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Broke axle what next?


dangeranger01

Well-Known Member
Solid Axle Swap
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
502
Age
38
City
Longview, WA
Vehicle Year
1997
Transmission
Manual
Broke a RF axle today on the Ranger. Pissis me off it broke on only the second trip out. Glad I had a locker in the front so I could get out. So I was gonna buy ReidRacing knuckles and highsteer but now im debating buying Chromo axles, and CTMs instead. What do you guys think? Should I just say fawk it and do both? Im not really wanting to drop a grand right not but if i have to i will. Any thoughts?
 
I think a rear locker would take a lot of stress off the front, right now your front's doing a lot of the work.
 
I think a rear locker would take a lot of stress off the front, right now your front's doing a lot of the work.

x2 I've never liked the front only locker for exactly that reason. Sure, the front helps pull you up over shit better, but not if it's broke. :icon_rofl:

But as far as your question, I'd go chromos, with Longfield joints.:D , I haven't seen your current steering, but it'll probably work till you get a couple more paychecks in..

I'd also look into WHY the shaft broke, just old and fatigued? stressed wrong?
 
x2 I've never liked the front only locker for exactly that reason. Sure, the front helps pull you up over shit better, but not if it's broke. :icon_rofl:

But as far as your question, I'd go chromos, with Longfield joints.:D , I haven't seen your current steering, but it'll probably work till you get a couple more paychecks in..

I'd also look into WHY the shaft broke, just old and fatigued? stressed wrong?

It has an Eaton L/S in the rear wich is coming out, its worthless. I may just go full spool or do a detroit. The axle was the OE from 79 with new ujoints. It may have already been cracked. Or just from being bound up bigtime with 37s and I got throttle happy :D
Brokeaxle.jpg
 
You running 5-760X spicer joints and full clips??
 
No, the 297x and not full clips.

Edit: Gonna order these today. Then get Boby Long Ujoints. I called and the shafts are Yukon with a lifetime warrenty on the first set. What do you guys think? Is there a better brand to go with? They told me they cant put on there they are Yukons because they have them cheaper than Yukons suggested msrp.
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I bet a half clip came off and it spat a cap, then the trunion smashed the crap out the ears on the axle shaft.
 
It very well could have. When it broke it threw a piece of the ujoint and hit my friend in the leg leaving about a 2" round bruise. The whole thing just granaded, he was lucky it didnt hit him anywere else like in the junk. It missed by about 4".
 
It very well could have. When it broke it threw a piece of the ujoint and hit my friend in the leg leaving about a 2" round bruise. The whole thing just granaded, he was lucky it didnt hit him anywere else like in the junk. It missed by about 4".

Sorry about your axle. On the other hand if you had hit him in the crotch with a grenaded axle shaft (and it didn't cause permanent damage) that would have made the best offroading story ever.
 
Unless Yukon has changed something recently their alloys aren't much stronger than the stockers from what I've seen, USA Alloy and Superior Alloy seem like the way to go.
 
I bet a half clip came off and it spat a cap, then the trunion smashed the crap out the ears on the axle shaft.

I see a broken trunnion there. I doubt that it spit a cap first (or that the shafts were fatigued).


What do you guys think?


Honestly I would say ditch the 44 and go with a 60. You're likely to spend almost as much trying to make the D44 hold up.

If you do decide to go the direction of alloy shafts however (being that you've already got the axle mounted under there), then keep well away from Yukons. There is a reason Yukon shafts are so cheap.

Alloy USA recently became Ten-Factory. These (or Superior Axle shafts) would be the ones to get, as they are actually noticeably stronger than stock (although still not quite as strong as 35-spline D60 stuff). Then go with the CTM or Longfield u-joints.
Otherwise just go with the Spicer 5-760X joints and mod a set of stock shafts to accept the full-circle clips (the cheapest option that's also probably still stronger than using Yukons).
 
Moser had a ton of issues with the yokes stretching and egging in the past (and many reported getting shafts warrantied was a PITA with them). I haven't heard much about them lately though (yay or nay).
 
Dana 60. :beer:

Or, throw some 760s in there with full clips, and don't go too nuts with the wheels cut all the way.
 
Ok, so I ordered Yukons with superjoints. Got them for $520 shipped. I thought it was a good deal.
 

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