Re: Warn hub munching.

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Daniel Nees wrote:
> 
>    Tom is refering to the REAR axle full floater kit. The rear hubs on

Right you are, Dan!

With a centered rear diff.  In a semi-float (which, FAIK, was never a
FRONT axle issue) the axle shafts bear part of the weight.  The only way
for them to "share" this weight with the truck, is by applying pressure
to the differential (side gears).  You have one bearing at the flange
end, and a tire "outside" of that.  Granted, it's a short lever on the
tire side, and a long on "inboard" at the diff, but it's still there.

I'm theorizing that a full-floater by design has a stronger/thicker axle
housing *TUBE* to support the weight.  When you convert a semi-float,
the housing doesn't have this extra thickness, and the axle shafts are
bearing no weight, so it flexes and causes the hub damage Dan mentioned.

Truss it, and you're in business.

I was reminded of this by a Jeeper.. that runs 36s or something bigger
on his Dana 30.  Claims he hasn't broken anything since he trussed it
(broke stuff left n' right before)

He thinks that the truss keeps the Dana 30 housing from flexing which
keeps other stuff from breaking.

Still doesn't mean I'm dumping my '44 for a '30 tho. ;-)

-Tom "gotta replace another front U-joint still" Mandera