hidesertwheelin
1/2 ton status
First off I can't afford a Dana 60 so please don't tell me to get one. Is there a major difference in strength between 28 spline and 30 spline axles for a 10-bolt?
CK5
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10-bolt spline question?
- Thread starter hidesertwheelin
- Start date
stallion85
1/2 ton status
From what I have read on here there is marginal difference. I have chrom moly shafts and ctm u joints on my 30 spline D44 running 35" Mtr's and have not broken (knock on wood) an axle shaft or u joint in the front. The general conncensus is 35" (rocks)-37"(mud) on half ton front ends around here. Do what you want, but there are a few who have been successfull running bigger tires on there 1/2 ton front ends. I would not go bigger than 37" myself 
stallion85
1/2 ton status
also, I wheel with a local guy here in Vegas who has a 12 bolt 10 bolt combo and runs 36" Iroks and has broken maybe 2 axle shafts in the past 2 years. He has ran the rubicon and moab among many other gnarly trails here in Vegas with his K5 and he is not gentle with it to say the least.....
PsychoticDeadGuy
1/2 ton status
well, do you plan on using lockers? if you have open diffs, or maybe a limited slip you will have axle shafts last longer. i have a buddy that runs 40s on his k5 that has the 30 spline shafts with an lockers in the front and a heavy right foot and completely blew up his front axle. he now runs an open diff and hasnt had any problems so far. he just replaces ball joints and stuff like that alot.
stallion85
1/2 ton status
Lockers make all the difference in the world. I just assumed you wanted to be locked up, if you are serious into four wheeling lockers are what separates you from the rest of the crowd.
I assume you are talking about front 10-bolts?? If so, then I don't think there is any significant strength gain between a STOCK 28-spline and 30-spline shaft because both have a necked down area about the same size. If you could get a chromoly shafts with no neck down then the 30-spline shafts would have a noticable strength increase........however nobody makes a specific 30-spline front 10-bolt shaft in the aftermarket.
Not realy, they both still neck down and they both still use the 297 u-joint.
loafer
1/2 ton status
The stock 30-spline FRONT axles are about 1-2% stronger than the 28-spline (based on the difference in cross sectional area of the necked down portion of the shaft) So there is not much difference.
The stock 30 spline REAR axles are about 10-12% stronger that the 28 spline shafts.
The only reason I know this is because I was trying to figure out if it was worth switching to 30 spline shafts for my front 10-bolt. I decided it wasn't.
Another considerattion is that the newer 30 spline shafts may be made from a stronger steel, so they could be stronger than what I calculated, which based on geometry alone. I'm not sure about this though.
The stock 30 spline REAR axles are about 10-12% stronger that the 28 spline shafts.
The only reason I know this is because I was trying to figure out if it was worth switching to 30 spline shafts for my front 10-bolt. I decided it wasn't.
Another considerattion is that the newer 30 spline shafts may be made from a stronger steel, so they could be stronger than what I calculated, which based on geometry alone. I'm not sure about this though.
