Busted front shaft, what the heck...

[TireIron]

and with full circle clips you really shouldn't have an issue needing to tack the caps in... It definitly seems like something pushed it odd and caused the ears to snap in a different place then normal...

 

[compleckz]

i was only going to tack them in cuz it seems quicker than grinding. it took me some time to grind them.. i put a new wheel on my grinder, but it couldnt quite reach far enough back, the head on it is pretty large.. pretty cumbersome to deal with...

and i broke a brand new dremel trying to do the finishing work, i kept burning through bits, now i cant get the bit out.. i actually forgot about it till now.. grr.. i wonder how long that warranty was.

 

[hitech_hick]

i was only going to tack them in cuz it seems quicker than grinding. it took me some time to grind them.. i put a new wheel on my grinder, but it couldnt quite reach far enough back, the head on it is pretty large.. pretty cumbersome to deal with...

and i broke a brand new dremel trying to do the finishing work, i kept burning through bits, now i cant get the bit out.. i actually forgot about it till now.. grr.. i wonder how long that warranty was.

Bought a dremel accessory kit for $20 or so, put the cutting wheels in my die grinder, worked awesome.



hick

 

[Blur2u]

Broke mine too

I broke my passenger side front. I wasn't really wheelin' that hard....I didn't think anyway. I am pretty sure the little half c-clip just came off though. I thought that I just broke my RH Inner (the one attached to the wheel shaft) but after inspection it looks like the wheel stub axle has a good size gash/crack in it also. I guess I need to replace both of them.

I think I am just going to get a whole set of axles and build put them together and replace the whole deal. I want to put the new Spicer U-joints in the driver side and do the full circle snap ring mod to it also while I am at it. Have a couple of questions though.

1. The U-joint on the passenger side that is closer to the front diff, is that the same as the outside and should I replace it also?

2. I see people posting about tacking the caps on, what are you tacking them onto, the axle or U-joint?

3. what is the C-clip Elim mod and what is the purpose?

If anyone has some axles they will sale me PM me!! I need to get this 4wd back up and working so I can get back off-road!

Here are some pics of my break:

(sorry they are still in the truck since I still drive it)

 

[compleckz]

1. The U-joint on the passenger side that is closer to the front diff, is that the same as the outside and should I replace it also?

2. I see people posting about tacking the caps on, what are you tacking them onto, the axle or U-joint?

3. what is the C-clip Elim mod and what is the purpose?

1. if you want strength, replace all 3 front u-joints with spicer 5-760x's, they are all the same size.

2. people tack weld the caps to the axles so they dont spin in the yoke, and dont come out of the yoke.. (if they were tacked to the u-joint, it would defeat the purpose of the u-joint)

3. the c-clip eliminator mod is basically adding a spring within the boot over the slip yoke, which pushes the axles apart, into the diff, and into the spindle. this is so you dont need to run a c-clip on the inner axle, so you dont need to remove the pumpkin everytime you need to remove the axle. (you'll need to do this the first time though, since the c-clip is currently holding the axle in)

 

[Blur2u]

2. people tack weld the caps to the axles so they dont spin in the yoke, and dont come out of the yoke.. (if they were tacked to the u-joint, it would defeat the purpose of the u-joint)

OK, I wasn't thinking....man I should have realized that.

 

[Todd]

FWIW, that part is the same on the D44 TTB, so you could keep your eyes peeled for one of those to replace it as well (you'll have to swap the opposite shaft though)

So you are saying that the female part of the slip shaft on a 44 is the same spline as a 35?

 

[Randy M.]

I would take the time to modify the shafts for the snap rings. I see guys tack the caps all the time and everyone that does eats u-joints. Even just tacking them will overheat the grease and cause it to boil.

 

[4x4junkie]

So you are saying that the female part of the slip shaft on a 44 is the same spline as a 35?

Yep, both same.

31 spline with a 30° pressure angle.

 

[Jrod-13]

I've never had any issues welding caps(or any of my buddies)
I always lay 4 beads on it, about 1/2" long. Never have to worry about spitting caps, stretching ears, or breaking ears. Plus welding them is WAY stronger than just clips.
Since welding, I've never had a ear failure(only actual shafts breaking)

 

[compleckz]

back from the dead, i ended up getting a friend to tack the 760xcaps on a new set of axles...

no problems for months until now, 4 of the tacks failed when my coil popped out, the bumpstop bent and the frame came crashing down on the ttbeam, over flexing wicked and popped 4 of the tack welds on the right outer, i put the coil back in and drove out the trail 4wd, not knowing the tacks had broken, and ended up spinning the caps in the yoke, and now i have another egged out long-shaft from the pass side.

the other joints are still perfectly fine, i took my spare axles and made up a new shaft, ready to be tacked again. need to secure the coil tops now though before i do any highspeed wheelin' (front end leaving the ground)

i have a question though, where are people getting greaseable u-joints? the only ones i can find are $20/each-- which is ridiculous for crappy ujoints, when i can get the strong 760x's for $23 each off ebay.

what i want to do is take some of my old shafts with egged out yokes, install GREASABLE joints, so i can have the caps FULLY welded to the ears, then regrease them--and use them for spare emergency shafts. i know they will not be as strong as the 760x's, but they will be good for spares..

 

[94Rangeron37s]

if you try to fully weld around the out side of the u joint cap it will only cause the shaft to be weaker, heat actually hurts the axle shafts, that is why the guys that tack the caps only tack them, i tried the fully welding around the cap thinking it would be stronger and it broke at the base of the ears, alot easier then a none tacked cap with a stock clip.

 

[compleckz]

im only running 2 tacks per cap now on press fit caps, do you guys think 4 tacks would be good enough to hold a cap in a rounded yoke?

it may have been on the old forums, but someone was saying they fully weld the caps on egged yokes, with greaseable joint.. and had great success doing it.

 

[Blur2u]

back from the dead, i ended up getting a friend to tack the 760xcaps on a new set of axles...

no problems for months until now, 4 of the tacks failed when my coil popped out...... need to secure the coil tops now though before i do any highspeed wheelin' (front end leaving the ground)

Yeah, I have a couple pieces of still cable holding mine in place. I didn't tack mine, just did the full circle snap ring mod. Seems to be working good so far! I think that's good idea you have there on the spares...it will at least get you out of the trails!!

 

[4x4junkie]

I'm not sure if welding the cap in an egged yoke will hold up, the cap no longer has any support from the yoke (will have a gap around it) and would probably just crack when torque is put on it.

If the yoke is egged out, I think a circle clip may be the only option (lets the cap move so it's against the yoke under load).

I had a shaft with a very slightly egged yoke on my Ranger that I ran with circle clips for awhile, no problems (that shaft is now a spare).


Oh, Umm...



You need this too lol