ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: hcgalvin on September 16, 2003, 08:54:08 AM
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Well... the spool finally did it. >:( I knew it was going to happen, but not sure when. I am sure that the added weight of the bumper, the fact that the tires are finally wearing some, and that our lovely city tar and gravels roads to save money on repaving for the winter helped. A normal asphalt or concrete road makes for a smooth whining turn with the spool, but the tar and gravel creates a lot of binding and releasing.
Here are a couple of pics :o
(http://www.whitepineclub.com/members/kd7hcg/pictures/brokenaxle/DCP_4592.jpg)
(http://www.whitepineclub.com/members/kd7hcg/pictures/brokenaxle/DCP_4600.jpg)
Am replacing the axle now.
Heather
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SO DOES THIS MEAN THAT MAYBE ITS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A SPOOL IN A DAILY DRIVER ::) JUST WONDERING BEFORE I GET MINE INSTALLED ???
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I cant belive anyone would want a spool for anything but a trailer queen mud bogger. I have run a spool in the past and had the same results Heather had. :'( How many shafts can you snap before its less expensive than a locker. :-/ Something I learned back then, pay now or pay more later. I am Very sorry to hear your misfortune Heather.
I do think a very lightweight rig could get away with it easier but I will always choose a locker over a spool.
Mike
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One more important thing Heather. Make sure all the axle pieces are out! in the rear housing of these rigs there is a metal flap that will hold axle pieces that eventually will fall out and chew up the ring and pinion. :-[ Another expensive lesson. After a few miles I would change the fluid one more time just to flush out any lost pieces.
Mike
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Yeah..
I am learning my lesson.  :-[ I also tried to use a magnetic retrieval tool inside the axle tube, only to find out that I would not be able to get a flat surface on the remaining axle piece magnetic enough to pull it out. So.. tonight, out came the other axle (good thing too, the splines on it were starting to twist), and the diff, and then after everything was cleaned out, the diff with the spool went back in along with two replacement axles.
I am not quite done, but I gotta go to bed. I ruined a couple of bolts trying to tighten the heim/ball joint base down. Gotta get new ones. That joint is REALLY annoying to get back together! Any hints?
I don't plan on driving it very much for the next couple of months until I get an ARB. I did have a Lockrite inside a 10 bolt axle in my posession tonight, but time being a factor, it did not get put in. :( I would have had to take it out of it's third member, and put it in mine.
I have to say that the axle breaking was partly my fault. I started getting over-confident the last few weeks, and was driving harder than I should have been.
Oh well... lesson learned..
The spool is still in there, as I said, but I don't plan on driving it much until I get an ARB. I have 4 weeks of training coming up for a new job, so I won't be around to drive it anyways. And when I do drive it, I plan on taking it EASY.
Hey, one thing I am proud to say, I am doing this whole axle swap MYSELF.  :o (Minus a couple of heavy things carried by my hubby as well as some stuck bolts loosened..... but that's it!) BTW... slide hammers ROCK.
Thanks for your input Mike.
Heather
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I'm hoping that the axle shafts in the 12 bolt are stronger than the 10 bolt. The ones in my 10 bolt were twisted but not broken, and I had only been running them for about 6 months. I do have a heavy foot on the trail. Has any one looked into having stronger axles made? I think that will be my next option if I twist these.
Zig
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Sorry to hear about the break. :( A spool and pavement don't mix, regardless of what you might hear elsewhere.
My advice for best on and off perfromance? Get the check book out because it's an air locker. Open diff when you are daily driving, fully spooled when you get to the loose stuff. This really takes the constant stress off the shafts that occurs from a spool, locker, or even an LSD for that matter.
Yup, they are expensive. But so is replacing axles and the time that takes. If you can swing it, I would install and ARB while it's apart.
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I'm hoping that the axle shafts in the 12 bolt are stronger than the 10 bolt. The ones in my 10 bolt were twisted but not broken, and I had only been running them for about 6 months. I do have a heavy foot on the trail. Has any one looked into having stronger axles made? I think that will be my next option if I twist these.
Zig
Nope, the late-late [96-98] axles don't appear to be any stronger. I've toasted 4 late model 5 bolt flanged since July. Right now I'm averaging less than 20 miles an axle! Which makes sense since they are still whittled down to the 26 spline pencil tip. I'm hopeful that one of the vendors will come up with a solution.
