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Karl Ford 9"/404 Portals

lt1yj

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 6, 2020
Member Number
2258
Messages
157
I asked Austin a few questions regarding 404 portal boxes and seals and mentioned I had purchased a pretty unique rig from an engineer near Detroit. He recommended I throw up some pics.

"Karl" is running flipped 9" (3:1 ratio) axle housings with custom axle shafts (I believe RCV), corvette rotors and Wilwood calipers, 8x6.5, 42" Iroks. It's front and rear steer with a very simple priority valve that limits rear flow when the front steering is engaged.

I hope to get started on rebuilding Karl this fall if I can get a new barn built before snow flies.

The axles currently leak everywhere. Diff, pinion, end of the axle housing by the CV, the portal box seals and the axle shaft seals. It doesn't mark it's territory, it completely covers it like the Exxon Valdez.

It currently sits 3" taller than my LJ on 40's (7' to top of roll bar). When I rebuild it, I should be able to drop it 2".




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Interested to see more about the RCV joints in this hybrid axle if that's what it really has.... always was curious if there was a way to replace the factory trunnions with something more modern and less complex.


-G
 
Interested to see more about the RCV joints in this hybrid axle if that's what it really has.... always was curious if there was a way to replace the factory trunnions with something more modern and less complex.


-G

This is still running the double cardan CV's. Only the inner axle shafts were built to adapt to the 9" center section.

I don't have any plans to change the shafts unless I break something. Two trips in with it so far and no axle related issues other than leaks.
 
so cool.

ive heard its hard to package portals in buggy, how hard does it look in the jeep?

The Jeep has been front halved, back halved, tweaked, adjusted and modified in just about every way possible with a semi-stock body and there are still interferences that need to be fixed. Packaging the axles is a little easier with the 9" center section but it's still a nightmare.

I'm considering full tube chassis with a Jeep skin but I haven't made any decisions yet.
 
The Jeep has been front halved, back halved, tweaked, adjusted and modified in just about every way possible with a semi-stock body and there are still interferences that need to be fixed. Packaging the axles is a little easier with the 9" center section but it's still a nightmare.

That is the truth.

I've already backhalved my K5 to fit the Mog-9 axle, and heavily reworked the factory framerails up front on the passenger side for pumpkin clearance. In the process of front-halving the truck now because there were notches and cutouts everywhere to clear the axle, suspension links and all the steering parts.


-G
 
That is the truth.

I've already backhalved my K5 to fit the Mog-9 axle, and heavily reworked the factory framerails up front on the passenger side for pumpkin clearance. In the process of front-halving the truck now because there were notches and cutouts everywhere to clear the axle, suspension links and all the steering parts.


-G
Welcome Greggie... see, I do say nice things.
:flipoff2:
 
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