Solid Axle Swap BS Thread

I'm still running the stock front 60 axles with 42's and locked in the front. It's the last drive train upgrade on the list since i got my 14bolt arb installed over the weekend . Going to go with the yukon 35 spline chromo kit, it's $1,200 and comes with everything. I already have warn premium 35 spline hubs.

 

A toyota axle with longs is around the same strength as a stock 60 (axle shaft only not counting the ring gear), maybe a little bit stronger and people run those all day on 37s with low gearing with minimal breakage unless they are being a dumbass. You will be fine with stock 60 shafts and joints for a while. If you want to ensure they will last get some spare shafts and u joints, then they will never break!

 

Damn...running 42"s with stock shafts. That's a new record

Didn't even know ARB had an option for the 14bolt. That's really sweet! I ended up with a Grizzly locker. Ahhh...the beauty of mechanical lockers and the noises they make

I have the exact Yukon axle shaft kit you are talking about. Parts look really well machined and beefy. The super joints are very nice too, no needle bearings to worry about. I got the kit slightly cheaper on sale for $1,100. It was money well spent.

 

I must be really lucky with those front shafts seeing how as i have been abusing them for 2 years now. This last trip to moab i had smoke rolling off all 4 tires trying to get my wide ass to climb out of Micky's hot tub. So yeah chromoly shafts for the truck this Christmas and tires next fall.

 

Gonna be running 38" TSL's on my Dana 44. Not doing chromo or anything.

 

That's a way of doing it on the cheap. Keep spare factory shafts and keep replacing as needed lol.
Problem is if the outers break and take the hubs with them.
A built toyota axle being as strong as stock d60 sounds about right.

That's really impressive that those shafts have survived that kind of abuse with 42"s. Imagine the punishment you'll put them through once you go all chromo.

Hope you realize there's a huge difference between a stock D44 and a stock D60. When you put the axle shafts and joints side by side the D44 look like twigs by comparisson next the D60 ones.

I guess anything can work out depending on how you wheel.

 

I'm aware there's a size difference I was just saying. Mine won't be in the rocks so I don't think it'll be under as much stress as most of these trucks on here. Will be pushing a lot more horsepower through it than the Tacoma's on here thougg

 

Broke an inner, outer, and u-joint on my 44 front with just 35" Mickey Thompson MTZ's wheeling in dirt and mud. I'd plan on upgrading if I were you, at least in the future.

 

Well, horsepower and wheel spin is usually what breaks shit

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This

 

Sounds like a good plan. I'll probably do the same.

 

I'm sure I'll end up upgrading and doing chromoly. My dad swears stock shafts will do fine. Which he did run 17/40 monster mudders without serious breakage. And that was on Ibeams. We'll see though lol

 

Open differentials do wonders for hillbilly's everywhere. Doesn't mean the axle is strong. Lock them, add traction and they break. Even chromo shafts. Its the same work to put a D44 under a truck as a D60. The difference in axle cost is minimal in the grand scheme.

 

Yeah not sure if I'm gonna lock it or not. D60s aren't easy to come by around here and I'd rather stay half ton.

 

Hell yea, thats how i only broke 1cv in 10yrs of wheeling harder trails on 33s and IFS with a doubler than most do sas! Keeping it open and knowing when to let off and when stuff is bound up goes a long way!!

 

Seen people destroy d44 shafts on 33s. Good luck to the guy with the 38s. Haha

 

I've seen trucks on tons get destroyed by 37s. Lol Trying to keep the weight and width down. And I wanna run the wheels I have and I'm not gonna run adapters or anything

 

But what you save in axle breakage you pay with body damage

Here in the southwest heavy axles keep tires on the ground, which is a good thing on rocky terrain where you can go off camber easily.

If you haven't wheeled a small rig with full width axles, you don't know what you are missing. The stability is just awesome.

About the wheels...stop being cheap lol. That should be the least of your concerns when selecting axles. There's a gazillion of cheap wheels online.

 

Well of I did a d60 I couldn't run my 9" unless I cut the 60 down. And I'm not being cheap, these wheels were on the truck 20 years ago and I'm building it back how it was but a little taller

 

Hope your getting an aftermarket housing for that 9" while your at it.