Full floater.... but better? FF axle flanges.

[slowandsteady BJ]

Ive been wondering what to do after breaking multiple inner axles. This might be the ticket right here.

Anyone built an axle using these?

What happens to the semi-float wheel bearing? Does it stay in?
Im guessing heavy duty hub gears will be a must.... or drive plates.

These with Chromo axles should be just what I'm after, time to start hoarding some parts.

Opinions?

Toyota Rear Full Floating Axle Flanges! - YotaTech Forums

 

[brian]

or you could just throw a FF axle under it. those two parts alone are almost half the cost of a complete housing.

 

[slowandsteady BJ]

those two parts alone are almost half the cost of a complete housing.

Not where I live. Spendy little devils around here. Not to mention parts availability is poor.

With these Id have the same 4 calipers, pads and rotors at each corner. With hubs at the end of the rear one could run FWD more easily. (shoud something break)

With these, could one do away with the inner C clip?

 

[lcwizard]

I built about 15 pair six years ago but they weld up to a factory semi floater housing. They've been hanging around collecting dust until a few weeks ago when I resurrected the project. Using a factory housing the final track is 4" wider than stock. so a 40 housing ends up a bit over 59" and a 60 housing
a bit over 61". Since i widened the front axle on my 40 by about 5 1/2" I'm going to use a 60 rear with the floater mod a to even the track.

Here's a 40 housing modified. I cut off the backing plate mount to clean it up but it wouldn't necessarily
be required

 

[jcj_78FJ40]

So..these work with standard 40 FF axles?

 

[Kynot62]

Have you thought about just installing Chromoly axles from Polyperformance?

I am just running a factory full float but I have chromoly axles in it as well.

Dave What are you running for axles in that housing of yours? Spindles? Custom?

Tony

 

[slowandsteady BJ]

I built about 15 pair six years ago but they weld up to a factory semi floater housing. They've been hanging around collecting dust until a few weeks ago when I resurrected the project. Using a factory housing the final track is 4" wider than stock. so a 40 housing ends up a bit over 59" and a 60 housing
a bit over 61". Since i widened the front axle on my 40 by about 5 1/2" I'm going to use a 60 rear with the floater mod a to even the track.

Here's a 40 housing modified. I cut off the backing plate mount to clean it up but it wouldn't necessarily
be required =QUOTE]


Cool.

How does the "drive" work? I mean because the semi shaft doesn't have outer drive splines?
Does one use a FF inner axle?
Whats to stop a guy cutting the axle tube inwards to keep stock width?

Sorry if the questions are redundant.... I'm just trying to wrap my head around this one.

The more pics the better!

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I built about 15 pair six years ago but they weld up to a factory semi floater housing. They've been hanging around collecting dust until a few weeks ago when I resurrected the project. Using a factory housing the final track is 4" wider than stock. so a 40 housing ends up a bit over 59" and a 60 housing
a bit over 61". Since i widened the front axle on my 40 by about 5 1/2" I'm going to use a 60 rear with the floater mod a to even the track.

Here's a 40 housing modified. I cut off the backing plate mount to clean it up but it wouldn't necessarily
be required =QUOTE]


Cool.

How does the "drive" work? I mean because the semi shaft doesn't have outer drive splines?
Does one use a FF inner axle?
Whats to stop a guy cutting the axle tube inwards to keep stock width?

Sorry if the questions are redundant.... I'm just trying to wrap my head around this one.

The more pics the better!

I believe these are custom cut full float axles, due to the additional width. as for cutting the housing tube, you will have to keep it from warping somehow in order to keep it straight, and isn't a wider axle with stronger shafts more desirable? There is not a HUGE cost diff in the custom axle shafts, and there is no extra work to install them the first time round. IIUC...

 

[slowandsteady BJ]

Have you thought about just installing Chromoly axles from Polyperformance?

I am just running a factory full float but I have chromoly axles in it as well.

Dave What are you running for axles in that housing of yours? Spindles? Custom?

Tony

Thought about the chromo axle shafts but I'm not sure the bearing race will hold up to daily driving and lots of miles.
I'm hoping ordering poly perf FF axle shafts and doing the RuffStuff end swap I'll have the best of both worlds.

 

[Kynot62]

Thought about the chromo axle shafts but I'm not sure the bearing race will hold up to daily driving and lots of miles.
I'm hoping ordering poly perf FF axle shafts and doing the RuffStuff end swap I'll have the best of both worlds.

Chromoly shafts in a semi float don't effect the race in any way. The only part being rubbed on is the seal surface.

A while back they seemed a really popular mod. But I understand about the desire for a full float or I wouldn't have put one in mine..... And I did switch out the stock axles for a set from Polyperformance in my full float.

Tony

 

[CruisinFJ60]

Have you thought about just installing Chromoly axles from Polyperformance?

I am just running a factory full float but I have chromoly axles in it as well.

Tony

Thought about the chromo axle shafts but I'm not sure the bearing race will hold up to daily driving and lots of miles.
I'm hoping ordering poly perf FF axle shafts and doing the RuffStuff end swap I'll have the best of both worlds.

Chromoly shafts in a semi float don't effect the race in any way. The only part being rubbed on is the seal surface.

