Phoenix Rack & Axle Differential — Local services in Phoenix

NIGHTMARE!! Do NOT use these guys!!

After multiple trips (pulling the drive lines myself after they refused) and paying almost $200 on parts and labor, (supposed to be a lifetime warranty) was told that was a great discount and I should be glad they were taking such great care of me. "You're not keeping it greased!" (You have to pull the driveline to grease it, and he thought I should grease it every couple of weeks??). Steve with the fire tattoo on his arms also told me, "we're not going to keep warrantee these since they are on your lifted Jeep". Which seemed odd to me, since most of their customers are most likely lifted Jeeps and Trucks requiring custom drive lines??

Less than a month after the last time they "fixed" the front drive line, it started squealing and vibrating again. I took the front drive line out, again, greased it up, installed it, and it only lasted a couple of weeks.

While I was pulling the front drive line AGAIN, I noticed the back one was also making noise??

Not wanting to ever go back to that place again, I decide to see what other options were available.

I remembered Steven from Cutting edge 4x4 had mentioned he was very happy with T.A.D. and while reading the reviews on T.A.D, I saw multiple reviews mention "the shop by the airport" inferring these clowns at PR&A and how much trouble they had getting anything fixed and working until they took it to T.A.D who told them what was wrong with it, and fixed it same day...

Yep! Aaron at T.A.D. Did exactly that for me too, and I have the original (well at least from the 4th time they were "changed" to prove it!).

You can't keep using cheap parts or fixing part of it but not all of it to save money!! INSANITY!!!

I would much rather pay Aaron at T.A.D for parts and labor than ever go back to this ridiculously horrendous no service, no talent, circus ever again!!!

Do NOT use!!!...

DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH Phoenix Rack & Axle.

Here's why. I took my vehicle to Phoenix Rack & Axle on March 13th to have both drive shafts rebuilt. My vehicle spent the day there and I picked it up before the close of business that same day. They charged me $490 to completely rebuild my front and rear drive shafts. I drove about 500 miles and I noticed a vibration. I took it back to Phoenix Rack & Axle to have it checked out and after having it another full business day they said the drive shafts were "perfect". But there was still a vibration. So today I had my drive shafts checked at a reputable driveline place. What they discovered is Phoenix Rack & Axle probably replaced one u-joint of three on the front driveshaft but did not replace any of the u-joints on the rear driveshaft as the 5 u-joints were from the original manufacturer of the driveshaft, something ONLY that manufacturer uses. So if the driveshaft was fully rebuilt, how could there still be 5 original u-joints in place when I paid to have the driveshaft completely rebuilt and was told they were? If I had continued to drive my vehicle the way it was the front driveshaft would have blown apart within the next 50 miles. But Phoenix Rack & Axle told me it was "perfect".

So I went back to Phoenix Rack & Axle this afternoon and explained what had been discovered. The manager said I should have brought the vehicle back to them as I had a warranty. I said I did, in April, I brought it back and repeated what he had told me in April back to him, that they determined the drive shafts were "perfect".

So their definition of "perfect" seems to be replacing 1 u-joint out of 6 and a quick spray paint job.

Based on my experience, I recommend you DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH Phoenix...

Had a drive shaft for a BMW Z3 done there about 3 years ago. I don't recall what they charged other than it was waaay less than I expected. (You learn to expect big things when you fix a BMW!) I'm talking around 1/2 of what I was expecting. The Z3 is now gone and has been replaced by an X3 and now the drive shaft on it has gone after 138,000 miles so guess who are the 1st people I look up! I remember how the shaft for the Z3 looked when they laid it on the counter. Through the parts washer, ALL new parts including the center carrier along with a fresh coat of paint to top it all off. Had there been a BMW bar code sticker on it I would have defied anyone to tell it from new. Needless to say it functioned flawlessly until I replaced it with the X3 last year. And when I called them on the X3 drive shaft I asked them if they wanted me to just drive it in or drop it myself and then bring it to them. The answer was immediate: if you can drop it yourself and bring it to us because if we have to put it on a rack and drop it we'll have to charge you an outrageous rate to do it. Ok people, just how many shops come out and tell you that? They'd far rather than get you to come in so that they can soak you AND find a few real or imaginary extra things wrong to charge you for. For my money these guys are 5 stars and about 115% honest. And as for the bad review's I agree with the other posters; either it's a competitor dogging their name or it's some freeloading s.o.b who didn't get his way...