Has anyone ever broken an axle shaft?

Overlanding, black diamond off roading, towing, climbing, what have you... Just wondering if anyone’s real world experience has left you with an axle shaft or CV failure.

I’m finding the stock shafts are rated up around 3000-3500 ft/lbs

 

Yes, it can happen. Especially, if you install lockers and don't upgrade to stronger axels. I've been on trips whece people even carried space axels.
You really have to push stock axels to break them, it's not going to happen on any standard trip.

 

Spider gears will probably let go before the axles do. The Rover axles are stronger than most folks give them credit for. That said, it can happen. Really depends on the driver more than anything.

 

I talked to Bill at GBR when I bought the new diffs (4.11 gears abs truetracs) from him. He said he would sell me HD axles but said they were unneeded unless I had as towing or doing extreme off roading.

 

just be careful with the skinny pedal. shock loading is what breaks things - ie spinning tires and then they grab. I haven't upgraded and don't plan to until/unless I break one.

 

Bill at GBR advised me that I do not need HD axles when I bought my true tracs and 4.40 diffs from him.

he said he only seen them break when people have air lockers, and off road like maniacs (heavy right foot, going to fast etc)
I’m even going to 35’s and he said I’d be fine.

 

how are you going to 35”s without cutting panels?

 

Ill cut panels if needed.

 

Honestly I'm more worried about trutracs breaking axles than air lockers as they require some spinning or slippage to engage vs total control of knowing when you're locked or not. Also if I lock my rear it's right at the obstacle and unlocked immediately once through it.