Chromoly… the utterance of the word conjures images of superhero strength. The word is derived from chromium and molybdenum, the two main alloying elements of the metal. Chromium brings three major benefits to the table: innate hardness, improved pliability during the quenching process, and outstanding corrosion resistance. Molybdenum also serves to increase the alloy’s hardness. When it...
Chromoly… the utterance of the word conjures images of superhero strength. The word is derived from chromium and molybdenum, the two main alloying elements of the metal. Chromium brings three major benefits to the table: innate hardness, improved pliability during the quenching process, and outstanding corrosion resistance. Molybdenum also serves to increase the alloy’s hardness. Read this...
Gear break-in consists of controlled heat cycling of the gear set in a way that properly seasons or hardens the gear’s contact surfaces. It is a series of test drives. These critical first few miles of drive time can be the difference between a gear-melting headache and years of carefree driving. Failure to properly break-in your gear set can result in damaged, failing gears and a complete...
Spider gears are primetime players inside the differential. Also known as satellite gears, spider gears rotate around the side gears in the differential carrier. Side gears may also be referred to as axle gears or planetary gears. To spot spider gears look for the gears with the cross-pin shaft going through them. Read this article in Español What Gears Do The diff’s array of...
The Dana 30 differential has been pulling the front of Jeeps around since the CJ-5s of the early 1970s. Available in high- and low-pinion versions as well as standard and reverse rotation versions, the Dana 30 can be found in Wranglers, Cherokees, Grand Cherokees, and Comanche MJs to name a few. They are also in early Ford Broncos and various AMC applications. Too often the capabilities of...
The Dana 30 differential has been pulling the front of Jeeps around since the CJ-5s of the early 1970s. Available in high- and low-pinion versions as well as standard and reverse rotation versions, the Dana 30 can be found in Wranglers, Cherokees, Grand Cherokees, and Comanche MJs to name a few. They are also in early Ford Broncos and various AMC applications. Too often the capabilities of...
The Spartan Locker, USA Standard Gear’s lunchbox locker, provides game-changing traction at a low cost. A locker physically joins the drive axles together so they deliver an equal amount of torque to each tire, regardless of available traction. Lockers come in two flavors… selectable or mechanical. What are the Different Types of Lockers? A selectable locker is an on-demand unit that the...
From weekend warriors to master builders, craftsmen worldwide know that no matter what you’re working on, it’s all about the tools. For the mechanic, having the right tools is the difference between a smooth well-executed job and running around trying to find ‘something that works’ —most likely a screwdriver or other blunt, ill-advised tool—just to get the vehicle off the lift. But the...
From weekend warriors to master builders, craftsmen worldwide know that no matter what you’re working on, it’s all about the tools. For the mechanic, having the right tools is the difference between a smooth well-executed job and running around trying to find ‘something that works’ —most likely a screwdriver or other blunt, ill-advised tool—just to get the vehicle off the lift. But the...
Breaking a differential can be a sudden, horrific event. If you’ve haunted the drag strip you’ve undoubtedly seen the loud, fully cammed hot rod drop the clutch then drop a load of gears and metal on the track. Out on the trail, a struggling rig finally hooks up and the sudden torque is too much for the diff, grenading the unit to its ultimate demise. A differential can also die slowly and...
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