HI leaf,
Don't hold me in suspense. What exactly have you seen and experienced with respect to JEEPS and the expedition experience.
Sparky
Too Much Weight For Reliability?
- Thread starter Karma
- Start date
HI leaf,
Don't hold me in suspense. What exactly have you seen and experienced with respect to JEEPS and the expedition experience.
Sparky
x2
You must have one heck of a light foot wheeling or keep to some pretty tame trails.
HI,
Well, trails are trails. Some are tough and some are tame and many are both. I don't specifically avoid the tough ones unless I know there are obstacles I can't do. I don't like to abuse vehicles so I am careful. But some times, pedal to the metal is called for and I don't hesitate. In general, I consider Jeeping an exercise in slow motion. Crawling is the name of the game. Low gearing or low effective crawl ratio is important to keep speeds down. I feel uncomfortable on "momentum" trail features but sometimes they can't be avoided.
I have many times seen folks go nuts trying to conquer certain obstacles. Their ego gets involved. Very hard on vehicles. Often, they break their vehicle. I try to quit while I'm ahead or go to the winch. I'm not lacking courage but I try to exercise reasonable judgment to survive for another day. Maybe that's why I've not had trouble with my D35.
Sparky
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
Your conclusion is wrong.
People have been telling you from the very start of this thread that the biggest reliability issue they see, based on the information you have provided, is the rear axle you are using. I've lost count of how many people have told you that, yet you continue to refuse to listen. A Wrangler will work fine (been there, done that), provided you are willing to live within the size/weight restrictions that are inherent with that small of a vehicle.
You are currently so far over GVWR that the rear axle has become a huge variable in the equation. I haven't seen anyone say that it will fail the next time you turn a corner -- only that it is marginal, at best, for the task at hand. If you are after reliability, the obvious solutions are to either reduce your GVW to fit within the restrictions of the axle you have, or use an axle that will put up with a higher load.
You asked people what they thought of your vehicle with regard to reliability for the long haul. They told you. Just because you don't like the answer doesn't mean that they are all wrong. Time to either pull the blinders off, or stop asking questions that you don't want the answers to.
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meatblanket
Adventurer
I bought a YJ new in '91 and have modified mine quite a bit over the years. I also had good luck with the Dana 35 rear axle even running it with a Detroit and 33 x 9.50 tires.
Having said that, even with the upgraded axle shafts the D35 is probably the weak link in your drivetrain. The 8.8 is a great upgrade, but if you are sticking with 31" tires, it will drag like a boat anchor.
BTW, you should be able to swap a later YJ fuel tank into your rig and enjoy 20 gallon capacity. That's one fewer jerry can to haul around, and it will get your COG down a bit. So if you are looking for a project, I'd start with that one.
Having said that, even with the upgraded axle shafts the D35 is probably the weak link in your drivetrain. The 8.8 is a great upgrade, but if you are sticking with 31" tires, it will drag like a boat anchor.
BTW, you should be able to swap a later YJ fuel tank into your rig and enjoy 20 gallon capacity. That's one fewer jerry can to haul around, and it will get your COG down a bit. So if you are looking for a project, I'd start with that one.
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
To my knowledge there are no OEM full float Dana 44s out there. Same for the 8.8".
The popular choices for FF tend to be Dana 60+, GM Corp 14B, Ford 9". There's various combinations and permutations of these axles with custom work. Of the three I like the 9".
If you get a custom Dana 44 full floater built make sure you start with the right housing. Do not use a SWB Jeep or Scout housing. The tubes are too small for full float work IMO. I'd probably look into a FSJ axle. IIRC the tube walls are thick.
The problem I see with the FJ axle is that it is an offset axle. On a SWB rig like a YJ with a lift the angles could be enough to cause a consistent vibration and/or oscillation at highway speeds.
I'd consider an axle from a Toyota Tacoma or T100 or whatever since they have a centered differential (but are not FF).
