I keep reading that the heavy wheels are bending the axles, and that I should gusset and sleeve the front. Why/how does the weight of the tire bend the axle? Most of the other comments make sense to me but this one. Most of my reading seems to point that they bend in the upward fashion, am I wrong? Do the bend in the down ward fashion? I'm going to 35's soon and just trying to figure out what else I need to do.
Thanks

 

Wider, heavier tire = more leverage on the axle tubes. Causing the axle tubes to bend up, because the weight of the truck is pushing down.

 

So if I air down on the trail it would be easier on the axle

 

But the weight of the jeep stays the same if you were on stock wheels. They are not getting bent. If you have a 55 lbs or a 25lbs tire sitting on the ground, there is no added weight to the axle. The rim is still bolted to the same place so there is no more leverage being added to the axle. At least that is the way I see it.

 

If you stay perfectly still, you are 100% correct. I didn't buy my Jeep to park it. Once you start moving, you have much more mass throwing against your axles. The reason many "axles" are getting bent isn't really the axle anyway - it's been largely the C's. The top of the C is very spindly and it wouldn't take too much of a bump at speed to put a lot of pressure on that weak link and bend it. Also, bigger tires and wheels generally means more backspace to clear the big rubber. More backspace means higher leverage on the axles. The combination of higher leverage + more weight + speed + binding in rocks + whatever other abuse you throw at it = bent and broken stuff.

 

I bent stock "c"s on a rubi D44 on a pretty mild trail with stock rubi wheels and tires.

If you own a Jeep, and plan to do so much as drive over curbs... get the gussets $50 to save you over $1000

 

Not really, because you're putting more tire to the ground making it harder to turn the tire.

 

Wheel offset/back spacing can contribute as well. It is creating additional leverage on the weakest part of the axle assembly.

 

The C's need to be welded. How much does that cost? Does anyone know a place in DE that could do it?

 

I agree that the weight of the wheels should not bend the axle upward, no matter how heavy they are. It doesn't make any sense to me either. Going to a smaller backspace and wider tire gives more leverage that would bend the axle. That makes more sense.