Ok just to let you know ahead of time yes it's IFS and yes it's welded but I don't think that's my whole issue. When I swapped in the welded third I noticed the boots on the drivers side axle were starting to crack, not cut open just cracked. I had 2 new reman ones I got with a parts truck I bought so I threw one in. Went wheeling a few days later, SNAP the axle broke about 2" from the hub. I change it thinking I was too hard on it and decide to try again. Well went out yesterday and going up a big sand hill, not axle hopping SNAP damn thing broke in the same place. Now here's my question I still have a toyota axle in the pass side with 450k on it and it hasn't flinched, are the remans junk? The one I swapped out just needs a boot kit and the end cup thing on the diff side(can you buy that?) would I be better off using that one??

 

I wounder if it is because that side can load up more torque because the final drive is further from the diff? I don't think you will be able to do much except get heaver axels.

 

I have had bad luck with "new" remanned axles. Perhaps the steel isn't as good as what Toyota uses. I have had much better luck with regular remanned axles, which likely use Toyota steel.

All that said, driving technique plays a much larger role - sounds like you need to learn how to be easier on your rig!

 

I wish i could get heavier axles, but as far as I can find there's nothing avalible. My driving style is skinny pedal heavy but both times I was barely on the gas.

 

Just a suggestion but with all the money being spent on axle shafts why not put it towards a SAS. And not have the worry of snapping IFS axle shafts. Thats what im trying to do right now.

 

I'll bet that's on the top of Dipstik_90's list. Why that side is breaking I can't fathom but in order to keep costs down why not put the open back in the front and put a nice Aussie in the rear?

 

I'd love to put an aussie in it but I have a v6 third in the rear no thats a no go I wish I had the money for an sas but up here in Canada it costs alot to do, and front axles are few and far between.

 

well than take half of Zuk's Suggestion and find an open diff to put up front.
See if you are still breaking front axles..

 

I think there is a difference between the steel found on different axles. A while ago I had an axle shaft snap in the same place as you are talking about, a couple inches back from the spline. It was just a clean little 45 degree torsional shearing. What I found interesting was that the steel was noticeably different 1/4" into the meat of the axle. I don't know how to describe it except for the inside looked "crumbly." I'll try to get a picture of it up sometime...

 

but I like the welded one soooo much...lol. The traction is great but yeah this might be too much for the ifs to handle.

 

The welded front is almost certainly contributing, even if it's not the main problem. Not sure what gear ratio you're running, but if it's the stock 4.10s, you can come by a front diff for next to nothing. That'd be a cheap way to see if its the wleded front causing the problems.

Another option is to run a twin stick, which will allow you to run 2LO, thereby allowing you to use the front diff only when necessary.

 

um... locking front hubs also allow you to run 2LO... so he dont need to spend a huge amount of cash to do it...

 

I wouldn't place too much blame on the welded diff ... unless you're wedging tires in rocks, it won't contribute to CV failure ... as a matter of fact, if wheels are hopping, it may help PREVENT CV damage by eliminating the open diff 2x spinup. It also minimizes the need for skinny.

As for 2LO - kinda PITA to keep getting in and out to lock/unlock hubs.

People who admit to using a lot of throttle use A LOT of throttle. There's your problem. Refine your technique, work on taking better lines that don't require so much gas.

One last thing about the beef of the CV - with dual cases, I'm putting 36000 lb=ft of torque to the ground, and the only time I've broken CV's has been ROMPING on it in compound low. (and they broke as described above)

 

i agree with tc to a point.

some times you NEED that skinny pedal to get up and over stuff. i mean you cant crawl over everything. and ime, the welded front does contribute to axle breakage.

 

The first time it broke I was climbing out of a pond with one tire on dirt and the other on a smooth wet rock. It spun long enough I guess to heat the tire up and it caught traction. The second time I was climbing up a sand hill, both tires on the same surface and the same damn one broke. Just like RustBucket said they both broke on a 45 2" from the splines and the steel looked flakey or crumbly inside.

 

Yep, and open diffs = more need for skinny (ALWAYS)

A locked front CAN contribute to axle breakage, but only in situations where a tire is wedged and has an artificially high amount of traction - otherwise the tire will spin before the axle breaks. These situations are MUCH more avoidable than the bouncing situation where open diffs will lead to damage.

 

Welded or spooled carriers are a lot easier on shafts than auto/soft locking and 1.5/2/vicious lsd's and open diffs. It's like clutch dumping, but on shafts. All that rotational mass with already undersized components causes snap snap snap. Especially on the long side. Even more with high amounts of traction on that side with the diff side up in the air.

 

yes when bouncing occurs (locked or open) its never good. but theres also times when a locker puts to much strain on one axle, as where an open front end will share the load. i think it really depends on the circumstances.

yea we all know about you and the (diff side in the air)

ime, as soon as we (lock) the front diff, axles start clicking and breaking.

@the op,

most the ones that ive seen break, broke at the same spot you described. must be a week point there

 

My OEM style replacement NEW axels were slightly larger, the center section of the shaft anyway:







But of caurse, this won't stop them from shearing off at the splings in the spindle

I haven't gotten a chance to hammer on them yet, so only time will tell if their made of the right stuff

 

I suggest you go open front and lock the rear. You can go with lock-rite or detroit. With some hardwork, you can put in a toyota elec. locker in there.