RedXJ, yeah, I've got the c-clip 8.25, and on TADs I’m thinking of the ARB air lockers front and rear. I can kind of see how that makes breakage more likely, but exactly how? Is it just binding when you’re on a good traction surface (like rough rocks)? With ARBs, couldn’t I get over that by being aware of it and unlocking, rocking it a little and then re-locking when I get in a bad spot?
Here’s some excerpts from another thread I just found this morning – sounds like pretty much all the stories are about the gas pedal. I can’t promise I won’t do something stupid but usually I’m not the run and gun type, more like go easy, if that don’t work back and try a little harder, etc. I’m not competing, just trying to get places. I haven’t really heard a story yet where a 35 or c-clip 8.25 just broke without lots of provocation, except the last one below and there aren't any details there.
Still, I have to say from the comments here and on other threads, it sounds like the better way to go is to upgrade the axles before spending all that money on gears and lockers.
Below are the stories. I was especially interested in the one about gradual breakage from twisting the axle over time, any thoughts on that?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I broke my D35 twice with open diff and stock gearing running 31" m/t's. I am not easy on the throttle. I have a D44 now and have a complete spare D30. I am upgrading to D60 rear and D44 front in my new project. When I broke the first time I was going up rollover hill and just reached the top when SNAP! busted spiders rolled all the way back down it wasn't fun but a tree stopped me from rolling. The second time axle shaft snapped.
I blew up my Dana 35 spider gears on the street! But then again I was being sort of stupid with the gas
Running 33s..... Grenaded my d30 spiders last weekend... and it was a swapped in HP d30. My own fault though, bumped the front up and landed it under load.....Just for reference, no rocks down here.... Soup & mud but no rocks and folks are blowing their d35s on 32s & 33s....
During some bearing maintenance, I noticed the grain in the axles seemed twisted some, didn´t really know if it was machining or torque. Well being a curious type, I marked a straght line down the length of my axles with a carbide metal marker and inked it with machinists ink. A year or so later, pulled an axle out, and bigger than you know what, there was a twist in the axle. I´m thinking many of the broken axles are a progressive thing. They stretch until they break.
I was running 32in bfg muds with open diffs and very light on the gas, and still broke. And do you know what that c stands for? That means that the only thing holding that tire and wheel on is that c clipand its in the spider gears. So if you break that axle shaft, your tire, wheel and what is left of the shaft with fall off the jeep.