what axles are you runing & why

[BajaEdition]

I have read a lot of articles about what effects each part of an axle, HP here, tire size there, body weight over here etc, seems that when you compare this to that you have to compare different things, such as the aluminum housing for a Vette and iron housing for a Jeep. Anyways I just thought I would pipe that in.

 

[Jokenring]

Scout Dana 44 's front and rear. I was tired of breaking Dana 30 parts so I went with the 44, replaced the stock rear 44 with the Scout 44 so the width would match as I didn't want to run wheel spacers.

 

[IOPort51]

I have read a lot of articles about what effects each part of an axle, HP here, tire size there, body weight over here etc, seems that when you compare this to that you have to compare different things, such as the aluminum housing for a Vette and iron housing for a Jeep. Anyways I just thought I would pipe that in.

so what you are saying is that there are too many comparisons of apples to oranges??

 

[edo]

i just like all the info bounce.gif

 

[BajaEdition]

so what you are saying is that there are too many comparisons of apples to oranges??

Yes, One person runs this axle for ring abd pinion reasons, one runs that for outer axle strength, others for that for inner axle problems.
I guess I like light weight iron, I run D27s and d30s in front, I run the d 30s in vehicles that I abuse, I put in CHrome Moly, upgrade u joint size and a detroit, and a diff cover. You know something, I have very little problems with them. Out here in the west we play on the rocks. But I run 33s. Guys running 37s are running D44s or larger. You see tire size has a lot to do with it, as does how hard you are on the throttle. I like 4 to one gearing with 4.88s in the rear, a nice low gear and you do not need a lot of throttle.
Slipping tires break things, when they hook up you hear a thunk.
Now about mud, I left the land of mud 22 years ago, I remember back there we liked big ring and pinions so we had strength there because Horse Powered rulled. We meeded it to keep the wheels spinning.
So I guess what I am saying is we need also to consider where we wheel and why we need this and that, I mean like the entire package we build and what is the end design for. that way on a national level, we can tell everyone why this guy builds like this and that guy builds like that. I think that would answer more questions that need answering. I guess I am ot really a rock guy out here, but in some places I could be called pretty extreme as what we call a rock garden others might call extreme. and what I see guys call rockk gardens in some post, we would just call a gnarly trail, but nothing special. And what we call a mud hole other places would call a puddle. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I guess maybe we should rethink about what we build, and repost how and why we do as we do, thinking about gearing, tire size, terrain, ddd use or not, etc. Maybe that would answer the origonal post better.

 

[coldwater]

Axles are a funny topic for most wheelers. Some guys use the bone stock axles for as long as they have been driving. Others upgrade for a reason, still others upgrade because It's cool, and they read about it in a magazine. The fact is, you can and will break any axle, If you're a hammer head. I have seen superb drivers navigate obstacles with a bone stock completely unmodified CJ5 , that tore up big $$$ rigs with a moron behind the wheel. Some stock axles are inherently stronger than others, but in reality, If you're like the greatest majority of wheelers, a stock axle is all you will ever need. A few of the guys here run big engines, big meat, and hit some pretty tough terrain, so they need bigger and better. As for me, I never found a need to go any bigger than the 30 / 44 sets with lockers, and a little finesse rather than a big hammer.

 

[CJ]

Original 44 rear and original 30 front - plenty strong enough for me...

 

[Kane]

Here is another way to look at it also. Vehicles that see the majority of life on the street can get away with smaller axles. A Jeep in low range on the rocks has a whole lot more torque applied to an axle than any Jeep on the street. Put the peddle to the floor with a 6 cylinder in low range and it will apply a hell of alot more force on the axle then an 8 cylinder with the peddle to the floor in high range on the street. My built model 20 can handle my V8 no problem on the street and it has. I am not kind to it either. I don't do clutch drops but I do light up the rear with 33's when ever I get the urge to. On the trails in low range? Different story. Finesse plays an important role especially with a big V8. Being smart is what keeps my axles alive.

