Bear with me here. The diff drop procedure improves CV angles on lifted trucks when they are sitting level. This is a good thing. Moreover, at full droop the angles are also better. However, at full droop there isn't much weight on the wheel and hence not much torque flowing through the CV so I would think there is less chance of breakage. When the wheel is fully stuffed, the CV angle is worse than before and if you have a locker up front there is more torque flowing through that CV shaft since so much weight is on that wheel.

Do you think it would make it more likely to break a CV because of this reason?

Hey Lars! How's it going.

Anyway, my 2 cents is it would make it more likely to break if at peak torque, the angle is more severe. Whether or not the trade off between all the variables at full extesion is worth it is hard to say, for me at least. I'd need to see a picture.

Frank

I've never seen anyone break a CV at full stuff, but have seen a few that have broke at droop with the wheel turned near full lock. I broke a right front on the trail sledgehammer when I had my wheel down in a crack, trying to drive out to the left near full lock.

Interesting idea, Lars. The angles of the axles are still typically angled downwards even with the diff drop, so my point is that the larger angle in the CV will still be when at full droop. You do have a very good point that there shouldn't be much to worry about with the wheel that's at full extension and little weight on it despite a massive CV angle then. I'd only be really concerned about breaking a CV on a fully compressed front wheel when your rear wheels are providing little or no help (like sand) while one front wheel is doing all the pulling/climbing. Steve Hunt broke a front axle similar to that scenario when one of the front wheels was doing most of the pulling. But in that case there wasn't much weight compressing that front wheel and he broke the axle, not the CV. I still dislike the axle shaft diameter more than the CV's.

The wheel in the crack is one case where an exception is probably in order. Since you are pushing a lot on the side of the wheel, you can load the drivetrain with the suspension extended.

Frank

Ok, good points! I'm guessing that the angle at dropp is still much more than at full compression. Full droop on mine really maxes things out. There's definately less vibration through the steering wheel. Especially at higher speeds (like 80)

Anybody get a wierd hum after doing the diff drop? It's ground speed related somehow. I also installed a transfer skid plate so I don't know which is causing the mechanical hum. Could be because the diff mounts contact the AZRAIN skid plate now. Could be a reflected noise from the transfer case.

I have no wierd hum with AZRAIN's skid plate, but when I made my transfer case plate, I drilled 2 holes through both plates clamping them together, you could be getting the vibration there. Before I lifted my transmission mount having a flat plate the very bottom of the t-case came in contact with it and when I took off the stock plate it was still very close. I added a few bends to give more clearance, here's a photo of how it used to look;

Now the plate no longer has the bends at the back...

Sorry for the hijack here fellas, I don't run the diff drop (I see no point in it) so I have no opinion on that... Lars, if the skid is riding on the diff mounts, most definitely that's the point of vibration. That other guy confirmed it with his old Rockstomper. Space it off a bit (a 1/4" should do fine.)

Mike

I'll second that, when I made my new crossmember it touches the diff a little bit. On the road I get to hear all about it if the hubs are locked. Gotta file that down someday...

Frank

I didn't think much of the diff drop before I did it too but I think it makes a difference on high speed vibration. Bump steer is the same of course. I guess the mounts are the issue and I didn't drop a full inch like some. Here's Schaefer's input though I recall him complaining about structural issues and not vibration.

[
I told you this would happen if you did not get the blocks. The blocks push the skid down just enough to clearnace the drop. The diff brackets are touching the skid plate. I met the rest of your gang on the Aftershock trail. That guy Mike really needs a front locker in that silver 4Runner, he would have avoided most of that body damamge if he would have had one.


Steve
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