Braced rear axle (show off thread LOL)

Anybody care to check out my new rear axle??



So I beat on my axle hard for about 7 years. A couple months ago I noticed it was seeping oil. We found the axle tube cracked between the bump strike pad and the u-bolt. Once I really started looking at it I also found my leaf perches were pulling away from the tube and my shock tabs were cracking as well. Also, for the last year or so I've noticed both wheels were negative camber about 1.5 degrees. I talked to 3 different shops. I wanted a budget fix, just glue everything back together. but nobody wanted to do that haha they all said it would just fall apart again. 2 shops said throw in a full race axle, ford 9". The problem with that is I would have race hubs, so I would have to get new wheels and have different bolt pattern front/rear. Plus we were now in the $10k range. Rough Stuff makes a 10.5 housing thats stronger than factory. The problem with that is for some stupid reason they dont offer axle ends to fit factory axle/hubs. They wanted me to get race axles and do full floater ends with race hubs. So we were back to having a different bolt pattern. Plus I would have to buy new axles, hubs, and brakes. This would be less than a $10k race axle, but still more than I wanted to pay. I had a shop in AZ offer to build a full custom race axle and reuse all my factory parts, but he needed to do some r&d in order to quote me and I still felt it was not gonna be cheap.

After talking with Steel Nutz in Temecula, I had a great middle of the road solution. I bought a used axle housing for $400. Came out of a 2017 and was basically brand new. Steel Nutz stripped it down and braced it. And let me tell you, fabrication is an underrated art. These guys killed it. The way the brace is cut to the diff housing is beautiful. Little details like a cut out for the fill plug are really awesome. They plated the bottom of the diff for when Im on the rocks. They also plated/armored the front drain plug. this way I dont need a stupid diff skid. Those things are trash. I got beefier bump strike pads, leaf perches, and shock tabs also.

Anyways, just thought I would share with you guys. Total cost was under $4500, less than half of what a full race axle would cost. The factory housing is very strong, however, I have 4000 lbs on it and I really beat on it so in the end it wasn't enough.

 

Cant take it with you and kids would just buy hookers and blow

 

So this!

 

Super nice. Bad ass actually $4500 isn't too crazy at all. Props to Steel Nutz!

 

The absolute best part about working with steel nutz? They had me in the shop 3 days after I contacted them and they were finished with the job 5 days after I dropped it off

 

That's almost unheard of. I little over a week after first contact. damn good

 

They always get me in in a day or two. Only reason it took 3 days is because I needed to source an axle housing.

and its not because they are sitting around with no work. They do a lot of race trucks and chevy/ford desert trucks. They just have the right amount of guys in the shop and they run a proper business

 

Alex @osidepunker , amazing what you come up with!!
But that goes with the territory! You’re out there wheeling hard and know and have had all kinds of breakdowns and parts and pieces worn down!
Thanks for sharing not just your skills but also your knowledge with all of us! I believe it is appreciated by more than you will ever know!

 

Thanks Monet!

 

yep. Rear truss on a toyota axle is a no brainer. diff come out the front so rear truss is the way to go

 

That looks like really nice work I’m impressed.

 

Sweet craftsmanship. Great idea, too.

 

This is awesome! As usual, your ideas translate into excellent solutions and we all learn from you. Thanks, Alex.

The Truck is a beast!

 

Looks great!

Too bad there aren't any DIY options... We may have to look into making a nice truss kit.

 

Heading down this path now, my axle has been bent for a couple years now and it's to the point it's dangerous and unreliable. Hope mine turns out as nice as yours.

 

If only the other 98% of the country could do this.

 

Guess that Baja trip was the last nail in the coffin

 

Yeah, it was bent before but now it's getting dangerous. I checked yesterday and it's toed out pretty good. I may have broken a center pin too, hoping to pull it apart today or tomorrow to find out.

 

I never understand the back truss, unless you're bending your axle towards the rear it's the least efficient truss direction. What's the logic behind it?

Edit: Though I just saw 831s comment about toed out, guess that is a common failure direction then!

 

Not really “common” unless you drive in the uncommon way these guys do….

 

Well between bending up and bending backwards OP said his axle was cambered in but he put a rear brace on, seems like the wrong direction to go.

 

Several reasons for this:

1. Top truss can interfere with or limit up travel (especially if you still have factory frame rails/crossmember, over axle exhaust and/or don't care to notch the frame)

2. Top truss width is severely limited by leaf springs if you're spring over axle (bottom truss is affected if spring under axle)

3. Bottom truss will reduce ground clearance

 

That is gorgeous (for now haha) and super impressive. Insane craftsmanship.