9" 28 spline strength??

[77Blaza]

What are the weak links...right now in back I have 4:56 gears and a mini spool and it is sitting on 33" all terrains what should I be worried about going "snap, crackle, or pop" first???

[Jrod-13]

your front axle

[4x4junkie]

Unless you drive on the street much with that mini-spool, you should be fine with 33s.

[FlexCJ5]

ive broken one with a tired 2.9, and 33s. killed the shaft, gears and bearings. Went to 35 spline and 35" no troubles now.

[abunchofidiots]

Keep in mind the shaft diameter. Is the shaft tapered (necked down) at all? There are 29 spline shafts that are the same diamter as the 31 spline shafts.

It isn't just the spline count you have to worry about, its also the shaft diameter.

[Ditchrunner]

I ran an EB 28spline 9" with 4.56 and 35's on a loaded EB (top, doors, recovery equipment, winch, etc) for a couple of years and never had a problem. It did have a 2bbl 289 that wasn't exactly a race engine, though. It had a Lockrite in it also. Made a trip to Moab and did the common trails, ran a lot of snow up here and mudbogs. Oh, I was also running an auto. They seem to be easier on stuff.
I guess it depends on how you drive. If you don't stand on the gas pedal with one tire wedged in a crack, or spin hard coming from loose traction to pavement or equivalent, you should be fine.
Or you might have a weak axle and it might break turning into the gas station. I've seen both.
Heck, I forgot about a friend of mine. He runs 28spline axles in his sand drag car. EB frame with D44 front and 9" rear, 4.10s, 700? horse 514 with C6 and tranny brake, bigger digger rear paddles, full spool. Has broken one axle (at the splines) in years of racing. He also runs (used to anyway-semi-retired) tough trucks, mudbogs, etc. He did twist a set of axles, too. They looked funky with tight spirals all the way down the shaft.

[bigredjeep1]

Like what others are said, it depends on how you drive. I would highly suggest at least 31 spline shafts for wheeling, but you mide as well go with 35 or even super beefy 40 spline shafts

[77Blaza]

Thanks for the input...its running under a ranger with the SOHC 4.0 and will mostly just see glamis/ ocotillo...etc. no rocks. If I do bump up to 31 or 35 spline what else will I have to change out??? Thanks for all the help. :grinpimp:

[santa]

The carrier. So whatever locker you want to run, get it with a matching spline count.

Someone else may also step up and confirm, but 35 & 40 sp, requier some bearing mod's IIRC.

[Oatmeal]

I ran the stock 28 spline shafts in my Bronco for years and never broke one, twisted them up pretty good :eek: but they never broke. Then I ordered a set of Dutchman Motorsports alloy, tapered roller bearing, 28 spline shafts (I already had a 28 spline D/L), that's when the breakage started happening (3 shafts!), the first one, pulling my trailer through the Little Sluice :shaking: I'd never recommend them to anyone :mad3: My Bronco is built pretty mild....351W, NP-435, 4.11s, 31 spline Warn full floater (now) D/L on 35s. My point is, you'll probably be ok if you have a fairly conservative right foot...........Hans

[45acp]

I ran mine for several years w/built 351, 35's, 4:56's and mini spool. Never broke a rear shaft despite blowing fronts every other trip. I was literally waiting to break the rear and it never happened. Dont know if it was luck or maybe my rearend ran low on oil and it somehow got hot and hardened them. :laughing:

[69 broncosport]

35 or 40 spline units require a larger pumpkin that will handle 3.25" diameter carrier bearings. such as the mosher or strange pumpkins and start at around $220.00 and up. A 35 spline axle is about 1.5" in diameter like a dana 60, a good set of 31 splines like currie mosher or strange axles should be plenty strong enough for your ranger. I am running 31 spl. moshers with a detroit locker and 35's in my EB with a mild 302/435/D20 combo and have had no problems. Jim

[Oatmeal]

I just remembered another good testimonial to the durability of the stock 28 spline shafts. Several years ago I attended one of the High Sierra poker runs (Swamp Lake....I miss those :( ) and got a chance to meet and wheel with J.R. Coots, may he rest in peace, the designer of the Cold Duck double case, well, J.R.'s Bronco was equipped with a 351W, dual cases (one with 4.88 gears! :eek: ) a C-4 auto, 4.11s with a D/L, 35s and......stock 28 spline shafts! If they can live behind that much torque multiplication then, they deserve more credit than they recieve...........Hans

[broncman]

It is all about shock loading. Heavy throttle and boom! I have broke 3 shafts and a whole array of 44 stuff including Mosers. I once broke front and rear at the same time... VERY LOUD bang. This was with 302 and c4,4:11's and 33's and then 38's. Now I have 35 spline Strange rear and 35 spline 60 front and 42's. Allthough the stock stuff lasted untill I started getting throttle happy, and then I could break them in the unloading areas :(