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Time to Max Out the Max Tow Axles

MRPANDAZZ

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My better half's dad was a welder by trade so it was getting done one way or the other right here directly. I prefer not to put him through crawling around on the ground though. I am really ready to have these lockers & get out to some more of the local trails. There is one here mild enough with enough bypasses yet still fun enough to enjoy. Everything else is either a dirt road that my better half's subaru would traverse fine or needs lockers. I wanna get out onto those.
I don’t have many good trails where I live but I definitely plan on some wheeling road trips after the lockers are in. I gotta plan a vacation just to do some of the trails other people can hit every weekend
The Artec stuff is pretty affordable, I may have to look into that as the final touch of the axle build.
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bastage

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I don’t have many good trails where I live but I definitely plan on some wheeling road trips after the lockers are in. I gotta plan a vacation just to do some of the trails other people can hit every weekend
The Artec stuff is pretty affordable, I may have to look into that as the final touch of the axle build.
Look at the rusts stuff as well. It was a tossup for me, but the artec sale is what got me.
 
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bastage

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First parts arrived today.. And the last parts ordered.. This whole locker thing is starting to feel like a real thing. Hopefully the RCV Shafts dont have to be made. If they are in stock I should have the rest of everything in about 10 days or so.
 
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bastage

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A little disappointed that i was initially told 6-8weeks when I placed my order over a month ago and now its an additional 10-12.
I hope the non FAD RCVs don’t have the vibration some have reported, as those are my only option without waiting another few months.

I just heard back from Dutchman (they are local & dealers of ARB & RCV so I ordered everything from them). They went to drop the hammer ont he RCV Shafts & were told 75 days.. Before he placed the order with them he called me so I could cancel if I didnt want to wait... For now I will keep the stock front axle shafts & use the RCV fund to instead grab some Adams front & rear driveshafts. That or see how close I am to being able to budget in some hydro assist steering.
 

MRPANDAZZ

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I just heard back from Dutchman (they are local & dealers of ARB & RCV so I ordered everything from them). They went to drop the hammer ont he RCV Shafts & were told 75 days.. Before he placed the order with them he called me so I could cancel if I didnt want to wait... For now I will keep the stock front axle shafts & use the RCV fund to instead grab some Adams front & rear driveshafts. That or see how close I am to being able to budget in some hydro assist steering.
Dang. I need to check again with my shop. I wonder why such a delay as those should be the same as any JL Rubicon upgrades.

Those upgrades are pretty key as well. I put the cart before the horse a bit and still haven’t gotten a bumper and winch. It never ends lol
 

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mountainpass

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Not everyone with Max Tow has the traclok.. I dont. You can add an ARB RD245 front locker with the stock axle shafts though & be pretty well set
Is that an easy install? Not seeing any videos of exactly that install.
 
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bastage

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Dang. I need to check again with my shop. I wonder why such a delay as those should be the same as any JL Rubicon upgrades.

Those upgrades are pretty key as well. I put the cart before the horse a bit and still haven’t gotten a bumper and winch. It never ends lol
Yeah Lots of weak points to eliminate & honestly I was already thinking the RCV may not of been the best bang for the buck at the time.. But no the Rubicon length axles are not correct. The stock rubicon lockers are offset int he housing. So the individual lengths are different then using the arb lockers. For 35 spline it doesnt actually matter since the locker and shafts must both be upgraded & all the products just work together.. but for 32 spline it makes a difference per ARB.

Is that an easy install? Not seeing any videos of exactly that install.
Just like any other locker install.
 

MRPANDAZZ

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Yeah Lots of weak points to eliminate & honestly I was already thinking the RCV may not of been the best bang for the buck at the time.. But no the Rubicon length axles are not correct. The stock rubicon lockers are offset int he housing. So the individual lengths are different then using the arb lockers. For 35 spline it doesnt actually matter since the locker and shafts must both be upgraded & all the products just work together.. but for 32 spline it makes a difference per ARB.



Just like any other locker install.
Yes, I remember that being mentioned. Spoke with my shop rep just to confirm and RCVs are delayed everywhere. 75 days for any 35 spline stuff, and I believe 4 weeks soonest for the 32 spline FAD.

I could swap to the RD245 and retain stock front shafts as well but I think I’ll be patient and get what I originally wanted. I now have 2-3 months to save for other upgrades. Gives me a little time to mull over 4.88s vs 5.13s again.
 
