So I finally finished building my 88 runner late this summer. After lifting it I softened the torsion bars considerably to get some better flex and it worked well. But it seems when the suspension is fully compressed or extended the cv axle will fall out. In fact on the first hard trip, this is what happened, and the axle walked right out of the joint tulip which had so much pressure on it that it bent the axle tube and lift brackets before walking out. A sas would be the best solution but with limited funds is there another solution. It is locked front and rear so I could stiffen up the torsion bars and still have traction. I even tried a t100 axle on one side and moving the axle tube slightly but it was just too long. Are there any other options like a modified cv axle that is sized in between a t100 and 4runner? Any help would be appreciated.

 

just as a refrence, the picture that is my avatar is when the cv axle walked out.

 

the cv on the right side seem to have more play in them. i don't know why. i have to pm ZUK about something, i'll ask him. did the cv have the clip on the end?

 

How is walking out of the hub? It should fall apart at either the inner joint or the outer but never fall out of the hub. When the joints exceed their maximum operating angles they bind up and if you push it to far they explode. Typically the outer joint.

Theres a clip and a washer that bolts on the end of the axle that keeps it from coming out.

 

put in a diff drop kit, it sucks casue it lowers your ground clearence,but in your case might be necessary

 

Like tortis and Lt said, make sure you have new clips where it is separating, and if it still is, a diff drop would be necessary.

 

Thanks guys I will check to see if it has a clip. Also the inside of the inboard joint tulip was pretty chewed up and the tripod of the axle was also pretty banged up. I smoothed out the tulip but should I just buy a new cv axle? Where can I find a diff drop kit? Also what about a spacer between the axle tubeand the inboard tulip will that give it the play it needs?

 

Here is one drop kit.

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/DiffDrop.shtml

 

You could fab your own drop kit pretty easily to btw.

 

I'm not sure I understand ...

Are you saying the splined end is walking out of the hub?

Or are you separating the inner tripod joint?

Or both?

I would find it VERY hard to believe that you are getting enough compression travel to do either of the above.

Now, it could quite easily happen on droop travel, especially if you have BJ spacers. The REAL solution is to strap/bumpstop your shizzy appropriately so it doesn't tear stuff apart.

 

I am seperating from the tripod joint end. I am assuming that it compressed so much that it bent the lift brackets so when it decompressed it fell out. Or now that I have everything bent back, and the boot off, and the suspension fully extended I can see that the tripod is not fully in the tulip and could walk out. Does that make more sense.

 

Ok - but I find it hard to believe that happens due to COMPRESSION travel. More likely droop travel.

What is your lift/setup?

 

The lift is a superlift. And is composed of some drop brackets and a new front crossmember. I took out the sway bar and never installed the bump stop extensions. I also softened the torsion bars which killed clearence but added great flex. I can see what you mean by the droop causeing the axle to fall. Would you recommend a limiting strap? If so what brand or length do you think would work best. Also wouldn't both compression and droop be limited if I were to stiffen up the torsion bars? Thanks for your help on this!

 

Cranking the tbars won't limit travel, just how much force it takes to get the travel. Basically, just the spring rate changes, not the endpoint.

Personally, I would adjust the bumpstop not use a strap. Were there bumpstop extensions for both droop and compression?

At normal ride height is the CV flat, or bent down slightly?
Like this -- -- or like this /- -\?

 

Oh I see but won't it still limit travel because it is stiff. The lift only came with bump stops for compression not for droop, and the cv axle is flat like this -- --.

 

You might need straps then.

You can see by jacking the front of the truck up so the suspension is at full droop, then spin the wheels by hand, if they CV are at too much of an angle, you'll feel the binding.

 

thanks tc. I def. think you're right about the droop. I will look into straps thanks again.

 

Cranking (or relaxing) the t-bars doesn't change the spring rate.....




Fred

 

Well, technically, you are correct, the tbar has a certain rate associated with it, and it never changes.

In reality, the mounting/application of the torsion bar in these suspensions leads to the simulation of a progressive spring rate, and cranking them does have a similar effect to raising the spring rate, even though technically, the spring rate is the same.