H3 Heavy Duty CV joint

[ArtHummer]

Was looking around and found this. Is anyone familiar with it? Is it worth the investment? The design looks like a stock CV joint, I don't know how could it be better and stronger then OEM.

https://www.trailduty.com/product_i...=1086&osCsid=bbf64d82e468805bb6f86a381ea27587

 

[atvspeed4]

I've worked with the rcv outer cvs for another platform and can vouch for them being a great product. They look the same but are totally different. Made from various grades of chromoly and are polished. They also increase wall thickness in important areas

 

[06 H3]

My outers have leaking boots. I've been thinking about replacing them with these and heavy duty boots vs buying oem or a cheaper version of oem.

I know I will get the "fuse" theory comment but I don't believe in fuses...I believe in no weaknesses. That's where I want to get my drivetrain at. Its possible.

Rcv shafts. CI diff w locker, cryo treat ring and pinion and the shaft on the driver side. If that breaks then a solid axle will take care of my "no weakness" goal

 

[ArtHummer]

So, they sell only the outer CV joint? What about axle rod and inner joint?

 

[06 H3]

IIRC they only sell the outers. I haven't found a broken rod or inner before. Who knows...maybe someone has.

 

[f5moab]

My outers have leaking boots. I've been thinking about replacing them with these and heavy duty boots vs buying oem or a cheaper version of oem.

I know I will get the "fuse" theory comment but I don't believe in fuses...I believe in no weaknesses. That's where I want to get my drivetrain at. Its possible.

Rcv shafts. CI diff w locker, cryo treat ring and pinion and the shaft on the driver side. If that breaks then a solid axle will take care of my "no weakness" goal

Are you saying solid axles will not break? Everything has a weakness; it is up to the person to decide where the weakness is.

 

[06 H3]

Everything has weaknesses but if the breaking point is higher then the abuse it will see it likely won't break.

Also the fuse theory, if you have beefed up axles a shock load hits the drivetrain it first hits the axle if it doesn't fail it will take some of the load the rest of the load goes to the next part (diff) that takes some if that's beefed up it won't break then it continues down the line with each part lessening the load for the next part. If its all beefed up your good to go.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Everything has weaknesses but if the breaking point is higher then the abuse it will see it likely won't break.

Also the fuse theory, if you have beefed up axles a shock load hits the drivetrain it first hits the axle if it doesn't fail it will take some of the load the rest of the load goes to the next part (diff) that takes some if that's beefed up it won't break then it continues down the line with each part lessening the load for the next part. If its all beefed up your good to go.

HA

errrr... I mean, I beg to differ - nothing is unbreakable; my past is in FJ40s and I swear I should have simply bought the patent to birfield joints - somewhere, someone is living in a mansion because of the all ones I bought to replace broken ones.... and there's the rub, I'm not the pound and slam kind of 4x4 person.... problem is unbreakable or "heavy duty" is an unwritten challenge and they will break; even without abuse.

 

[alrock]

Everything has weaknesses but if the breaking point is higher then the abuse it will see it likely won't break.

However, there's a direct correlation between capability and challenge. The higher the breaking point then the harder it gets wheeled.

Admittedly there are some idiots that have no awareness of their vehicle's capabilities and wheel them like they are $100,000 built rigs.

 

[06 H3]

Agreed. 100% the whole reason for a beef up is to tackling tougher things.

I don't even think RCVs are necessary but they are a piece of mind and they are replaced for free if broken.

That's a problem with all vehicles. Look at the raptor. Some, not all, but some people think its an out of the box trophy truck and destroy it. Same goes for us.

My point is why not beef em up? I used to believe in the fuse theory until someone laughed and said fuse theory? How about no fuse beef up everything and anyways the H3 diff breaks a lot of times without destroying a half shaft.

I think I can tackle tougher stuff and keep it together for a while I am pretty easy on stuff, I keep wheel spin to a minimum.

 

[f5moab]

For us simple folks, we would rather replace an axle shaft in the desert vs. a diff. Besides the shaft takes up very little room. Talking with the jeep repair guys in town and they get a kick out of the people who use the super heavy duty jeep shafts and then blow a diff. Then they realize that those Dana diff can break; just takes more to do it.
But my favorite saying is, "it's your vehicle; not mine." Beside, I off road now with Jeeps more than Hummers.....:no:

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Beside, I off road now with Jeeps more than Hummers.....:no:

You're such a humanitarian - wheeling with those less fortunate than yourself. I hope you pull them home too :shifty:

 

[f5moab]

You're such a humanitarian - wheeling with those less fortunate than yourself. I hope you pull them home too :shifty:

Me, a Humanitarian? Not likely. And nothing wrong with Jeeps, a few show up during BS week and are driven by friends.

 

[06 H3]

Who cares who you wheel with...and it's not a matter of changing a shaft vs diff. Bebe blew a diff not half shafts. 4speed blew 3 diffs no half shafts. I blew a diff and a half shaft at the same time. Sewie blew a diff....the list goes on. Weather you blow a diff or a half shaft or both there are many cases a half shaft isn't a fuse. It's a good theory but its not always a fuse. So we might as well carry a diff with a half shaft. 4speed actually did lol

 

[kflips]

i have rcv cv joints. Unclear if anyone else does fom the thread so far. I recall that the hub nut needed some tweaking.

