Hub Fuses

[Stormin]

Hey ya'll this is my first post here. I've been reading for a while and I'm loving this forum. I was hoping to get some opinions on Warn hub fuses.
Last weekend I took out my blazer for the first time after spending all winter and all of my credit limit stuffing 3/4 ton axles, new springs, tires, fender flares, and a spool in the front. First big mudpit I came to I locked in both the hubs, hit it hard and made it about halfway through before I broke the driver side cv joint. This leads me to a few questions.
Has anybody had an exprience with Warn hub fuses? Supposedly these things are made to break before the u joints will and they are cheaper and easier to replace. Sounds great to me but I am new to driving with a spooled up front end. Am I just going to break the fuse every time I put my foot down?
I am hoping to get away with just junkyarding a new inner and outer axle shaft (I'm pretty sure I broke the yokes on both of em) and installing the hub fuse. Figure I can do this in an afternoon for around $100. My other option is to whip out the ol' Mastercard and get the Warn axleshafts and CTM joint. Priced this out at $650 for just the broken driver side.
So the question is this: With the spool in the front and my motto of "drive it like you stole it", does the stock stuff even have a chance or am I probably going to break every weekend? I really do not have the cash right now to do it right so I'm hoping the hub fuse combined with stock junkyard parts will keep me out of trouble for a while.
Thoughts?

 

[Ryan B.]

Id say buy some new spicer u joints, and get a collection of junkyard axles going.
Install new ujoints in em and have spares and the tools handy for the trail.
Burt4x4 runs the hub fuses. i donno, just seems like one more thing that you know is going to break in this case. I saved my $$$ for quite a while so that axle breakage is pretty much a thing of the past for me.

 

[MTBLAZER89]

I see you are running 36's. With a spooled D44 I would say you are at the extreme edge of it's strength with stock parts. Here is where you have to make a decision of dumping A bunch of $$$$ into a D44, or buying a D60. After you spend all the money on upgraded shafts and joints you can prolly find a 60 for the same price. Just a consideration especially if you are gonna go to a bigger/more aggressive tire. Just my .02

Welcome to CK5...BTW credid cards and this site don't play nice together

 

[Hossbaby50]

If you want to "drive it like you stole it" then you should probably save your money for a D60. A 36" tires on a D44 or a 10 bolt is in the breakage range if you are driving it somewhat sanely.

Hub fuses may help you, but they will probably add up once you start popping them. I would say get a set of used axles and put in some good ujoints (spicer 760X). Also install hub fuses and see how you do with it. Carry a spare set of axleshafts though cause the fuses aren't 100% full proof. Then start saving money in the piggy bank and find a D60.

Harley

 

[Stormin]

Thanks for all the input guys. I suppose I will try some junkyard parts and spicer u-joints with the hub fuses. Probably I will just burn them out left and right but at least if I burn out a hub fuse I will still have power to one front tire without having to do any work on the trail. Looks like next winter I'll be beefing up that 44.

 

[jekbrown]

spool? in the front? yikes. not sure who recommended that to ya, but its not the best of ideas especially when you are already taxing a half ton axle with those 36s.

j