I was looking through the archives on this subject, and posted to an old thread (though that didn't seem to resurrect it, so I'm starting a new one).

Hate to resurrect an old thread, but the Suretrak / Trakmotive (Rockauto) axles I ordered a few months ago have gotten wonky. They were cheap, but c'mon... I can rotate each of them a degree or so (play in the CV joint) and can deflect the shaft laterally inside the CV joint. They're under a lifetime warranty, but my only option is getting them replaced with the same axles (not really a great option), and I'm sure I'd be on the hook for sending the old ones back, which is going to cost me about half of what new axles would.

I just went through all the "usual suspects" and things have changed...
1 ) Rockauto has only the axles I already bought, plus one left-side Heri axle, and some Cardone axles (listed for the S40, but NOT for my V50, though they do take the same axles).
2 ) Empi / Empire doesn't seem to carry the axles any longer. They listed only boots (I've had great luck with Empi axles in the past, so it's too bad if they aren't doing them any longer)
3 ) IPD doesn't seem to carry any axles either... just seals and bolts
4 ) Tasca does still carry the axles, but they're more spendy than Volvo OEM axles (read $$$$$)

I'm hoping that someone out there will have had some great luck with some of the options that are still out there (that I'm not too sure about)…
1 ) MAC Auto Parts - about $170 a pair
2 ) FEQ - about $170 a pair (good reviews)
3 ) A1 Cardone - new axles - $110 a pair
4 ) A1 Cardone - rebuilt axles - $125 a pair (leaning this way)5 ) DSS - about $165 a pair (never heard of 'em)
6 ) GKN Drivetech - about $780 a pair (above Volvo OEM 'net pricing)

Anyone have a thumbs-up or thumbs-down for any of these?

 

Can anyone verify that S40 axles will fit my V50? As far as I know, the two are identical (in terms of axles) but Rockauto only lists the Suretrak axles for the V50, but has the Cardone axles for the S40.
On the websites (most of them) that list various axles for the V50, it sure looks like the same axles are used in all automatic tranny cars, including the 2.4i, the 2.5l T5, and even the AWD (but not the manual tranny model).
But the websites that list the V50 axles usually include JUST the 2.5l (presumably T5) version.

Is there any chance that if I do order axles for the "2.5l" automatic version, that it won't fit my 2.4i automatic?

 

Just for grins, I looked up the axles on a couple Volvo OEM online suppliers' websites.

They list the same right and left axles for the 2005 V50 2.4i, the V50 2.5 T5, AND the S40 2.4i... but different axles for the S40 2.5 T5 and of course, for the AWD variant. The aftermarket axle suppliers don't reflect the similarities between my car (the V50 2.4i) and either the V50 2.5 T5 or the S40i 2.4i.
This can only be for one of two reasons...
1) Whoever did the cross-reference screwed it up - or -
2) There's some odd difference in the two cars that allow genuine Volvo axles to be swapped between the three applications, but that there is some difference (dimensional?) in the aftermarket axles that don't work on the V50 2.4i, but DO work in the T5 and the S40i. Hard to imagine, but I'm all ears if anyone has experience.

BTW, Cardone replied to my query stating that they "didn't have a part number for my application", but that they could rebuild my OEM axles (which of course, I tossed). ;-)

 

To make this even more confusing (if that's still possible), I went to the OEM parts page, entered my car (2005 V50 2.4i automatic) and pulled up the "axle page". I clicked on the left axle (results are the same for the right axle, BTW), and got this:

https://www.volvopartswebstore.com/p.../36000550.html

The weird thing is that - although this was brought up from the page for my car - right under the "add to cart" button is a message that says "Invalid fitment combination for this product ", and the whole "add to cart" box is red. BUT when you click on the fitment ("What this fits") window, it shows just about every V50, S40, C30 and C70 from 2005 to 2010-2011, including T5 and 2.4i variants.

AND the Cardone cross-reference, while not listing my car, lists the axle that Volvo says fits in my car - unless the "Invalid fitment combination for this product " message means that it really doesn't.

Arrrggghhhh.