I've been talking with Steven at Rugged Rocks the last day or so about his thoughts on Chromoly Axles for the M226. My thought was to make them for the Non-Locking M226's, which would mean they would also work perfectly well with all the aftermarket carriers. Below is the email chain:
Me said:
Steven,
With the release of the RCV M205 shafts, what do you think the prospect is of getting some Chromo shafts made for the M226? It would seem to me that if guys are willing to put down the $2K for the CV's they'd be willing to pony up for some Chromo rear shafts to make the rest of the drive train equally formidable.
We (member on theNewX) contacted Moser a year or two ago about getting some made but they wouldn't confirm what material they were going to make them out of and nothing ever came of it. I'm sure you have better contacts than we do and could get some done. Group Buy up front to get the ball rolling like you did for the ARB M205 might do the trick to gurantee enough round 1 sales.
Personally, if this went anywhere, I'd have them made for the Non-Elocker M226's since those would work in the ARB/Tru-Trac/Grizzly Locker trucks too.
~ Mike Ross
P.S. If you got this email twice I apologize. My email went screwy for a minute.
Hi Michael,
This is something that has crossed my mind.
But do you feel that there is a need for these?
The axle shafts are nearly 1.5" in diameter which is a Dana 60 sized axle shaft.
I'd see the ring and pinion failing before an axle shaft breaking.
Do you know of anyone on the boards that has broken one of these stock shafts?
Steven Lutz
President
Rugged Rocks, LLC
Sales & Support: (909)547-4651
Nissan 4x4 Parts / Off Road GPS Units & Maps
I'd have to dig around. I'm not sure if anyone has straight up busted a shaft, I know a couple have twisted the splines but I think they might have had other issues that contributed.
I know the M226 is a pretty stout piece as it is, even more so when you put an ARB or other carrier in there. I was thinking more along the lines of better to have it and not need it, then need and not have it.
Go ahead and start a new thread on the new X and other boards if you can.
I just put this on the list of newsletters/blogs to write. chances are it won't go out until late october at the earliest if I start sending newsletters twice a month and bump it up a little. I have a good list going right now.
Once it does go out, we'll want to update the threads with a list to the blog to collect the feedback from all the forums in one place
then we can make decisions from there.
I would need to make 50 shafts.
We would need to have about 40 of those shafts spoken for with pre orders.
the price would be about if not exactly 279.00 each
Let me know what you think.
Steven Lutz
President
Rugged Rocks, LLC
Sales & Support: (909)547-4651
Nissan 4x4 Parts / Off Road GPS Units & Maps
The last part there is the most important. If you're interested, post up and we can start keeping track. This would work just like the M205 pre-order in theory. Comments, feedback, bring it on.
This is up on thenewX too.
EDIT: List of those willing to throw down on a pair of axles (combined here and theNewX)
1. chrishaynesusa (Xterra)
2. westracing01 (Frontier)
3. SoCalXTerry (Xterra)
4. skibum315 (Xterra)
5. golf286 (Xterra)
6. cutfromabove (Xterra)
7. JeniorNV (Frontier)
8. Nomad13 (Frontier)* (If splined long enough to be cut down for OEM E-Locker M226)
9. GuerrillaXT (Xterra)
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Please see the same post over on the newX. Steve has posted over there that there might be more of a need for these than originally thought. Bent shafts, twisted splines. As more parts become available and more guys and gals take their rigs into tougher territory, the probability of breaking or bending a shaft goes up. 4340 Chromoly shafts that are the size of D60's will give you a seriously stout piece in the back so you can tackle those trails with confidence.
I came across this and though I havent checked out the axle on these trucks as of current, I wouldnt see the need? I mean, I ran 35's on my Yota 8" and never had an issue...and we are talking some pretty serious wheeling. I could see the need for desert racers? but i would rather break an axles than toast my gears. ESPECIALLY since there isnt much support out there for our stuff.
How about better axle seals!! or full floater conversion?
There's nothing wrong with the axle seals. Fix the breather and the seals will last.
Not sure I'd trust a full floater conversion since the housing isn't designed for it, plus you'd need new double splined axles anyway and the cost would be astonomical compared to a pair of Chromo semi-float axles that would take all the punishment the truck could handle.
Bound up between a rock and an imovable object with the locker clicked on in low range with big ole tires wouldn't you rather have some burly axles in the back of your truck knowing they were designed to take the punishment rather than a pair of axles designed to pull a bass boat?
First to admit that the stock axles are the same diamter as D60 axles and with 32 splines they are stout. But a couple of guys have twisted the splines and bent an axle. The same axles (more or less) can be found in Jeep Rubicon 44's and an internet search will show that those guys are indeed bending shafts, twisting splines and bending flanges.