Tony

Do NOT waste your money on poly performance CRAP rear axles!! They are crappy little piles of scrap.

I broke two at one time, the long side twisted the splines over a full spline making it nearly impossible to get the axle in far enough to get the clip out and the short side broke clean in half. When they came out they had a lifetime warranty but not the site simply says "designed to last a lifetime" and the paperwork said nothing about a lifetime warranty (purchased when site said they were lifetime). My bearing race surface with only maybe 500 miles was already showing signs of ear and grooving from an improperly heat treated surface area. When I called them to ask them about it they offered a meer 10% off of a new set... Thats still $400 bux!!! I put stock shafts back in wheeled em till I broke another long side and then swapped in a FF 14 bolt. If they had been more willing to work with me on the axles I would have purchased another set for Fiona who doesnt get wheeled as hard and been ok with it. But since they offered nothing but more less covering the cost of shipping I declined.

They are GARBAGE!! Do NOT waste your money on Poly Performance CRAP!!!!

If you need stronger an axle swap is nearly as easy and cost the same or less depending on how you want to outfit it. My rear 14B has disk brakes, ruff stuff disk brackets, diff cover, pinion guard, and shock and spring perches / tabs. With all of that I obviously have a little more than the poly stuff would cost, but I am confident it wont have any issues anymore. If you go for a more simple budget minded build you can come in at or even under the cost of the poly bull crap.

 

[mrlocksmith]

I too had bad luck with the Poly Pro Semi Float Axles.. Same Story... I went FF and have never looked back.

Mark

 

[slowandsteady BJ]

Not much love for the Poly's.

I read the two main threads on Poly's and came to the conclusion they weren't for me in the Semi. The bearing races are not hard enough. I know they had a bad batch but still....

If these axle flanges from Ruff Stuff need a set of FF axle shafts in a Semi housing I would be temped to give it a go as the shafts wont be holding the weight of the vehicle.

Ive thought of going with a 14bolt domestic axle but...

-I have a lot of $ into my 3rd (gears, bearings, ARB)
-I only need about 25% more strength (at a guess)
- Track width, bolt pattern, lack of interchangeability etc. are more reasons I want to make the Toyota stuff work.

 

[lcwizard]

The axle shafts will have to be a custom length. Bobby Long will build mine. The axle bearing is replaced with an aluminum "plug" that has a Marlin birfield seal pressed in. The axles Bobby makes are two piece,
full float style.
A double spline chromoly shaft with an interference fit, press on, chomoly drive plate. Although not a great choice in a semi-float, chromoly is a good material in a full float since no weight is carried on the shaft itself, just twisting loads. Chromoly semi-floaters, on the other hand, tend to work harden at the bearing race from the constant pounding and eventually become crystalline and break at the race.

 

[lcwizard]

Have you thought about just installing Chromoly axles from Polyperformance?

I am just running a factory full float but I have chromoly axles in it as well.

Dave What are you running for axles in that housing of yours? Spindles? Custom?

Tony

The spindles and hubs are stock cruiser front parts as well as the calipers and rotors. The housing needs no modifications outside of tapping off the sheet metal
ring at the end of the housing to expose the machined suface the flange will slide over.

 

[Kynot62]

All the problems with Poly's were only with the semi floats (I never had the semi float versions) Several well respected vendors have said the problem was fixed. The only real problem seems to be the fact that the problem was poorly handled by Polyperformance, their failure to make good on a faulty product left some folks with a bad taste and I can't blame them.

Have had the full float versions in my rig for about a year and a half now (after breaking a factory full float axle in Rubicon) and have not had any problems with them. And I have to admit the factory axle was used and had some prior damage that I feel was the root of my break.

But some breakage on our rigs is caused by how we use them and the only way to prevent it is with drastic changes or mods. I can only say that for how my rig is set up and how I wheel it, it works for me. This doesn't mean it would work for you, or that it wouldn't.

Tony

 

[Kynot62]

The axle shafts will have to be a custom length. Bobby Long will build mine. The axle bearing is replaced with an aluminum "plug" that has a Marlin birfield seal pressed in. The axles Bobby makes are two piece,
full float style.
A double spline chromoly shaft with an interference fit, press on, chomoly drive plate. Although not a great choice in a semi-float, chromoly is a good material in a full float since no weight is carried on the shaft itself, just twisting loads. Chromoly semi-floaters, on the other hand, tend to work harden at the bearing race from the constant pounding and eventually become crystalline and break at the race.

Dave

What's the advantage to a press on drive flange?

Tony

 

[lcwizard]

Even if they do properly heat treat them moly is a much better choice for a full floater. Although it has a higher tensile strength than say 1541h, it is too brittle to be used in semi floaters. Moly will perform well,
taking higher torque loads but at the cost of a shorter life span. I ran a couple sets in the 80's on an HDRA
pre run truck ( against the recommendations of Summers Bros, the axle builder) At about three years average life they all broke, always at the bearing race.

 

[lcwizard]

Dave

What's the advantage to a press on drive flange?

Tony

The only advantage is production cost

 

[Kynot62]

Thanks Dave

So does anybody make a super strong axle that will last in a semi float application or do you think full float is the only solution?

Tony