 

[edo]

what about spline count and lockers??? harden shafts bigger u joints
i know all is it comes down to is driving but even the best driver get stuck

 

[CJ]

what about spline count and lockers??? harden shafts bigger u joints
i know all is it comes down to is driving but even the best driver get stuck

Stuck and broken are two different stories...

IMHO - if I can't make it with my Dana 44 - then I go around - I'm not making a Jeep CJ movie! Why the F would I jeopardize my vehicle to 'BE COOL' - not going to happen...

 

[Old Dog]

what about spline count and lockers??? harden shafts bigger u joints
i know all is it comes down to is driving but even the best driver get stuck

Thats one reason you never go out by yourself, and you have a winch. When you get in trouble use your winch or have a buddy strap you out instead of breaking things trying to get out with the skinny peddle.
But as others have said it all comes down to what terrain you run and what size tires you have.

 

[Thumper]

Well, I just got my CJ5 a few weeks ago, and I has the Dana 30 , Dana 44 . I'm stilling learning what they are and what's in them. My XJ is my rockcrawler, it has full width Dana 44 's from a Wangoneer. They have 5.13 gears, and are locked front and rear. I've had no problems at all with these and I'm very hard on them. I have beadlocks and 38.5' on them.

 

[BajaEdition]

So here goes.
I live in the west, where rock trails and desert terrain rule.
And as said earlier, I like light Iron because it gives me the most amount of clearance for my tires, and I like 33s. Tire size taxes the strength of the axle shafts..
I like the D27 axle in an early CJ5 I am not going put a locker or any traction control in. I also will run the Dana 44 in the rear with a 30 spline upgrade and a Detroit locker. This set up to me will be a DD. I will whell it, but I will not take it down a Double black diamond trail. If I do a black diamond trail I will have to know the trail. this setup can do some gnarly rocks and laugh them off, but not if you like to kick the skinny pedal, you are going need to know how to pick a line. In the desert, this will go anywhere. I will run these with a 3 to one low and 4.88 gearing. My CJ6 is currently running like this.
My CJ5 is running a Dana 30 , chrome moly axles, detroit locker and upgraded u joints, a Dana 44 in the rear with the same, it has a 3 to 1 low range with 4.88 gearing, it crawls rocks, will see the Rubicon and Dusey trail. It will not however go across trails such as Sledge or Clew Hammer that were designed strictly for testing ones resolve about body damage, I am no longer a teen and do not think I have anything to prove.
My TJ, which was a rock crawling machine, andwill soon be the frame and drive train under the CJ6 , ran a Dana 30 and a Dana 44 , built a little better than my CJ5 , BUT STILL LIGHT IRON. Reason being is I never had an issue about needing more. I also had a lot of guys make me crack the hood and prove I was running a 4 popper in it.
I do pull out the winch and use it
I do like a low center of gravity so I do not use bigger than 33s
I do believe in gearing
I will not beat myself up apon a rock I can go around, just to not want to spend the money thats all.
So there is my answer about what I run and why. I hope that is what was first asked for. If you were to ask me what my style of wheeling is I would tell you I was a trail runner, and if rocks got in the way I would take them, otherwise hill climbs give me my gratest thrill.

 

[IOPort51]

If AMC had not put M20 axles and Carter carburetors on CJ's or they never "upgraded" from the flat head 4 banger, which may or may not have been a bad thing, we would not have anything to talk about on long winter nights when it is too freaking cold to pick up a wrench or warm summer nights when beer and BS flows like the Red River.
We all have a need to be "right" and compulsion to make up for the fact that we will never sleep with Angelina Jolie so we make things the way we think they should be or the way some magazine we payed too much for thinks they should be. It does seem remarkable that we spend money for paper that is too slick to wipe your back side with and is 98% dedicated to selling you things to add inches to your anatomy in one way or another.
We continue to build machinery to go places where no man has gone before.the reason no one has been there is usually because most "normal" people would not find any reason to be there, we continue to go over the top of mountains that have perfectly good paved roads going around them and, the ever popular process of converting a mud hole to an even larger and sloppier mud hole that the next guy will surely get stuck in. This , is what we do.
This is our big chance to be right, at least in our own minds and to be hung like a horse , at least in our own minds, to have something to read in the can, JP ragazine, and although Angelina may never return our calls and may have even gotten a restraining order, the truth is she doesn't know a pinion nut from a windshield hinge. In fact, I think she and Brad drive Land rovers, whats up with that??
Ask 15 people "what is right?" and you will get at least at least 10 different answers, three "I don't know"and two "Huh?". the three "I don't know"s are usually if you have included women in your research
Run what you got, if it breaks, it needed to be upgraded anyway.

