Pirate 4x4 banner
Cancel
Create thread New Garage Forums

D44 4340 alloy shafts... Superior VS Yukon?

Jump to Latest
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
S

Sharp

· Registered
Joined
·
1,135 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
Guy how do these shafts compare, i know that Superior is the best out there but they don't have any listings for a '77 F250 front 44 whereas Yukon does, i know that Superior uses a combination of thru and induction heating to make the best shafts, but any idea on what process yukon uses, whats the diff in tensile strength # between the 2,

any help would be great, i'm just sick of having issues with the stock spicer stuff, and would like to go alloy, and not have to worry about it, i'd just like to know if i'd be making a mistake going with yukon, but it's sure nice that it's an off the shelf shaft VS getting them custom made through Superior...

thanks!!! :beer:

oh, one more thing, Is there any other suggestion as to what u-joints to use with these shafts or is a no brainer as far as CTMs go?
 
#3 ·
Im running Yukons and CTM's and I dig them... I agree the ears on them dont seem to be much more of an improvment size wise over the stock spicer stuff, but for the money and how the have handled the abuse Ive given them so far Im real happy with them.
 
#5 ·
welndmn said:
Yukons are an upgrade from stock, but they are not even in the same ball park as superiors
Click to expand...
I would love to see the info that you are basing this opinion on if you have any.

The Yukon shafts are 4340, through hardened to 55 Rockwell and are a very close second to Superior shafts but not for much longer. We have been testing different process of heat treating to give added strength to the Dana 30 & Dana 44 shafts. We have had some independent testing of the Yukon and the Superior shafts done and the failure rate is very close, but the Yukon does fail first. The Yukon shafts have only been in production for a little over a year and we’re constantly working to make them the best, Superior had been in this game for years and builds one of the best products on the market, but were working hard to build top notch axle shafts.

As for comparing most any aftermarket shaft to OE Dana, in most cases there is no comparison, Dana shafts are made of poor material the ears aren’t hardened and the shaft is only induction hardened.
 
#7 ·
The Mac said:
I would love to see the info that you are basing this opinion on if you have any.

The Yukon shafts are 4340, through hardened to 55 Rockwell and are a very close second to Superior shafts but not for much longer. We have been testing different process of heat treating to give added strength to the Dana 30 & Dana 44 shafts. We have had some independent testing of the Yukon and the Superior shafts done and the failure rate is very close, but the Yukon does fail first. The Yukon shafts have only been in production for a little over a year and we’re constantly working to make them the best, Superior had been in this game for years and builds one of the best products on the market, but were working hard to build top notch axle shafts.

As for comparing most any aftermarket shaft to OE Dana, in most cases there is no comparison, Dana shafts are made of poor material the ears aren’t hardened and the shaft is only induction hardened.
Click to expand...
welndmn may have exagerated a bit, but just take a look at the two (Warn & Yukon) side by side. The Superior shafts have much beefier ears. If you want to improve the strength of the Yukon shafts, beef up the ears to illiminate more possibilities of joint and ear failure.
 
Discussion starter · #9 · (Edited)
The Mac said:
I would love to see the info that you are basing this opinion on if you have any.

The Yukon shafts are 4340, through hardened to 55 Rockwell and are a very close second to Superior shafts but not for much longer. We have been testing different process of heat treating to give added strength to the Dana 30 & Dana 44 shafts. We have had some independent testing of the Yukon and the Superior shafts done and the failure rate is very close, but the Yukon does fail first. The Yukon shafts have only been in production for a little over a year and we’re constantly working to make them the best, Superior had been in this game for years and builds one of the best products on the market, but were working hard to build top notch axle shafts.

As for comparing most any aftermarket shaft to OE Dana, in most cases there is no comparison, Dana shafts are made of poor material the ears aren’t hardened and the shaft is only induction hardened.
Click to expand...
Doesn't through hardening them to RC 55 make them too brittle, and way more likely to snap? i know that induction hardening often goes up to RC 55 but then the core of the shaft still remains somewhat "flexable" :confused:

to give you guys a better idea, i'm running 37" MTRs Load E on H2 rims, and 4.88s with a full spool and no further T/C reduction(stock), rig weighs in at about 4600lbs, i managed to take out a ujoint which in turn took out the shafts( i was in a sticky situation, but i wasn't really hard on the skinny pedal, and sure didn't expect the u-joint and axles to let go....), hence the idea of alloys....
 