I took a look a the pictures. The Jeep is really sitting low on the springs. That needs to be addressed for certain. Also, those extra wide flares could be either filled with more tire or changed out for something less likely to snag a tree. That said, if you swapped axles to something a touch wider to increase your stance the over-sized flares could work to your advantage as they are now.
More information, do with it as you see fit.
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HI goodtimes,
You have not been keeping up with the latest. I have instigated a search for a viable solution to the Dana 35 issue. You are right. The Dana 35 is the red flag everybody seems to be bringing up. It's not that I'm not listening. It just that my experience tells me otherwise. It's hard to go against that but I'll try. Now I'm going to see what options make sense.
One more thing. Reducing weight in any significant way is not doable. I have been concerned with weight from the beginning of this project. Yes, I might be able to cut a few pounds here and there but they are farts in a windstorm. As I said above, the basic weight issue is now built into the fabric of the machine. I can't reduce it without reducing other important capabilities. It's all about trade-offs.
I would love to have you all weigh your Jeeps. I'll bet you would be surprised.
And I thank everyone for their concern.
Sparky
You have not been keeping up with the latest. I have instigated a search for a viable solution to the Dana 35 issue. You are right. The Dana 35 is the red flag everybody seems to be bringing up. It's not that I'm not listening. It just that my experience tells me otherwise. It's hard to go against that but I'll try. Now I'm going to see what options make sense.
One more thing. Reducing weight in any significant way is not doable. I have been concerned with weight from the beginning of this project. Yes, I might be able to cut a few pounds here and there but they are farts in a windstorm. As I said above, the basic weight issue is now built into the fabric of the machine. I can't reduce it without reducing other important capabilities. It's all about trade-offs.
I would love to have you all weigh your Jeeps. I'll bet you would be surprised.
And I thank everyone for their concern.
Sparky
leaffreux
New member
Karma
Not all my expeditions have been by Jeep, but various other metholds.
I have always prepared well, but have still broken lots of different things.
My current vechile of choice is an 05 Rubicon Unlimited.
It makes a great expedition vechile.
The thing about expeditions is that you hit washed out roads, trails or just get into something where others have not been and it gets narley.
Take Baja, I was down there 3 years ago and a hurricane had washed out 150 miles of what would have been a road. I drove 100 miles down a river bed with exposed bolders, (not a place to break a ring and pinion or axle) to get to where I wanted to go.
I have never weighed my Rubicon, but try to keep it as light a possiable.
I don't carry anything on the roof.
I cook with a microwave and use a Thermalmatic cooler both 12 v
I RUN 35" KN2 TIRES. They have good strong side walls.
Outside of Timbuktu in 01 I was broke down for 3 days in a sand storm with a broken wheel. Had to dig my self out the sand got so deep
I still have a few expeditions left even at my age.
:victory:
Not all my expeditions have been by Jeep, but various other metholds.
I have always prepared well, but have still broken lots of different things.
My current vechile of choice is an 05 Rubicon Unlimited.
It makes a great expedition vechile.
The thing about expeditions is that you hit washed out roads, trails or just get into something where others have not been and it gets narley.
Take Baja, I was down there 3 years ago and a hurricane had washed out 150 miles of what would have been a road. I drove 100 miles down a river bed with exposed bolders, (not a place to break a ring and pinion or axle) to get to where I wanted to go.
I have never weighed my Rubicon, but try to keep it as light a possiable.
I don't carry anything on the roof.
I cook with a microwave and use a Thermalmatic cooler both 12 v
I RUN 35" KN2 TIRES. They have good strong side walls.
Outside of Timbuktu in 01 I was broke down for 3 days in a sand storm with a broken wheel. Had to dig my self out the sand got so deep
I still have a few expeditions left even at my age.
:victory:
Patman
Explorer
Funny, I completely overlooked the offset. (It is less than other cruisers)
While the compound angle can cause issues, it should work fine with a 2.5" lift. Although a centered diff would be preferable. Oh wheel.....next option. Same rearend, centered with a custom housing and axles shafts. ;-)
The d35/d44 end ff hybrid sounds pretty good, assuming you still trust the d35 gears.