 

[gert]

I am building a Dodge Dana 44 for the front and a Dodge 9.25 for the rear. I am doing this because they were free and stronger than the factory axles......I had to build something anyway so why not something strong enough to survive my right foot

 

[Chevy350 CJ7]

I'm running a stock axle in the front with a powerlock and a Ford 9" with a detroit locker in an '82 CJ7 . I've never had any problems with the axles and have put it through some gnarly sections.

 

[LongHorn]

On the getting unstuck topic y'all need to see this "Youtube vid"

YouTube - How "NOT" to pull a truck out of the mud (FULL CLIP)

Speaking of Idiots getting unstuck. All those guys & no shovel?
No "High Lift jack" to get something under the tires?
No winch?
No brain?

 

[Chevy350 CJ7]

On the getting unstuck topic y'all need to see this "Youtube vid"

YouTube - How "NOT" to pull a truck out of the mud (FULL CLIP)

Speaking of Idiots getting unstuck. All those guys & no shovel?
No "High Lift jack" to get something under the tires?
No winch?
No brain?

But it makes a GREAT youtube video for us to laugh at!

 

[LongHorn]

The sound that Cherokee made when the front suspension was ripped out, was brutal.

 

[BajaEdition]

If AMC had not put M20 axles and Carter carburetors on CJ's or they never "upgraded" from the flat head 4 banger, which may or may not have been a bad thing, we would not have anything to talk about on long winter nights when it is too freaking cold to pick up a wrench or warm summer nights when beer and BS flows like the Red River.
We all have a need to be "right" and compulsion to make up for the fact that we will never sleep with Angelina Jolie so we make things the way we think they should be or the way some magazine we payed too much for thinks they should be. It does seem remarkable that we spend money for paper that is too slick to wipe your back side with and is 98% dedicated to selling you things to add inches to your anatomy in one way or another.
We continue to build machinery to go places where no man has gone before.the reason no one has been there is usually because most "normal" people would not find any reason to be there, we continue to go over the top of mountains that have perfectly good paved roads going around them and, the ever popular process of converting a mud hole to an even larger and sloppier mud hole that the next guy will surely get stuck in. This , is what we do.
This is our big chance to be right, at least in our own minds and to be hung like a horse , at least in our own minds, to have something to read in the can, JP ragazine, and although Angelina may never return our calls and may have even gotten a restraining order, the truth is she doesn't know a pinion nut from a windshield hinge. In fact, I think she and Brad drive Land rovers, whats up with that??
Ask 15 people "what is right?" and you will get at least at least 10 different answers, three "I don't know"and two "Huh?". the three "I don't know"s are usually if you have included women in your research
Run what you got, if it breaks, it needed to be upgraded anyway.

Ya know, I have a few friends that run Rovers, Damn nice vehicles, but I think the design purpose was not the type of terrain we are talking about. More like running knarly dirt roads through Africa than doing hard trail runs as a hobby. And somehow I do not think Angelina is going answer my calls knowing that Selma Holds me in highest esteem only pining for the day me and the misses spits so she can have my body.
I do noy think this as a thread about being correct as it is a thread about WHY we made choices, that is why I think we need to include t case gearing and terrain so everyone knows why we chose what to go where. I mean a mudder or a rock jock and a DD or a trail runner or a Hunter all have different design needs. This is a excellent way to get that kind of info out, if we let everyone know all the info.