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any reason for me to run 33 spline shafts?

sharpie1k

sharpie1k

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Davis, CA
As the title states, is there any reason to run them on my D44 in my case? I will run the 'con at some point in the next year, and may be upgrading the 35's (maybe). The axle is getting locked and disc'd, so I dunno if the locking will affect it, other than I know it will limit locker choices. I do mild wheeling now, hoping to move up to intermediate at least, and then the 'con this summer.

Also, if I went 33 splines, what locker options do I have? Thanks. I know I can search for the last question, but I am lazy and might as well ask here:spin1:
 
Because you can!?

Off the top of my head Detroit, OX, and ARB offer the 33 spline options.

Depends on your mind set and how you wheel it. If you have the Go Big or go home mentality and are hard charging the 33spline would be nice insurance.

If you are a member of the slow and steady camp, them the 30 spline will work as well.
 
With 30 spline, you should carry spares with 35's.

With 33 spline, you should probably know someone that has a spare somewhere, just in case.

You could go 35 spline in your 44, if you wanted to go ARB..
 
well, if I went with 30 spline, I would have extra 30 spline non alloys (the ones I just took out looked almost new) in case. If I went 33 spline, I would have to make friends with someone that did.

I would rather not go 35 spline, because if I am in a situation where I need 35 spline, chances are something else has already failed in/on the heep.
 
Doing what you say you'll do, you don't need 33 spline axles. However, most of us have gone on to do more than what we thought we would do, and have done things over again because of it.

If you're starting from scratch to do gears and lockers in your D44, I'd do the 33 spline stuff.....no question. You don't need to carry spares, or know anyone who has them, since you will never break them.
 
How do you drive ?

Are you heavy on the skinny ? If so yeah go for it. If you go slow and careful the other should hold up. Bouncing is really hard on axles too, everything actually including your body. A day of that crap and you hurt from the inside out. Just about anything will break if you are hard enough on it. Which axle is your 44?
What size are you lookng to go too ? 36 Iroks are pretty sweet. Fat though ! Most of the Hardcore guys in our club run the Iroks now. I like those new BFG Crawlers too.
I have a brother in law who has an XJ and occasional runs the con out of Vacaville. He isn't real hardcore yet, but his rig is already about there. He just needs to gear down and jump in tire size. Check with him if you need some one to go on a run with. He isn't hardcore yet , but would like to start doing rocks, but should probably ease into it also. He messes around down at Redtop quite a bit. That yuck mud crap. Hunts out at Suisun Bay. His Dad owns a duck Club out there. That is my old stomping grounds too. We both Grew up in Good Ole Ghetto Vallejo : ) Cyuh !
http://www.cardomain.com/id/vacavillian
 
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I was going to go 35" Bighorns, as I love the ones I have right now. But I still am unsure. I trust all of your advice, but Phil said I should stay with 30's so I can keep the stock as spares. I am confused still ><
 
I used to worry about keeping the stocks as spares.

Now I buy parts that don't break. I'm running 30 spline dana 30 inners and outers with CTM's, and I carry one spare stub axle.

I've got 35 spline rear's for my 44 on the way, and am not going to bother carrying a spare rear axle anymore. I'll break something else long before my axle breaks, and I'm pretty sure I'd have broken that something else anyways.

I used to think keeping something weak to break would stop me from breaking something bigger and more important.. then I was on a run where a buy broke a front axle shaft .. no big deal, he had spares..
..except that the inner shaft contacted the outer shaft and broke both balljoints.

interferance.jpg

more here:

http://www.shadowco.org/~cal/4x4/ujoints-why/


Build to where you don't have to worry about carrying spares. If your already buying a locker and shafts, your not talking about much more money.
 
Yeah, i carry a spare set of balljoints too.

I don't carry a spare knuckle, but after I do my 5x5.5 conversion I probably will keep a set in the trailer.
 
damn this dilemma, i'm in the same boat Sharpie :(

Sucks too, because I have money for everything except the shafts right now (if I go 33 spline) lol.
 
I have to wait anyway, so I might just go 33 spline. I am in no way heavy on the skinny, but it would be nice to know that if anything breaks, it won't be the rear axle. I dunno though, I really wanted an ECTED for the back, not an ARB.
 
I had actually gone as far as purchasing an Ected and 27 spline alloy-usa shafts for my Dana 30, when I decided I wanted to go 30 spline on the front. I'm running an ARB and 30 spline stuff now. Sometimes the desire to not break is more important than the locker selection, sometimes its not.
 
The Super 44 Kit is priced very well at Summitracing.com I think with a Detroit its like $950 with 33 splines and Detroit. Just an FYI.
 
I would think the D44 pinion would be the weak point with 33 spline alloy shafts, so I would stick with 30 spline alloys and carry a stock one for a spare (I'm pretty sure the shorter one will fit both sides). With Nor-Cal wheelin, 35s, locker, and not heavy on the gas I doubt you would ever break even stock D44 shafts, and 30 spline alloys would be essentially bomb-proof.
 
This is all opinions, and you know what they say about opinons. I just don't see any point in spending the money for alloy axle shafts and not getting the 33 spline stuff. You save the weight and hassle of carrying spares, and you have more peace of mind. You won't ever break them.

As far as lockers, just get the Detroit. They are silky smooth and you will rarely even notice that it's back there, and no possible glitches with wiring or air lines. Build that rear end once, wheel the hell out of it and forget about it.
 
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