I have come across a breakage issue working with truck tug-o-war guys with the 14 bolt FF rear and was hoping someone here may have an answer. These guys run on very limited budgets and almost always go as cheap as possible. When they run 14 bolt FF rears they eighter weld an open carrier or run a mini-spool. Lately a few guys that run the mini spool have been breaking the cross shaft. The shaft ends then spin out and tear up the diff case and R&P.
Two part question, is there a high strenth option to the stock 4 lug cross shaft and has anyone tried making one from say forged or drill rod stock?

You should ask Randy at www.ouversonengineering.com

This mini spool from Ouverson Engineering might be the ticket for your friends. Designed to replace your spiders and cross shaft. Built out of premium alloy and made in the U.S.A.
www.ouversonengineering.com

Dont chain the truck to another truck.

So, they only break when a mini spool is used? But they don't break when welded? Just keep welding them then. Just a guess, probably because the weld does a better job at holding the internal guts together.....?

make one of these orb things....
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee307/kitimatdude/HPIM0680.jpg

make one of these orb things....
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee307/kitimatdude/HPIM0680.jpg

Like a fucking wizard?

Long live the ORB!!

Like a fucking wizard?That is the "orb of traction"

CJ8, yes the breakage is limited to the mini spool use. The spool is the size of a baseball and it allows alot of the cross shaft to be unsupported in the diff case, hence the breakage. If someone made a minispool that filled the entire void left by the spider assembly, I think this would not be a problem.

Strangler, please reference my location for clarification to your suggestion. It's where I live, they pay me pretty regular to set up 5.13 gears so they can beat the hell out of them. I see no sense in it, but its unbelieveable to watch.

Thanks for all the input.

^^^ That is what I was suggesting.....keep welding. It can be a more solid "ball" of material offering better support. The Ouverson piece is very sweet and not badly priced...but you say these guys run as cheap as possible.....http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=584222&highlight=orb+diff ....that would be 5lbs of wire and filler metal....hehehe.....

real spools dont have cross shafts to break.

pm mj see what he thinks.

send it to dean at cryoproformance after its all welded up.

send a second pm mj asking him about that too.

send it to dean at cryoproformance after its all welded up.

send a second pm mj asking him about that too.

:lmao::lmao::lmao::flipoff2:

CJ8, yes the breakage is limited to the mini spool use. The spool is the size of a baseball and it allows alot of the cross shaft to be unsupported in the diff case, hence the breakage. If someone made a minispool that filled the entire void left by the spider assembly, I think this would not be a problem.

Strangler, please reference my location for clarification to your suggestion. It's where I live, they pay me pretty regular to set up 5.13 gears so they can beat the hell out of them. I see no sense in it, but its unbelieveable to watch.

Thanks for all the input.

Yeah, dead thread, but that doesn't bother me.
I'm wondering why everyone would go 5.13:1? Was this before 5.38:1 gears became available?

Post up some footage of these guys wreckin' there trucks! Lets see some pics of f'd up 14 bolts.

5.38s were available.

5.13s were popular.

some people had some issues with both minispools and the orb of traction... threw a lot of money at it.