Reposting as it's own thread as it was killing Al's TT article thread. I think from what we've found out about the breakage and the near two week delay since sending in pics I want to have a nice little thread here. Especially seeing as how Mike M. indicates he's planning a huge order for the 45 LV and Al, Jim and Martin are also considering the Poly Axles. Many hopes this goes well - or find out I have too much skinny pedal
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Read below first to catch up before going further...
[lowtideride on 11/29] I was also planing to get a set since v-wag now has a toybox....but will wait to see what comes of this. Hope it works out for ya man and you get a your money back.
[Capt. Jim on 11/29] Should be interesting, Bill. Martin and I are also contemplating a purchase. I have never seen a stock 40 axle explode this bad.
[Sputnik40 on 11/29] Well, called Poly on Wednesday as they had not replied to my e-mails. Got a quick response after a short wait - I had to pony up my credit card for a new set, they will pay shipping back on old parts and upon inspection determine if I have a valid defect or not. After discussing Jim's detailed analysis I'm confident it's defective - and will give Poly the benefit of the doubt. I was just slightly perturbed having waiting 10 days for that kind of response, and then being stuck with them being the only SF vendor...
Rest assured I'll update a very positive feedback, or a heavy thread on the main forum if I need to post negative. Will have to wait and see.
Mike/Al - pay attention before you order all those big parts till you see how they warrantee or respond to this
. Me I'm still sitting on fence about the Orion HD.
[lowtideride on 11/27] Holy monkey that sucker really let loose. Most stock ones I saw just twist off at the spines.
Bill 39.5s wont be on til I sell my other truck....and check NFC but everyone seems like a date around the 15th...
[Capt. Jim on 11/27] Bill,
You have an 8" crack along the axle that starts at the failure end and runs toward the outer flange that we didn't see the night we pulled it.
[Sputnik40 on 11/27] Have not had a response from Poly yet
. They received pics and indicated axle guy would get back to me last Monday. I sent a reminder yesterday and will call this afternoon.
I remember Bret telling me my tire was wobbling - totally forgot about that - very interesting. Must have been bent - that's so wrong?
Yeah - I'm up for Alpha ASAP hence why I'm trying to get this back together so quickly. January would be perfect - I liked the cooler weather last run.
Bret - We should put together a breakfast soooooon.
Al - so when are you "planning" another run - can't wait to see a set of 39.5's on your rig.
[Bret on 11/23] No job can be accomplished without the correct supervision!
Hope all is well down south, when you guys doing breakfast again?
Bret
[Capt. Jim on 11/23] They don't call Sputnik WILD BILL for nuthin'.
The splined end came out pretty easy. That's interesting that you saw a wobble Bret.
BTW, Sputnik was the surgeon in this, I only provided the shop, moral support and analysis.....
[Bret on 11/23] It's possible the axle was bent before we started the trip. One side had a pronounced wobble on the way out. couldn't tell if it was the rim, axle or tire. Very good analysis by the way, when do the metallurgical tests come back?
Did you have any trouble getting the splined end out of the diff?
I hope they buck up and swap the axle for him, the guy I talked to Monday said he's never heard of a failure. Hmmmmmm
Bret
[Capt. Jim on 11/22] Damn, I want to get up there more often, but I'm not independently wealthy like Sputnik....
[Capt. Jim on 11/22]
The long side has a torsion failure about 8" from the splines. It also has a pronounced bend on the remaining long side. Just today, I noticed a longitudinal crack about 10+ inches long that slowly spirals around the shaft. There is also some slight deformation to the spline end visible where the last 3/16" did not protrude all the way into the locker spines. The outermost hardening layer of the shaft does not appear to be uniform thickness as viewed at the break edges. Almost appears as if there was some shearing/separation between the outermost hardened layer and the rest of the axle core.
Sheesh! I should get paid BIG BUCKS for that type of analysis.......
To sum it up, it busted in two.
[lowtideride on 11/22] Haha sounds like Bill
I second Bret whats the low down on the polys? I originally wanted to get a set but now Im not so sure...
and Hey where the hell were you on that trip?
You need to hang out with the pirates of the NFC board more often...
[Bret on 11/22]
What was the final verdict on the Poly axle?
Bret
[Capt. Jim on 11/21] Yea, Nice job, Al!
Heard you guys had a blast up at the pits a week or two ago. Bill's truck is undergoing surgery in my shop while he surfs Costa....
Sputnik40
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