial indicator on the head of the axle and found that one is definitely bent and the other is slightly bent.  Plus too, I'm going over the speed limit trying to have a smooth ride while on the highway, and having a red n white lowered 85 C10 is noticeable by the 5 0 here in Houston.   

[fitz]

I would rather run a good set of used GM axles than a new set of cheap made in China aftermarkets. Unless your going to step up to a set of axles from Strange or Currie or another quality axle I would go with the GM's.

[brlarl]

Can anyone tell me what kind of issues they may have encountered or heard of due to out of round, warped, or bent faces on the rear drums.  If the face of the drum is bent, will that cause the wheels to spin as if they are warped?  I'm asking so that I don't go through trial and error spending money that I can use to fresh-in up my interior.  The one thing I haven't messed with are the rear drums.  Thanks in advance, I just want to eliminate the drums prior to dropping the cash for the axles.

[brlarl]

Anyone have any suggestions or input on my brake drum question?  Thanks

[SUX2BU99]

Well I had a dent in mine but mine was a concave dent going inward on the face, so it wasn't pushing against the wheel. If you have a convex (outey) dent on your drum face, it could prevent the wheel from seating properly against the drum when you crank down the lug nuts. I thought the dent was causing a vibe issue but turns out it isn't.

[brlarl]

I honestly can not figure out where my vibration is coming from.  I jacked the truck up and put it on jack stands, cranked it up and put in drive and the wheel is moving in a side to side motion (looking from the back).  I took the wheels and drums off cranked it up and looked at the axle shaft heads and they seem to be turning tru.  I placed the drum back on and it seems to be moving from a side to side motion.  Now looking at the wheel from the side while it is spinning my wheel seems to spin in an up n down motion as if it where out of round.  I had the wheels checked and they are tru. ? Beats the mess out of me?!!??!?!?Any more suggestions??  Thanks

[oldwhity]

Maybe a split belt in the tire???

[brlarl]

I wish it was but I had the tires checked out also and they are all good.