Starter, CV's need replacing...

farmerjon

farmerjon

Senior Member
So I pulled into my local mechanic's shop to drop off my chainsaw to be sharpened and my starter died on me, for good when I tried to leave... Talk about providence!

Anyways, I need a new starter, they are quoting me $123 for a remanufactured starter and $198 for a limited lifetime warrantied starter... Are these fair, or should I try and find something cheaper? I don't think there are OEM starters for sale, like at TRDparts4U or something, right? Labor is another $65.

Also, I was going to have my CV boot replaced there and they are telling me that it would be cheaper to just have the entire CV replaced - should I replace both sides while I'm at it or should I just do the one (driver's side)?

Thanks for any advice or perspectives you can give! I really was looking forward to not spending money on the T4R right now, just drive it and enjoy it... oh well, tis is life.

Thanks!
 
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The starter is most likely the copper starter contacts which aren't to much at the dealer. It is usually better to replace the copper contacts and keep your OEM starter than go with an unknown rebuilt one.

Likewise, if your OEM CV axles haven't been leaking long just reboot them as they are stronger than aftermarket. There is a shop called CVJ that rebuilds OEM axles.
 
rjaudi said:
The starter is most likely the copper starter contacts which aren't to much at the dealer. It is usually better to replace the copper contacts and keep your OEM starter than go with an unknown rebuilt one.

Likewise, if your OEM CV axles haven't been leaking long just reboot them as they are stronger than aftermarket. There is a shop called CVJ that rebuilds OEM axles.
Click to expand...

This place isn't a dealer, would it be hard to get those copper starter contacts back to my local mechanic?

I can get some new OEM axles, right? Like from Toyota of Dallas or something?
 
rjaudi said:
The starter is most likely the copper starter contacts which aren't to much at the dealer. It is usually better to replace the copper contacts and keep your OEM starter than go with an unknown rebuilt one.

Likewise, if your OEM CV axles haven't been leaking long just reboot them as they are stronger than aftermarket. There is a shop called CVJ that rebuilds OEM axles.
Click to expand...

If your rig is a manual transmission, the starter swap is easy.

CVJ, in Denver, will re-boot your OEM axles. They will inspect them too.
Stay with OEM because they are a lot stronger than aftermarket junk.
 
Gerdo said:
If your rig is a manual transmission, the starter swap is easy.

CVJ, in Denver, will re-boot your OEM axles. They will inspect them too.
Stay with OEM because they are a lot stronger than aftermarket junk.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, it is an auto transmission. and I live about 8 hours from Denver, so I'm not sure that's a practical solution? I'm hoping i can get the shop to just reboot them with new boots and grease...
 
There are great threads on doing both of these jobs yourself and saving yourself some money. The starter contact replacement can be an annoyingly PITA experience but it's doable in a few hours. It's easier to change the entire cv than to reboot, I'll just leave it at that. Remember, you're not going to learn anything if you let others do it for you.
 
Do you have a spare CV axle?
If so, put that in and ship the one to be rebooted to CVJ.
If not, Buy a spare from CVJ, install that one and ship yours down to be rebooted.

CVJ only sells OE rebuilts.
 
Gerdo said:
Do you have a spare CV axle?
If so, put that in and ship the one to be rebooted to CVJ.
If not, Buy a spare from CVJ, install that one and ship yours down to be rebooted.

CVJ only sells OE rebuilts.
Click to expand...

I might actually do that, that seems like a viable way to go, thank you Gerdo! :) Option 2 is the way I'll go, I think... Fortunately the situation is not urgent in the CV department, so I can take some time to order a CV and then get one back. You said that their CV's are OEM rebooted, right? So it's solid and strong, right?

ARKRWLR said:
There are great threads on doing both of these jobs yourself and saving yourself some money. The starter contact replacement can be an annoyingly PITA experience but it's doable in a few hours. It's easier to change the entire cv than to reboot, I'll just leave it at that. Remember, you're not going to learn anything if you let others do it for you.
Click to expand...

I agree man, I agree. The problem is, most people seem to have a more experienced person around to oversee and just watch and make sure the process goes right - I don't really have a shop/tools or anyone around to make sure I install stuff right, so I'm scared of messing up and like, wrecking on the highway if I install my CV wrong...

