Axle shafts

[supersavage]

Quick question...Are all heavy-duty dog bones/cvd's created equal? What do you guy's recommend to use or not use. I'd like some experience behind this purchase.

I have bent up the stockers with the S-25 and stock tires.
Have run Hotbodies 7 or 7 1/2" tires occasionally.
Planning on upgrading to O.S. 30 this spring and want my bases covered.

Thanks

 

[sweetdiesel]

I used to bend or break dog bones all the time until I learned throttle control. When you jump, ease up on the throttle when you land, this will help preserve not only your dogbones but also the rest of your drivetrain. Make sure your slipper clutch is adjusted properly, so it does it's job and slips when necessary.

The chrome plated dogbones are supposed to be better than the plain black ones, from what I have seen the black ones will snap at the ends, while the chrome ones tend to bend. If you don't catch it right away a bent dogbone will tear up your drive cups.

 

[1 Bad STi]

the chrome's are stronger, however I 2nd diesel's ideas.

Ill admit the savage was hard to learn to jump. The correct amount of gas/brake is extremely important while jumping our trucks. Next time u jump blip the throttle, I'm positive the a$$ of the truck will start to sink and the front will go up. Tap the brakes a little and that front end will come back down. Get that balanced and you'll be gold.

 

[supersavage]

Ill admit the savage was hard to learn to jump. The correct amount of gas/brake is extremely important while jumping our trucks. Next time u jump blip the throttle, I'm positive the a$$ of the truck will start to sink and the front will go up. Tap the brakes a little and that front end will come back down. Get that balanced and you'll be gold.

Got the control down. Same as racing dirt bikes, basic physics...
Here is what I am working with. A set of Skip's 1 1/2" ext. tvp's with a front tank mod. Just a little front heavy. Most sloping jumps are easy to handle like that, but a few jumps in our bashing spots require me to stay on the throttle to keep the truck level. Those are the few causing the problems. I'm also going to try running lst shocks this spring if I can get my act together, maybe that'll help. This type of jump usually is _/. not really rounded. Any opinions on suspension setups to help with this would be appreciated also.

thx

 

[sweetdiesel]

When you are jumping you need to preload the suspension with some throttle right before you take off the jump. That will help bring the front end up once you get airborne.

If the midtank mod is making the front end too heavy why not switch it back to its original position?

 

[olds97_lss]

I've run the following:

Stock center cups
HD Chrome center cups
Stock Dog bones Center
Chrome Dog Bones Center
RDLogics CVD's center/outer
HB CVD's center/outer
NewEra CVD's center

With all of these, I've ran stock cups going to the wheels on the diffs and chrome cups in the center.

Just to give you an idea of what I experience, I only run low horsepower (under 2 hp) engines and I've had the same spur for 16 gallons straight (original). Then engine I have run primarily is an OS 21 RG (1.8hp) with 54/14 gearing. It's geared low because I like wheelies and to be quick off the line. This puts extra stress on the drive line though.

I've bent all the above but chrome bones in the center. I've always run either HB cvd's or RDLogics cvd's to the wheels. The HB cvd's to the wheels lasted 12 gallons for me. The RDLogics cvd's to the wheels have lasted the last 4 with minimal signs of wear.

My main issues have been center axles/cups. All brands of CVD's I listed above in the center wore out in a few gallons. I never broke one on the dog bone end or in the center of the shaft. The knuckle part of it would get worn and eventually snap.

The stock center cups would groove out on me in 1.5-2 gallons. Then I tried tempering them myself with a blowtorch and water. I'd heat them red hot, then drop them in water. I'd do this about 2-3 times per cup. This made the standard one last 3-4 gallons. Then I tried the HD chrome cups. Non-tempered by me, they would last 2-3 gallons. Tempered by me they have lasted 4-5 so far.

I've also just started (the last gallon or two) using white lightning wax based chain lube on all my diff cups. Since I've started using that, I haven't seen the wear on my cups get any worse.

 

[supersavage]

When you are jumping you need to preload the suspension with some throttle right before you take off the jump. That will help bring the front end up once you get airborne.

If the midtank mod is making the front end too heavy why not switch it back to its original position?

I think what is happening is the shocks are preloading at the base of the ramp from the sharp angle, instead of at the launch point. Maybe softer springs on the rear would help keep the back from kicking up prematurely.:shrug:

I have cracked 2 tanks apart and broken numerous mounts with the tank in it's stock position. We sometimes run at a friends motocross track with large looping jumps, and with the mid tank it is so much more controllable on big air than revos, lst's and stock savages. I know I can't have the best of both worlds but thought I'd ask.

Wow Olds...I don't think I could have tried all that if I had owned my savage my whole life. I've got about 3-4 gallons on mine and my center shafts look new. The center cups are a little grooved, but nothing big. This tear-down I have two outer shafts that the ends are right at 90 degrees off and 3 of the 4 are bowed pretty bad. Weird how these trucks are mostly the same but all wear out differently.

I think I've talked myself out of cvd's and sticking with the bones. My question is the "chrome" process. On agriculture equipment we have a few things chromed...mostly wear parts that rub. It helps keep it from wearing down so fast, not really making the part "stronger". Is this what they are refering to or is it a chromoly alloy of some sort that is stronger/higher tensile than the stock material?

 

[olds97_lss]

That's all I've ever seen as chrome parts as well, they were high wear parts. Like the chrome plated sleeve inside the engines... It makes for a slicker harder surface.

Keep an eye on the notching though. Once it starts, it normally gets worse quickly. Then the bones start to catch and that will snap them as it rotates.