I'm on my 3rd set of axles. My originals lasted 160k. My cheap Chinese set lasted 60k. And now I'm on driveshaft shop axles. I always seem to have trouble with the drivers side with the spring clip. The Chinese axle I couldn't get the axle in with the spring clip on. I put it in without it.it lasted a year until the axle fell out. I got smart and ground the spring clip recess deeper so the spring clip could recess. Bingo. Manufactured wrong. But fixed. So when those wore out I went for quality and good reviews. Driveshaft shop. But I didn't get a mile from the house, twice before it fell out. Obvious the spring clip was not doing its job. After the second time I replaced the clip with one from the old axle. This lasted 2 weeks and today fell out. I took it out today and enlarged the slot width, thinking that maybe the spring clip isn't getting all the way thru so it isn't opening all the way. I really hope it works. I can swap the drivers axle now in 30 minutes. But don't feel like being stranded again. Has anybody else had problems with axles? Or am I having bad luck.

 

I've had problems getting generic clips to insert. Replace those with dealer clips (they are cheap) and never had one fall out. But once you've ground on the axle there isn't much to do. The dealer clips won't fit and what you have doesn't work...

Sounds like money is tight. I suggest buying some used MINI axles on eBay, rebooting them and install with new dealer clips...

 

How are you on your third set of axles?

My car has a 150k and the original axles have been rebooted only once

 

I have 240k miles. I'll try dealer clips.

 

Well, yesterday's enlargement to the spring clip slot seems to be working. Just drove about 30 miles the axle didn't fall out. I think the slot was a little narrow for the clip. And as it got compressed going into the spline in the differential it was sticking and not opening on the other side. Now with the slot wider the new spring clip doesn't stick and has the space it needs to open up. Time and a few hundred miles will tell.