2nd gens on 37" tires

How does one even handle this on a trail?
Keep driving?
Replace on trail?

It's easy to keep an axle
but having the tools to change one is a different story...

Off the top of my I head I can think of:
-pick tool to remove cotter pin
-hammer and chisel to remove axle bolt cap
-breaker bar and 35?mm socket for axle nut
-sometimes control arm must be loosened to make room for removal
-gear oil to fill level however much drains out during swap
-fingers crossed seal does not tear causing leak
All stuff I don't carry

 

You should really invest in a tool kit for the trail if you are offroading.
But really if you broke the outer joint you can just cut the inner boot and pull the shaft out and drive in 3wd.

Ive had to pull the ring gear off my rear third member on the trail, replace many axles, manually shift the tcase out of 4wd, replace tie rods, remove motor mounts and take the front diff and axles out and drive back in 2wd.

 

So depending how you break you can drive on it to get to a better place to change. Depending how you broke lets say outer you can just cut the inner boot and yank the shaft out and just drive normally the inner stub will stay in the housing and the outer keeps the wheel bearing together. Worse case scenario you winch or recover yourself slowly if it's flopping around from an inner coming completely apart and you don't want to destroy other stuff. Slowly get pulled or winched to a place that you can change it.



I'll help ya with the tools
Off the top of my I head I can think of:
-pick tool to remove cotter pin a pair of pliers works I suggest side cutters and they should be in your tool bag anyways
-hammer and chisel to remove axle bolt cap you can use a flat head screw driver and hammer both of which you should carry
-breaker bar and 35?mm socket for axle nut 1/2" ratchet and socket you can use your hi-lift jack handle as an extension
-sometimes control arm must be loosened to make room for removal shove jack handle to pry down on control arm a buddy can do that for ya
-gear oil to fill level however much drains out during swap pull axle out and be ready with the next to slam it in you won't loose enough to worry about
-fingers crossed seal does not tear causing leak ripping the seal installing an axle is highly unlikely as long as you just pay attention

You'll want to carry a pry bar too sometimes you gotta hit the axle from the backside using a prybar and hammer. Some carry a rope and make a makeshift slide hammer using that, I can never get that to work

I've changed many axles on the trail in the rain in the mud in the cold in the swealtering heat and humidity of the SE summers. I've also completely removed the rear diff and ring gear to get home after destroying teeth. It doesn't take a lot of tools to completely dismantle these trucks just a lot of will power and problem solving to do it in the field. Having good buddies to help you also is a plus.

 

grab axle shaft and pull lol.
I just turned on my front locker and made it out with no issues.

 

Get to flat spot if possible then depending on experience any where from 15 minutes to 45 minutes to fix.

As long as they are oem axles you leave the inner in the front diff. Cut the banding and pull the boot/ axle out. Undo the boot and remove the inner part. slide the tulip bearing and boot into/onto the inner attached to the diff. Use a hose clamp and tighten it down. Then reassemble.

Tools needed whatever your lug nuts are, screw driver, 35/36mm and 19mm.

Remove wheel, remove center cap and carter pin, remove the 2 19mm for the lower spindle. Pull spindle out of the way. (Yes you can leave the rotor and caliper attached)

 

Removing an axle is pretty dang easy - if you are wanting to run 37’s and wheel - you’d better get familiar with changing out axles & tie rods at the very least. It’s not difficult or complicated but you should keep all the tools necessary in the truck at all times IMO. I Have every tool needed to do pretty much anything in my truck at all times. Most big items under the back seat storage area and the rest are in a heavy duty husky backpack I keep in the back seat. I’m a minimalist and even I keep these items in there 24/7

 

Axle, tie rods, pry bar, tire repair kit, 35mm socket, box of cotter pins, box of hose clamps etc etc. not pictured is my husky backpack with all major tools needed to wrench on our trucks which isn’t much.

 

Are you on stock gears? And do y poo u have a tune?

 

Stock gears on 37’s? No sir! 5:29 & loving every minute of DD this truck. It’s quite practical with the 5:29 and 37’s no joke. It gets around great

 

Okay so i guess stay with 35s on stock gears lol

 

If you’re thinking that you can dd on stock gears and 37’s you’re kiddin yourself. Your transmission would be hurting so bad & don’t even think about trying to off-road hahaha

 

What kind of gas mileage are you getting? I'm on 35s with 4.88s and are getting 11-13mpg depending on how fast I'm driving down the highway (65-85mph). I know I'll eventually be getting 37s at some point

 

@singletrack_ftw sorry for the noob question.
What transmission pains would occur while DDing on stock gears and 37s? Not thinking about ORing. Excessive heat? Cooked transmission? Slippage? Burnt TC?

 

Nome of the above. Nothing will happen to the trans it'll just suck from a performance standpoint.

 

I mean the torque converter will heat up something absolutely fierce if you don’t override downshift every time you go up a big hill. I know because I almost cooked my AT going up big hill with stock gears and 35’s. Trans temps were almost 250*. I had to downshift and keep an eye on things

 

Fair point. I was trying to convey that your tran isn't going to implode if you put big tires on. Drive smart and it'll be fine. I do agree that big tires and stock gears is a shitty combo though.

 

Im only on 34x11.5's right now (e load of course) and stock gears, AT trans. TBH its not bad, i keep it in 4th anytime a climb is coming. Loaded up for a long trip ill dump down into 3rd on some things... I couldnt imagine 37's on stock gears. Id be doing 45mph in 3rd over the sierras lol

It may be that i daily a '15 AC pre runner on the stock 245 P rated tires... its a great to be able to drive a stock truck and hop in mine on the weekends and compare.

 

Thanks guys! This some useful information currently running 35s but really they're more 34s and get maybe about 11-12mpg but I dont really feel any loss of power on and offroad and I think I'll just keep it like this till I save up to regear than go up to 37s

 

my truck felt like shit when switching to 33's in desparate need of a regear to 4.10, 4.56, etc.
and you're saying on 35 it feels fine?
I don't believe you

11-12mpg? Aren't these trucks supposed to get 16?

I have heard of people regearing to 4.10 from just 33's let alone anything larger

 

I'll just say I have been running 315 70 17 's for about 1.5 years now on stock gearing.

14' acess cab long bed manual. Trail teams sticker package.

I think its just fine.