Little ticked off right now. I blew a right front out CV joint a little while ago. I bought a used one off eBay and it was in really good condition. Took it out today for the first time and it blew the exact same joint again. It may have been driver error from full lock and heavy on the skinny pedal but oh well. My question is whether the guts are the same for the inner and outer joints. I now have to axles with bad outer joints but good inners. Anyone know?

 

Got some good insight as to why I have blown two outer CV joints. Talked with the guy from Flashoffroad.com and he said something that I never thought of an is most likely my culprit. When you lift a wheel off the ground and all power gets sent to it, it spins at a high rate of speed. I have been applying brake when this would happen in order to lock up the diff. He said he has seen it plenty of times. With all this inertia(spelling) spining and then coming to an immediate stop, it will blow the outer CV joints almost every time since the brakes are of course, in-board. Got a new shaft enroute and plan to be more aware of this in the future. Learn as you go huh? just thought I would pass this along to everyone so they dont go through 3 axles in a month like I have. I feel dumb for not figuring this out on my own. But thanks for the tip man!

 

Chuck is dead on. If you are going to put on the brake in that circumstance you have to ease it on. Also you don't want that wheel to come down on the ground with your foot on the brake. Wheel, tire and run flat combo weigh about 175#s. Put that weight out at the end of an axle, get it spinning and then stop it suddenly and something will break. You can get the rebuild kits from Tustin Hummer in Tustin, CA for about $35.00 each.

 

Are you serious? Like a new set of ball bearings, cage, star shape piece on the end of the shaft, and all clips?

 

Man, you guys sound like serious off-roaders! I'm just learning that BTM can really mess up a drive train. I'm trying to figure out the best way to to effectively utilize my drive train in off-road conditions without destroying it! I'm open to learning! What do you recommend for differentials???

 

As long as you dont make the mistake like I did, it wont really hurt your drivetrain. You have to hold the brakes and ease on the gas then slowly ease off the brake until you have forward progress. sometimes it takes a little more gas or a little more brake. Just dont have a wheel spinning then nail the brakes. you have to either let the wheel slow down on its own or gently apply brake until the wheel stops. Went wheeling last weekend and didnt snap a CV joint. Lesson learned