If you're going to put in gears and a locker, for the extra money of Chromoly axle shafts why wouldn't you want the best rear axle you can get in the stock housing?
I already posted on TNX but I'll post here too. Our axle shafts can and do bend. For the type of wheeling that I do (lotta big rocks), an upgrade like this makes sense.
I'm not sure which list you have me on, but the more I think about this the more worthwhile an upgrade it seems. Peace of mind + trail spares = win. I am committed to preordering a set.
For me, there are SO many other better mods on the list ahead of something like this. Frankly, because our stock shafts are pretty stout, it may be near the bottom of the list.
I probably also wouldn't have seen a need for them until Mr_Scott bent one in a situation that I could very easily (and probably have) find myself in. If you do a little digging (see next post), that wasn't a random fluke either.
I can think of a lot of other things I would like to have first...but in my mind, there is a market for these. If nobody preorders, they don't make it to the market. Same reason I preordered the M205 locker that has now been sitting on my garage shelf for almost a year.
Sorry for my stupidity, but these would work on my 06 SE CC 4x4 6mt right? I don't have a locker. My right side keeps leaking, even after replacing the bearing and seal. I also did the vent mod and its leaking again, granted it is very minimal. not puddles or anything. I asked a mech friend of mine and he said it could be caused by a slight bend in the axle and its causing the seal to leak. If this is true I could be interested.
If anyone is getting up in mileage this could be a good idea regardless of how their axles are holding up, because finding a used one is pretty difficult, and from my understanding Nissan only sells them as a whole rear assembly now. And it costs about 3 grand and a child for the assembly.
I've done many of the Jeep 44s but haven't spent any time inside this specific axle housing other than changing fluids and replacing covers. Are the M226 e-locker shafts different? I have the factory locker but would definitely be interested in this considering the terrain I've been getting into around here. Would be great if the stockers could be spares. Or would I have to go to an aftermarket locker and get another set as spares?
Yup. Your driver's side axle is about 13/16" shorter than the passenger's side.
I posted on TNX already but I hope they consider splining them long so that those of us with perfectly good e-lockers can have them turned down if desired.
P.S. I gotta get down there. I go to LV all the time for work and never with my rig
So is the pass side interchangeable with a non-locker shaft? So I would only have to pony up for one extra?
ARB is great and all but as long as my e-locker is making it happen I can't see dropping a grand to replace it. Air or electricity, it's still locked solid when I hit the button and I haven't had an issue with one yet in any of the 3 frontys I've had so equipped.
Next time you come you should bring the X. There is some great wheeling around here and I've only just started to scratch the surface. I'm LOVING it here!
Yeah, the passenger side axle is the same part number for the non-locked M226's, both sides. Us e-locked guys get to be different.
I "scored" a axle from ebay and quickly found out that the axles are not interchangeable like the DB listing it had insisted. Had I bent the passenger's side I would've saved $370:surprise:
I'm glad you are loving it down there. From the air, it looks like a off-road paradise. About a million canyons to explore>
First post updated with the current list of those interested. If they spline them long, the axle that needs to be shorter could be cut down at home with a grinder. Steven mentioned on theNewX that if these do indeed move forward, then he may be able to offer this service before they ship. In this case, these would work for any M226 out there in a Frontier or Xterra.
With a stock locker or aftermarket, the stock shafts CAN be used as spares.
EDIT: Both lists on both forums now updated. These are the only two boards I'm a regular member of. If anyone is a member on another Nissan offroading site please feel free to post links to either the CF thread or this one.
Anyone wanting to get on the list can PM me or post in the thread. I try to check it once a day at least.
Bumping this back up. Anymore interest? Was thinking about it on the way in to work this morning and if the crawl box idea floating around ever comes to fruition, or anyone decides they want to stick an Atlas in their truck, the multiplied force in low range is going to put a real strain on the stock shafts.
Been a couple days without anyone else chiming in. Looks as though only the 9 on the list are interested then?
If anyone on the list wants me to look into it further, I can check with Steven and see if maybe a small run can be made. Cost would clearly increase. If not, then we'll put this to bed. This was the second shot at getting these made. The forum has spoken.
Even though there is a list here, if interested, please post to Steven's blog. Still need a total of 20 sets. Would work similar to M205 ARB with a deposit up first before production.
I'm reviving this thread. i find my self in need of axle shafts and I have been emailing Steve and it's the same deal if we can get around 15 20 dedicated buyers then he can get them made. Getting a single new factory shaft from Nissan is costing me 488 w/ shipping and tax from the stealership. If i can get a pair for any where near that price it's more than worth it. so lets get another list going!