MOWrangler

OK... I'm getting ready to build up my 30 a little and have been considering gussets and a sleeve (or truss). While I'll probably end up doing both, I have found myself really questioning a few things.

1. For those of you who have bent your axle C's, how did you determine it was bent rather than a bent axle tube? Looking at what I have seen with other 30's (and Rubicon 44's which run the same outers) it seems that historically more people have bent axle tubes rather than outer C's.

2. Anyone have any good or bad to say about putting in sleeves such as what burnesville does or a truss like the Rock Krawler setup?

I figure I'll build my 30 as much as I can and run it until I either break it or decide to get a 60.

wayoflife

historically, getting up to 31's was the norm, 33's used to be considered "big" and 35's hardcore. now, 35's are the considered to be the norm, 37's "big" and 40's hardcore. now, while the size of tires you run has changed, the size of the axle C's have not. if you take a look at one that is significantly bent, trust me, you can see it. now, having said that, with the exception of a few axle tube 'breaks' early on, i have not seen any problems with tubes bending.

it's a nice idea but to be quite honest, i don't see how it would really make a difference. yes, i know the tubes get welded at the ends and also get's a plug weld as well but aside from that, there's really nothing significantly bonding the two together that would be needed to give it additional strength. think of plywood, it gets its strenght from the fact that multiple sheets of veneer are laminated together and by doing this, the two can work together as one with the upper sheets taking on compression forces and the lowers tension forces. now, if they weren't laminated together, they would both slide and bend no less than would a deck of cards.

wayoflife

hard to say for sure. i guess it would depend on the strength of the welds. i guess my real point was that the whole thing just seems unnecessary. i have been wheeling my jk hard - really hard with 37's for over a year now on average 2-3 weekends a month and on a factory front d44 axle. just in the past month alone, i have taken my jk out every single weekend running difficult trails like knock-on-wood, bullfrog, shitter, bowl and rock bottom. of course, because of what i do, i take special care to thoroughly examine my jk on a regular basis and can assure you that my axle tube is not bending at all.

so there isn't any question as to the kind of trails i run, here are a couple of links with pics to show ya....

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-show-tell-33/project-jk-full-traction-long-arm-evo-flex-coilover-system-acid-test-2-a-73677/

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...ight=acid+test

Littlejon

Isn't there more to the bending of the C than just tire size. I would think the heavier the wheel and tire combos would be more prone to bending the C and the wheels with like 3" of back spacing would act as more of a lever for this than a wheel with 4.5" of back spacing.

wayoflife

yes, you are correct but typically, guys running a larger tire are also running bigger/heavier aftermarket wheels or beadlocks and with a lot less backspacing than stock.

RubiJK

Both of my front axle tubes are slightly bent, and have been for several months. I wheel hard, but I dont abuse my JK. Well, some might think I do, but I guess that is a matter of perspective. I would never jump my JK or anything silly like that. It just gets its normal beat down on some of the more challenging trails in our area... Much of which is tough rock crawling. The truth of the matter is that I dont even know when and where I bent them. I know what trail I was on, but dont recall a single event that I would have thought would bend them. Anyway, it is easily noticed now that I know about it. I have been monitoring it with camber measurments, and neither is getting worse. My C's are not gusseted yet, but are not bent and my ball joints are still fine. I just flipped 40k miles on my 2007...

RubiJK

I'd like to add also that I was only running 33's on 4.25" BS steelies at the time...

MOWrangler

After taking my jeep in for a leaking axle seal last week, I was informed that my axle tube was bent as well. I knew that most people on here were referring to bent C's, but after looking at it closely I'm pretty sure that their diagnosis is correct and the tube itself is bent. (hence, voiding my warranty on the front axle ) That is not to say that the C may not be bent as well, though...

Ironically, this was before I ever wheeled with my 36" TSL's. I am pretty sure it happened on the same run when I bent my tie rod, which means I was running stock sized rubi tires and wheels. I can't remember for sure whether I had my spacers on then or not, but the dealer blamed the bent axle on the spacers. Of course, I am logical enough to realize it was probably the tree stump I rammed rather than 3" of aluminum spacers...

I know of another 30 I can build up to meet my needs with very little expense involved, but if I am going to tear into it I want to make sure to do it all the way! I think I am ultimately going to follow the path of the "cute little 44" and do sleeves, EVO gussets, and possibly a Rock Krawler truss. (not to mention gears and an ARB )

Stuka

Actually the Axle C's have gotten MUCH taller. Which adds more leverage, which I think is whats making them bend so easily. On older D30's the C's were never an issue. The shafts generally shattered, or the tubes bent first. Another issue is the axles have been made much wider. Which also adds more stress to the tubes.

I know if I ever get the money, I will be putting real axles under mine. Although I don't see this happening any time soon. But when I do, the minimum I would put up front is a D44HD. 8 lug, big bearings, 1/2" thick tubes (double the thickness of a JK D44), larger shafts, and larger joints. Plus real lock out hubs.

wayoflife

now that you mention it, you are right, the C's are indeed taller as well and that can't help anything.