DANA Ultimate UD60 TORTURE TESTED & PROVEN on the JL / JT Experience

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
Premier offered a complete housing but considering we already welded a mount to it for the ram, I didn’t want to start over. So yeah I’d say they gave it their best shot. Now let’s pretend I’m a dealer direct with Spicer. The issue would still exist because the axle shafts don’t exist in the US, according to Spicer.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

So wait, you turned down a new complete axle all over a pair of hydro assist tabs needing to be welded back onto the new axle? So you would rather wait 93 days for a new shaft or pay for aftermarket shafts at a premium cost
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Going back to the reason why I started this thread, on the 2019 JL/JT Experience, 7 rigs running Dana UD60s took on slick and nasty rocks out on 8 different wheeling destinations across almost 500 miles and... without a single problem. Am I saying that u-joints won't break? Nope. Clearly, Bubba broke his and Premier offered to send him a COMPLETE HOUSING to help him out. Are there better and stronger shaft/u-joint solutions available? You bet and I would highly recommend people get them regardless of what axle you're running whether it be a Dana, Dynatrac, Currie or what have you.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
So did Dynatrac piss all you off in one email or something? Glad to see there is another option out there holding its own.

LOL - I have always said and still believe that Dynatrac makes the best custom axles that money can buy. If you're willing to pay the premium and wait as much as 3-4 months to get them, I would highly recommend them over a set of Dana crate axles. Not everyone has that kind of money nor is willing to wait that long. My only hope in testing these UD60's is to see how well or not they'll hold up to the kind of abuse I'll put them to, on all kinds of terrain and on a regular basis. If things go wrong, I can assure you that you'll hear about it here. So far, I have found them to be holding their own and I would think people would want to know as much.
 

Exodus 4x4

New member
Nope and yes, I have seen what it takes. No bueno.



:cheesy: Okay, I'm totally confused... Premier offered up a COMPLETE HOUSING to help you out and you turned it down over some tabs you had welded on and didn't want to do again? Am I missing something?? Because, it sure sounds to me like they were willing to go above and beyond to keep you happy. :crazyeyes:

Yes. I never said I had a problem with Premier. I have a problem with an axle manufacturer not prepared to handle a shaft breaking. It takes 45 minutes to replace an axle shaft assembly and it can be done on the ground, not on a lift. Are we expected to replace an entire axle assembly every time a u-joint breaks?


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Yes. I never said I had a problem with Premier. I have a problem with an axle manufacturer not prepared to handle a shaft breaking. It takes 45 minutes to replace an axle shaft assembly and it can be done on the ground, not on a lift. Are we expected to replace an entire axle assembly every time a u-joint breaks?

LOL!! Bubba, you are totally losing me here.

First, Premier, the vendor you bought your UD60 from was willing to send you a BRAND NEW and COMPLETE HOUSING for a u-joint that you broke. Who do you think that housing comes from?

Second, you're assuming everyone and their mother is going to be breaking u-joints like you did. Based on what I've personally experienced and seen on other JL's and JT's running UD60's on obstacles that should be breaking everything, I find that very hard to believe. AND EVEN IF this were to be the case, I would say that you should start recommending RCV's or other shafts that are stronger than the standard ones that come on UD60s to your customers. To this day, I would NEVER recommend a set of standard Dynatrac shafts with any of their axles as I have seen them break. What I would expect you to do as a shop is to help your customers buy parts that will make their Jeeps better - as in, Jeeps don't even come perfect from the factory. If you want to talk about poor customer service, try getting FCA to warranty anything. Does that mean we shouldn't recommend people buy Jeeps?

Third, I fail to see why you'd need to replace the entire assembly. Simply pull the shaft from the crate axle, install it on your existing housing and call it a day. Based on what you said you could do it in, it should only take 45 mins to do and without the need of a lift.

I hope you don't misunderstand what I'm saying here and realize that I'm just trying to put some perspective on things.
 
Why go that far. Take the complete housing, pull the shaft needed, wait until the new shaft arrives and sell the axle at retail to a customer. I mean, unless nobody in Texas is buying UD60s. :crazyeyes:

That would make sense as well, I assumed they would want one back for warranty return though? But anywho, back to original thread, sorry to hijack
 

OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
Yes. I never said I had a problem with Premier. I have a problem with an axle manufacturer not prepared to handle a shaft breaking. It takes 45 minutes to replace an axle shaft assembly and it can be done on the ground, not on a lift. Are we expected to replace an entire axle assembly every time a u-joint breaks?


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

How did it break? You may have posted that already and I missed it. Just curious. Were you bound up and giving gas, hit something and stop quick?


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE
 

Exodus 4x4

New member
How did it break? You may have posted that already and I missed it. Just curious. Were you bound up and giving gas, hit something and stop quick?


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE

It did fall in a crack but hardly thought it was bound up. I’ve been in worse places with smaller u-joints. Tried to move forward out of it and it snapped. I remember trying to take it easy on the throttle because I was worried about it breaking.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

BaddestCross

Active Member
It did fall in a crack but hardly thought it was bound up. I’ve been in worse places with smaller u-joints. Tried to move forward out of it and it snapped. I remember trying to take it easy on the throttle because I was worried about it breaking.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
I'm still wondering if it was weakened by your send it moment and just gave out finally.. ?



