CV Axle damage and tire weight.
 

I read few CV axle damage post here and got basic idea.

I just want to hear from you guys about what can I do not stress my truck as much.

I use to live in So. Cal and I have never experienced my IFS front axle broke. run with 31~32" All terrain tires.

Since I moved to Ohio. I broke 3 CV axles. I know the terrain is different more muddy and narrower trail.
Also I use 33x12.50x15 Super swamper TSLs for trail. Because my 32" BFG KOs are not getting enough traction. Recently I lock rear with Lock Right, but CV joint was broken prior to lock rear.

I am sure I turn too much and too much gas due to narrow trail with rock and mud, but just curious my tire weight causing majority of stress on CV axle.

What do you think? BFG Mud Terrain 33x10.50x15 would be better?
I strongly believe that I need at least 33" Mud terrain tire for my use in Ohio.

1) SAS
2) maybe wants more power so 3.4L swap.
= too much money...

Sell my 4runner and get 95.5 &up Taco (do SAS) = maybe over $7000. (too much)

Get '98 & up XJ?
Ummm...

I don't mind changing the front axle, especially at my driveway....but changing it on trail is not always easy even bolts were removed. More than anything make your trail ride much longer than it should be. LOL.

Thanks

swampers and IFS dont mix.......thats all there is to it :hillbill:

The rear locker will help, a front would help more.

The problem is when you're in those muddy ruts, the ONLY thing you can do to make it is more throttle. When the front tire comes off the ground, it spins twice as fast, then when it comes down and hooks, there's a tremendous shock load, which eventually breaks something. Be glad it's the CV and not the diff!

The way a front locker helps PREVENT damage is by only allowing the wheel to spin at the same speed when it's off the ground, almost eliminating the shock load.

tc,

I always appreciate your info.

About locking front, I always thought IFS is weakest link on 2nd gen 4runner and locking front make it even weaker.
Your logic make sense moving forward instead of spinning tires and spinning same speed on or off ground, but locking IFS fornt means more work load on CV axle? between locked diff and heavy tire with mud?

What is your opinion about lunchbox locker in front?
I know ARB selectable is the best for IFS front, but getting Lock Right or Aussie for 7.5" Front help my situation?
FYI - I have manual hub lock.

I keep hearing Ohio trail is not the most difficult, but for me mud is kind of new thing and if my wheel is not keep moving, stuck....

Hell yes! Add a front locker to the mix and see what happens!

Mud is different that's for sure. Can't creep usually, need to have momentum. The balance between too much & not enough is where people screw up; they go to slow & get stuck then blow up an engine or tranny trying to get out or they hit it too fast & snap drive train parts or bend suspension components.

The CV's or U-joints should always be the weakest link because they are cheaper than a diff. A lunchbox locker will work in the front if you have manual hubs, the problem is the push you'll get trying to turn in a tight muddy spot. I have read where folks will unlock one hub or the other to turn but that sounds like a bad idea to me.

CV's can handle a TON of steady torque, it's the shock and possibly binding that blow them. The ONLY time a locker will create damage is when you have the wheel wedged in a high traction situation. First, you are unlikely to see that situation in Ohio (I used to live there). Second, THAT situation is avoidable/preventable. The facts are that you will be wheeling in muddy ruts a lot, you can't "choose" another line, and momentum is the only tool you have. In that case, a locker will greatly minimize your risk of damage.

Since you have to drive on snowy roads, I would not recommend a lunchbox for the front.

i think u should save your money and go with an sas. ive ran ifs for years with all types of tires 33x12.50 ss tsl's with a v8 with an automatic works ok just dont turn the wheel with your foot in it, 34x9.50 swampers with a 4cyl 5spd, again works ok just dont let it wheel hop or POW theres another axel.
my most recent ifs setup was with 35x10.50 boggers and a 4cyl 5spd, worked not so good broke the diff trying a hill climb. so then i sas'ed i love it, it wheels much better, what iam trying to say is, save your money and sas, if you like to wheel hard then u wont regret it

Sounds like you are abusive on equipment ... hope you BUILT that front axle with trussing and longs, or you'll be in the same maintenance/breakage situation shortly ...

question for anyone here since we're discussing CVs. sorry to hijack, but how can you tell if a CV is busted? on mine, when im on the trail, and the hubs are locked, and in 4x4, it makes a really bad vibrating noise on the passenger side. a deep noise, almost like rubbing. now when i take it out of 4x4, and leave the hubs locked, it STILL does it. when i unlock the hubs, the noise stops entirely. so ive narrowed it down to something in the 4WD system. is this a messed up CV, or a messed up hub?

My dads 86 IFS did the same thing. There are bronze (i believe) bushings inside your spindle and in your housing. The axle rides in these, there are little grooves that i always put grease into prior to installing new axle. Well my dad replaced them and the noise went away. Might look into that. It did the same thing you are describing.


LOCK YOUR IFS. I had an ifs locked front and rear and it was elite. 38 boggers and 5.29's .. yeah it ate axles lol

i beat on mine pretty hard in the mud w/ 33x10.50 bfg muds and i have'nt had any cv problems (open front locked rear)

Maybe...I am not "Kamikaze" just do it kind of Person generally..
but some situation in the muddy trail, (Worse than you expected) you have to keep going or you stuck in middle of mud so like Brenjen said, I need to get more experience on mud trail so entering speed is fast enough.

I had '89 extra cab p/u, V6, 5speed open F&R, with 32in All terrain on So Cal desert, some rock section, big bear trail, never break one for over 5 years.

I think 33x10.50x15 BFG Mud seems to be a good light weight tire as reply here. or 34x10.50x15 LTBs.

Hey, no problem hijacking, I want to hear other people's front axle issue as well because I think I am keeping IFS on this 2nd gen 4runner. I rather get 3.4L V6 power than SAS at this time.

thanks guys

That was directed at TOYOTA_1, not you mcdoggy ...

As for the noise, definitely sounds like the spindle bushing as described above.

as for gusseting the front housing, not yet but on the to do list! and as for longs, i wish. my gf says i cant buy them till my stock axels break lol. wich shoud be soon!:great:

Basically I just broke my cv axel. Pulled it straight out of the diff housing. I guess the reason is I'm running 35x14.50 BOGGERS open front and rear haha. The thing is I had to drive it home and around a little bit so just more and more parts kept falling out on the road so basically I need a whole new front end. Now its making a really bad grinding noise which I have no idea what its coming from. Any idea on how much this is gonna cost???

How did you pull the CV out of the housing? (assuming your avatar is your truck)

They bolt to the stub flanges ...

NOTE: In the future, your front end is full floating, you can remove the CV and keep driving.

yeah the cv cam out then other parts started falling out. It just sucks right now without 4wd haha...I want to just stick the solid axel from my 83 under it. Here's a pic but you cant see it too good. You can see theres nothing on the pass side http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/d.../trucks004.jpg

i really think sas is the only way to go. i have an 84 stock with a rear locker and 31x11.5 ltb's and just a couple of weeks ago i went out on a trail, on a rainy day with two of my friends. one was in an FJ cruiser with 35x12.5 BFG M/Ts and i went farther and easier through every mud pit we cam to and then he hit into one that i just went through and snapped both his CV so i then had to winch/ pull him all the way out of the mud.

What i am trying to say is for strength the strait axle it the way to go and the flex dosent hurt.

on the other hand i was told longfield was developing some cromo cv shafts and joints for the fj, maybe the IFS trucks are next?

In order to do put my solid axel under it would I have to buy the whole SAS kit cause thats a pretty penny