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RCV ultimate dana axles vs Yukon/Superior axles

One advantage of the RCV shafts is that you get constant rotational speeds out of your front wheels, even at full lock. Some may say this leads to more consistent traction and feedback when on rocks and whatnot, which would make some degree of sense (but I can't vouch for it).

Another advantage is that you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who has broken them.
 
rcv's while nice: I have to issues with them
1 they are a pain in the ass to install
2 you may not be breaking shafts anymore, but depending on your wheeling style you will start to strip R&P's
 
One advantage of the RCV shafts is that you get constant rotational speeds out of your front wheels, even at full lock. Some may say this leads to more consistent traction and feedback when on rocks and whatnot, which would make some degree of sense (but I can't vouch for it).

Another advantage is that you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who has broken them.

Another advantage is that if the CV does break(which it will not) it wont take the knuckle/ball joints out with it.

would D30 with RCV axles perform the way stock D44 does (front one).
the target is to use 35"-37" tires.

I'm running 35's, you need to chase the weakness of the D-30 inward though. I recommend a full case locker(detroit/ARB/OX), a stout cover(RuffStuff or the like) and a truss(homemade or TNT etc.)

You need to reduce the ring gear deflection as the ring gear is now the weakest point of the axle. I would say that a properly built D-30 is as strong if not slightly stronger than a bone stock D-44, this will start a debate I'm sure, but we are comparing built to stock. Stock to stock there is no comparison.

I stayed with the D-30 for the ground clearance, stock width, less modification for install etc.
 
1 they are a pain in the ass to install
The first side is hard, just because I don't know what we are doing,:roflmao: the second side was pretty easy! Besides grinding the knuckles and getting the boot to pop on, the biggest pain to me was grinding the 3 hub bolts so they don't rub, while still having a flange to hold it so it doesn't slide through.

I believe my Dana 30 with RCVS, ARB, 4.88's, Crane cover, braced and (almost finished) truss, will not break despite what my heavy 35"km2s and beadlocks want to say.

*Little rant start*
I am of the thinking now that if you don't ever see yourself going above 33"s, you need to either A) Think realistically, we like big tires. or B)stay with stock shafts. If you are going to go above 33"s, sell the 30 and build up a 60 or 609 or something that is bullet proof unless you are running 42" stickies and have a huge ls engine to spin them. I don't believe the cost you would spend to build a proper 44 is worth still having smaller shafts and weaker hubs. Now saying this, I am running a stupid built 30 and 8.25 on heavy 35s and am trying to run trails I probably shouldn't be. So far I haven't broken anything but a stock 100thousand-mile-old u joint, but the problem is I am having thoughts of 37"s and crazy stuff like that and the 30 is just not up to that without common rebuilds, and that isn't cost effective. I also believe if you are wheeling stuff with 37"s a Dana 44 probably wouldn't be cutting it without going through hubs and shafts every other trip out.

:wierd:
 
pshhhh....

if you cant run it on 35's with a good setup, you prolly shouldnt be running it on anything less than a 60....just saying

if you consistently run hard trails but plan on keeping 35s then get shafts...

i was gonna run RCV's, but decided it was easier to replace shafts than gears on the trail. so went with alloys....

its all preference and opinion
 
I agree on all what you said except for the RCV vs. alloys, here is my thinking

With going to RCVs I figure I moved my breakable part off the axle, I believe the straps on the driveshaft or front pinion yoke will go first before anything else. With your shafts, you still have binding and the strength loss due to the u joint design. If the joint breaks it will most likely take out the shaft and now you have the same situation you would be in if you had stock shafts, except you are out all of the money you spent on alloys.
 
i was gonna run RCV's, but decided it was easier to replace shafts than gears on the trail. so went with alloys....

Well not really, if you snap a R&P, just drain the fluid, pull the shafts and DS, stuff rags in the tubes, put stubbies in the unit bearings and drive home in 2wd. I carry stubbies as spares, no spare shafts.
 
Wrong. Wouldn't the straps break before everything else if they were going to?

Also I can't turn full lock anyway and I'm not stupid enough to try and throttle out of something with the ujoint jammed.

You're on 488's in a 30. I'd say that's the weakpoint. The teeth contact with that ratio is better but pinion is tiny. Id bet that broke before anything else. You might have the luck of losing a driveshaft ujoint first.
Either way. I'd rather toss a shaft in real fast and call it good takes me 10 minutes. GL with R&P
 
Well not really, if you snap a R&P, just drain the fluid, pull the shafts and DS, stuff rags in the tubes, put stubbies in the unit bearings and drive home in 2wd. I carry stubbies as spares, no spare shafts.
Rear wheel drive on a 9/10 rated trail ain't gonna cut it. Even with a winch would be hard. No thanks
 
Mike, my thinking that the strap will break if everything in the axle is strong comes from when I was in penrose last time, since my rear axle is pretty strong, instead of a shaft breaking the strap and yoke popped, that could have been a really easy trail repair too rather than taking of tires, undoing hubs, and brakes and everything.

Edit:
plus mike, if I do go through a R/P they are guaranteed for life!
 
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Around here almost all obstacles are bypassed but I agree, it would be tough if there is no pop-out
see here, the good trails are one way in and one way out. different lines, but none of them "bypasses"

Time2getdirty--
the break point, from what i have noticed is a check down....
break traction, break ujoint, break shaft, break locker/spiders/carrier, r&p, then driveshaft.

warranties are great, it replaces the part, im worried about getting off the trail. short of a gear swap, or driving with a destroyed front end, you are pretty SOL if you break halfway through patriot, or carnage bv.....
 
thanks for all the pros and cons :thumbup:

based on your experience and/or what have you seen on the trails - would you go for RCV axles to mod D30 or stick with 4340 Chrome-Moly ones with the following set-up:
35" tires, 4.56 or 4.88 R&P, ARB front and D44 with DetroitL rear.
 
that depends on how you wheel, where you wheel, the issues you have and whatnot. anything posted on this board is just like things posted everywhere else, it is subjective and biased.
 
heres my two cents i went with chromo 4340s cause i can carry the stock shafts as spares and can be changed out pretty fast 4340 chromos also have a 10 year or lifetime warranty so if you break them they get replaced who a ring and pinion setup on the trail would be a major pain with shims and everything
 
RCV's. Chromo shafts and beefy u-joints are gonna be pretty damn tough, so the chance of breaking the R&P is possible there as well. I felt the extra few hundred bucks was totally worth the pro's of the RCV shafts.

Just the fact that I can put the hammer down and row back and forth lock to lock makes it all worth while. They've definitely earned their keep.
 
The strength of an RCV at full lock is a factor for me because I do alot of dune running and if you have to turn the wheel to lock and punch it because you are not gonna make it to the top, you want shafts that are not gonna grenade and take out your ball joints. The biggest factor in the long run is your driving style and where you wheel.
 
RCVs seem like the last stop when you are upgrading a D30. When you get that much shaft in a D30, you want it to be trussed & with a full case locker, too, or you are putting the center section at risk.
If you are going to build a D30 that far, you are basically trying to duplicate the strength of a D44 with shafts / joints in it or a D60. There are reasons to choose any of the 3 axles.
I wouldn't run RCVs without having a truss & full case, though, simply because I don't want the "guts" to be the weakest link in the axle.
If you run them with a fully beef'd housing & carrier, though, I think you'd be able to beat it up pretty bad on 35s without any real issues. Going bigger.. well... I dunno about that...
Bottom line is that the RCV is *hella* strong, which has its pros and cons about it. All depends on where you want to go with the axle, gears, tires, terrain.
 
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