Competition How do you guys keep frt axles together?

[EBung]

Just curious what you pullers use in your front ends to keep from snapping shafts Dynatrac?Older Ford stuff?What?How much power will they take "stock" in a moderate sled pulling scenario?

 

[EBung]

Come on guys what do you fortify your front ends with?Is this some kind of trade secret or what?

 

[SRadke]

Have you been having problems with yours? Front axle breakage is rare.



-Scott

 

[DPumphrey]

mine is stock i twisted the left front early this year but it did not break. i think it twisted when i broke the rear ring and pinion.



drew

 

[Sled Puller]

155,000 miles and 150+ hooks, it has never broke.

 

[EBung]

Thanks guys thats all I needed. I'll crawl back in my hole now

 

[JoshPeters]

I haven't heard of anyone outside of Kent Crowder having a Violent breakage.



I did break a front driveshaft. I'd be looking at that long before I worried about axles.



Josh

 

[Sled Puller]

I did crack that oddball expensive front yoke U-joint, but it never failed. Cut it off and put on a 1410 series, with a standard size joint, it never cracked again.

 

[EBung]

Ive been kicking around the idea of hookin on to a sled and was just curious what all I would need to fortify before hand. And I know that list,like every upgrade list,could be endless. I just want to drive to the pull and drive back home!

 

[DRadzierez]

Sleddy us pullers dont make enough power to break parts

 

[NIsaacs]

Usually in a sled pull you get major weight transfer to the rear axle so the front is usually safe. Not much weight or traction to break things on the front. However if something in the rear breaks, the backlash of power to the front and immediate weight transfer back to the front will usually result in some form of breakage. It looks like, based on your signature you have lots'a power. If you have stock rear suspension, I would be leery of the little bitty stock u-bolts, unless you are running traction bars. Usually an automatic truck will not jump and hop on the rear, but if it does the u-bolts will break and dump the rear axle in the dirt.



I have pulled some with a big block gasser in a street Ford truck, but not in my Dodge Diesel so I cant really help you much. However that kinda power will find any weak link you might have, so you might wan'a have a ride handy Sled pulling is a blast, but Arizona doesn't do it





"NICK"

 

[Sled Puller]

Dave, you are getting brainwashed reading those sissy drag racing forums.



Looking back, I think a good set of traction bars would have saved a lot of drivetrain breakage without going to good stuff as quick. And don't forget, just because 26" hitch is max, you dont have to run it that high!

 

[supersonic]

FWIW, We still use the stock stub shafts on the front. with bearingless billet u-joints, custom 1-3/4" axles. A custom hybrid ARB air locker and 6. 17-1 ratio.



-Honestly in a hot street class I would first be concerned with the condition of all of your steering gear and ball joints. Everything should be nice and tight, especially the track bar and tie rod ends. Also it is good practice to replace the stock rubber bushings in your radius arms with a set of polyurethane bushings like energy suspension sells. Anything you can keep from moving under alot of load will help keep stuctural rigidity and pinion angles in check.

-The most important factor in keeping the front axle safe is to keep fom load shocking it (ie: breaking the rear axle) It is a good idea to check the condition of the U-bolts. Also a good idea to build a set of bars to keep the rear in it's place or i am sure there are vendors that sell them if you aren't able to make your own. A standard three point ladder setup with one swing point at about the back of the cab works well. But a true four point setup with dual sets of parrallel bars and four individual load points with adjustable bars work the best because it allows you to pre load the springs to minimize any axle wrap.

Sorry about the book, hope this helps.

 

[EBung]

Sounds like controlling axle wrap is a must. Thanks I appreciate the guidance.

 

[Sled Puller]

. Also it is good practice to replace the stock rubber bushings in your radius arms with a set of polyurethane bushings like energy suspension sells. Anything you can keep from moving under alot of load will help keep stuctural rigidity and pinion angles in check.

-.

There is some advice a whole bunch of us could apply, I know mine are shot, but just never got around to changing.

 

[MMiller]

Is it legal for you guys out east to block the rear end? We do that alot around here. It helps keep the rear drivetrain in check. Places where they won't let me block the rear, I run 4 clamps on each rear leaf pack that make the pack much more stiff. I also do not have the lift blocks in the rear of my truck so axle wrap is less in my ride. The classes I run in do not allow ladder bars/traction bars. I run a "stock street" or "street stock" class.



Michael

 

[rbshowpig]

A round here there was more than three guy braking frt driver side axles. They all was at the spines. I had no problem with the rear of the truck just on the front drive shafts, ujoints,axles. The rear of the truck held up good.