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Front Axle Replacement (upgrade??) availability

onecooltngeek

Member
Joined
January 12, 2007
Messages
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City, State
Knoxville, TN
Year, Model & Trim Level
2002 Sport
Broke my drivers side Front axle 4wheelin last weekend.
Looking for a replacement I have found OEM and China "quality" parts.

Has anyone ran across a company that sells an upgraded, heavier duty unit?
this is my first non straight Axle rig, so not to familiar w/ these CV Axles, but I am hoping I won't be breaking them all the time.

My ST is lifted on 33 goodyear MT's.
Have thought about moving up to a 35 next time it needs new shoes.

thanks!
ken
 



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General consensus is if it's lifted more than 2" you're going to break axles regardless of which ones you buy. The CV joints won't tolerate too great an angle. Buy them locally with a warranty. You'll get away with that for a while.......
 






General consensus is if it's lifted more than 2" you're going to break axles regardless of which ones you buy. The CV joints won't tolerate too great an angle. Buy them locally with a warranty. You'll get away with that for a while.......

That really depends on what kind of lift he has on his truck. No more then 1.75" if its a torsion bar lift. The other types of lifts don't affect the angle of the CVs.
 






I guess I should have given more details =)

Truck has:
4" Superlift
2" Warrior Shackles

Funny thing is I had done all the hard climbs etc all day w/o issues.

I came down a short but steep hill climb and after I was on "level" ground, I made a right turn, that's when it pop'd and made all sorts of terrible noise. The CV closer to the middle had broken.
I tried to tie it up to drive home, and after driving 1/4 mile to the pavement, the other side broke and the axle was just hanging there by the plastic boot. I fished all the bearings/broken pieces out, and drove it home.

I like the idea of picking one up at a local chain, and using warranty to replace as needed.
 






I guess I should have given more details =)

Truck has:
4" Superlift
2" Warrior Shackles

Ya think?

Based on no modification info originally provided I still think "no more than 2" stands. There are quite a few here that say they have done the TT to 2". Not my preference, just repeating what I've read.
 






Yeah, a few guys on here have broke there CVs while wheeling. If you have the superlift in the front then your CVs angles are the same as stock. You could always just get rid if the IFS and install a straight axle if you have the skills/time.
 






Maybe Chad would know of some better CV axles to run?? He ran the Suprelift and the Coilover Coversion (5"lift) for awhile and wheeled with it.

Just saying, plus that's one of the main reasons I plan on doing a SAS and SOA like he did because I don't feel like replacing too many parts and constantly replace tires because the truck can't stay aligned (common problem with lifted IFS trucks). I only have a 1.75" TT, 3" BL and SL right now.
 






You could always just get rid if the IFS and install a straight axle if you have the skills/time.

That's on my longterm to do list. Right now the truck is also my DD ,so no major projects like that for me, plus I know I would fall into the "well, if I'm putting SAS, lets go ahead and do D60's, well, now I need mo' power to move this D60's, so lets drop in a V8, ..... then i woudl be broke, and it prob wouldn't ever finish:

right now Advance Auto is having a 15% off sale for online purchases, so I'll prob get a new one frmo them, and just play the warranty return game for as long as possible (tks for the great idea).
 












The Dixon Brothers parts are stronger but also longer, so you need the whole setup plus wider fiberglass front fenders. Only costs $6000 or so. :p:
 






For $6,000 I'd rather do my SAS. LOL
 






Another guy in Miami just did an SAS and SOA on his Explorer, check it out.

after2.jpg


after7.jpg


:thumbsup:
 






Ok, still having CV issues.
since the initial post I have gone through 3 new driverside axles from Advance Auto.

They always appear to have broken due to the axle pulling apart under the CVboot on the diff side of the axle.

The first one broke going over some railroad tracks.
The second actually pulled apart ( on diff side under cvboot ) while installing ( I put it on anyways, and broke backing out of driveway.
The third broke making a left turn on a test run in my neighborhood at less than 10mph.

I'm not sure if the previous owner did a TT on it or not ( is there a way to tell? I'm new to IFS).

There is an autozone nearby as well, so I am thinking of getting my $$ back from advanced and trying out the autozone ones.

I followed the guide on here and on mysporttrac.com ( both are about the same), so I know I am doing things right. It really just seems as if the axle is to short, so when turning tight or suspension droops it pulls apart.

