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Front Axle - Solid Axle, Independent and Wheeling

Blown

Elite Explorer
Joined
December 6, 2007
Messages
1,074
Reaction score
829
City, State
Montrose, CO
Year, Model & Trim Level
2000 X-Edge
I have driven with both on varied trails and off road parks. I had a fullsize Bronco with TTB, swapped-in a D44, and an Explorer now. There is research and experience, both of which suggest what style axle and suspension you run depends on what you want to run with it.

I very much enjoyed building-up and pushing my TTB Bronco. I got it up too 16" of travel, ran it through big whoops in sand/volcanic cinders, and desert fast! One side can take a bump while the other stays in contact with the ground and helps the rig track strait. There is no way a solid axle would do what it could as far as going fast, tracking through rough terrain, and soaking-up the bumps. When one side of a solid axle wheel hits a bumps the whole axle reacts to it. Now when it gets to rough rock type crawling trails, the solid front axle has the advantage because of forced articulation. When one side is pushed-up on a rock the other is forced down to hopefully gain traction and prevent a tip over.
I enjoyed the TTB front living in Arizona. When I moved to Colorado and all running mostly rock trails here, I recognized the benefit of a solid front axle. I did not like that tippy feeling with one side of the independent stuffed while the other side hung in the air when on an obstacle. I swapped-in a Dana 44 high pinion and realized the benefit immediately when out crawling, but did miss the higher speed running and strait tracking of the TTB.

I believe facts back it up that you build for what you are going to run. There are distinct advantages and detriments to each type of front axle. These two, both look to be built awesome and I know which one I would run where.

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