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bastage

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Yes, I remember that being mentioned. Spoke with my shop rep just to confirm and RCVs are delayed everywhere. 75 days for any 35 spline stuff, and I believe 4 weeks soonest for the 32 spline FAD.

I could swap to the RD245 and retain stock front shafts as well but I think I’ll be patient and get what I originally wanted. I now have 2-3 months to save for other upgrades. Gives me a little time to mull over 4.88s vs 5.13s again.
75 days for the 32 spline as of this morning. I’ll worry about the front when I break something or in a couple months. I try not to get too many projects going at a time so that everything works without having to repeat the same work twice. So after I get my refund for the rcv’s I’ll order something else. Couple of protection changes I want to make as well so it’s not like I don’t have something else to spend the money on.
 
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bastage

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Another Major milestone passed... All the parts exist. Everything is either in my garage or at Dutchman Axle (who is local & only about 2 blocks from the shop I am having do the install). So now for the hardest part of the wait... Waiting for the shop to get me in & get it done.
 

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Sduncan

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May I ask a question? You’ll have by your guess $5k or so in parts and then (my guess, $2500) in labor.. sound about right?
So back to my question... why didn’t you just order a set of Ultimate 60s? Yea.. they are $11k ish, but you’re damn near there with what you’re already spending. Buy the 60s and sell your current axles and you’d be within a couple thousand at most from the total cost of the 60s. I’m just thinking out loud, but I have a rubicon and there is no way I’d spend 7500+ on them when UD 60s, which are literally plug n play plus drivelines, are that close in cost.
Not smashing on your choices, just asking what your (and others) thoughts are on this.
 
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bastage

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May I ask a question? You’ll have by your guess $5k or so in parts and then (my guess, $2500) in labor.. sound about right?
So back to my question... why didn’t you just order a set of Ultimate 60s? Yea.. they are $11k ish, but you’re damn near there with what you’re already spending. Buy the 60s and sell your current axles and you’d be within a couple thousand at most from the total cost of the 60s. I’m just thinking out loud, but I have a rubicon and there is no way I’d spend 7500+ on them when UD 60s, which are literally plug n play plus drivelines, are that close in cost.
Not smashing on your choices, just asking what your (and others) thoughts are on this.
Ultimate 60's would be closer to 16k + new wheels.
 

Sduncan

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May I ask a question? You’ll have by your guess $5k or so in parts and then (my guess, $2500) in labor.. sound about right?
So back to my question... why didn’t you just order a set of Ultimate 60s? Yea.. they are $11k ish, but you’re damn near there with what you’re already spending. Buy the 60s and sell your current axles and you’d be within a couple thousand at most from the total cost of the 60s. I’m just thinking out loud, but I have a rubicon and there is no way I’d spend 7500+ on them when UD 60s, which are literally plug n play plus drivelines, are that close in cost.
Not smashing on your choices, just asking what your (it others) thoughts are on this.
Ultimate 60's would be closer to 16k + new wheels.
Who did you get that ridiculous price from?? I have friends and sources and UD 60s can be had for about $11k. New wheels are needed, but again, this depends on who and what you’re buying. My numbers figure like this..
UD 60s $11k.
sell my Rubi axles 4500 This is what they are going for in my area.
Wheels for what I want, 1400. tires are 1500.
Sell my current almost new OEM tires/wheels for 1000.
So I’m out 2k extra for tires and wheels, 6500 for the axles.
So approximately 8500 ish for UD 60s, tires/wheels. No Labor involved as it’s simple bolt on parts that I’m equipped to handle.
Like I said, just curious...
 

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Who did you get that ridiculous price from?? I have friends and sources and UD 60s can be had for about $11k.
Just saying - you said you have friends and sources - others may not, so for them, thatr 16K may be the price they'd have to pay.
I find it interesting when someone says "that's crazy, _I_ can get them for xxx".
That's right - you can.
Maybe others don't have that access - maybe in their area, no one sells for that?

Isn't that possible????

People were sort of laughing even mocking at the price I had to pay for my truck - and yet here in Iowa, unless you are willing to drive 4 hours both ways, that's how it is in this area.
Good luck getting those axles you mention in this area for that price - you'd be lucky to even find a seller here. This is Iowa, a waste-land as far as finding stuff for reasonable prices.
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