Erik's broken axle (1 Viewer)

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Hmmmmm Chef and I decided a road trip was in order.. ;)
Lessee.. Was wheeling with the Rice on the Rocks and the Hoosier Cruisers.. :beer:
Frydaddy and Elbisser (will from now on be referred to as "Those Guys") along with Jenn and Eric Lorincz and a super Sammy were taking us on "Grandma's Hat Box" trail in the Kentucky National forest.. :grinpimp:
Well, We made it up Grandma's hat box.. Huge climb up massive boulders.. Way harder than I thought I could do.. But when in rome? :eek:
Next obstacle was the "Salad Fork".. :confused: Got thru that without issue.. Thinking COOL! Frydaddy's up ahead I"m trying my best to follow Chef's spotting, ;p I'm nervous, my hands are sweating, Legs shaking, totally having a blast ! :bounce:
Didn't really see Frydaddy go thru the "Squeeze" close to the end of the trail cause I was watching the guys behind me go up the Hatbox.. :doh: I was in the Salad Fork.. :eek:
Ok.. Well I guess Chef and I are thru the Salad Fork approaching the squeeze.. :D
The Squeeze consists of 2 boulders, pretty smooth that are ? 4-5 ft tall and just appear narrow enough to fit.. Appear being the key word here! :eek:
Having not caught glimpse of FryDaddy going thru the squeeze Chef and I are winging it at this point.. :confused:
So.. Front's thru.. Cool, no issue.. I've been in Stupid low most of this trail cause it's knarly.. :cool:
I'm crawlin, Stuipid low (216:1 gears) we try to squeeze into the Squeeze.. Well, the rears appeared like they were gonna start to climb at the same time.. Gave it a bit of gas, the rears were not only climbing but they were also pushing themselves into the Squeeze.. :doh:
 
Next order of business.. :whoops: KERRRRRPPPPPPPPPPPOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!! :censor:
Really cool looks on both Chef's face and my own! :censor: That was worth the price of admission right there.. Chef looking at me with sheer terror on his face.. I think I heard Chef's catch phrase :whoops:
"UUUUUhhhhhh OOOOhhhhh" :eek:
We kinda look at each other, :ban: shrug our shoulders.. I pop out, hop on top of the rock on the drivers side of the squeeze.. :eek: Run up towards and past Chef and Holler at Frydaddy who's crawling on down the trail.. Tell him I think we gotta problem and not to go too far.. :confused:

Ok.. Trail re-inforcements secure.. Now back to the rig.. Hmmmm :confused: Look under, didn't see anything "BAD" under there.. So proceed with backing up a bit.. All the while trying to watch tires to see if something bad was going on.. Chef and I kinda hoped it was just the locker.. But NOOOO :doh:
We approach the squeeze again.. Now we're still half way into the squeeze right now.. So it's not a great spot to be stuck in.. Move forward again, watch the rear drivers side.. NUTTIN! :mad:
Ok.. Lemme look here, Got front locker on? CHECK.. Got it in gear? CHECK.. Got it in 4wd? CHECK..
Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, We have a winner.. We have a broken axle. :whoops:

Bout this time frydaddy and the others behind em catch back up to us.. ? comes up.. Well, what cha wanna do? Got a spare? :eek: :idea:
Well, Yes I do have a spare.. Kicker is it's in the Ford! Never broken a rear axle before so didn't bring it with me.. :doh:

Since I'm second in line.. We decide to winch me thru the squeeze to more solid ground before making a decision on strategy.. Hook up cable, Pull about 10 ft to a flat spot (well sorta flat) and decide on a plan of action..

THe trail is actually a lot like Hal Johns in South Dakota. A dry boulder stream bed, we're in the shade, we're not at work.. Hmmm Lets fix it! :idea:
 
Frydaddy being the only one in front of the broken rig and I"m blocking the trail we send him back to grab said axle shaft.. :grinpimp:

Me to Frydaddy.. Uh.. I need the Long side FJ60 rear out of the magic black box in the back of the ford.. Ya gotta know frydaddy here.. YEP.. Could also use that gallon of 90wt that's in the back of the ford also.. OK, He's off.. :cheers:

So.. we put our little wrenching session in order.. Hmmmm What to do about securing the truck.. :confused:
PaulEDude comes over with a bottle jack.. Of course I have no jack in my truck.. What was I thinking? We start jacking up the drivers side rear and the truck starts sliding backwards and sideways.. :doh:
OK? HMMMMM :idea:
Winch to a tree up front and it seems somewhat stable.. Well start jacking it up again.. Starts sliding sideways now.. Ok.. What do we do? :doh:

