Do you carry spare rear axle shafts on your rig?

[cruiserdoc]

Im torn between space/weight of carrying a set of rear axleshafts with me on my upcoming rubicon trip. I am currently running poly performance rear shafts in my full bodied heavy (5600 lb+) fj40 with a healthy sbc 350 powerplant, 36 inch iroks, 4.88 gears, and 4:1 orion xfercase.

What are your experiances, do you tote spares?

I could leave them in the tow rig but that wont help much with a shaft failure 10+ miles into the trail.

Thanks

 

[cody c]

wow, that does seem heavy. Have you had it on a scale? are you fully caged with rockwells?

I think a few members carry spares, usually the thing to do is find a safe place to tie them down where they wont eject with a rollover. Maybe even the quick fist type of hold downs, you could put them in the back, or even in the engine compartment.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Personally, I do not carry spare shafts but I have the 80 series FF axle. I can pull the shaft without removing the tire. I just pull the broken shaft out, bolt the end back on as a cap and keep going.

 

[Fast Eddy]

Personally, I do not carry spare shafts but I have the 80 series FF axle. I can pull the shaft without removing the tire. I just pull the broken shaft out, bolt the end back on as a cap and keep going.

Huh? The ends don't come off of stock axles. They are one piece. You could carry an OEM front drive plate.

I've got one chromo axle and one stocker in my full-floater. Odds are that you couldn't get the broken piece out on the trail. A cap is a good idea.

5600 seems heavy. With the top off I'm probably around 4000 unloaded with a winch and a cage.

 

[cody c]

Huh? The ends don't come off of stock axles. They are one piece. You could carry an OEM front drive plate.

I've got one chromo axle and one stocker in my full-floater. Odds are that you couldn't get the broken piece out on the trail. A cap is a good idea.

5600 seems heavy. With the top off I'm probably around 4000 unloaded with a winch and a cage.

You might be able to get the inner piece of broken shaft out, then reinstall the outer section?

I would say try and keep the weight down might do more to avoid broken axle shafts, but that depends on a few variables as well.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

You might be able to get the inner piece of broken shaft out, then reinstall the outer section?

This is what I was trying to say... I have always been able to get the broken shaft out.

 

[Chop Shop]

I wheel a minituck with a bullet proof rear that doesnt eat shafts.

I think allot of people see their rig as lighter than it really is.

A 4000lb cruiser is a tough goal with a cage V8 and a winch.

I have a mini with NO cab, No bed, 3 feet of frame, just tube and toy axles and 22re (aluminum head, alum tranny, alum tcase etc) and have shaved weight anywhere I could afford it and it is still 3400 lbs on the scales.

4K is tough to do with cast iron and a full body.

 

[Pighead]

Yes. I usually carry 2 rear shafts and 2 front shafts and at least one driveshaft.
Not so much for me, but for others. If you carry spares, you probably won't bust it.

 

[chicago]

I have and plan on carrying rears in mine. Got a spot reserved for them as well, especially the semi floats. Couple years ago coming off the rubicon I had the c clip retainer on the axle end let loose ON THE ROAD!!!! I'm really easy on the skinny pedal too and don't hammer my rig. That was a great lesson learned for me.... In short... Yes, IMO.

 

[mustardfj40]

Even I am running longfiled chromoly inner axles/birfields, but I still brought along another set of chromonly inner axles and spared birfileds on my last Rubithon. Since the truck has rear FF axle, I brought along a set of rear FF inner axles along. Also had a spared third with aussie locker installed, and a set of spared front and rear drivelines.

I ended up bending my rear OME shackle on the Rubicon instead of breaking of any axle...

 

[Tapage]

I don't .. I have PP rears in my " full " body 60 ( Tencha ) running 40" chained and locked and PP axles are still holding after braking 2 stockers with my old 37"

The thing in my case it's I have rear Disc so if broke a rear ( both was close to the splines ) I'm still able to move to a safe repair zone .. ( campground )

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I carry around a single stock rear axle shaft, but I also run a FF in my 60, so if I break one I can keep going. If you're running a SF, I'd definitely carry spares.

 

[Fast Eddy]

I carry around a single stock rear axle shaft, but I also run a FF in my 60, so if I break one I can keep going. If you're running a SF, I'd definitely carry spares.

Short side, or long side? I posted a poll in the '80 section about which side people broke and whether locked or not. I seem to recall it was usually the long side that broke when locked. I've got a spare long side.

If you carried a spare short side, you could use it as a cap for the long side if you couldn't get the broken piece out.

 

[cruiserdoc]

Thank you everyone, I appreciate all the comments. I am going to figure out a way to affix a set of axles under the bed .

Please keep the comments coming..

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Good plan. I have broken a rear SF on the Rubicon and it totally sucks. You are immobilized. So I would carry rear shafts for sure.

I have to say that I have been through the Rubicon 15-20 times and have only broken 1 stock axle shaft. So not too bad, except in the moment.

 

[Tapage]

2 times broke stock long ones .. if that helps ..

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Short side, or long side? I posted a poll in the '80 section about which side people broke and whether locked or not. I seem to recall it was usually the long side that broke when locked. I've got a spare long side.

If you carried a spare short side, you could use it as a cap for the long side if you couldn't get the broken piece out.

I carry a long side, but that's because I broke my short side a year ago and replaced the set with PP shafts. I've read the same thing about breaking the long side so I haven't felt rushed to find another short side.

 

[hellbent40]

if you mount them underneath you could always use pvc pipe as the container for them... just a thought... would like to see pics of what you end up with

 

[CruisinFJ60]

shafts I broke...

1 long side on 33's stock shaft
1 long side on 35's stock shaft
long side broke and short side twisted splines a full spline (but still 1 piece) at same time with PP crap moly with 40" boggers
1 long side on 40's stock shaft.

Im done with a cruiser rear on the orange one its getting a 14B the white one will be ok for a little while still.

I keep whatever spare I have on the trailer. I figure If I can get a ride back to camp I can pay in beer get my shaft and come back to my broken pile. Or do like i did once before and just drive it back with the backing plate dragging tearing it apart, ruining rear shoes and hardware, filling housing with dirt ect.

be careful driving with the shards of a broken shaft in your housing still for those of you with full floaters.

 

[mookie]

i took full spares for front and rear with me when i did the rubicon a couple of years ago