Axle CV Joint Failure

[jwest]

This was my left front half shaft. You can see where the cv joint closest to the diff just pulled apart. I'm still unsure what caused the failure nor how to prevent going forward

Don, as stated above, installing strut spacers will only allow the system to reach even further down pushing the limit of the CV. However, even if the straps are intended to limit that travel, as I understand the design, they do allow more travel than without the spacer kit.

You never should've been using those stupid rods....guess what, almost nobody has these failures without the rods and other limit pushing changes. The rods though are simply a lazy way to do what other methods can do more reliably and more safely.

What we need is a "diff-drop" kit or something that allows that whole section to lower from the frame. This would let us keep the control arms in the ideal engineered range (no rods and using only factory height settings in most situations)

With the diff and axls lower along with the resulting lower wheel hub location, we could much more easily allow 34" tires which effectively raises the ground clearance about 2" below the diffs but here we'd also get the additional frame and body clearance by the amount the diff-drop is offset.

I'm sure this would be a gigantic pain the the ars to engineer though

 

[DonMitsu]

It doesn't appear to be a common failure with or without the rods. Do you know anyone who has had the same failure?

 

[jwest]

i'm saying you must know that the rods only push the parts closer to limits. no need to do so.

 

[toddjb122]

@DonMitsu - what was the recovery like? How the heck did you get off the trail?

 

[DonMitsu]

The center and rear diff were obviously locked, The truck finished climbing the hill with 3 wheel drive. I positioned the axle where I thought it would do the least damage and slowly drove to a place a tow truck could get to it

 

[jwest]

That's pretty awesome Don.

 

[DonMitsu]

That's pretty awesome Don.

I thought it was! Was really impressed the truck was able to finish climbing the hill without having to winch

 

[jwest]

well the truck, sure, but i'm more impressed with you being able to keep things together and get yourself out. No offense to you or other modern rover owners but this is partially why i've kept my 2004 discovery. I plan to mildly modify it for the most reliable drive-train possible. It's practically new at 90k miles compared to my lr3 at 132k

Someday finances willing, it may get a cummins 4bt in it simialr to how 80 series land cruisers have had done.

 

[samnt650]

I wheel my LR3 very hard with LL8 and never had my haft shaft pulled out. My truck is lifted (since new) with something similar to the J-Rod. It appeared the shaft was hit and nudge loose from the diff (not totally pull out of the diff, but pop out of the lock ring) Now that can happen and all you need to do (on the trail) is to lower the truck back to access height. It will push the shaft back in all by itself (and maybe a little help to nudge back).