#10 ·
Sharp said:
Doesn't through hardening them to RC 55 make them too brittle, and way more likely to snap? i know that induction hardening often goes up to RC 55 but then the core of the shaft still remains somewhat "flexable" :confused:
Click to expand...
Actually Warn, Superior and Yukon are all through hardened, that’s one of the biggest things that makes them strong, aside from being made of better material. The Yukon and the Superior are very close in hardness the Warn’s are harder, as I recall around 60HRC. We haven’t tested against Warn but I would guess them to be close, but that’s just a guess. We are adding meat around the ears to accommodate public opinion and to make them as strong as possible, however it doesn’t seem to affect the failure rate significantly, most of the ear failures are a result of a u-joint failure and adding material doesn’t make much difference when that happens.
 
#12 ·
As far as beef goes the Superior 35 spline stub shaft weighs in at 8.5lbs and the Yukon comes in at 7.5lbs so the superior is hefty. I don't think that the last Yukon i saw was as skimpy in the ears as the first run that I saw so I doubt that there is as much of a weight difference anymore.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#14 ·
The Mac said:
Actually Warn, Superior and Yukon are all through hardened, that’s one of the biggest things that makes them strong, aside from being made of better material. The Yukon and the Superior are very close in hardness the Warn’s are harder, as I recall around 60HRC. We haven’t tested against Warn but I would guess them to be close, but that’s just a guess. We are adding meat around the ears to accommodate public opinion and to make them as strong as possible, however it doesn’t seem to affect the failure rate significantly, most of the ear failures are a result of a u-joint failure and adding material doesn’t make much difference when that happens.
Click to expand...
Good thread

So if the warns are rated at 60RC, are they just flat out stronger than the Yukons and Superiors. Or does it, as Sharp said, possibly make them more brittle and less flexible. I'm actually shopping it all right now and am very curious.

Another thing that Sharp asked about was CTMs. What is your take on Ox, CTM and the Yukon joints.
 
Discussion starter · #18 ·
The Mac said:
Actually Warn, Superior and Yukon are all through hardened, that’s one of the biggest things that makes them strong, aside from being made of better material. The Yukon and the Superior are very close in hardness the Warn’s are harder, as I recall around 60HRC. We haven’t tested against Warn but I would guess them to be close, but that’s just a guess. We are adding meat around the ears to accommodate public opinion and to make them as strong as possible, however it doesn’t seem to affect the failure rate significantly, most of the ear failures are a result of a u-joint failure and adding material doesn’t make much difference when that happens.
Click to expand...

Mac i know that they all have been through hardend , but what i gather from billavistas axle tech is that a shaft can be hardedned too much hence making it brittle, and more likely to snap...
anyways it sounds like i may just be able to run the yukons without any issues, but no that brings me back to the u-joint question....
 
#19 · (Edited)
YJ4RoX said:
Mac, when will the Yukon short side inner(LH) for 80-84 waggy axles be restocked?
Click to expand...
I don’t have a ship date and our purchasing and engineering dept. are in India, so I won’t have an answer to for you until the 14th,

sorry :confused:



Sharp said:
Mac i know that they all have been through hardend , but what i gather from billavistas axle tech is that a shaft can be hardedned too much hence making it brittle, and more likely to snap...
anyways it sounds like i may just be able to run the yukons without any issues, but no that brings me back to the u-joint question....
Click to expand...
Sharp
Busted ears account for about 99% of the brakeage we see in the OE Dana, Yukon and the few Superior shafts we have sold over the years. You can only add so much around the ears before you have binding issues. As far as the shafts becoming brittle you right there is a point that they will become brittle, I my self don’t know at what point that is. The people I know running Warn shafts are have had good luck the only breakage I’ve see with a Warn is the ears, but we all know that story.

Also keep in mind that I am only speaking only about Dana 30 & 44 shafts, Dana 60 stuff is in a whole other realm, I am only aware of one failure of a Yukon 60 shaft.
 
#20 ·
The Mac said:
I don’t have a ship date and our purchasing and engineering dept. are in India, so I won’t have an answer to for you until the 14th,

sorry :confused:
.
Click to expand...
thanks for the info! I am really leaning towards the yukons. I am on a tight budget and I hate to spend money on more spicers.
 
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
About this Discussion
22 Replies
14 Participants
Last post:
KC_JoNeS
Pirate 4x4
posts
19M
members
378K
Since
2000
A forum community dedicated to custom off-road vehicle owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about trail reports, builds, performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, fabrication, drivetrain, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General 4x4 Discussions Toyota - Truck and 4Runner Vehicles & Trailers Classifieds Axles,Tires & Wheels Classifieds Jeep - Hardcore Tech