[54inches]

I understand the benefits to drive flanges over manual hubs, but are their any carrier type limitations and/or downsides to drive flanges?

If these flanges are unbreakable, adn all things being equal, what now is your weak point. For arguments sake, let's use a D60 as an example.

I noticed several where rnning them over the Warn "premium" hubs, due to failure. So, is anything breaking now?

Thanks,

 

[Hardline]

There will allways be a weak link. Maybe an axle snapping.Knuckle joint? Just will take more abuse before you break it. If you do not increase your abuse level then you would not break anything. If level goes high enough you will find the weak link. popcornn

 

[Stretch]

I dont know about weak links yet, but the bad thing about them is if you need to turn the rear driveshaft by hand when it is not connected to the rear axle, you can't do it because the front is locked all the time. Other then that I love them because I dont have to worry about them breaking like those weak little hubs.

 

[54inches]

Does the type of carrier change anything?

 

[4x4Freak]

I dont know about weak links yet, but the bad thing about them is if you need to turn the rear driveshaft by hand when it is not connected to the rear axle, you can't do it because the front is locked all the time. Other then that I love them because I dont have to worry about them breaking like those weak little hubs.

All you have to do is put the t-case in neutral.

 

[micah]

I run flanges on my d60 and love them. of course its trail only. I don't know about "next" week link. i mean, I found that my stock warn standard lockouts actually out lasted my 30 spline stubb shafts. I just went with flanges when i upgraded to 35 spline.

if i had to guess, the week link now will be the ujoint or the stock inners in my case. they aren't necked down though so knock on wood.

 

[mudgod]

All you have to do is put the t-case in neutral.

Even if the front is locked?

 

[4x4Freak]

Yes. You can also put the tranny in neutral and the t-case in 2wd and each output will turn independently.

 

[54inches]

Does the type of carrier change anything?

 

[OldGoat]

carrier and flange etc.

This is what I have found:
The physical size of the D60 carrier seems to be near bullet proof, the limited slip is even beefier than the open one and of course if you go to a spool it will be the strongest carrier of all. I cannot speak about lockers because i have not run one as of yet. I weld all my spider gears.
Dana 44 axles snap like toothpicks with 38.5" tires.
In my opinion, the U-joints are going to be your weakest link now especially if you have upgraded to 35 spline outer stubshafts. I base this on the physical size of the metal available on the outer area of the U-joint cap and not on any technical data. No I have not upgraded to 35 spline outers because my D60 came with the outer 30's and inner 35's so I'll run them till they break. I can see the size and neck down issues with the factory Dana 60 axleshafts but when the outers break I will upgrade to 35 spline stub shafts.

 

[54inches]

Thanks old Goat....

Does the type of carrier change if your always locked.....ie an air locker...

I apologize for not being clear.....

~~~~~~~~~

They were saying you are always locked if you have drive flanges. My question was, does the type of carrier change that fact. Do you need to run a locker, or what.....

I looked at all of the diagrams and read all of pirate's info on D60's, but there not much info on drive flanges.......


I think I am just confusing myself...as well as others..........

 

[4x4Freak]

It will be just like having the hubs locked in all the time. If you have an open carrier it will still spin a tire if you lose traction. Drive flanges just lock the axle shafts solid to the hubs, they do nothing to affect the operation of the differential whether it be a locker or open.

 

[OldGoat]

yep

That is a big 10-4. My thinking would be if you choose to spend the cash for the drive flanges which are going to be extra beefy even compared to the very best lockout hubs then you would want to have some type of locker or a spool or even weld the spider gears if it is an offroad only rig. One thing to remember is with drive flanges AND a good locker, spool or welded carrier (welded spider gears in the carrier actually) the front axle is going to act way different than an open carrier, meaning there is no give anywhere. So with an open carrier and drive flanges there will still be the ability for each front wheel to travel at variable speeds and with drive flanges and any locked carrier or spool there is going to be very little (locker right before lock up) or no diff action (welded and spool) so you will get the tire chirp thing and it will be much harder to turn except with the locker at slow speeds it will allow some diff action.
Added to the equation is the ring and pinion ratio, the lower (higher numerically) you go the more the torque is multiplied and the greater the chance of something snapping.

 

[Stretch]

All you have to do is put the t-case in neutral.

not in a zuk tcase.

 

[Stretch]

Yes. You can also put the tranny in neutral and the t-case in 2wd and each output will turn independently.

now that may work, I dint think about that at 4am while I was under there trying to unbolt the rear driveshaft from the tcase.

 

[54inches]

Thank you very much Goat. That is how is seemed like it would work to me, but I just needed some positive clarification. Probably not a good idea for a street truck.