How many CVs have you broken?

[DeTwizzle]

I've only applied the A&D ointment once right after I installed it today.
My hopes is that the aged boot actually absorbs it more than just greases the outside of it. I'm thinking that it is like dry cracked skin that will absorb it, healing it by giving it more flexibility in the end.
May grease again on Wednesday depending on absorption.

 

[maclean216]

For $40 AES in San Diego will reboot your your axles with high quality silicone boots. They also use the OEM style clamps. I can see if I can score some for some of you guys. I need to drop off a axle that I tore the boots off of. (OEM)

 

[maclean216]

Any plans to sell just that cage? Ive got plenty of axles. I just need the cage if its worth while

Wouldn't you need the cage, race, and balls?

 

[Gerdo]

im just assuming they didnt reinvent the whole thing and stuck with the stock race and bearing size. cant be there would be much room for size variance in the small joint anyhow and the machining costs would go up considerably if the entire joint were custom. i dont know but I wouldnt be surprised if the race shown is just a polished stock one. after all no one splits ball bearings or the race. its always the cage.

any info come back on this? Im also assuming they are only interested in selling the more profitable/marketable assembled axles, but I gotta ask cause im a cheapo lol

I know that he is now running a pair and testing them. So far so good.

 

[derekabraham]

Just one, but whole transfer case went out, too. Decided to replace everything and go with manual hubs.

 

[DeTwizzle]

Make it two... so far.

So I snapped my second CV axle up front. Both times have been passenger side cages that give out first. $50 a pop for a OEM CV isnt that bad, but I was just wondering how you, Glen have been wheeling with the larger fab. cages? Any breaks so far.
I think that if you have to pay to save the time od dropping the skid and pulling the CV spare, and reinstall and bolt up the skid it might just be worth it.

Can we get an update on the experience that you have had so far with your newer beefier CVs?

Thx
Dan

 

[glenyoshida]

I've only run a couple of trails with it. Part of Blanca Peak, Red Cone, & Radical Hill. I'm planning a trip to Moab this fall and will hit a few more trails then. I'll be sure to post up when I do break a CV but so far the boots and outer cages are holding up well. I'd like to get a dozen or so rock crawling trails in before releasing them. Maybe we should plan a trip to Eagle Rock/Saran Wrap soon before too much snow settles in.

 

[DeTwizzle]

I would be very down for the Saranwrap & Eagle Rock run.
I was up there about 2 weeks ago, and from all the rain it is definitely a 7 now.
I am hoping to have my bumper from Jed hopefully by the end of December with winch, but until then I'm rolling with an extra CV and a trusty CB radio. You should see if you can rally anyone to go! You know I'll be there, and it would be some good trails to really beat them up a little, really test them out.
I will go to Rm4x4 and post something up for this coming weekend.

 

[scottyb]

So I broke another axle, so I'm down for 2 now. This time it was the other side so I'm thinking/hoping both sides were the original axles and they broke because they had 187k on them. My napa ones seem to be holding up well for now. I'm going to have the broken 2 rebuilt by that company in Denver for spares.

And I'd be down with running those trials with you guys! I just got my cb installed and I just got my Toyota LBJ's so I'll be putting those in today. I'll hop on over to RM4X4 to see what's happening

 

[DeTwizzle]

Sign me up for my trice... that mean three btw. This time the drivers side.
Ive heard that most ppl breaks on the passenger side (which my first two did), but after discussing this with a friend he came to the conclusion that ppl are just rougher on their pass. side compared to the side they sit on. So I dont think that there is a design flaw, when ppl say that passenger sides are weaker than drivers.

It sure would be nice if someone started to make beefier cages for these things... wink, wink.

Sell me some Glen!

 

[DeTwizzle]

And on the seventh day, God said that this day was to be devoted to changing crappy CV axles that break the day before!!! Let there be LIGHT!

 

[RonMAIDEN]

Maybe I don't bash the trails hard enough but after 7 years of off roading and at 168k miles I'm still on my stock versions.

 

[J-money$$$]

I broke 3 this summer, all since installing my front locker. and all three were replaced courtesy of napa and a life time warranty. I have spent some time thinking about these things breaking. The first one i broke was full lock full droop in reverse. The next two i broke were within 500 ft of the start of the trails. One was in the beginning of john bull, and i drove out just fine, and the other was on the beginning of holcomb creek and i got out of that rock garden just fine with it broken. Both happened at a full stuff with the tires straight and at low rpm's (1500).

