Axles!!!

[wooders]

I though it was time for a new discussion....what's your favourate, money no option (within reason) axle?.......
Just what axle would you LOOOVE to have fitted under your 4bee & why??....

[Guts]

Under my current rig?what I have now, which is a hilux housing with Snake Racing`s Longfield CV`s. But with a high pinion centre, which I am putting one in within the next week or so.
I used to break CV`s almost every trip before I went to the Long`s but now I don`t even give them a second thought. The $1200 price tag is soon forgotten about once you have them fitted.

But if I decide to build a 75 series like I want to then I`d like a 35 splined Dana 60 with upgraded axles etc as I`d be running a V8 and more then likely 39 inch boggers.

[big red]

volvo drop axles, but at 6 to 1 i'd be too slow onroad.
clearance would be good though and the standard difflocks would be handy.

[wooders]

I suppose my ideal axles would be as strong as possible, have as much clearance as possible & prefferably be light....

There's plenty of great axles out there....I like the Dana60,especially a RCHP and shaved pig.....or the Dynatrack which actually has better clearance than a Dana44.....& on a shortwheelbase like my Jeep high pinion angles can help a HEAP.

I respect the GQ Patrol axles as being tough mothers - but I couldn't really bring myself to fit Jap axles under american iron- just don't seem right :-*

Vovlo portals - hmmm VERY nice....Or even Mog axles....I like the default 6ish" lift you get from the portals and the extra hub reduction - but you wouldn'y want to be running long highway mileage....axle wrap would be harder to control if you have leaves...but the width would be bit of a PITA under most rigs....availability & cost ???

2½ ton rockwells - well here's STRENGTH....but wow are they heavy suckers....even converted to pinion brakes a set of axles would probably weigh nearly as much as the remainer of the rig....Apparently bloody heapin the US though and readily available....I like the fact that you can turn the axles around easily or simply rotate the centre for a range of configurations.....Apparently the centre is MASSIVE though and a LOAD of lift is required to get them to work.....
But I think if I was in this market they'd miss the cut because of the braking system - Leaving the stock drums on there would be too heavy and a don'y like the pinion brake idea becuase it's turning at nearly 7times the speed of a axle brake...Axle disc brake - hmmm haven't seen that done yet - would probably need some big arses wheels to fit over them....

Ford 9" - yeah a HEAP of options and can be strengthed to a max of 36" tyres pretty good - and can be built REALLY light...also apparently can be had even in 40spline config :o......but not exactly sexy :-*

BUT I think my reall favourate are the big buck Posion Spider Titan & high mark axles.
The Titan being a rockwell centre with custom high clearance housing and much lighter & stronger than the standard Rockwell, or the High mark being a portal 9" centre....hmmm shweeetttt.

The other thing I've recently seen was an axle from Sunray - it was based on a 9" centre, but had custom knuckles that make a Dana60 liike puny....Dand 60 knuckles take a 1480 Uni joint which is a not small and can handle 3330lbft.....but these were 1550 which are rated to 4440lbft - even better these are held inplace by replaceable yokes and ubolts..... This axle weighted in at 130lb less than a D60.....and could be made even lighter......

Hmmm maybe the old Ford 9" pig CAN be made pretty afterall ;) ;D 8)

[CRUSHU]

with the 9", the old funny cars and fuel dragsters ran a 44 spline gun drilled axle, :o

The avalanche dana 60 with drop axles like the assasin has fitted look the goods I reckon, cut off centre, 6" drop, 2.3 to 1 gear change, disc brakes, etc etc

WOULDNT mIND GQ AXLES UNDER THE HILUX

[Phat Mav]

One word....

Unimog



Patrick

[bigsteve]

Sidewinders 8) 8)

http://www.spidertrax.com/drivetrain_sdw.htm