:idea: Eric Lorincz hooks his winch from behind me to a tree via a snatch block to secure the side of the FJ40.. Cool! :cool: NOw I feel much more secure working under the truck.. Drivers rear wheel off. Ok.. Hmm Anyone got a oil pan to dump this gearlube into? :doh:
Dangit.. What to do now? Well, :idea: I"ve got an ammo box in the back with 2 birfs in it! :grinpimp: HOw bout we use that? :idea: When we're done we just shut the lid and call it good! :bounce:
 
Cool, :cool: Diff cover off, Drivers side off, now proceed to removal of the locker.. Uh.. DANG :doh:
Gotta jack up the other side and remove that wheel and axle as well! :censor:
Well, Eric had another bottle jack.. Get the other side up, spin the chunk to remove the center pin and lockright.. Amazingly the lockright is still in one piece! :grinpimp:
Get the locker out, the pass rear axle, now to remove the "Axle Bit".. Get Bucky to slide the broken axle back into the housing and amazingly enough the piece falls into the center of the diff! :bounce2:

The axle snapped and what's left is about 2" long, Just past where the splines were engaged into the lockright the splines have spun about a quarter of an inch :D There are hairline cracks all the way around the shaft following the splines :eek: and the axle just spun off making a clean break! :cheers:

Nuttin more we can do now till we get the SHAFT from Frydaddy.. :cool:
 
Cool, (Insert flight of the valkyrie music here) :flipoff2:
Frydaddy's return... Well he's picked up another Sammy, this time it's MESoo
You really gotta go on a run to learn how they all got nicknames.. I'm not explaining it all here!

Frydaddy holds up the axleshaft.. :censor: You are kidding me right?
He's standing there smiling holding the short side shaft.. What? :confused: THis isn't the right shaft? :doh:

I go over to his truck.. Actually look in the back.. NOPE.. NO long side there! :doh:
He's about to double over at this point.. Apparently the long side is in the back of MeSoo's Sammy.. :eek: Cool we're back in business! Put it back together, PaulEDude has a quart of 90wt with a squeeze tip.. Use that.. We're wheeling!
:bounce:

So.. Long story short.. Busted a long side FJ60 rear axleshaft.. Casey is bringing me a spare this weekend :cheers: (Casey you rock)
I think Rob Wickett and I are gonna send our spares off and have them cryo'd sometime this fall.. If I last that long without using it! :beer:
 
Cliff Notes Version:

Followed Frydaddy thru too narrow opening, broke rear long axle. Made funny faces.
Fixed rear long axle on trail with spare he brought along which was picked up from camp and brought to him by Frydaddy.
Went home.
worthless.gif
 
Your just bent cause you couldn't go! :crybaby:
Not a very good pic of my truck but I didn't have a camera..
Frydaddy's is way bigger than my rig.. And he's a much much better driver..
Frydaddy.jpg
undercut.jpg
 
trainrech said:
Cliff Notes Version:

Followed Frydaddy thru too narrow opening, broke rear long axle. Made funny faces.
Fixed rear long axle on trail with spare he brought along which was picked up from camp and brought to him by Frydaddy.
Went home.


Yeah, yeah - it's totally my fault we have no pictures. I forgot the digital - I'm a doofus. We were right behind EC only we were stopped to watch the other Sammy come up behind us when I just heard this really loud snap. I thought it was the sammy but he was still moving & when I turned around I saw Erik & Alan out of the cruiser & trying to locate the source of the snap. Hey, I told him he'd probably break down there - everybody does at some point or another! :)
 
I see you all are pimpin' PIG for rear axles on Pirate. I would be in for 2 sets of stock length FJ40 axles if you are trying to build numbers to twist his arm.

Gary
 
2 sets meaning a long and short? Or 2 longs and 2 shorts?
As easy as that axle snapped, i get the feeling I might need em!
 
" I'm nervous, my hands are sweating, Legs shaking, totally having a blast ! "

This is the best line from the whole story. I feel the same way every time i go some where new. Poteu, clayton, pritchett, moab rim in the rain, hell's gate, etc... I need to wheel more so I don't let my skirt get in the way of having fun.

I would buy two (2) O.E. length short side rears and two (2) O.E. length long side rears for my 1980 and my 1978 FJ40s.

Y'all have a great fourth. Keep all your fingers and eyes!

Gary
 
GaryinNE said:
" I'm nervous, my hands are sweating, Legs shaking, totally having a blast ! "

Sounds like a new sig line to me!

Everyone have a safe and happy 4th!

Bob
 

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