D1 V8monster Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Hi guys, I generally don’t post on forums but find they are a great place to find information based on other peoples experiences. I bought a set of Raptor CV joints, and fitted to my competition vehicle. I opted for the Raptor joints as the company I work for is a Terrafirma distributor so I could get them a fair bit cheaper than the Ashcroft. This is the first time they sold the product so I’m kind of their test “customer”. Anyway the point of my post is I broke the one of the Raptor joints almost immediately in yesterday’s competition. Most annoying, considering that I had taken all my spare cv’s out the day before as the HD joints won’t fail.... All my mates are running Ashcroft and nobody has had an Ashcroft failure yet. I just want some input as I saw another post from 2016 mentioning the Raptor joints. So has anyone used the Raptor HD CV joints and had failures in the past? I’m hoping it’s just a faulty part and I won’t have repeat failures I have a D1 V8 with 33” tyres and lockers, the front locker was not on when the joint failed. I know the product is warranted for 5years but it’s senseless replacing HD cv joints 3times in a competition, I could just stick the standard stuff with the same results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Interesting, did it break on full lock or in straight ahead position? With a 33" tyre it shouldn't even beginning to think about breaking. Daan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uninformed Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 What material are they made from? Any idea of heat treat hardness? Have they changed the ball size or other component sizes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1 V8monster Posted April 8, 2018 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 1 hour ago, Daan said: Interesting, did it break on full lock or in straight ahead position? With a 33" tyre it shouldn't even beginning to think about breaking. Daan I was grounded on my g.box crossmember and was full lock reverse. But the front suspension was extended quite far so very little traction on the front wheel. I’m sure the original OEM cv’s I usually use wouldn’t have broken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1 V8monster Posted April 8, 2018 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 (edited) 24 minutes ago, uninformed said: What material are they made from? Any idea of heat treat hardness? Have they changed the ball size or other component sizes? Well according to their web site they are made from 4340 Chromoly. And equilevant to the Ashcroft in size and quality. Ball size and outer Bell is about the same as original. Without measuring it’s not obviously a different size. Heres a link to their UK supplier. http://www.raptor4x4.co.uk/raptor-4x4-hd-cv-joints-land-rover-defender-from-300tdi-discovery-300tdi-range-rover-classic.html Edited April 8, 2018 by D1 V8monster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Full lock reverse is the most common way of breaking them usually Ashcroft are using smaller balls, so the wall thickness of the outer bell is thicker I believe. Also, the material thickness of the transition between the bell and the shaft is quite thin. Normally they break by splitting open the outer bell, but I have not seen them breaking like this. Daan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Raptor are not as strong as Ashcroft units. I know this 1st hand but would rather keep HOW I know to myself ...........as its a can of worms lol 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uninformed Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Im not sure if things have changed or not... But back when Longfield (Bobby Long) was getting his CVs made it was by RCV (then known as Rockford Aeromatic) He started the "small ball" idea to increase bell thickness... Problem is it creates a larger stress riser as the load is flowing through a smaller contact point due to the smaller radius. I think he ended up going away from this. AFAIK Ashcrofts gets theirs made by RCV as well? I think Ashcrofts fit the market well, I guess if you are breaking theirs maybe time to reconsider the complete diff/axle set up . Is there anyone else making high quality AM cvs for LRs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Have you got more detailed pictures of the break? Those breaks look extremely brittle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soren Frimodt Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 5 minutes ago, elbekko said: Have you got more detailed pictures of the break? Those breaks look extremely brittle. Probably way too hard a material like many other so-called HD items. FOr some reason many people think it just has to be rock hard to be strong Life isn't that simple sadly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1 V8monster Posted April 9, 2018 Author Share Posted April 9, 2018 Yes I agree hard doesn’t always mean strong. Anyway I wanted to support a company any that’s represented by the company I work for, shows what being loyal does..... looks like the general consensus is that Raptor isn’t as good as they are made out to be. I think I’ll get the cv replaced and give it one more try but when it breaks again I’ll ask them for a credit and go for the Ashcroft as they have been proven to last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soren Frimodt Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 They look just like the Britpart ones I've seen shatter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Yeah, I'm no expert, but that looks like absolutely horrendous material quality Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 yes i used them, they lasted less than a hour, completely exploded in the straight ahead position taking my (ashcroft) halfshafts with them. wasnt best pleased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous doug Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 After speaking to a few well known vendors about raptor4x4, they have all said pretty much the same thing: Raptor4x4 price **** like gold. the guy is very vocal on Facebook but doesn’t give any technical info other than what is in the brochure given to him by the Chinese he bought that carp from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 My personal view on their stuff is that it's made of the highest quality chinesium. You get what you pay for and by buying from someone like Ashcroft you've got the backing of a long standing name. They also happen to sell a copy of the ARB locker.... which just looks like appalling quality in the pictures. As for the wings above... what a joke that price is . I know sometimes people put the price like that when it's out of stock.... but they're always that much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe1joe Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 They do look very brittle, I have had Ashcroft cvs for over 5 years and haven’t broken one yet. think I would return them, and get Ash Croft cvs, at least you have tried them....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1 V8monster Posted April 21, 2018 Author Share Posted April 21, 2018 Hey I’ve been super hectic busy at work the past few weeks so haven’t checked up on the post. Progress thus far, Raptor CV joint is pretty brittle. Had a tool maker friend look at them and he thinks material is too thin and over hardened making it very brittle. Submitted my claim to Terrafirma; they said joint won’t fail and asked me for pics and explanation of failure. 🤔 They approved a credit for the CV joints. And I ordered the Ashcroft CV’s yesterday. It will take 10working days to ship to South Africa and clear customs etc. im going to keep the Raptor shafts and use the Ashcroft CV’s as I didn’t have enough money for the Ashcroft shafts too. The Raptor shafts are also warranted for 5 years so when they fail I’ll order a set of Ashcroft shafts to replace them. Im going to try my hand at turning some REAR shafts in the Lathe and have the splines rolled on the end. I want something stronger than oem shafts but not unbreakable as I don’t fancy replacing crowheel and pinion every few weeks. Ill post updates on how the shaft building goes when I get there. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 I hope those Raptor shafts don't take out your fancy new CVs when they break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Even an Ashcroft CV isn't going to like chomping on bits of shaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Brock Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Must admit If I was buying Ashcroft CV's and you knowing what the Raptor stuff is like, I'd be bunging some cheap CV's in and saving for Ashcroft shafts - as above if the go, they are going to chew everything up, and it will find the weak link ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco-Ron Posted April 28, 2018 Share Posted April 28, 2018 A yr or so ago I bought a pair of their drive flanges..... the spline engineering was shocking.... the spline were not pointed... meaning the contact area between them and the cv was tiny..... I didn't even bother fitting them..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted April 28, 2018 Share Posted April 28, 2018 2 hours ago, Disco-Ron said: A yr or so ago I bought a pair of their drive flanges..... the spline engineering was shocking.... the spline were not pointed... meaning the contact area between them and the cv was tiny..... I didn't even bother fitting them..... The LR spline profile isn't pointy though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco-Ron Posted April 28, 2018 Share Posted April 28, 2018 Not on the cv it isn't.... but on the inner point of the flange it is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1 V8monster Posted September 21, 2018 Author Share Posted September 21, 2018 Okay an update after many months of abuse.... Ashcroft CV's are in and going very nicely, still have raptor front shafts going into the Ashcroft CV's. Thus far I have broken front crown wheel and pinion twice, transfer box 3rd diff and an unmentionable amount of rear shafts.... I have a pair of Ashcroft Crown Wheels and Pinions on order and will see what I manage to break after they are installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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