Then I started to wheel a little different. I take it really easy when im turning on the trails. I think the cages were starting to crack on hard spots, but not fully breaking. Then then next time i went wheeling they would snap on nothing major. Since i started paying more attention i have had good luck. Right now i have a napa cv and an old oem cv with destroyed boots (inner and outer) And then i carry 3 spares. I have ran now i have been wheeling every week and my cv joint breaking has slowed down. I though for sure the rubicon would claim one, but they were fine. Its all how you drive

 

[glenyoshida]

I've heard that most ppl break the passenger side (which my first two did), but after discussing this with a friend he came to the conclusion that ppl are just rougher on their pass. side compared to the side they sit on. So I don't think that there is a design flaw, when ppl say that passenger sides are weaker than drivers.

Yep I'm with ya. It's the same axle on the passenger and driver side so it's not a design issue that causes the passenger side to break, it's driving habit and the amount of lift. When you start exceeding 3" of lift on a 550 lb coil you increase the chance of breaking an outer joint significantly. When people rock crawl up something big, they tend to favor putting the driver's tire on a big climb because it's easier to see. That normally leaves the passenger side drooping and since lifted rigs have more angle on side with the droop (than the side that is compressed) the drooping side becomes the weak link.

I keep wheeling with these axles but so far I don't feel like I've been able to push them yet. I'm impatient too but I need to find some good flexy rocks to crawl up. I think I'm Moab I'm going to try and find some rock walls to push up and a climb up. That leaves one side at full droop and if I crank my wheel then it will be a good test.

Maybe I don't bash the trails hard enough but after 7 years of off roading and at 168k miles I'm still on my stock versions.

Or it could be simply that you are a smarter/better wheeler. :biggrin2: IMHO anyone can run a trail and get through it with damage. A good wheeler gets through without breaking stuff or getting damage. Having the finesse to feel the breaking limits is a real skill. I break things because I push it too hard but like a good addict I don't want to cut back on my habits. I just look for a better fix and in this case my better drug hopefully is a better axle That voice inside my head that warns me of possible break is there it's just tied up and gagged by the other voices lol. I don't know how much lift you've been running but in my case if I lowered my front coilovers to a 2.75" lift I could run my stock axles a lot harder before popping them. I love my OME 851s in the back too much though. I like the amount of lift and how they have settled in so for now the quest continues.

 

[J-money$$$]

Wheel the hammers and damage has nothing to do with how good of a wheeler you are

 

[glenyoshida]

Wheel the hammers and damage has nothing to do with how good of a wheeler you are

Ha! Yeah no doubt about that! That trail is gnarly!

 

[KinevilsT4R]

Looks like I'm joining the broken CV axle club! I broke at John Bull last Saturday. The trail was definitly more difficult from all the snow and mud. It was on the next "technical" section after the gate keeper. There was 2 definite lines, well at least in my eyes. The right side looked more practical for my 33s to crawl over but got hung up. Backed up and tried the left line. Figured I would have a better chance since my buddy in his Rubicon made it. Looked pretty easy on 37s! Hell, this 4Runner hasn't let me down yet. Anyways, got hung up and pushed it to much. After countless tries of trying to bump up this section, I thought to myself... Hmmm lets try and turn my front LSD into a "locked diff". Since only one of my front tires were turning, I applied some pressure to the brakes. Alright both tires are spinning now maybe I can crawl up... then a sudden POP! Haha... Passenger side outer cv exploded.

Had to use the high lift to raise my rear passenger tire over the rock that it was hung up on, just to get towed out. Luckly there was a fairly decent flat area to the left of the trail where I could swap my axle. Boy am I glad that I bought that cordless impact at Sears on black Friday lol. Made changing that axle much more easy. Took an hour on the trail with little help from my buddies.

Only thing is I hear a clunking noise on the passenger side when I turn now. Can't be the axle since its brand new my front sway bar is disconnected. I doubt its the hub but who knows.

 

[J-money$$$]

add me in for another. SO 4 in 6 months Broke one a few weeks ago in that same section mentioned on john bull in about 1 foot of fresh snow. It was a cv that i had been running for a few months with no boots. It just died. I was idling, tires straight, not drooped and i just hear a little pop.

and get use to the clunking. Almost all replacement cvs i have seen do that.

and Add Brian2sun up to 2 cvs this year. He broke one last saturday when we ran odessa in calico. This one was weird because it wasnt the cage that broke, but the outer tulip on the axle shaft. It cracked and came apart, then ground up the cage.

 

[DeTwizzle]

I guess scratch me up for another too while this tread is at the top of the list.
My most recent break was in Moab, on Moab Rim Trail... fun and scary trail.
I think I'm up to 4 now this year.

 

[DeTwizzle]

Well it is funny that I was the last person to post in here. Chalk me up for the first of 2012. Was at Eagle Rock trying all the hard lines. Should have tried to work it a little more... dang supercharger. lol
The rotten granite will getcha, but it and Suran Wrap are good challenging trails for a 4runner I would say. And thank goodness for my winch, had to do it about 6 times to get outta there. Also blew one of my tires on the side wall. so I should be getting at least one new tire! The silver lining in the clouds.:cheers: