JohnnyJ
Low Range Drifter
Branik cut down a shaft for me, and told me not to cut it down before I send. They did a good job, and I saved a few dollars in shipping dropping it off while I was passing thru Fort Wayne.
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Lets hit the dumbfuck sauce and build a stupid front axle( Shaved narrowed Dana 50)
Branik cut down a shaft for me, and told me not to cut it down before I send. They did a good job, and I saved a few dollars in shipping dropping it off while I was passing thru Fort Wayne.
ParadisePWoffrd
Recovering Project Junkie
x2. I think the extra size of the diff makes alot of rigs get taller or loose uptravel. Shaving the top could make it almost fit in the same spot as the d30.
Also, the hubs on that axle can get turned down to 5 lug. atleast 5x5.5, maybe 5x5. Then run the spacer in the rear, since it is typically required anyway.
Byro
Lurkin’
Won’t take much, leave the cover on drill for 2 5/16” bolts. Through the cover plate and into the shave plate. Tap the shave plate, then drill half way through the cover plate big enough to accept a 5/16” Allen head bolt.
Gunhand1
Well-known member
I did some measuring last night and it looks like it should just fit where the d30 chunk currently fits. I've got about 4" of bumpstops added already so that helps along with my 3 link being a passenger side upper.
I was working on adding an internal tab to the cover and housing to bolt up to, but my brand new Hazard Freight die grinder took a shit on me
Gunhand1
Well-known member
Progress has slowed some, new wheels arrived, but still waiting on gears, install kit, seals etc. A local shop may be able to cut the shafts for me, Moser quoted me 150 for the pair which seemed reasonable.
I'm gonna pick up some more steel today to make link mounts and coil buckets.
And don't let anybody tell you your dream of fitting 15's over superduty brakes won't work. It will work, even if it is highly likely you'll wreck and kill a bussload of nuns
BTW, anybody got a set of hubs for one of thesepigs they'd want to come off of reasonably? I've got one Milemarker hub left between both axles, planning to keep it as a trail spare.
Are the factory style hubs worth a shit?
I'm gonna pick up some more steel today to make link mounts and coil buckets.
And don't let anybody tell you your dream of fitting 15's over superduty brakes won't work. It will work, even if it is highly likely you'll wreck and kill a bussload of nuns
BTW, anybody got a set of hubs for one of thesepigs they'd want to come off of reasonably? I've got one Milemarker hub left between both axles, planning to keep it as a trail spare.
Are the factory style hubs worth a shit?
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rattle_snake
Fuckwits
Looks like there is plenty of caliper material left so most of the nuns should survive after accident.
YotaAtieToo
Thick skull
I think that less grinding than guys used to do on old GM60 calipers. Not like it will be towing 16k lbs like the truck it came from would have.
arse_sidewards
Red Skull Member
- Joined
- May 19, 2020
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On the old site there was a pic of someone's XJ on wontons towing a dry van on a converter dolly around their farm.
Gunhand1
Well-known member
Finally got some time to do some work on this pile again. Cut out some lower link mounts, and the start of an upper link tower. Also fetched an old d30 out of the scrap pile and cut the coil buckets off to reuse (I'm being a cheap ass here).
Did a test fit last night and realized I need to make a few quick adjustments, but nothing major. I'd like to move the link mounts in a bit to reduce tire rub, but the chunk isn't gonna allow that
Got quite a few parts in finally also: gears, install kit, and hubs.
Hubs are the Milemarker 459SS units, they feel quality enough and the price was decent so hopefully they hold up.
I started this hoping to have it done in time to go to the Great American Crawl event at GER, but that isn't happening. Maybe it will make it back to the trails in July 😞
Gunhand1
Well-known member
Couple of questions here.
I need a 1310 to 1350 conversion joint for the front driveshaft since im sure im not gonna find a d50 yoke in 1310 flavor. All i see are the Neapco 11-131050 joint and the Spicer 5-460x joint, is one preferred over the other? Another better option I'm missing?
Secondly, I've got a custom inner chromoly shaft on the way from Branik, after talking to them and others their concern with cutting a stocker down is that with the large neck down ( about 1.5" to about 1.25") it would probably mean cutting below the induction hardened material. My plan is to run a stock outer, but I am afraid of killing a yoke ear and wiping out my expensive shaft, Is this an unfounded concern? From what I recall the outers on the 99-04 axles usually fail at the outer splines or break the locking hub, but I only have second hand experience with them.
Anyway, got the brackets welded all the way on after 5 or 9 test fits and adjustments. Not my prettiest welds, but I ran out of beers mid way through, so I blame it on that
I need a 1310 to 1350 conversion joint for the front driveshaft since im sure im not gonna find a d50 yoke in 1310 flavor. All i see are the Neapco 11-131050 joint and the Spicer 5-460x joint, is one preferred over the other? Another better option I'm missing?
Secondly, I've got a custom inner chromoly shaft on the way from Branik, after talking to them and others their concern with cutting a stocker down is that with the large neck down ( about 1.5" to about 1.25") it would probably mean cutting below the induction hardened material. My plan is to run a stock outer, but I am afraid of killing a yoke ear and wiping out my expensive shaft, Is this an unfounded concern? From what I recall the outers on the 99-04 axles usually fail at the outer splines or break the locking hub, but I only have second hand experience with them.
Anyway, got the brackets welded all the way on after 5 or 9 test fits and adjustments. Not my prettiest welds, but I ran out of beers mid way through, so I blame it on that
Attachments
There's the Moog 348 combo joint too.
TTB D50 trucks should have a 1330 yoke if you want to go that way.
Byro
Lurkin’
D30, D44, D50, D300 all use the same spline. Pick a 1310 yoke from any of them. Viola.
arse_sidewards
Red Skull Member
- Joined
- May 19, 2020
- Member Number
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It's a shame Ford never ran a D30/44/50 rear in anything with a typical Ford pinion flange or that would be the best option by a long shot.
Mike Honcho
Red Skull Member
Spicer does not make a 1310/1350 joint, it is a neapco in a spicer box. Thought i got scammed, Called Dennys driveshaft and that's what they told me.
The 1310/1350 joints are greaseable and weak! A solid 1310 none greaseable joint is much stronger.
I would get a replacement slip yoke splined for your driveshaft in a 1350 joint.
The 1310/1350 joints are greaseable and weak! A solid 1310 none greaseable joint is much stronger.
I would get a replacement slip yoke splined for your driveshaft in a 1350 joint.
Byro
Lurkin’
Or just take his 1310 yoke off his D30 and put it on the D50…
Gunhand1
Well-known member
Damn, I feel like an r-tard for not realizing that. I mY hVe an extra yoke laying around somewhere.
I am a fan of the Ford flange, never had any issue out of one.
350TacoZilla
Well-known member
That'y basically same experience I've had with the toyota flanges and seems like most manufactures have used them more recently. Thinking I might convert a project over to them 1 for a D30 and 2 for an np208 if I can find them decent deal.
Gunhand1
Well-known member
I'm glad you mentioned the d30 yoke, I rounded up a spare that looks like it will work perfectly 👊
Gunhand1
Well-known member
I found if you buy a case of Stones you get a free gasket. It's cheaper than the gasket by its self and you have beers to drink!
Anyway, got the gears all setup, diff cover installed (with an added bolt to hopefully prevent leakage), gave it all a quick 'n dirty rattle can job, and then slung it under the Heep and started to bolt her up.
With the lower link tabs so close to the C it didn't leave much room for shock mounting and the huge brakes on this bitch don't help either, but I found a spot in there just big enough that I could mount the shock and just clear everything
You'll also notice my ghetto lengthened hacktacular driveshaft that I made some time back, well it was now too long so weld got ground out and it was shortened about 1.75" to mate up to the much longer pinion snout on the Shiddy-Fiddy.
