I have heard alot of people mentioning the fuseable links in your hubs designed to break before the other drive line componets. My question is WHY I thought the game was to make your vehicke stronger and better trail equiped with mods, not to make it weaker :-/. With each mod I have done, I have found a new 'weakest point' in my vehicle. Currently it is the half shafts, and I'm looking at a solution to make it stronger, not buying a weaker part that will break before they do. It just does not make good off-roading sence to me.

Who has tried these? Why did you decide to add a weak point instead of building stronger? Are you satisfyed with your purchase?

Zig

I haven't used them, but have considered getting them.  It does make sense to me, because instead of a several hour trail fix, or having to trailer the vehicle out, you have a 10 minute fix.  For those running stock drivetrains, it will save a lot of time and $$$.  Not everyone wants to put toy axles in their zuks, and the choices for beefier front axle components that fit the stock drivetrain are limited.  I'd rather pop a hub than twist an axleshaft off anyday.

With each mod I have done, I have found a new 'weakest point' in my vehicle. Currently it is the half shafts, and I'm looking at a solution to make it stronger, not buying a weaker part that will break before they do. It just does not make good off-roading sence to me.

Who has tried these? Why did you decide to add a weak point instead of building stronger? Are you satisfyed with your purchase?

Zig

I run them in the Warn hubs on my GV.  Warn calls them "Hub Fuses".  I bought and installed them because: A) The GV had no hublocks to begin with, B) I wanted to be the first GV on the block with them, and C)  I wanted to build a truck that can take my family way into the backcountry of Moab and not have a major part fail.

Here's the deal.  The basic design of the fuse is for a Dana axle running 5-297X U-joints.  The standard clutch ring in a Warn Premium hublock is made to withstand over 80,000 inch-pounds of torque.  The 297X will break around 55,000 inch-lbs in a strait line, and less if the wheels are turns at an angle.  The hub fuse is designed to sheer around 46,000 inch-lbs.

Here's what Warn says off it's package: "Here's how it works:  When the Hub Fuse fails, the teeth strip.  Just pull the cap, replace the used Hub Fuse, then replace the cap and get back into competition."

There main angle for a competition is that it's much better to blow a couple "5-min to change" Fuses than bust a U-joint and time out while replacing it.

Good news, if you are open diffed, spooled or "selectable locked", these work great.  Bad news, if you run an automatic locker, damage can occur inside the carrier if a fuse fails (so said 1 ragizine article)

Fact is, anything can break.  I first hand witnessed a 1.6L powered Sammy break a BIG knuckle U-joint and yoke off a D60!  Nothing, and I mean this, nothing is unbreakable on a 4x4.  ( I also watched a 1.3 Sammy twist a custom Woody shaft right off, but that's another story)

Now, back to us.  Where does a Kick/GV CV break?  I dunno, but I bet it's not as strong as a 297X.  But, if the fuse fails, and in doing so, protects my axle and allows me to be to be back on the trail in 5 mins, I like it.

Right now, there is no "off-the-shelf" solution to beefier CV shafts.  The most we can to is protect them.  Will the Fuses hurt?  No.  Will they help?  Can't hurt.  It would be great to find the bust point on the Kick CV in inch-lbs, and then have the fuses modified to the proper strength.  That would be great.

What would be best is an aftermarket CV that will match the strength of the 297X u-joints and bolt up to the Anvil housing.  Then the fuses would be perfect.  I mean, custom shafts will cost us at least 2 Franklins each.  I'd much rather blow a $10 fuse just before one of my $200 shafts was to detonate.

Also, food for thought.  Now that the 22-spline shafts have been "fixed" with 26-spline (I've seen then break too), we've put steel axle componets in, and add bigger CVs, the weak link has to move somewhere, as it never disappears.  What's next?  I suspect the R&P, I mean, they are only 7" anyway.  And since nothing can be made unbreakable/unbendable, a well planned out, low replacement cost, easily repairable "fuse" is a wise idea, IMHO.