 

[f5moab]

Who cares who you wheel with...and it's not a matter of changing a shaft vs diff. Bebe blew a diff not half shafts. 4speed blew 3 diffs no half shafts. I blew a diff and a half shaft at the same time. Sewie blew a diff....the list goes on. Weather you blow a diff or a half shaft or both there are many cases a half shaft isn't a fuse. It's a good theory but its not always a fuse. So we might as well carry a diff with a half shaft. 4speed actually did lol

Don't get so upset. Some of us voiced an opinion, you don't have to like it, you can totally disagree; which you do. As I said it's your vehicle. I guess I'll just stop voicing my opinion or statements on this forum. ****.....

 

[06 H3]

You think I'm upset? I'm totally fine, if I was upset I'd vanish for months

 

[alrock]

I won't be carrying a diff - way too big and heavy and that's the aluminum one. Heck, on the last trip to Moab I know my diff was going out and I still wasn't going to carry a spare diff. BTW, some of that "fuse" theory still holds when you bring in Bebe, Sewie (and Neo) diffs: those were 2005 builds with weak front diffs before they started hardening the gears. Perhaps with newer, stronger diffs the CVs would have failed first. Purely speculative, but an interesting question that may not have an answer.

I'm in the camp that the stock half shafts are so inexpensive, and relatively easy to swap out, that I prefer stock to the pricey RCVs. But I'm also not pushing my truck as hard as many of you are and of course there are many benefits to the upgrade, but it's not for me. I'm six years into no trail failures (or even road breakdowns) on the diff and half shafts. I've had the transfer case and transmission fail on the trail. Hmm, considering those are possibly my "weakest links" on the trail maybe I should carry those with me as spares :wink: (Just screwing with you, Chris )

You've made some good decisions building your truck. Obviously you see the pros and others here want to make sure you know some of the potential cons with the RCVs.

 

[06 H3]

no doubt there are some pros and cons of the RCVs. I too refuse to carry a front diff but what I do find funny is in the Ultimate adventure (2005 IIRC) a jeep blew a tranny halfway through that week of hell and had an entire spare trans. Absolutely nuts if you ask me, I dont even know how you pack a weeks worth of camping gear and food for two, common spares for an ultimate adventure rig (hoses, fluids, tie rods, u joints, driveshafts, etc) and a damn trans in a TJ! those things are so little even with the backseat out.

I am not sure if I would even spend 600+ dollars on RCVs, I dont have that money to dump especially if I am contemplating making changes to the front end. Zach can get me a good deal on brand new cardones for cheap but I am concerned about strength, I would want OEM strength. Some have had luck with cheaper shafts and others avoid them at all costs. Alex, didnt you put in a set of EMPIs? How are they holding up.

 

[poncho1965]

What is the price difference cardine vs. OEM? I currently don't have a spare.


Mike

 

[ArtHummer]

On the other side I wheeled my truck only ones and I was on the green trail and most of the other time truck stays on the highway and I did broke a CV. There is nothing unbreakable out there and the way I look at it, it is all wear-n-tear. If you put more wear on it it will brake faster. Also if the quality is crappy it will brake much faster... But if you don't abuse it, the better quality staff should last you much longer then others. It all comes down to how much you will put in it overall. Yes, the RCV is $600+ with lifetime warranty and you can get 2 cheap axles for less then $200. But, like someone said that it can brake in 10K miles. In that case in 40K miles you will spend more money then just getting the RCV.
The way I look at the RCV ones is... I got more then 60K on my rig and had to replace the CVs. If the ones that I got from NAPA will last me for at least 50K at the price of $75, I will have to replace it 4 times before spending close to what RCV worth. By that time my truck will have more then 250K miles on it. Can I make the rest of the truck go for so long? Don't know, but I think I can. So the RCV lifetime is kind of debatable... On other hand if CV will brake every 10K miles then RCV is a must have. Even just for the lifetime warranty.

 

[alrock]

Chris, I have Cardones. One's been mildly tested in Moab, the other hasn't been tested. Too early to tell how they'll be.

Mike, the Cardones are about $75 while OEM is $200-$300. Get in touch with Zach for a spare.

Art, I'm at 129,000 without a CV failure other than boots. I replaced mine with aftermarket ones as a precautionary measure simply because they had over 100,000 miles on them and they'll likely fail at some point.

 

[poncho1965]

Chris, I have Cardones. One's been mildly tested in Moab, the other hasn't been tested. Too early to tell how they'll be.

Mike, the Cardones are about $75 while OEM is $200-$300. Get in touch with Zach for a spare.

Thanks Alex. Who sells the Cardones?


Mike

 

[06 H3]

pm zach

 

[bebe]

Are you saying solid axles will not break? Everything has a weakness; it is up to the person to decide where the weakness is.

Yep - the fuse can be an easy cheap part to replace - or further down the drive train and a very expensive part to replace.