Twisted rear axle shaft

[landtank]

in my case both times it's the wheel that was attached to the axle that was the problem. The twist was on the outside of the locker and not the more crippling one where it twists on the inside.

I'm convinced that it's not a locker design issue but a shaft design one. Trying to fix the locker itself for this problem is futile.

 

[sleeoffroad]

in my case both times it's the wheel that was attached to the axle that was the problem. The twist was on the outside of the locker and not the more crippling one where it twists on the inside.

If the twist was on the outside of the locker (ie, outside the locking collar) why did it not want to come out? I have seen them badly twisted on stock or ARB'ed trucks, yet you can still remove it.

I'm convinced that it's not a locker design issue but a shaft design one. Trying to fix the locker itself for this problem is futile.

Yes, fixing the locker is not an option (other than selling on Mud and getting an ARB )

 

[landtank]

If the twist was on the outside of the locker (ie, outside the locking collar) why did it not want to come out? I have seen them badly twisted on stock or ARB'ed trucks, yet you can still remove it.

When the locker released the collar was stopped by the twisted splines and was still partially engaged. Then while driving on pavement the collar was forced further on the splines likely do to the taper on the tabs of the collar and the loads applied by the rotating differences of the wheels.

The splines inside the locker itself were completely straight and once the collar was pulled off the twisted part it slid right off.

 

[sleeoffroad]

Do you have a picture of the shaft? The twist happens between the spider gears and the locking collar. I have never seen the locking collar bind onto a twisted spline outboard of the collar. Even if it did, it would pop right off. The piece that you see is straight is the piece going into the spider gear.

 

[Box Rocket]

FWIW, I had an almost identical rear shaft in my 80 without lockers. Never thought I could twist it without the added strain of a locker but you sure can. Replaced it with an OEM shaft and now have an Aussie in the rear diff.

 

[landtank]

Do you have a picture of the shaft? The twist happens between the spider gears and the locking collar. I have never seen the locking collar bind onto a twisted spline outboard of the collar. Even if it did, it would pop right off. The piece that you see is straight is the piece going into the spider gear.

Look at post number one, it's the same thing. Twisted splines outside the collar and the collar jammed on them.

In both cases the splines between the collar and spider were straight.

It did pop right off with the factory shaft however with the poly shaft it took enough force to break the fork into three pieces.

Poly performance wants to see the shaft however I ground the twisted splines off to try and get the shaft to work. Probably screwed myself with that move but I have a yearly weekend to go to tomorrow and am under the gun.

 

[inkpot]

Howdy! Not trying to be a smart@ss, but from watching the video, I would say you need to use the front locker more, and the skinny pedal less. Airing down more/better tires would help also. John

 

[landtank]

what are you running on your 80?

 

[Beowulf]

what are you running on your 80?

-B-

 

[inkpot]

what are you running on your 80?

Howdy! You might guess that I don't have one, and you'd be right. I might sometime, cause I do like them, but not yet. I do wheel in two clubs with lots of 80s. Some are pretty stock,but some are pretty tricked out, with super chargers, 35's, 27's, and even 39's. I have not seen or heard of any of them having axle issues. Maybe they are just lucky, or maybe they are all wussies. Maybe the best solution for you in your location/conditions/driving style is to upgrade to D60-70's. John

 

[Nay]

Howdy! You might guess that I don't have one, and you'd be right. I might sometime, cause I do like them, but not yet. I do wheel in two clubs with lots of 80s. Some are pretty stock,but some are pretty tricked out, with super chargers, 35's, 27's, and even 39's. I have not seen or heard of any of them having axle issues. Maybe they are just lucky, or maybe they are all wussies. Maybe the best solution for you in your location/conditions/driving style is to upgrade to D60-70's. John

LT likes to fawk with stuff so he can prove a point by fixing it. Stop discouraging him, he might just get an axle shaft design that alleviates the e-locker twisted spline issue .

 

[landtank]

Howdy! You might guess that I don't have one, and you'd be right. I might sometime, cause I do like them, but not yet. I do wheel in two clubs with lots of 80s. Some are pretty stock,but some are pretty tricked out, with super chargers, 35's, 27's, and even 39's. I have not seen or heard of any of them having axle issues. Maybe they are just lucky, or maybe they are all wussies. Maybe the best solution for you in your location/conditions/driving style is to upgrade to D60-70's. John

If you run an 80 with the e-locker and get the right amount of grip under load heavily on a single rear tire it seems that an axle twist is inevitable. I've been lucky that the two I had could be extracted without cutting into the diff housing.

