[onetonwillysands10]

I don't own a set of rockwells;but,I have seen in a few posts that people have a broken some of theses axle shafts and spoken of them like they were weak . My question is are they actually that weak? How common is it to break one these axle shafts even with 44 inch tires? As common as breaking 60F shafts...just wondering

 

[Lance]

Well I only know of one guy that breaks them. He runs 44's with 500 or 600hp, and has a lead foot. Let's just say that I think any axle would break under his rig. <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">

 

[bigjeepguy]

I think somebody should take both a dana 60 shaft, and a rockwell shaft, and see which has greater strength. Is there a way to test the rockwell hardness (as in steel strength) without breaking the axleshaft.

I know the rockwell has more diameter, but the 60 may have the edge in that it could be better metal and/or forged differently.

 

[71Dauntless]

Is there a way to test the rockwell hardness (as in steel strength) without breaking the axleshaft.

A Rockwell Hardness tester will not destroy the shaft being tested. The worst it may do is leave a small dimple where the test was done.

 

[TheRipper]

There is no doubt in my mind and I hope no one elses damn mind of wich axle is stronger...lol.just put 44" tires on a 60 and bounce it on the side of a hill a few times and it will be broke that should tell right there with no fancy test.Ohh yeah here is a link that has some numbers for you..
Here are some #'s. Hope this helps you some.

inc."http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278004&highlight=rockwell


"The 2 1/2 ton U joint style, max. static load is 3,600 foot lbs. of torque. The convel model "E" used in the 2 1/2 ton is 4,310 foot lbs. of torque. The rezepa is estimated 10% to 15% weaker than the U joint style. Just for grins the dana 60 - 1480 in the steering axle is 2,000 foot lbs. of torque. I like BIG stuff. steve differential eng.

 

[OkLaHoMaYJ]

Theres a guy here in OKC with a CJ5 on rockwells and 49's. I remember him posting up how he has broken several rears and some fronts.

Im sure he might chime in, hes runs with the C.O.R.E. boys out of the OKC area.

 

[Trango]

BTW If anyone has any broken rears, please let me know. I'd be willing to pay postage and hassle fee if anyone wanted to cut off the mounting flange and send it out my way - these help with tire wear on the M35 - basically turns em into a single screw with dummy tandem axle.

Thanks
Bob

 

[bansheeman1]

BTW If anyone has any broken rears, please let me know. I'd be willing to pay postage and hassle fee if anyone wanted to cut off the mounting flange and send it out my way - these help with tire wear on the M35 - basically turns em into a single screw with dummy tandem axle.

Thanks
Bob

just get some caps off the front

 

[Trango]

Yeah the drive plates for the rear are sort of spendy, although I do have some laying around.

I actually made some "Dummy hubs" for the front of my deuce.... just trying to save myself some effort.

Check them out:

http://www.planetbantz.com/imghost/bob/deuce_lockout.jpg

Fully TIG welded, and finished at 2AM before a 6 AM flight to the DRMO for pickup.

Cheers
Bob

 

[onetonwillysands10]

but i dont think there is a way to test the hardness of metal, all i know is i have heard complaints about splines stripping out of a stock rockwell shaft, and have never heard bad things about a 60.

I talked to some ATPA pro truck pullers once who said they never busted a 60 stock stub shaft despite running 600-700 plus horsepower motors. My guess is because they are running in a straight line which is not common in this hobby. In the rock crawling ERR........rockracing world there are several weaknesses with a 60 front (mostly axleshaft related).The ears on a STOCK 60 shaft are not hardened and are soft metal which distorts easily. 2) 30 spline stub axles suck [email protected]# 3) older style "taper down" inners are crap 4) Stock -ujoints (older stlye that are not cold forged) break pretty easy compounding number 1. If tghey are the newer cold forged style or CTMS the ears rip off the axleshaft. 5) Ford knuckles are prone to cracking around the kingpin.5) Dodge 60's use small bolts in the top of the housing to hold the passenger side ubolt plate in place that are commonly broken (actually the chevys break despite being bigger as well). Search the board and you will find out all kinds of stuff.

 

[TNScrambler]

I can't believe that no one has commented on the fact that this thread is three years old, and now, Brian, who asked the origonal question on rockwells now has two rigs with them :flipoff2:

Justin

 

[TheRipper]

Lol..I seen that just figured everyone wanted to keep talking about it...honestly :flipoff2:

 

[bigjeepguy]

Lol, I was surprised it took as long as it did for someone to catch the thread date. I just hate it when you find a thread that sounds interesting, or a thread with a similar question to what you are looking for, only to find nothing has been resolved.

What I was really hoping for was actual number as to the strength of the rockwell shafts vs. 60 shafts; u-joints not included.

 

[onetonwillysands10]

I can't believe that no one has commented on the fact that this thread is three years old, and now, Brian, who asked the origonal question on rockwells now has two rigs with them :flipoff2:

Justin

Justin I was suspised when I saw that someone had dug up this thread. 3 years later and I have two built rigs ( actually one is really no longer) with rockwells points out which I believe is stronger..

 

[onetonwillysands10]

Lol, I was surprised it took as long as it did for someone to catch the thread date. I just hate it when you find a thread that sounds interesting, or a thread with a similar question to what you are looking for, only to find nothing has been resolved.

What I was really hoping for was actual number as to the strength of the rockwell shafts vs. 60 shafts; u-joints not included.

I would say that from "my own experience" that the rockwell shafts are stronger as I have never broken one and I broke a ton of 60 front shafts in the same vehicle that now has rockwells.Certainly it is possible to break a rockwell shaft as there are many people who have and I have personally witnessed a shaft failure although not in my vehicle. Back in 2001 when I presented this thread it was mistekenly common for people to say the shafts were "weak". At that time most people who had experience with them were monster truck builders or people who wanted pseudo-monster trucks. The people in the actual monster truck areas had already long abandoned them for numerous reasons besides suppossed weak shafts. It is true that OLDER style shafts that hold the old Rezepa and Bendix joints are brittle. However, the u-joint style shafts are hardened just like 60 shafts. In todays world common breakage of rockwell shafts often times is related to vehicles with lots of motor and 48 inch plus tires. If you want break a rockwell shaft fast slap a set of 52-54's on a pair of rockwells with a motor that can turn them over..Although it is possible to break them with 44's I think we all know nothing is unbreakable.
From this we could conclude that if someone like Steve Gerstner knew what type of material a rockwell shaft was made from then the question you asked could be answered as the material of a stock dana shaft has been covered here before. In the end it is likely academic as real world wheeling, at least for me and people I know running them in this part of the world, have already answered the practical/functional side to this question.
For fun what would be interesting to know is what is the breaking point for a TRB MAchine shaft or an Ouverson Enginering shaft and if anyone has managed to break one either in rockracing or in the mud world.

 

[RoyalDirtSurfer]

Rockwell axles are pretty tough compared to Dana on road stuff. At lease in my experience.

Rockwell Axles

 

[CJeep77]

Ummmmm....Ya know the post was dead 3 years ago. :shaking:

 

[WTweeder]

Ummmmm....Ya know the post was dead 3 years ago. :shaking:

and 3 before that, too:shaking:

 

[Landslide]

Ummmmm....Ya know the post was dead 3 years ago. :shaking:

Harassing a nOObie for searching, oooooookay.:shaking:

 

[Corn_Smuggler]

RoyalDirtSurfer is a spamming shithead... he's been digging up a few Rockwell threads and posting that link adding nothing of value. :shaking: