who runs calmini fronts??

sc044 · #1 03-26-2003, 06:50 PM

Ok I was wondering if anybody on here is running the calmini front axle shafts on their rig now that they have been out?? I am looking to get some feed back on these things. I just talked to the guy at longfield superaxles (bobby), and he has never broken any of his treated sami birfs, only the stock axle shafts had been snapping when he was running the treated birfs with stock shafts. How about useing calmini inners at 238$ for two (119 each) shafts, and longfields at 170 for 2 (85 each) birfs. There you have 408$ for some stronger shiat. That is 2 bills cheaper than Brent's Double toughs. You would also have his warrenty on the birfs (prolly not gonna breakum). Now the question is whose setup would work the best or be strongest...longsbirfs/calmini or Double toughs?? I have posted on this subject before but was wondering what you guy's thought now that I figured out prices and what not, and the fact that the calmini shafts are not a myth anylonger. So I would greatly appreciate anybody's input on the subject even if you have run the calmini shafts or not. I might just have to be the first person to try this combo out. [img]images/graemlins/40BEER.gif[/img] Thanks Alot....

Scott

studlybil03 · #2 03-26-2003, 07:59 PM

I happent o be scamming through the calmini website today, came across those. They definitely look like an improvement, but for the work involved and somewhat the money, your upgrading from $hitty to crappy lol Just a birds eye view on it tho, Im sure someone has bought and enjoyed them.

#3 03-26-2003, 08:58 PM

You can cut the cost and go with birfield rings.They are just as stong but cheaper.As for the calmini axles I am going to run them in the future.I just did all the work to put hybreds in last year and to put toyota's under would be to costly because of regearing and steering.I was told by several people that the calmini axles would be enough axle for 34s.Only time will tell !

sc044 · #4 03-26-2003, 10:19 PM

Shitty to crappy??NO?? I don't know about that, I am going to run the 34 10.5 ltb's and NOTHING bigger. And no I won't go to bigger tires in the future. If I want to run huge tires I would get a different vehicle. Mainly around here it is slick trails, water, mud, trees and very little tecnical rock (i do not like rock at all), alot of the time everything is wet, so 33's, coils, and gears is about all you need. Also I believe that on a stock wheelbase samuri 35's are the biggest you want to go. Also the front shafts would be 26 spline with calmini iners that is not crappy at all for 33's. I am keeping most everything suzuki, and I am keeping everything LIGHT. As far as running Birf rings they are not as strong as longfields. I don't think they are even close. If the toy birfs treated are running 38's +, I think the sami birf treated would be real Fu*king strong up to a 35 inch tire. Also I think I will have that ring welded on to the outer edge of birf that longfield used to do if it is possible. There is no way the birf rings are as strong because the inner cage is still the same. With longs it is treated along with outer stub. Besides birf rings from what I have heard will pop anyways. It is just my opinion but for this price I definently don't think this setup would be CRAPPY at all. I think it would be as strong as the double tough axles. I think this setup could hold up to 34's pretty damn good in my conditions.

Scott [img]images/graemlins/AR15firing.gif[/img]

Shrock · #5 03-27-2003, 12:01 AM

I have no direct experience, but it sounds like it may work for what you are trying to do. You'd get a better turing radius with the TT setup though.

sc044 · #6 03-27-2003, 12:13 AM

How do you say they TT shafts would have a better turning radius?? I think that would only be true if I could get a ring welded on the birf. I know that he doesn't do that on the toy's anymore due to the issue with turning radius becoming worse. But I think he could do it if I asked, the only issue is with the knuckle having enough clearance. But they would still be pretty strong even without the ring, and my turning radius would not be affected. Thanks for the input guy's.

Scott

Shrock · #7 03-27-2003, 12:43 AM

I'm probably thinking about the wrong setup. I though you were talking about the one without birfields.

sc044 · #8 03-27-2003, 01:01 AM

I thought that I had mentioned the Double Tough's maybe not tho. Ya the setup you are talking about is definently sweet, I looked into that as well but I think the clamini inners and longs outers will do me fine, and at less than half the cost. You were thinking of the big/little suzana. It runs you 1500 dollars, that includes gears and hysteer (already have that stuff tho).

Scott [img]images/graemlins/40BEER.gif[/img]

studlybil03 · #9 03-27-2003, 10:00 AM

The only thing you gotta keep in mind when running upgraded internals, is if $hit does happena nd you do crack a axle shaft, you gotta go back and pay the same price ( maybe more money if people start buying it), or pray to god that they wont take it off the line-up from the lack of buyers...Either way its a gamble [img]images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

#10 03-27-2003, 12:43 PM

First,
I wonder if they actually exist?

Second,
Imagine this scenario. Someone makes an indestructable Birfield, easy to install but uses the stock shafts.
What do you think will break next?

The shaft. When the shaft breaks, its usually at the splines. (which is obvious because it's the smallest section). From experience, when a shaft breaks at the splines, chunks of metal go into your carrier.

In one case it broke some teeth off of the ring gear.
In another case it damaged the inner race of the carrier bearings, and caused problems with the lockright (check out the pics in Zukiman's wheeling in WV thread).

Third,
Assuming that the shaft broke cleanly at the splines, you have to pull the third member to change it. If a b-field would have broke you could have fished it out and hit it up and running in about an hour.

Conclusions:
Birfield strength is relative to the shaft strength.
Make them stronger, and the shaft will break.
Every system has a weak link, where do you want it to be?
A strengthened birfield can be accomplished by a birfield ring, without the $$$ of the calmini axle.

Don't go over 31's and you wont have too many problems.
If you want to bo bigger, change axles or get used to breaking stuff