My first thought was an axle of a different make up would solve the problem. It didn't.

Now seeing it twice I think I know where the problem is, or more importantly how to avoid it.

I don't think that eliminating the twisting is the answer but realizing it's inevitable and designing the shaft so it's not a problem.

I'm the kind of guy looking to solve design short comings if at all possible.

Seeing a problem a few times and declaring the unit a POS and swapping out whole components is one way to go and quite profitable if you own a shop and it's billable. And maybe that's is the final solution. But for me right now I am going to try a more elegant, cost effective solution.

 

[daveIT]

The axles are stronger since they can twist more. Normally a good think for hard core wheeling. However the POS e-locker design is the issue. Factory shafts are more likely to twist, but then I have broken factory shafts, but I have never heard of a poly shaft breaking.

Cut your losses now and put an ARB in. Trust me on this. I have spent way to many $'s fixing axles and e-locker mechanisms on the Toyota e-locker design.

Very interesting thread...

Christo...

Little thread jack...would you recommend getting a non-locker & putting ARBs in? Money isn't really an issue at the moment...just want something nice that'll last. I'm moving to CO Springs from Alaska in a few days & I'll be buying a LC. I'll probably be seeing you in a few months! I've been lurking here a bit...thanks for some informative posts.

 

[landtank]

Very interesting thread...

Christo...

Little thread jack...would you recommend getting a non-locker & putting ARBs in? Money isn't really an issue at the moment...just want something nice that'll last. I'm moving to CO Springs from Alaska in a few days & I'll be buying a LC. I'll probably be seeing you in a few months! I've been lurking here a bit...thanks for some informative posts.

maybe it's just me taking Slee's post you quoted at face value but I think he is recommending going with ARBs over the factory locker.

 

[sleeoffroad]

Very interesting thread...

Christo...

Little thread jack...would you recommend getting a non-locker & putting ARBs in? Money isn't really an issue at the moment...just want something nice that'll last. I'm moving to CO Springs from Alaska in a few days & I'll be buying a LC. I'll probably be seeing you in a few months! I've been lurking here a bit...thanks for some informative posts.

It is a large tire and style of wheeling thing. Large tires (35" +)for sure, however based on Rick's video, that situation would also twist it with smaller tires.

The cost of the ARB up front is small compared to paying for all the e-locker parts you have to trash when the axle is stuck, including a new axle shaft etc etc. It doesn't have to do with the fact that we have a shop and the cost is billable or we install the ARB's. Ask the people like Dan Kuntz that have dealt with this if they want to run the e-locker again and deal with it.

I have studied the design of the axle/ e locker and I can not see how a different shaft will make it not twist. Personally ARB is the only off the shelve option that solved the stuck axle shaft issue. A different shaft of not that easy to produce as well. Cost and production numbers are huge in the axle game.

 

[Nay]

ARB is the only off the shelve option that solved the stuck axle shaft issue.

Does that statement include auto lockers?

 

[72rockcruiser]

Does that statement include auto lockers?

I dont know about those, but I got one stuck inside my welded diff right now. Only way I can see to get it out is to cut the housing open.

 

[sleeoffroad]

This is what the shaft looks like when you twist it between the spider gears and the e-locker shift collar. I suspect what happened to Rick was that he twisted the shaft in the locker position and then when it unlocked, the actuator jammed the collar onto the splines. This does not happen with an ARB or a auto locker. Why it would happen on a welded diff I am not sure.

Rick, did you try to remove the actuator and then manually push the locking collar over with a pry-bar?

 

[72rockcruiser]

This does not happen with an ARB or a auto locker. Why it would happen on a welded diff I am not sure.

QUOTE]

I should have clarified, mine is twisted off completely in the diff with just enough sticking out that I cant pull the third. It is too stuck to knock out from the other side. I broke/bent everything I tried with.

 

[landtank]

Rick, did you try to remove the actuator and then manually push the locking collar over with a pry-bar?

I did the first time when it happened to the stock shaft. The fork is what you could pry against with the switch assembly out of the way. That time I placed a pry bar between the axle flange and the hub and it popped off with only arm strength.

This last time I had to drive two large screw drivers in between that flange and hub and broke the shift fork in the process.

With more practice I might get better at it but that's not really what I'm looking to do.