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New Axle Shafts - Don't fit!

2480 Views 24 Replies 14 Participants Last post by  2JK
I ordered a set of Alloy USA chromoly axleshafts for the front end and got two sets! That's the good news. I checked the driver side new inner shaft against the stock shaft and the new one is short by 11/16". What is going on here? I don't think there is an possible way to use them. But before I return both sets I want to see if anyone else has dealt with this before. I did slip the new shaft into the housing and diff, and it slid right in, but its the position in the knuckle and the fit of the outer I'm not to happy about.
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They might of shipped you a set of D30 shafts... You need the D44 shafts....
The two sets they sent were clearly marked d44/30/30 and are identical. We have three possibilities:
1. The aftermarket axleshafts are different length than stock; or
2. These two sets are the wrong part for my Jeep; or
3. Mis-fabricated
Before I box it all up and send it back I need to see which case it is. I've only pulled the driver's side axleshaft and compared it to the new one. The stock inner shaft measures 17-13/16" overall length (end of shaft to end of ear). The new one is 17-1/8" oal.
Before sending then back call where you got them from and ask. It sounds strange they would be 3/4" off.
Elwarpo said:
Before sending then back call where you got them from and ask. It sounds strange they would be 3/4" off.
They're sending UPS for the whole thing and giving my money back. They couldn't explain the dimensional problem. Word to wise NO ALLOY USA! If I have to have my axles custom made, then thats what I'll do.
Dude, I run Alloy USA. I have not had any problems with them and neither have the 15 others friends run that.

installer error maybe?
2JK, Alloy has had negative comments here from time to time, often about quality control.

There are other axle companies. Superior makes a great axle (which is what I ran). Or hop in on the group buy here!
kidmugg said:
2JK, Alloy has had negative comments here from time to time, often about quality control.

There are other axle companies. Superior makes a great axle (which is what I ran). Or hop in on the group buy here!
X2 They are not known for "quality".

As I run Vanco's, whenever funds allow depending on what happens up front, I'd run Superior Evo's myself...

Best of Luck,

Mike
seal66 said:
Dude, I run Alloy USA. I have not had any problems with them and neither have the 15 others friends run that.

installer error maybe?
If it weren't for the fact that the drivers side inner was 11/16" shorter than stock, which puts the ujoint 11/16" inside the centerline of the knuckle, they would be fine. Again exceedingly poor quality control. These are junk and they are going back to China where they were made. I'll find an American made axle.
Superior has 2 levels, one US made and 1 china made. I believe the evolutuion are US made. I have alloys i have been running for the last 5 years, but will probably go RCV on the other rubi.
about every ting these days is somehow made in china. lol
I really like the RCV axles and Northridge is putting on a group buy right now that puts them within reach. But you can't do the Vanco brakes with the RCV axles. I have never heard of someone with RCV's who said they are crappy.
bob1340, Ron993 here on ROF has vanco bakes with RCVs.
OMG! Now I'm worried. I bought gears and Ten factory axles from Northridge almost a year ago but just got around to ordering my 35's. Gonna have the gears and axles installed at 4 Wheel Parts when the tires come in. Hope they fit!
geroux said:
OMG! Now I'm worried. I bought gears and Ten factory axles from Northridge almost a year ago but just got around to ordering my 35's. Gonna have the gears and axles installed at 4 Wheel Parts when the tires come in. Hope they fit!
I wouldn't worry, your axles and gears will be fine
what i would worry about is 4 wheel parts doing your gear set up
kidmugg said:
bob1340, Ron993 here on ROF has vanco bakes with RCVs.
Blaine says it's a really bad idea to use them together.
First off....relax. The shafts are shorter for production reasons, nothing else. This is not uncommon. Superior/Foote does the same thing. I wondered about this when I got my new set of evolutions from Superior, but Chad looked it up and it was done that way on purpose. I forget the exact measurement so can't remember it off the top of my head, but if you have at least x amount of inches contacting the side gears in the carrier then you're fine. When you pull your stock axles out, you'll notice that the end of the splines do not have signs of wear on them, because they were never inserted into the side gear. Of course this is a moot point with shorter axles since the unit bearing pulls it out of the carrier a bit when the unit bearing is bolted to the outer C. Thus, the location of the ears and u-joint is in exactly the same location. The only difference is that...1. you don't have extra unused splines on the axle, and 2. the axle isn't pressed all the way into the side gear. It's perfectly fine that way and does not lessen the strength of the axle or the side gear.

Second....Alloy USA is now Ten Factory/Motive Gear. Notice the Super D44 kits with 30-spline outer axles ;-) They are just as strong as all the other axles from all the other middle men....er, I mean "manufacturers", with maybe the exception of Yukon (since those actually are different axles). Which brings me to my third & final point...

All the axles from Superior (with the exception of the Evolution series axles), Alloy USA/Ten Factory/Motive Gear (G2 axles are actually Ten Factory axles repackaged & relabeled BTW), and Yukon axles.....are made in India, not China. They all come the same place and go to different "manufacturers"...if you can really call them that. Really, these companies in the US selling these axles are the middle man/quality control dept. Ten Factory actually has a QA facility and department to check that their axles meet their standards, but they do not actually MAKE axles. Some are imported from India, the others are made by a US company called Foote. I'm not sure if Foote is now owned/partnered with Superior now, but that is who actually MAKES American-made axles. One of the axle guys from Superior left to start his own axle company a while ago and is now in charge at Ten Factory. If you compare the Ten Factory axles to Superior axles, they are EXACTLY the same because they came from the same place....with the exception of the Evolution series from Superior. Those are different and you'll know if you have one because "USA" will be stamped into the ears...and you'll pay for it too! I have broken TONS of axles/ ring gears/lockers/spider gears/etc, but I have yet to break.....I'm better not say it :D

The Yukon axles are noticeably different when you compare them to the Superior or Ten Factory imports, but they still come from India too.

Good luck with 4 Wheel Putts, especially when it comes to gears. While setting the pinion depth, backlash, and shims is not brain surgery it still takes some experience and a little patience to get it right. Whoever is setting up your gears, make sure they know what they're doing.
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seal66 said:
Dude, I run Alloy USA. I have not had any problems with them and neither have the 15 others friends run that.

installer error maybe?
Seal, you may have bought yours from the real or orginal Alloy USA???

Send them back and get some Superior Evolution series.
Thanks Atheist! I am holding off on the return until I go and measure the sidegear engagement. I agree on the unit bearing pulling the assembly to its proper position. I was worried about losing the engagement with the side gear and not lining up with the inner seals properly. I am amazed that the Re-seller (not 4WP in this case) and the "manufacturer's" rep couldn't tell me what you just did. Anyway this is what forums are for and thanks to all of you for input. I'll post at the conclusion of this work and let everyone know how it went and also clear up the other questions floating around. Oh and Merry Christmas to one and all!

JK
I wouldn't worry, your axles and gears will be fine
what i would worry about is 4 wheel parts doing your gear set up
X many!
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