What I think I'll end up doing is letting the mechanic install the starter (especially if it's a big pain) since it's already there and dead - and then try to do the CV's myself... Though I don't have any equipment.

Appreciate it guys!
 
I just bought a reman axle from Advanced Auto. $49. Life time Warranty.

This are OEM Half shafts. They have GKN stamped on the tulips.


Easy Fast Cheap and OEM quality.
 
farmerjon said:
I might actually do that, that seems like a viable way to go, thank you Gerdo! :) Option 2 is the way I'll go, I think... Fortunately the situation is not urgent in the CV department, so I can take some time to order a CV and then get one back. You said that their CV's are OEM rebooted, right? So it's solid and strong, right?



I agree man, I agree. The problem is, most people seem to have a more experienced person around to oversee and just watch and make sure the process goes right - I don't really have a shop/tools or anyone around to make sure I install stuff right, so I'm scared of messing up and like, wrecking on the highway if I install my CV wrong...

What I think I'll end up doing is letting the mechanic install the starter (especially if it's a big pain) since it's already there and dead - and then try to do the CV's myself... Though I don't have any equipment.

Appreciate it guys!
Click to expand...

I am in the same boat. Need new cv boots, however No tools, lack of skills, limited friends with mechanical skills.
 
Singtoe said:
I just bought a reman axle from Advanced Auto. $49. Life time Warranty.

This are OEM Half shafts. They have GKN stamped on the tulips.


Easy Fast Cheap and OEM quality.
Click to expand...

The shaft isn't my concerns, it's the splined diff end that tends to snap off inside the diff due to cheap steel and poor heat treating.

Farmerjon,
Yes they only sell rebuilt OE. If they get a core that is not OE, they scrap it.
They re-booted my OE axles, cheap.
 
Gerdo said:
Singtoe said:
I just bought a reman axle from Advanced Auto. $49. Life time Warranty.

This are OEM Half shafts. They have GKN stamped on the tulips.


Easy Fast Cheap and OEM quality.
Click to expand...



The shaft isn't my concerns, it's the splined diff end that tends to snap off inside the diff due to cheap steel and poor heat treating.

Farmerjon,
Yes they only sell rebuilt OE. If they get a core that is not OE, they scrap it.
They re-booted my OE axles, cheap.
Click to expand...

That is what i am saying. The rebuilt CV Half Shafts have OE Diff ends. They have the original factory marking on them. They would be of the original steel and heat treating as new. Just new boots, bearings and grease.



If you think about it. The CV Shafts on a 4runner don't wear out like a FWD car because they are not being used , just spun. They might get 10 miles driven on them and that would not be enough to wear them out.

Now people will replace them for bad boots, exploded tulips or broken splines. So when they get them for rebuild, if there're not exploded, It is probably a break down, clean, inspect, re-boot, paint and box it up. That why they are so cheap. They are not recreating the wheel.
 
Singtoe said:
That is what i am saying. The rebuilt CV Half Shafts have OE Diff ends. They have the original factory marking on them. They would be of the original steel and heat treating as new. Just new boots, bearings and grease.



If you think about it. The CV Shafts on a 4runner don't wear out like a FWD car because they are not being used , just spun. They might get 10 miles driven on them and that would not be enough to wear them out.

Now people will replace them for bad boots, exploded tulips or broken splines. So when they get them for rebuild, if there're not exploded, It is probably a break down, clean, inspect, re-boot, paint and box it up. That why they are so cheap. They are not recreating the wheel.
Click to expand...

Interesting! The GKN is Toyota OE? I guess I have never looked at them that close.
 
Gerdo said:
Interesting! The GKN is Toyota OE? I guess I have never looked at them that close.
Click to expand...

Kind of like Aisin makes the water pump, Denso makes the ignition coil, Tokico makes the shocks, Koico makes the tailights, and NGK makes spark plugs
 
Singtoe said:
My Dad is my brother's father...:bravo:
Click to expand...

That is funny.
My wife teaches Kindergarten. Two kids that she teaches, one is the uncle of the niece. True, they are both 5 years old. The uncle is the younger brother of the father of the niece.

Did we get off topic?
 
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