A shaved d44 ff could give you plenty of clearance and strength.
HI Patman,
I hate to be dumb but what is "ff".
Also, I don't have any brake problems.
Sparky
Patman
Explorer
ff is full float
Brake issues I'm referring to possible over loading of the stockish brakes. Big discs on the back with a properly proportioned set up, goes a long way in reducing stopping distances. One of those " not a problem until its too late" things.
You sound like an engineer....
Since you want to keep your rear axle, toss a truss on the 35 and call it good, the housing is real weak and even heavy loads will bend it. Between a truss and the upgraded axles and ARB it should be pretty reliable. I personally ran a 35 for a couple years on 33's and it held up very well, I did break 1 axle shaft but I think I wheeled it pretty hard (not stupid, just hard). But with my first hand experience with them, I wouldn't even consider it for your application. I also think the nv3500 is a downgrade to the AX15, on paper it looks alot better but i've seen to many issues with them, they are noisy, not assembled well from the factory and don't shift as nice... Seems like a huge waste of money for no real upgrade, a nv4500 hell yeah...
I would do (and did do) an 8.8 over anything else. Have you seen an 8.8? The make a D35 or D44 look like a toothpick. The axle tubes are much larger. Yes it is a C-clip axle, but your looking at 1.5" dia 31 spline axle shafts. You are not going to break those. And they are cheap, and easy to slap into a YJ!
I have a TJ that I setup for rock crawling and being trailered around, I moved up to a D70 rear axle, a 3/4t heavy duty high pinion D44 front with alloy shaft. Both axles are uncut full width and running 37x13.50r17 tires. I am now setting it up for light expo work, a week or less, under 1500 miles or so (but still be able to rock crawl). I don't really enjoy being out much longer than that. Unloaded i'm right around 4800lbs. And the lift and bigger tires does not make it more tippy, this thing sticks to where ever you point it. I can pull as high as 15 mpg on the highway, off road it settles around 13 or so depending on how had the wheeling is. If I were to do it again, I would keep it low and build more of a traditional expo rig but i'm working with what I have. A positive note tho, my rock crawling upgrades make for a great performing and damn near indestructable expo rig.
Since you want to keep your rear axle, toss a truss on the 35 and call it good, the housing is real weak and even heavy loads will bend it. Between a truss and the upgraded axles and ARB it should be pretty reliable. I personally ran a 35 for a couple years on 33's and it held up very well, I did break 1 axle shaft but I think I wheeled it pretty hard (not stupid, just hard). But with my first hand experience with them, I wouldn't even consider it for your application. I also think the nv3500 is a downgrade to the AX15, on paper it looks alot better but i've seen to many issues with them, they are noisy, not assembled well from the factory and don't shift as nice... Seems like a huge waste of money for no real upgrade, a nv4500 hell yeah...
I would do (and did do) an 8.8 over anything else. Have you seen an 8.8? The make a D35 or D44 look like a toothpick. The axle tubes are much larger. Yes it is a C-clip axle, but your looking at 1.5" dia 31 spline axle shafts. You are not going to break those. And they are cheap, and easy to slap into a YJ!
I have a TJ that I setup for rock crawling and being trailered around, I moved up to a D70 rear axle, a 3/4t heavy duty high pinion D44 front with alloy shaft. Both axles are uncut full width and running 37x13.50r17 tires. I am now setting it up for light expo work, a week or less, under 1500 miles or so (but still be able to rock crawl). I don't really enjoy being out much longer than that. Unloaded i'm right around 4800lbs. And the lift and bigger tires does not make it more tippy, this thing sticks to where ever you point it. I can pull as high as 15 mpg on the highway, off road it settles around 13 or so depending on how had the wheeling is. If I were to do it again, I would keep it low and build more of a traditional expo rig but i'm working with what I have. A positive note tho, my rock crawling upgrades make for a great performing and damn near indestructable expo rig.
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