I will be picking up some factory style Grand Cherokee CV axle shafts for my Jeep. New Carquest, not regrinds.
Yes I know these are weaker than the factory style U Joint Shaft. I use Spicer 5-760 joints in mine, so they are about as strong as they are going to be without going to Chromoly shafts or RCVs --- neither of which a Dana 30 or this Jeep are worth.
I'm going on a mud run. The Spicer Joints have not let me down. However, there's going to be a lot of foot to the floor action with the steering wheel cranked tightly in either direction. ANY U joint will bind.
I have seen it happen a lot where someone will pop an axle shaft U joint and then pop the ball joints and knuckle off. I want to avoid that. I also want to avoid blowing the Dana 30 to bits.
A few friends of mine have switched to factory style CV shafts and have not had any problems. Other than torn boots. Even with bigger tires and a heavier foot they seem to work pretty well.
These are going to perform two functions. First is - if they explode, I can still drive it off the trail and I won't lose any ball joints. Seconds, they are a fuse for the differential. I'm pretty confident in the differential while rock crawling or slow speed stuff. But mud just destroys.
The real Achilles heel on these is the boots tearing from twigs. I'm thinking that if I double boot them or triple boot them, I will have an extra layer of protection or two.
I will be towing the Jeep to this event. Last year i towed a beater Jeep to the event and had a lot of fun beating the living daylights out of the thing.
Has anyone ever tried this?
Good idea? Bad idea?
Suggestions?
Here's a picture from last year with my beater wrangler:
Yes I know these are weaker than the factory style U Joint Shaft. I use Spicer 5-760 joints in mine, so they are about as strong as they are going to be without going to Chromoly shafts or RCVs --- neither of which a Dana 30 or this Jeep are worth.
I'm going on a mud run. The Spicer Joints have not let me down. However, there's going to be a lot of foot to the floor action with the steering wheel cranked tightly in either direction. ANY U joint will bind.
I have seen it happen a lot where someone will pop an axle shaft U joint and then pop the ball joints and knuckle off. I want to avoid that. I also want to avoid blowing the Dana 30 to bits.
A few friends of mine have switched to factory style CV shafts and have not had any problems. Other than torn boots. Even with bigger tires and a heavier foot they seem to work pretty well.
These are going to perform two functions. First is - if they explode, I can still drive it off the trail and I won't lose any ball joints. Seconds, they are a fuse for the differential. I'm pretty confident in the differential while rock crawling or slow speed stuff. But mud just destroys.
The real Achilles heel on these is the boots tearing from twigs. I'm thinking that if I double boot them or triple boot them, I will have an extra layer of protection or two.
I will be towing the Jeep to this event. Last year i towed a beater Jeep to the event and had a lot of fun beating the living daylights out of the thing.
Has anyone ever tried this?
Good idea? Bad idea?
Suggestions?
Here's a picture from last year with my beater wrangler:
