My ULTRA Berg Build

[sally1800]

What a week, between work, a death in the family, my dog having a stroke, I finally got the truck 100% finished. Had it almost done early in the week but had to wait on the sidewinder and some bearings for the knuckles which I didn't get until Friday. After rewiring it with the micro sidewinder and installing the bearings last night I took it out for some testing this afternoon and I really liked the way it was performing. However, I had a major failure less than 30 minutes into driving it. The long front axle shaft snapped at the tang when it got into a small bind. Looks like the weld broke.

What really sucks is that I have a comp tomorrow, so I have to rush and switch to the stock front shafts and locker tonight. Plus I won't be able to run my CF wheels up front because I need some SLW hubs which I don't have, I was running the Dlux delrin hubs that went with his shafts. I have some old aluminum wheels that I'll switch to. The steering was great with the Dlux shafts so I'm gonna lose some steering capability for sure. I was hoping to get some more practice to learn how this thing will handle but but at least I should be able to comp it.

I managed to get some cell phone pics on the rocks before it broke and I took a pic of the broken shaft.

Ouch

Where those the newer uni's or the first version?

 

[sally1800]

Edit

Looks as you have the older version. New ones dont weld at the tang anymore.

 

['04 Rubicon]

Ouch

Where those the newer uni's or the first version?

I just ordered them about two weeks ago so I would imagine they are "new" version ones.

 

[Erik D_lux]

It looks like the shaft was set outboard of the king pin center line. That would make some serious, serious binding and even with a little angle they would bind until they wouldnt turn. When you set the shaft and bearings, the axle needs to be pushed all the way in until the shafts pin is in the middle of the king pins. After that, put some loc tite on the bearings with the bearings pushed all the way in and let it sit over night.

Send me both shafts back and I will replace them with new ones. You will need to address the issue or you will break them again though.

 

['04 Rubicon]

I installed the shafts and bearings like we discussed. I pushed the bearings all the way on the shaft and then pushed the shaft all the way into the locker/knuckle, there was no gap and it was definitely pushed all the way in as far as it could go when I loctited the bearings in the knuckle, I let it sit for over 24 hours. I didn't notice any binding when driving it for the first 20 minutes, even with hard turns and when it was pushing hard against the rocks. The tire got hung on a rock when it snapped, and I wasn't even turning the wheels when it popped.

I tried to get a better picture of the shafts installed in the knuckle. Does this look like it should be?

Anyway, I will definitely send you them both back, your customer support has been above and beyond. I really appreciate all your input, help, and quick responses for the past couple weeks.

 

[Erik D_lux]

Yeah, those pics make it look correct, must have been the pic.

Either way, congrats on being the first to ever break a Bully style shaft. I have sold over 100 and a small percentage has been for supers and this is the first to break. Being as it broke instantly, it could have been a simple defect, who knows?

Sorry you had a bad week too, hopefully this week is much better starting with a new set of shafts.

 

[sally1800]

I just ordered them about two weeks ago so I would imagine they are "new" version ones.

Sorry

I didn't know they where bully one I have been running wraith.

But sounds like Erik has you taken care of.

Now beat then like you stolen them.:twisted:

 

[ROWDY RACING]

Where you been Mark, comp at belle next weekend. "thumbsup"