So anybody ever heard of someone or used tractor axles for a mudder? I've been lookin around on the web and can't find too much. I'm buildin up a new rig and I wanna go big. As in like tractor tires and/or some 46" Baja Claws. I'm prolly gonna use a blown 502 for a power plant if my buddy still has it and I dont wanna spend a lot of money buildin up one tons to hold it. I can get a whole tractor drivetrain with tires for cheap. I know there will be a lot of fabricating but i think it would be pretty cool. So if nebody knows or heard of this let me know thanks.
I have seen pictures of them, but the more common one I have seen is running on 2.5ton rocks with tractor tires. What is the gearing in the the axles, that might become a issue tractors dont go very fast.:tonka:
I dont know what the gearing is yet. I'm up at school and was gonna check all that out when I go back for spring break. I just wanted to ask around so i wouldnt be wasting time.
other than the fabircating i think it would be a good idea. I dont know what the rear end ratios are but some of them are pretty damn low i know that much. i would have to say in the 8's:1
For only 46's run 2.5 ton rockwells, plenty of parts available for them. If you man up to 60" or bigger go to the 5 tons. Just so happens to be a set of 5 tons on wegotmud :naughty:
Yea I was thinkin of going rockwells but I can get the tractor axles cheap. As in my buddy wants me to come and get it off his property for no money. So thats why i wanted to know. I also found a place down in Ohio that has beat up unimogs for 2 to 3 grand.
I worked for Kubota when I lived in Fla. First of all you would need two large front axles, the width of front and rear are different. To get a good width front axle thats strong enough it would have to come from at least a 80 HP tractor.
Most of them are portal axles w/ 1:1 ring and pinnion and about 7.3:1 in the hubs. Its easy to find them w/manual diff. lockers, cable activated. Most have square tubes, would make the fabrication easy.
I have seen alot of the front axles brake, most of the time from to much weight on them. There easy to work on.
And the not so good:
No breaks on them. Price to buy and repair them is high. Whole axle is cast. No upgrades or options.
You could try nolans which is just north of Lapeer on M24. Also there is another huge junk yard i always see when I am goin up 75 between bay city and west branch I think.
There is a place in My the Milford on Buno Rd right by the rail road tracks that deals in heavy equipment. You can get Rockwell's and Planetary axles pretty cheap
Big problem with tractor axles is the direction of drive, thats why everyone uses rockwell,s, ftr or rear doesn,t matter. That is one of the problems with the old GMC 6x6 axles frt drives backwards, 3 out puts on t case, frt is reversed, 2 for rear, no low range, 2 rear shafts,one goes over lead diff. 2.5 ton axles are ok but 5 tons are bullet proff, but heavy (2500#) per diff you can thrash them hard, you can find 10.00 gears in the wreckers.
Took a second look at his frt looks like a ZF axle used in all sorts of ind apps, Chandler used this in some of his later stadium trucks, tough and light weight under 1,000# with the planatry ends
How much do they want for ZF axles haven,t priced them in a while, XJT some of the 5 ton wreckers and retrivers had 10.00 to 1 and lockers but they are rare.
I dont know they told me to make them an offer. and I have no idea what they go for.
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