-Eric
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I forgot the name of the company, but Scott had some axles made to beef up his ford 9" that has lasted him over a year with no breakage. I'm going to call them to see about $$$ on a set.
Zig
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I'm hoping that the axle shafts in the 12 bolt are stronger than the 10 bolt. The ones in my 10 bolt were twisted but not broken, and I had only been running them for about 6 months. I do have a heavy foot on the trail. Has any one looked into having stronger axles made? I think that will be my next option if I twist these.
Zig
Nope... if it helps any, mine was a 12 bolt. Apparently they don't last either. Yes, I would like to know if a vendor out there would provide a stronger axle shaft.
Nope, the late-late [96-98] axles don't appear to be any stronger. I've toasted 4 late model 5 bolt flanged since July. Right now I'm averaging less than 20 miles an axle! Which makes sense since they are still whittled down to the 26 spline pencil tip. I'm hopeful that one of the vendors will come up with a solution.
-Eric
I REALLY hope I can get more than 20 miles out of another axle. :o I managed to get 4 months out of the original ones... :) So are you tearing apart the whole rear end every 20 miles?! Or do you have a hint for getting broken axles out of the tube?
I do want an ARB, but I don't have the funds right now :( . I could have taken out the spool and run open, but that would have taken more time than I wanted to deal with right now. I still have a spare 12 bolt I can take parts from, and it still might come to that if I start popping axles really quick like.
Heather
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I would highly reccomend pulling the whole rear apart even if you can get the broken splines out. The last time I broke a shaft I thought I had removed it all in one chunk (with a magnet). When I was rebuilding it a few weeks ago I foung out different. Luckily the left overs chunk stayed attached to the magnet when it fell.
Zig
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Nope, the late-late [96-98] axles don't appear to be any stronger. I've toasted 4 late model 5 bolt flanged since July. Right now I'm averaging less than 20 miles an axle! Which makes sense since they are still whittled down to the 26 spline pencil tip. I'm hopeful that one of the vendors will come up with a solution.
-Eric
Well, I've beaten you so far! I've already been out delivering pizzas and have so far put about 35 miles on the new axle shafts. I have been taking my corners a lot wider and slower though. ::)
Heather
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Well, I've beaten you so far! I've already been out delivering pizzas and have so far put about 35 miles on the new axle shafts. I have been taking my corners a lot wider and slower though.  ::)
Heather
I probably have the record, albeit a crappy one, for getting the fewest miles on an axle. I had one that I changed in Attica at the Zukimelt last me for one trail there and some pee-gravel running then I put it on the trailer. Next, I go up to the Little Crusher in TSF and get about 90% through when it went. Litterly 5-7 miles!
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Litterly 5-7 miles!
DAAANG!
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I bet you two (and Zig) will be happy to hear that Calmini is going to be building stronger rear replacment axles soon huh. ::) I dont know how much or how soon, you will have to call them and find out. :-*
Mike
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Give CTM a call and ask them about Cryogenic freezing of your axles. It is supposed to make the axle stronger by aligning the molecules.
CTM racing products 949-487-0770
Moser engineering makes axles, 260-726-6689
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KICK A$$ ;D :o :D :) ;). I'll take a set 8) I hope that get them soon. I'm sure they will sell great.
Zig
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Ha that's great everyone should roach atleast one set of axles! I was lucky enought to do it 25 yrds into the Rubicon trail this time last year!! And lucky for me I twisted off both sides! Nothing like laying in Rubicon dirt changing axles in high 80° weather!! Consequently I looked for axles of higher strength as well. Not much luck.. the CTM idea sounds pretty neat but let's be realistic here, and realize that the wether you cryogenically freeze it or not....It's still just a 26 spline axle. I'm all for it if it helps but I think after you buy a bunch of axles have CTM do their thing you could probably have a local machine shop turn you up a set of chromoly shafts... Just some food for thought.. Good ideas though..
Later
Hutch
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I have been driving with a spool on the street for over a year in one of my samurai's i just over inflate the tires in the rear to 40 lbs. (should be 20 lbs) and learn to shift the wheight of the rig and give it lots of gas around corners trying to lift the inside tire off the ground as much as possible and getting it to spin. i think that you will do more damage trying to baby it by going slow with no ice or snow on the ground. the four door that you drive is prob. a thousand pounds or more heavier than mine(2300 lbs. samurai) and i can see where you would have a problem with the axels twisting on the road more than off! i can even tell the difference when my Dog is in the back seat!