Trashed My Dana 44 Front Axle
JK Freak
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Hangin in the sunshine state....staging forum..
haha
Thread Starter
JK-Forum Founder
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,534
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
Last edited by wayoflife; May 12, 2009 at 06:41 PM.
Thread Starter
JK-Forum Founder
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,534
Likes: 16
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
i wish 
yeah, you can get by for a long time with the dana44's but depending on how hard you play, it'll only last up to a point.
honestly, i really do think it depends on how hard and how often you play. as you know, we hammer on our jeep and very very often. i really don't think most people fit this bill. the kind of damage we see is kind of like an accelerated view into the future.
the only thing that really hurts is my wallet 
as far as how the axle broke, it was pretty much something just like that. boulder rolled out from under the tire and as it came down, found sold traction again and bang!
oh yeah - in truth, this day was coming for a long time.
I was undecided whether or not I should upgrade to D60s when I go up to 37s with beadlock wheels. This answers my questionThat has GOT TO HURT Eddie. I am very sorry for your loss. And I thaught i has wierd breakage with mine when the stub shaft broke and the axle shaft twisted.
I am sure you will due the right thing and get it done well and more bulletproof.
Makes me rethink going to 37's and glad i do not have beadlocks.
I would almost kind of bet that your tire was on one of them loose rocks then it got spit out and your tire found real rock and BOOM!!!
Kat
I am sure you will due the right thing and get it done well and more bulletproof.
Makes me rethink going to 37's and glad i do not have beadlocks.
I would almost kind of bet that your tire was on one of them loose rocks then it got spit out and your tire found real rock and BOOM!!!
Kat
as far as how the axle broke, it was pretty much something just like that. boulder rolled out from under the tire and as it came down, found sold traction again and bang!
Thread Starter
JK-Forum Founder
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,534
Likes: 16
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
will do and thanks for all your help that day 
LOL!!
no way man, mel is concerned that he might break a 60 with them 42's 
if the break had occured on the passenger side, this theory might have held some water but the break was on the driver side - the short side and i just can't see this being the case at all. fact of the matter is, i was playing on a pile of large loose boulders and one just happend to roll out and under the driver side front tire as i was trying to climb up an even bigger boulder. when that happend, the spinning tire dropped and found something solid to bite into and BANG!
yeah, the gears held up just fine and i never had any problems with them. granted, trail bud blew out his rear 5.13 on metal masher but then, the ledge he was trying to climb was formidable.
i just have the standard large spicer joints that come with the alloyusa shafts. the ears on the alloyusa shafts are very beefy and look alot like 60's. when the axle broke, i had expected to see it at u-joint as is very common but, seeing a break at the splines is really not that surprising.
A LOT - i probably have close to 35,000-40,000 miles on them and as mentioned before, a vast majority of those are play miles.
honestly, i think you will be just fine. just to put things into perspective, you said it would take you 6-8 years to log 60k and i have put that on in just 2 years with it being taken out on the trail at a rate of 2-3 a month. i have been pushing this jeep to the limit and know it and part of that is to really test the products that are on it. also, as you said, i have a 4-door and it is very very heavy. i have no doubts that a 2-door would see a lot less stress. of course, you can't tell me that you aren't going to play a little hard with your wifes new beast of a jeep 
LOL!!
no way man, mel is concerned that he might break a 60 with them 42's I am curious for more details about the break. I have a few questions for Eddie and a couple observations about the break.
It looks to me like either the axle tube was flexing, which put more stress on the shafts and lead to the break, or it was the typical spinning and sudden traction. Was it a spin with sudden traction break or a binding w/flexing tubes break?
It looks to me like either the axle tube was flexing, which put more stress on the shafts and lead to the break, or it was the typical spinning and sudden traction. Was it a spin with sudden traction break or a binding w/flexing tubes break?
I'd also add a comment with regard to the strength of the Superior 5.13 gears. So many have questioned the strength of 5.13 gears in a JK Dana 44 (I was one until David schooled me better), but I don't see any broken teeth in Eddie's picture. This should answer the question about the strength of properly installed 5.13s in a JK Dana 44.
Also, in Eddie's profile he doesn't list what kind of U-Joint he is running in his AlloyUSA front shafts. I can't tell if they are CTMs or the large Spicers. If the break is because of a spin with sudden traction, I'd be very impressed if they are the large Spicers (much less expensive than the CTMs). However, if the break was because the tubes were flexing, this would not be as significant. So, what kind of u-joints were you running in your front shafts?
I am also curious as to how many miles are on the AlloyUSA shafts. I understand that as metal flexes over time, it will eventually lose its elasticity and break.
I am running 37x12.5x17 KM2s on WE beadlocks on my 2 dr, but I have sleeved and gusseted my front axle, and I am running AlloyUSA front shafts with the large Spicer u-joints. I also have Superior rear shafts and my 5.13s were installed by AEV. Maybe I have a false sense of security, but I think I will be fine for some time with this setup. It will take me 6-8 years before I log 60k miles on my 2dr. I don't hit things as hard as Eddie, and I have a 2dr instead of a monster 4 dr. In any event, if I can get 60k hard wheeling and driving miles out of my D44s before they fail, I'll feel like I definitely got my money's worth.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: wrightwood,ca
Well, I didn't read all the posts but I feel your pain. I too was a victim of weak rubicon dana 44's.
I've got a rock jock in the front of mine and a built 44 in the rear. I love it I know that ORE is an authorized danatrac dealer, but I love my Currie. Their service is great. You won't go wrong either way. I love the weight in the front. The jeep climbs like a champ. This truly is an opportunity for upgrades, good luck. Hey thats what they make credit cards for/
I've got a rock jock in the front of mine and a built 44 in the rear. I love it
I know that ORE is an authorized danatrac dealer, but I love my Currie. Their service is great. You won't go wrong either way. I love the weight in the front. The jeep climbs like a champ. This truly is an opportunity for upgrades, good luck. Hey thats what they make credit cards for/
JK Junkie
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,140
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From: 5280 CRAWLORADO
I would hate to sell them let me dig more into it.. If I find anything i'll let you know.. it could save money on wheels
