I damaged an axle a while back and was able to repair it, but today it finally let go. So now that I need to replace it, I thought of a question. It seems like there's no reason to go for an OEM replacement when many "heavy duty" version are cheaper. So the first part of my question is this; most of the aftermarket brands seem to be in the neighborhood of $180 - $210, which isn't much difference, so are they all pretty much the same, or are there certain brands that are better than others (Rhino, Titan, Demon, etc.) Part 2 of my question is this: I'm assuming the non-OEM heavy duty axles will weigh more than stock, so is there the potential for any issues with one axle shaft being heavier than the other? Is it recommended that I replace both sides, and keep the other as a spare? Thanks!

Weight won't matter....they turn the same.

When I break one...I usually replace both, because then I have a spare. I have Rhino axles....broken some. I raced at King of the Hammers with Cobra axles.....didn't break any. They just aren't as convenient to get.

You don't usually break the actual axle....it's the CV.

You answered your own question....I would not replace with OEM.

 

I have lots of axles. Please check this link out.

Drive Train UTV and SXS Parts ? Pro UTV Parts

 

There $681 each or for two ?

 

I damaged an axle a while back and was able to repair it, but today it finally let go. So now that I need to replace it, I thought of a question. It seems like there's no reason to go for an OEM replacement when many "heavy duty" version are cheaper. So the first part of my question is this; most of the aftermarket brands seem to be in the neighborhood of $180 - $210, which isn't much difference, so are they all pretty much the same, or are there certain brands that are better than others (Rhino, Titan, Demon, etc.) Part 2 of my question is this: I'm assuming the non-OEM heavy duty axles will weigh more than stock, so is there the potential for any issues with one axle shaft being heavier than the other? Is it recommended that I replace both sides, and keep the other as a spare? Thanks!

Weight won't matter....they turn the same.

When I break one...I usually replace both, because then I have a spare. I have Rhino axles....broken some. I raced at King of the Hammers with Cobra axles.....didn't break any. They just aren't as convenient to get.

You don't usually break the actual axle....it's the CV.

You answered your own question....I would not replace with OEM.

On XP 1000's(and every RZR before it), in the front it is usually the outer CV that breaks, but in the rear it is usually the shaft. On XPT's it is almost always the shaft that breaks.


Weight wise, most of the generic aftermarket axles weigh nearly the same as stock. A few ounces here or there won't make a difference. Most UTV tires have bigger fluctuations between them than that.



To the OP, which axle did you break? If a front CV, the easiest way is to go with an EPI HD outer CV, and re-use your shaft and inner CV. It is an improvement over many aftermarket axle assemblies actually, and a lot cheaper.

Call us tomorrow if you want to discuss your options. I am happy to recommend the best product for your scenario, even if it is something we do not sell.

 

On XP 1000's(and every RZR before it), in the front it is usually the outer CV that breaks, but in the rear it is usually the shaft. On XPT's it is almost always the shaft that breaks.

Maybe that's a sand or mud thing? I wouldn't know. I only rock crawl, and between me and friends....never seen a shaft break, but seen a bunch of CV's break rock crawling because in the rear, it's usually at an angle, not fully compressed (and straight). Last rear I broke the driver side outer CV on the Rubicon.

 

I broke the passenger rear. Earlier in the spring I hit a pretty big rock that bent the rear trailing arm and pulled the shaft out of the inner CV. I was able to repack the bearing and it was good for almost 800 miles until this happened, so I assumed it was damaged in the initial incident but took until now to fail, since it sheared in that same spot. I called a couple places to ask about this, and like you guys, they all said minor differences in weight don't matter. However when I talked to the dealer, he brought up an interesting point. He said Polaris axles have a built-in fracture point near the outer CV. The reason being is the axle is the cheapest thing to repair, so it's designed to fail before the diff get damaged. It make sense, but have you guys heard that from them?

 

Interesting, but unlikely to be accurate.

Other than the boot, the cheapest part to repair is the outer CV, as polaris sells it individually. The axle shaft itself is not available from Polaris, so you have to buy an entire axle assembly.

 

I wouldn't buy anything Polaris unless warranty covered it. Aside from motor, trans, diff and driveline i'd go aftermarket.

I've had very good luck with Rhinos.

 

For good aftermarket selection, head over to ACV. Decent prices too.

 

Much like a shear pin in a boat prop or PTO shaft. Cheaper to replace than rebuild a major component.

 

Axle Physics

Axles twist when load is applied. Twist them too much and the axle breaks. The broken axle snaps back into the strait or unloaded position after it breaks. The sudden backwards release of the stored energy in the axle is what usually breaks the front differential (equal and opposite reaction). The backlash torque when an axle breaks is what is breaking the front diffs in the RZR front differentials. The same thing happens in any 4x4 application. There is very little chance of damaging the front differential if the axle does not break. Bottom line, run the very best axle you can afford to avoid breaking axles or differentials.

 

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Heavy Duty Axle

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