At any rate this is where she sits right now. Should be getting the rest of the stuff from Barnes in today to build Heim steering. And I am waiting on a shaft from Branik still, they gave me a 1 week lead time, but that was 2 weeks ago.
Did do some other minor things like swap the other 35 from the 5x4.5 wheel to the new 8 lug wheel and try to get brake calipers apart to make sure they'll work. Calipers were pretty stuck, so I had to improvise, behold the Hilljack Brake-unfuckulator 3000:
Gunhand1
Well-known member
It's back on its own weight, and other than filling the diff and doing a little better job of bleeding the brakes it looks like it'll be ready for a test drive this evening.
I may have to take the drag link to a buddys shop and use his bender though, the steering ears on the knuckle are tilted inward some and it's using up a good deal of the heim travel. I still need to cycle it one last time and see if it's really gonna be an issue though.
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I may have to take the drag link to a buddys shop and use his bender though, the steering ears on the knuckle are tilted inward some and it's using up a good deal of the heim travel. I still need to cycle it one last time and see if it's really gonna be an issue though.
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Attachments
BigWheel
Well-known member
Is it me, or does that steering look sketchy as fuck? Either way, I’m here for it
Gunhand1
Well-known member
It's not the best setup, I don't like single shear on anything. Hopefully it holds up for th rest of the summer a d I will do hydro assist and high(er) steer over the winter
ParadisePWoffrd
Recovering Project Junkie
It would be better to move the tierod to the bottom of the knuckle and draglink on top.
This is actually a good idea. The only downside is the tie rod would get more rock damage but that's better than snapping off the knuckle ear.
Edit: on a second look, that dinky bolt will bend/stretch first IMO.
Rockwood
An Ape
Bummer about a bend in the drag link is you have to remove it to adjust steering center and it fucking clunks on every bump since it isn't balanced anymore.
Agree on moving the tie rod to the bottom. Just make sure your drag link is still parallel to your track bar. Is that a 5/8" bolt? That's what I have on my shit and it's survived rather spirited driving on 35s for years now. You also don't need big misalignment spacers like that for the tie rod to save some bolt height.
Agree on moving the tie rod to the bottom. Just make sure your drag link is still parallel to your track bar. Is that a 5/8" bolt? That's what I have on my shit and it's survived rather spirited driving on 35s for years now. You also don't need big misalignment spacers like that for the tie rod to save some bolt height.
Gunhand1
Well-known member
I may yet do that, only concern is how low it would hang, the steering ears are really low on these axles.
I really don't want to bend the tie rod, but yeah breaking something would suck.
The bolt in the pic is just a half inch IIRC, it has since been replaced with a 5/8, I just didn't have one when I was mocking everything up.
I've had buddies run XJ steering setups stacked like this before without issues. On 35s I think it will be fine for a while, but ultimately I want to add something like the JHF weld on high steer arms and go hydro assist.
Gunhand1
Well-known member
I don't know if I could do without the misalignment spacers,it's hard to tell in the pics but the steering ears aren't parallel to the center line of the axle, I will have to pull them out and see if running no spacers is possible.
YotaAtieToo
Thick skull
No way I'd run that stacked junk as is.
You should be able to just run some safety washers on the tie rod to lower it some. I wouldn't be afraid to grind a little off the outter edge of the steering arm if that's what it takes.
Then you can get a lower profile spacer or grind a little off the ones you got. After that I'd add some. Metal to the top and weld it to the knuckle for double shear.
Gunhand1
Well-known member
Yeah, it didnt give me the Warm and fuzzies either. I think it looks a lot better now. I'll have to order some safety washers, but it's good enough for a ride or 2 I think.
I've got some 1/2" plate I think I could make an upper arm with, in which case I'll probably move everything back on top of the stock steering ear.