FREE SHIPPING & MADE IN THE USA!!!
Are the output shafts an issue on the KRX or KRX4? Yes and No is the answer.
Its not a simple answer because there are a lot of variables that play into the question.
The two main causes of failure:
1. Poor shaft and carrier bearing quality.
Some customers have replaced 1 or 2 shafts just because of carrier bearing and or mount failures. The carrier bearing is very small and they are not sealed from the elements. When it fails it leads to a burned up output shaft and or even worse. The cast mount explodes and takes out the oil pan. Trust me, I know more than one person this has happened to.
Either way, the carrier bearing is one of the big issues. We have a new billet carrier available also.
***Click HERE for more information***
2. A little too much throttle:
Some customers always break the rear output shaft, while some just break the drive shaft, or front differential input.
We have had customers break the output shaft 4 times and never broke anything else?
Other customers have twisted the driveshaft and, or broken the input on the front diff multiple times, but have had no output shaft failures?
There is no right or wrong answer here. Each machine is different .
Kawasaki has 3 weak links in their drivetrain system. The front input shaft at the front differential, the thin driveshaft tube, and weak output shaft and carrier bearing combined. You only need one weak link, so it leads to quality of the parts and cost savings is the overall issue.
However, knowing that we broke the output shaft on our Krawler KRX, there is an issue that needed to be addressed so we went after it. Not wanting to ever have a trail failure, we set out to produce the last shaft you will ever need to buy.
To do that, we enlisted the help of Branik Motorsports. The guys at Branik have been making our race axles and shafts for our rock buggies and 700hp desert race cars. These guys know their stuff, so we listened.
Here is what we came up with:
Strength:
-Made from 4340 Chromoly. The only shaft material better is 300M steel, which does NOT twist. These shafts need to have twist, so 300M was out.
-Our shaft is larger than stock where it counts. Some shafts on the market are one large diameter and do not neck down in size. This leaves no area for twist and they will break at the splines. Our shafts are intended to twist multiple times before breaking. 10 times more than 300M steel.
Wear:
- Our shaft diameter at the bearing is larger and almost a press on fit. This eliminated the shaft turning inside the bearing.
-Our shafts are heat treated giving them the best antiwear characteristics possible. This really hardens the area where the bearing rides.
Jakes thoughts:
You need a weak link in the drive train system. Something that will break if the system is pushed to hard. A simple trail repair fix, or minor shop fix, but not a blown motor, transmission, or broken oil pan. Something that is inconvenient, but tells you to calm down or back off.
We have been testing these shafts since may of 2022. During the ABUSE testing, we blew the shaft in the center of the KRX transmission. The damage was $5800.00 at the dealership and it took 2.5 months to do the job. Everything inside the transmission was ground up and metal went through everything. Even the case had a split on the side. We had to get it home.
WHY? We had no weak link.
The Krawler KRX had our upgraded output shaft, Rhino driveshaft and a Turner chromoly front input shaft. There was no weak link, and we found the weak link to be in the transmission. OUCH, and what a huge mistake. Now we know, and we immediately pulled out the turner input shaft and replaced it with a stock kawasaki one.
WHY only the input shaft? A spare input shaft can sit in the glove box. Its small and only requires minimal work to change it out on a trail. An output shaft could break the oil pan, and is so much more involved in changing. Even a driveshaft is a common failure point, but a nightmare of a job to do. The answer was simple for me. Ditch the turner input shaft so the break is up front and easier to change.
My advise, if your running 35" tires, pushing it, or just dont want failures. Do all the upgrades at once. Carrier bearing, output shaft, rhino driveline. It will all be apart anyways. Your wallet and spare time will thank you.
Unfortunately, I know first hand.
Thanks, Jake
Includes:
1- 4340 chromoly output shaft
1- replacement OEM O-ring
Notes:
-Replaces kawasaki part # 13310-0046
-Removal of your driveline system is required to install.
There are videos online of how to do this.
Check out our how and why video:
