Author Topic: Alloy USA Chomoly Axle Shafts  (Read 1622 times)

Offline albsvx

  • Honorary Member
  • Trail Master
  • ***
  • Posts: 882
Alloy USA Chomoly Axle Shafts
« on: January 13, 2008, 03:50:29 PM »
I figured that rather than hijacking an exiting thread, and rather than shooting a PM just to cheekbone, I would start a new thread so that anybody can benefit.

Once I built the current axles in my yj, Dana 30 front, with detroit truetrac and dana 44 with detroit locker, and put 35"s on my rig, I started snapping from passenger side axle shafts every time out on the trails.

First of all, I'm convinced that the truetrac limited slip diff, being a highly aggressive gear based limited slip, but still a limited slip, is a lot more violent and damaging to shafts than a locker would have been.

YJ dana 30s have a vacuum disconnect on the passenger side.
First time, I snapped the intermediate shaft (from the diff to disconnect)
next time I snapped the outer shaft (from the ujoint to the hub)
next time got real violent.  I snapped the inner shaft (from the disconnect to the ujoint) and it took out the ujoint, and the outer shaft in the process, and also ripped the balljoints right out of socket (only things holding my tire to my rig were my break line and steering linkage)

it was that time that I decided enough is enough.
I bought 1 piece (eliminate the vacuum disconnect) shafts from alloyusa, and have not had a problem since.

http://alloyusa.com/

here is specifically the yj kit that I bought from summit

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=ALY%2D12145&N=700+115&autoview=sku

they also make replacement shafts for a large variety of other axles
you can find their complete catalog at their website.

(they also make really nice axle tube seals for the d30, to replace that crappy little piece of plastic that jeep seems to think will keep stuff out of your axle)
1988 Jeep Wrangler Sahara - 4.0, TF-999, NP-231, Dana 30 Truetrac, Dana 44 Detroit Locker, 4.88s, on 35"s

Offline reg

  • Trail Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 933
Re: Alloy USA Chomoly Axle Shafts
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2008, 03:54:00 PM »
great to know.  your yj is set up similar to where i'm going.  I planning on aussie lockers front and rear though.

Offline albsvx

  • Honorary Member
  • Trail Master
  • ***
  • Posts: 882
Re: Alloy USA Chomoly Axle Shafts
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2008, 04:00:37 PM »
given what I know now, from the tracker, I would not use a lunchbox locker for anything bigger than a 33"s (which as far as I know, is also the manufacturers recommendations on them)

if it's going to be a daily driver, I would say you want a selectable front (personally, I would lean towards electric or even cable over air, but that's just me) and a full detroit in the rear

if it's going to be a trail-only rig, go detroit in the front, and spool in the rear

I'm pretty sure that's where I'm heading with the tracker.
1988 Jeep Wrangler Sahara - 4.0, TF-999, NP-231, Dana 30 Truetrac, Dana 44 Detroit Locker, 4.88s, on 35"s

Offline Cheek-Bone

  • Mudd Hog
  • ***
  • Posts: 243
Re: Alloy USA Chomoly Axle Shafts
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2008, 04:06:44 PM »
Thanks Al that is awesome.
JT4X4 Founding Member