--
Build Thread - Adventures of Fiona - https://wayalife.com/showthread.php?t=47407
 

MericaMade

Active Member
It did fall in a crack but hardly thought it was bound up. I’ve been in worse places with smaller u-joints. Tried to move forward out of it and it snapped. I remember trying to take it easy on the throttle because I was worried about it breaking.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

I was hoping for a story like you were trying to beat your Pismo jump and replicate something like this.....
 

Exodus 4x4

New member
LOL!! Bubba, you are totally losing me here.

First, Premier, the vendor you bought your UD60 from was willing to send you a BRAND NEW and COMPLETE HOUSING for a u-joint that you broke. Who do you think that housing comes from?

Second, you're assuming everyone and their mother is going to be breaking u-joints like you did. Based on what I've personally experienced and seen on other JL's and JT's running UD60's on obstacles that should be breaking everything, I find that very hard to believe. AND EVEN IF this were to be the case, I would say that you should start recommending RCV's or other shafts that are stronger than the standard ones that come on UD60s to your customers. To this day, I would NEVER recommend a set of standard Dynatrac shafts with any of their axles as I have seen them break. What I would expect you to do as a shop is to help your customers buy parts that will make their Jeeps better - as in, Jeeps don't even come perfect from the factory. If you want to talk about poor customer service, try getting FCA to warranty anything. Does that mean we shouldn't recommend people buy Jeeps?

Third, I fail to see why you'd need to replace the entire assembly. Simply pull the shaft from the crate axle, install it on your existing housing and call it a day. Based on what you said you could do it in, it should only take 45 mins to do and without the need of a lift.

I hope you don't misunderstand what I'm saying here and realize that I'm just trying to put some perspective on things.

I don’t expect everyone to be breaking u-joints but if they do, I would hope we could just have some shafts and u-joints laying around to fix them. I think it’s pretty silly that the answer to a fix is to send an entire crate axle out to scavenge parts from. I don’t see any other manufacturer doing that. They would send the part that broke and in less than 93 days.

Really just think the consumer should be aware that if this common break occurs then they should know what to expect. They could possibly be waiting a long time for parts. I still think they’re great axles, but I offer full disclosure from my experience.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

MericaMade

Active Member
I don’t expect everyone to be breaking u-joints but if they do, I would hope we could just have some shafts and u-joints laying around to fix them. I think it’s pretty silly that the answer to a fix is to send an entire crate axle out to scavenge parts from. I don’t see any other manufacturer doing that. They would send the part that broke and in less than 93 days.

Really just think the consumer should be aware that if this common break occurs then they should know what to expect. They could possibly be waiting a long time for parts. I still think they’re great axles, but I offer full disclosure from my experience.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

So to summaries, its either a 90 day delay for axles with Dynatrac or 90 day delay with Dana Spicer parts. :sigh:
 

Exodus 4x4

New member
So to summaries, its either a 90 day delay for axles with Dynatrac or 90 day delay with Dana Spicer parts. :sigh:

Lol, just depends on you and how you want to fix it. I seriously doubt that Spicer will never have the parts readily available for us to replace when they break. It’s weird that they don’t already have that infrastructure, but I’m sure they’re working on it.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

bkac

Caught the Bug
I don’t expect everyone to be breaking u-joints but if they do, I would hope we could just have some shafts and u-joints laying around to fix them. I think it’s pretty silly that the answer to a fix is to send an entire crate axle out to scavenge parts from. I don’t see any other manufacturer doing that. They would send the part that broke and in less than 93 days.

Really just think the consumer should be aware that if this common break occurs then they should know what to expect. They could possibly be waiting a long time for parts. I still think they’re great axles, but I offer full disclosure from my experience.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

Kinda sounds like my JL battery that went bad after 7 months. They are on national backorder, dealer is telling me 2-3 more months, it’s already been 3 months. Lol needless to say I either parked it while waiting on warranty or just buy an aftermarket battery. Sounds pretty silly to me that Jeep doesn’t have batteries laying around.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE
 
Kinda sounds like my JL battery that went bad after 7 months. They are on national backorder, dealer is telling me 2-3 more months, it’s already been 3 months. Lol needless to say I either parked it while waiting on warranty or just buy an aftermarket battery. Sounds pretty silly to me that Jeep doesn’t have batteries laying around.
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE
Wow, you're way more forgiving and nice than me. If a dealer I bought a brand new jeep from wouldn't figure out a way to replace a $200 battery for 6 months, there are 50 more sitting in their parking lot with hoods that don't lock.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
It did fall in a crack but hardly thought it was bound up. I’ve been in worse places with smaller u-joints. Tried to move forward out of it and it snapped. I remember trying to take it easy on the throttle because I was worried about it breaking.

Okay, so I'm still confused. If you just broke a u-joint, I'm pretty sure you can buy them on Amazon for $80 and on Prime :thinking:
 
Top Bottom