Well, that my 2 cents.

we have a vitara running a samurai front axle ( leaf sprung ) and it runs warn hubs and fuses. at the weekend it blew yet another driveshaft in the front ... still at least the fuse never blew  ( added sarcasm )
the fuse link didn't work on this occasion. there is a letter on its way to warn concerning this and as they were sold as the right ones for a samurai ... who knows :-/

Yankee Tim,
I can see your point of view on wanting a quick easy fix to get the family home, but I have enough trouble with breaking the axles and CV's that I can not comprehend adding a weaker part. I'm usualy riding solo, climbing trails with Tennessee Cab Trucks and Jeeps on 37-44" tires. You need to use everything it has to keep up with these guys. Usually leaving me using lots of right foot to clear obsticles. Out here you have to use a combination of finesse and right foot to climb trails. Almost every climb will have a combination of rock, dirt, mud and whatever else you can think of. My kick is very capable of keeping up with these guys untill I'm spinning through a dirt section and grab traction on a rock, then SNAP A quick easy fix would be great, if it did not make the driveline weaker. Maybe one day someone will come up with a good replacement for the half shafts, so I can find the next weak point
Zig

Question:  Are you locked in the front?  If so, that might be the culprit.  Kerry Whittig (of SOS fame)  would break front axles all the time with a locker.  Same thing, wheel spin the grab&snap.

He tossed the lunchbox locker and welded the front.  After that, he barely ever broke a CV.  He concluded that it might be the constant loading/unloading of the locker causing the CV failure.

That alone made my mind up for a front ARB.  On when I need it and fully locked so it can't load and unload.

Other than that, I doubt that the fuse is my weak link.  Its still the CV.  But if and when I can add a custom CV shaft that is as strong as a 297X, the fuses will come into play, and in that case, play well.

He tossed the lunchbox locker...  After that, he barely ever broke a CV.  He concluded that it might be the constant loading/unloading of the locker causing the CV failure.

That alone made my mind up for a front ARB.  On when I need it and fully locked so it can't load and unload.

This was our conclusion too.  ARB seems to be the only solution for longevity in axles/CVs.  At least to reduce 'road-wear'.

~Nate

Yes I'm locked. But I did not have much trouble untill I geared down. Check the ARB thread.
Zig

Hold on,  why don't you guys just build those Explorer/Tracker CV shafts that are in the article archive?  I'm planing on it right after i put a steel center cection in the front.  lata stu

I'm planning on doing the CV upgrade soon. I started this thread because I could not see why someone would want to 'waeken' their drive line and wanted people others opinions on the product. With the links selling like crazy, their had to be something I was not seeing
Zig

when the drive shafts blow ( which i am getting really good at  :-/ ) it is always the outer case above the ball bearings in the cv joint ..

question:
is it not possible to put a band around the cv upper and lower of the ball bearings to strengthen it ?

we have a clip in the uk called a jubille clip that is a wrap around band with a threaded lock. ( you may have the same in the us under a different or the same name )
the idea is to wrap it round and tighten it up for hoses etc .. once tightened by screwdriver it would increase the strength of the cv outer casing ... will this work

I have busted a few cups, but I have also stripped the inner retainer(forgot the name) that holds the CV bearings, shattered the same part, busted the inner cup, and my latest was snapping the outter stub shaft off of the half shaft .

I dont think the band thing would work to good. Any cup that I have broken, appeared to have started with a sterss fracture along the thin area that the bearings ride in. Then blew out when the fracture got to long. It may help a little, but I boubt that it would keep it from cracking.
Zig

I think he is talking about what the Toyota guys do with their birfrlds(not a yota guy) with pressing a ring around the outside.  I have never broke a CV.   I have one that has a ripped off boot and i have ran it for two wheelin trips and haven't broke it yet.  and yes i'm going to chage it before i go wheelin again. lata stu

yeah .. sort of .. just had a long drive home the other day and my brain was workin overtime ....
one of these days i will get round to making a set of stronger shafts.

just thought that the bands would stop the initial flex of the cup that causes the fracture............
gonna fit a set before i take tonka-toy out to play in a couple of weeks time.

i will post to let you all know if it went ok or not