Anyone Running Woods' Superflex Joints?

[mikey_d05]

I was just checking out the website for Tom Woods and remembered the superflex joint from a magazine article. To make a long question short, is anyone running them and how do you like it? They can flex to 40 degrees unmodified. I know they vibrate at high speeds but it's a dedicated trail truck so it won't see speed much if ever. Just asking for thoughts and experience.

 

[Silver84k5]

Another question is... What is considered high speed? I take my truck to the dunes, going up the bowls. or hauling ass across the flats i prolly get the truck up to 40-50 mph. maybe faster now i got the new motor in there. but anyway... thats the question.

 

[mudjunkie 82]

I spoke with Tom About these and he told me a lot of Rock Crawlers run these with Great Results

 

[spearchucker]

Of course he's going to say that.

 

[Leper]

A buddy of mine was running them for clearance issues. I believe he said over 30 he got lots of vibration. Remember, he had clearance issues to begin with so his angles were way off. He now runs H.A.D. driveshafts front and rear.

 

[85mudblazin]

Yep I got a few buddys running them. Over 30mph they vibrate pretty bad but atleast you know what it is.
I saw they had the 1410's in the pic, are they shipping them out yet??

As far as strength with these joints. I havent seen one break yet.

 

[85mudblazin]

Cool just checked there site and it looks like the 1410's are out. But one thing is they all have the same angle rating, know I know a 1410 in stock form has more angle then a 1350. Maybe its just a base angle they came up with.
The 1410 looks a little weak though. Seems they could have add alot more material around the caps/body area.

 

[MTMike]

Got one in the front shaft and it vibrates like a bitch above 25mph. Not a concern to me though becuase my rig's a trailer queen, and if it does go on pavement I just unlock the hubs.

Mike

 

[mikey_d05]

Yeah, I believe they just came up with a base rating off of the 1310 and stuck with it. Besides, there's no way a 1350 and 1410 are equal in terms of angle capabilities. Since I'm looking for cheap ways to get a bulletproof drivetrain I figured I'd ask. My truck is a trailer queen but 30 mph isn't all that high of speed and I'd like to run slugs in the future which obviously don't allow you to take the front shaft out of the equation. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[DougK20]

I am running one on this shaft and it's been doin' it's job great. It vibrates like crazy after 10mph, but I run slow trails and rockcrawling only.

 

[mikey_d05]

Yeah, I don't really run high speed stuff but a lot of it is slick and loose so it sounds like these probably aren't for me. I'll see what my angles are like after I get everything set up and go from there.

 

[TrcksR4ME]

I am running one on this shaft and it's been doin' it's job great. It vibrates like crazy after 10mph, but I run slow trails and rockcrawling only.

So why do you even need one of those joints in a CV shaft? Didn't you pay like a grand for that thing? For that kind of cash I would want it to be pretty smooth, but thats just me.

 

[85mudblazin]

Because its pretty easy to run out of angle at the pinion end.

 

[6.2Blazer]

Because its pretty easy to run out of angle at the pinion end.

But if you have a CV shaft there really shouldn't be any angle at the pinion..............

 

[85mudblazin]

cant rotate your front pinion up to much or you run into caster problems. PLUS if you have enough droop to need a CV like that then even if at ride height your pinion is pointed right at the CV, when drooped it may still max out the pinion angle, especially with a 1350 joint.

 

[DougK20]

fully clocked t/c and 52" springs....and yes, I do want decent castor for full-hydro return to center and safe flat-towing.

 

[TrcksR4ME]

fully clocked t/c and 52" springs....and yes, I do want decent castor for full-hydro return to center and safe flat-towing.

Given the extra info that makes a lot of sense...don't think there is any hope for a smooth driveline under those conditions. It seems like it doesn't make a lof of sense to use a CV on the front in that case, if you can't point the pinion at the t-case, then its just wasted money. I would think a 1410 would give enough operating angle in lieu of a CV joint. Not critisizing, just thinking out loud. I will eventually have to come up with a front driveline solution myself.

On topic, I do know a couple guys running the 1310 version and they like them. Seems like it would also help if you wanted your driveline to be a hair longer. They are pricey at like $60/ea for the 1310's, and I believe for the lifetime warranty you need to have one installed on each end of the driveline...but that was a while back when I read that.

 

[DougK20]

I'm no expert, so I'm asking can a 1410 u-joint run 42deg smoothly? That would also mean changing the output flange on the 208? I can only imagine how bad two of the "super flex" joints would wobble on one shaft.