Get the Yukon Gear Advantage

NSOR now has in stock the Yukon 4340 Chromo Dana 60 Stub Shafts. Available in GM/Dodge or Ford specific applications, these 35 spline stub shafts are a great upgrade at a very reasonable price.

Note: These 35 spline stubs will require an upgrade to the Warn 35 spline hubs.

Call us for pricing/availability on the full line of Yukon Axle components:
 
604-299-8449 or
Toll Free: 1-866-507-5674 Toll Free

Strength
The first factors to consider when building a high quality axle shaft are material strength and hardness. There are a lot of choices for axle shaft steel. Many of those choices will work OK in the average applications. Yukon axles are designed and built using the right steel for heavy-duty applications.

Steel Types
Steel choices for OEM axle manufacturers include 1040 steel or 1050 steel for OEM replacement axles. 1040 steel is not very desirable. However, 1050 steel works great for OEM replacement axle shafts in trucks and many passenger cars. The 1050 steel has considerably more carbon than 1040 steel, which makes it approximately 18 percent stronger and 16 percent harder than 1040 steel. The 1050 steel used in some of our OEM replacement axle shafts provides plenty of strength for heavy-duty use.

For high performance applications, 1541h steel is an excellent choice. 1541h steel contains a lot more manganese than 1040 or 1050 steels, which adds strength, hardenability, and helps in deep heat-treating. Deeper heat-treating and greater strength are a few of the reasons 1541h is used for high performance and custom axle shafts. It is much stronger than 1050 steel without being a whole lot more costly. The durability of this alloy is very good as long as the heat-treat procedures are completed correctly. 1541h steel is approximately 20 to 25 percent stronger than 1040 steel used in OEM axle shafts.

In extreme high performance use where twisting torque is important but bending stresses are limited, 4140 or 4340 chromemoly alloy steels work well. 4140 chromemoly provides approximately 27 percent more strength than 1040 steel, while 4340 chromemoly provides approximately 39 percent more strength than 1040 steel. This translates into huge gains in twisting strength as long as bending will not be an issue. 4340 is approximately 10 percent stronger than 4140 due to the addition of more nickel, which increases toughness and strength.

Hardness
Hardness is one of the most important properties that effects the strength of a material. Hardness is related to a material’s resistance to deformation or penetration. A well-made axle shaft with the right alloys and hardness is less likely to wear, bend, twist, break, or deteriorate as a result of the pressures and forces it must support. The hardness of good axle shafts is achieved by controlling several processes. Using the right alloys, tempering, normalizing, and proper heat-treating are all necessary in order to produce a strong axle shaft. Most automotive axle shafts are case hardened. Case hardening leaves a hard surface layer (from approximately 0.100” to 0.400” deep) and leaves the core relatively soft, strong, and tough. Through hardening can increase strength, but also leads to problems if the shaft is used to support the weight of the vehicle. Through hardening produces a shaft that is usually too brittle to support the side loads the flange incurs while supporting the vehicle. Case hardening causes less distortion and cracking than through hardening, especially in large cross-sectional areas.

Yukon axles are made from the finest alloy and carefully heat-treated using modern computer-controlled hardening equipment. Deep heat-treating gives Yukon axles more strength and more resistance to abuse.