Weakest Link

[warpdriv]

Well after the Round Up I am finding myself buying new and tougher parts. My inner front long shaft broke at the snap ring. So I am going to either buy some cryo-treated or some moly shafts.

Except for knuckles, my front axle will be built up. This got me thinking about what will be a candidate for a breakage. This lead me to ujoints being the weak link to break. That is cool with me, cheap and easy to replace.

But when a ujoint granades and takes out the flange (I think that is what it is called), you are dead with out another flange and/or drive shaft.

So how are y'all preparing for this? Spear drive shafts? Different/beefier flanges off of some other cruiser so just the ujoint breaks?

Apprecieate your ideas....

 

[woody]

unless you have REALLY poor maintenance skillz, you'll be hard pressed to break a Toyota u-joint. I've yet to break one...and I've tried...

Back in Oct 2004, my weak point became the stock t-case front output shaft....the knuckles held, the 1310's in the front driveshaft held, the longs and poly inners held...the nose cone itself held and the shaft snapped. Looked just like a rear pinion break (which I'm good at...) Interestingly, the front stock coarse pinion held.

next on my weak list was a front Poly inner axle shaft...and that same coarse spline front pinion is unbroken....

IMO, don't even try to "plan" a weak point...there are WAY too many situation variables to say what will break. The only "possible" method is to make one spot so terribly weak that you can't hardly wheel without breaking...and what fun is that

 

[pr0ject42]

I've heard of guys sheering off thier hub studs on mini axles after upgrading to 30 spline longfields. Either that or t-case output shafts (which you can now get cryoed).

However, wouldn't you rather have something cheaper and easier to replace break like anything in the axle compared to say the input shaft on your tranny? When something is going to break, it will break. It all depends on how far up the line you push that breakage though.

 

[Isotel]

its all a ballancing game, what woody is saying, is be prepared for just about anything.. Know what parts could go, and carry spares..

no point in putting a "fuse" into the system, just beef everything up and drive to accomidate your setup.. Ive broken 1 Birf in a Stock open Axle, now i know when to ease off and have yet to do any other damage..

The other thing is Order of importance.. If a D-Shaft Breaks, yea it sucks, but on a moderate trail you can just yank it and drive out on a Rope..

T-case, Tranny Issues, and your on the Rope the whole way

Steering or Axle issues could have you camping next to the truck, (ask me how i know)

Here is a link to the hub stud upgrade.. http://frontrangeoffroadfab.com/nfo...id=58&osCsid=33a3c6fe34a1dee7a5b1d9b8365d2896

 

[wngrog]

You 3 speed case is by far the next weakest link. Toy ujoints are amazingly strong.

Fuses are gay. Build it not to break.

 

[warpdriv]

Yea, I was thinking about the 3sp case. I do have a case save bolted on top of it. Saw this other one:

http://www.birfield.com/modules/gallery/NP203_cruiser_doubler/r0300022_001

Would not hurt to fab one up.

 

[woody]

top saver does wonders...that's all my case had...never once cracked the alum....

course, I had one hella huge full coverage skid plate.....IMO, that's as important as anything.....

 

[Poser]

Fuses are gay. Build it not to break.

Amen.



That is the ONLY way to build it.

 

[HI^C]

anything can break at anytime

cost and time to fix, well can vary.


something easy to fix (both Time and $$$)
and not costly (actual part) preferred.

 

[wngrog]

anything can break at anytime

cost and time to fix, well can vary.


something easy to fix (both Time and $$$)
and not costly (actual part) preferred.

I agree with the first statement, but don't agree with engineering in a weak spot.

 

[warpdriv]

Yea, I am not trying to engineer a weak spot. Just trying plan parts ect.