I know my swaybar bushings are fubar'd , but I don't think taht would be the problem, as the last time I turned it was super slow, and not much lean.


thanks for any tips on what to look for in advanced, I value your alls experience.
 






Still breaking CV axles.

I got a replacement OEM one from pullapart. Drove around the neighborhood and things were great!.

this morning backed out of the driveway, hadthe wheels to the left, and when the front tires went ovre the small bump at the end of the driveway, pop. broken CV axle.

It's always the drivers side. The ujoint inside always pulls out from the differential side.

I read some forums where it could be something w/ the superlift brackets leaning, I when I look at it, it looks straight to me (I'll get pics today).

I do have the swaybar connected ( endlink is bent due to cvaxle beating on it when broken) but the bend shoudl actually make it shorter, so I don't think that is the problem.

What else would you guys look at?? The truck wasn't wrecked, and it seems to drive straight, didn't take any big hits to suspension or anything that I know about.

Thanks in advanced, I'm at my wits end and could really use a hand.

thanks,
Ken
 






Take a picture of your truck from the front so we can see your control arm angle. Also the torsion bar bolts should not be tightened much more then half way to aviod stress on axles.

I have a set of oem cv shafts in great used condition if your interested.
 












Thank you both for the reply's.

I was at pullapart exchaning the cv this morning.

@boomin
Will get pics when wife gets home. The camera was in the minivan.
as far as I know the torsionbar bolts haven't been adjusted. The previous owner was pretty good about telling me everything he knew on the truck, so I'm sure he would have mentioned that.

@Turdle
thank you, will read that thread and check that bracket. I would LOVE to go SAS, but I don't have the shop/gear/experience w/ welding/fabrication to do it myself, and don't have the $$ to pay someone else (local shop here in knoxville TN rough estimated me for 60 hours shop labor + parts etc... that would be around $4k just for labor!

also, anything special about pulling of that bracket I should know?? can the truck just be on jackstands or do I need to support the diff as well??
It looks straight on the truck, but you never know, hard to really tell w/ all the muck/grime under it.

thanks!
 






Ok got some pics.

I was unable to get that front diff drop bracket off. My air tools didnd't have enough ooomph to move the bolt. I soaked it with PB blaster and will try again later.

I did notice a few things...

1 - lower control arm on the drivers side does not appear to be "square" with the brackets where it connects. Both bushing are smooshed towards the front of the vehicle and have a gap on the backside of the vehicle. (pics 1 and 2 below). When looking from the side, it appears the lower arm is angled towrads the front of the truck some.

2- The bolt I believe is the torsion bolt ( please correct me if I am wrong, new to IFS) is not the same on both sides of the truck. The drivers side is screwed in further than the passenger side is. (pics 3 and 4 below).

Will put the tire bakc on and get some more pics of stance and geometry when not on jackstands.

All photo's here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25440562@N03/sets/72157626641700845/

Control Arm drivers side rear (smooshed in green circle, gap in red circle)
5740560407_a22ae37d21.jpg

Driver Side Torsion Bar Front by onecooltngeek, on Flickr

Control Arm drivers side front (smooshed in green circle, gap in red circle)
5740560269_669553d58f.jpg

Driver Side Torsion Bar Front by onecooltngeek, on Flickr

Torsion setup, drivers side.
5741113646_3b0ecc3cd0.jpg

Driver Side Torsion Bar Rear by onecooltngeek, on Flickr

Torsion setup, passenger side.
5740560363_2e5c7959ca.jpg

Passenger Side Torsion Bar rear by onecooltngeek, on Flickr

Drivers side where it goes into control arm:
5741113696_0050aaf8f3.jpg

Driver Side Torsion Bar Front by onecooltngeek, on Flickr

Passenger side where it goes into control arm:
5740560327_96065de78d.jpg

Passenger Side Torsion Bar Front by onecooltngeek, on Flickr
 






Looks like you're on the right track.
 



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I am not seeing anything that sticks out to me that is going to beat up cv axles. I can see the drivers side steering stop is in tact which will tear up cvs if its missing.

The drivers side torsion bar bolt usually is turned in more than the pass side dude to fatigue from the driver and the gas tank is on that side.

I need a stance pic of it on level ground on all 4s from the front to check out the control arm angle
 






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