Stretched TJK (bigger rubber & extra inches)
- Thread starter sierradmax
- Start date
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on the 
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OP
well, a big gremlin surfaced last week. Still within 400-500 mile break-in procedure for the new gears.. Finally decided to try and stretch her legs out on the highway. Luckily, I didn't make it to the highway. I say luckily because front pinion seized going 40mph. Skid marks in my underwear was longer than the skid marks on pavement. I suspect low on oil as the outer pinion bearing seized to the pinion and it fused to the race. At the tail end of the skid, a loud bang. The race let go and the shock chewed some ring gear teeth. The shock was hard enough to shatter the carrier and oblong the outer pinion race journal. Hours and hours of working on the front axle is now down the drain.
Tough to tell what happened. Oil slinger & baffle is in and I know it had proper preload.. Someone mentioned the HP JK axle pinion need a good oil bath by driving it in reverse for a few minutes. I can see why as there's only one passage up high in the housing. That coupled with the fact the axle stood upright for 2 years might have dried the outer bearing and it was F'ed after the first mile.
Anyways, right now, I'm considering a 30 spline Dana 60 center and retain my Dana 44 outers while use a 3", 1/2" wall tube. I know it's not kosher but it's probably the quickest way to get me back up & going. I'll be able to retain my RCV's, knuckles, unit bearings , brakes, wheels & tires. Plus, if I ever want to go full won-ton's, pop in a new carrier and torch off the outer C's.
Tough to tell what happened. Oil slinger & baffle is in and I know it had proper preload.. Someone mentioned the HP JK axle pinion need a good oil bath by driving it in reverse for a few minutes. I can see why as there's only one passage up high in the housing. That coupled with the fact the axle stood upright for 2 years might have dried the outer bearing and it was F'ed after the first mile.
Anyways, right now, I'm considering a 30 spline Dana 60 center and retain my Dana 44 outers while use a 3", 1/2" wall tube. I know it's not kosher but it's probably the quickest way to get me back up & going. I'll be able to retain my RCV's, knuckles, unit bearings , brakes, wheels & tires. Plus, if I ever want to go full won-ton's, pop in a new carrier and torch off the outer C's.
Oh man...that stinks. I had a pinion seize on me after a regear too. Thankfully, it popped VERY quickly (No locking of tires) and only damaged the pinion and bearings so I was able to drop a new set of gears in it.
Man, if you do that I’ll certainly be watching. In the back of my mind I’m considering retubing my front Pro-Roc 60 to increase the track width, but worried that I would not be able to pull it off myself. I’ve also not been able to find a shop nearby that would do it.
OP
OP
Deposit placed on a set of axles... not just a front.
Front: ECGS Dana 44 High Pinion D489 housing built to 65.5 WMS, JK C's clocked to 12 DOS. ARB RD-147, 35 spline.
Rear: ECGS Dana 60 High Clearance low pinion, semi-float 65 WMS. Set 80 bearings. ARB RD-188, 40 spline.
I'll be able to retain my factory knuckles, brakes, wheels & tires for both axles. I also lucked out... Found someone within an hour drive who was willing to swap my 30-spline RCV's for a set of new 35 spline. With this setup, in the event I get real ambitious, I can whack off the front JK 5x5 outers and weld on some 99-04 Super Duty C's to go 35-spline 5x5.5.
Front: ECGS Dana 44 High Pinion D489 housing built to 65.5 WMS, JK C's clocked to 12 DOS. ARB RD-147, 35 spline.
Rear: ECGS Dana 60 High Clearance low pinion, semi-float 65 WMS. Set 80 bearings. ARB RD-188, 40 spline.
I'll be able to retain my factory knuckles, brakes, wheels & tires for both axles. I also lucked out... Found someone within an hour drive who was willing to swap my 30-spline RCV's for a set of new 35 spline. With this setup, in the event I get real ambitious, I can whack off the front JK 5x5 outers and weld on some 99-04 Super Duty C's to go 35-spline 5x5.5.
OP
While waiting for the axles to come in... A little more sendcutsend.com. I had enough local interest to get the price down to $102/set.. 3/16" aluminum.
OP
OP
How can others get in on this. Inquiring minds want to know!
I may order another 10 sets and post a group buy.
OP
It's been a while. Some positive news. While new axles are on order and the Jeep passed inspection, I decided to park the jeep for the winter and see if the front axle is salvageable. I carefully torched the pinion out of the housing. Old outer pinion race was .005" smaller than new. The new race could be installed no different than normal. I suspect my housing is good! Pinion lost the war, though.. 
. I'll rebuild the axle and use it while I slowly build the ECGS axles.
. I'll rebuild the axle and use it while I slowly build the ECGS axles.
It's been a while. Some positive news. While new axles are on order and the Jeep passed inspection, I decided to park the jeep for the winter and see if the front axle is salvageable. I carefully torched the pinion out of the housing. Old outer pinion race was .005" smaller than new. The new race could be installed no different than normal. I suspect my housing is good! Pinion lost the war, though..
View attachment 487574
I used to install gears at a dealership & had come in over the weekend to finish off a job where I was replacing the gears on a telephone company aerial truck so it was a Dana 80. I'd done everything except putting gear oil into it. Came into work on Monday and took the truck for a test drive and made it about 5 miles down the road before the rearend locked up.... The axle was ruined but the pinion once we got it out looked similar to that.
B00mb00m
The Church of Cutting Brakes of Atlas-Front Digs
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OP
Yes. Set 80 & ECGS is machining the backing plate to use my JK brakes. I should see the axles early February.
Found your build thread through the "Jeeps with JK/JL Axles" Facebook group. Just read through in a single sitting. I made an account just to say that this post made my heart sink. I can't imagine the thought process of deciding on how to move forward from that point. Really tough.
Stunning build. I appreciate your fab style and not being scared to do things a bit different. I'm hoping I can take some of these tricks and apply them to my JK axle swapped XJ I'm currently working on.
I'm also in the northeast. I saw you mention Field and Forest at one point. Would be cool to get the JK swapped rigs together if I ever get my pile out of the garage.
OP
I commend you for reading through my $hit in a single sitting. There are other build threads here with alot more pages that I just couldn't do exactly what you did. There are some builds (and users chimed in on my build) who I valued their input on my build.
Just finishing a stretched LJ build with all aluminum armor.
Next build is a Brute-like TJ pick-up.
Get that XJ finished up and let's wheel some the best wheeling in the US, the Northeast. Not sure if I'll do the blacks at F&F with my build, though.. I have a beater and a buggy for that.