me and my friend were arguing and i said for street/strip there is no better setup than launching in 4WD and switching to 2WD when you no longer need the extra traction. he says that guys with 4WD always break CV joints and that they are very expensive and always break(he uses turbo talons/eclipses as an example). i ask him why they dont buy stronger ones and he says that you can only make them so strong and that they will always break eventually . is this true? what are they made out of and how are they designed that would make them so weak? i admit i dont know much about CV joints and transaxles so please dont assume you're talking to a fellow 4x4 guy.

 

on my buddys 2001 HD we launch in 4wheel drive all the time the only thing we had problems with for a while was breaking tie rods but we got that worked
later
perry

 

The CV shafts are only 1-1.5" round. They are the weak point in the IFS front end. I had a problem with mine also. They just wear out, break from normal use. Go to AutoZone, they cost $100 for a rebuilt unit. They have a lifetime warranty. If you break it, take it in and get a new one. Cant get a better deal than that.

Or drop $8000 and put a Dana 60 straight axle under it!! Problem solved!

 

AWD eclipses and what not ahve a tendency of breaking the transfer case and sometimes half shafts... New Cobras break half shafts if you start launching em hard

 

i cut a best of 1.67 in 4wd with street tires. here is the kicker, this was in a 5100lb truck. i never broke any cv's, never even looked at them. i didn't just launch my truck once this way either, probably 100+ launches like that. this was in a 1500, stock transfer case, stock front and rear(other than eaton). i did have to put bearings in the front twice, it got noisy.

the weak part on these trucks weather it be 4wd or 2wd is the tranny. i killed a stock one and 2 of the best trannys you can buy.

 

no problems here yet

 

thanks for all the input guys. if anyone has more keep it coming. im going to show this thread to my friend.
and parish, i assume they come with 4L60's stock and you killed 2 4L80's?

 

no, i killed 2 built 4l60e trannys, after that experience i decided to go right for the 4l80 with my new truck

 

I wish I had the money to put a solid axle in my truck.

 

CV axles are strong in these trucks, They have more problems in offroad conditions, which is why all the guys that are complaining about them are guys with lifted trucks. If you are keeping the axle as straight as possible, then they are the strongest, which is why you will probably never break one drag racing, if you like to punch it going around corners a lot, you may break them eventually, but unless you are lifted and crawling around in 4Lo, you dont really need to worry about it.


Also Solid axle conversions arent really that much if you are willing to do some work yourself.