What's new
By:
Filters

Project Castle Bravo... probably

If I stretch a tape measure over the back arch, it reads ~53". Eye to eye was ~49". With the front hanger I'm using (Sky) pushed all the way forward, the rear spring eye is still behind the body mount. Couldn't use the conventional shackle location because the shackle would conflict with the rear of the body mount no matter where I positioned the front hanger.
 
Burned the sliders on:

slider_driver.JPG


slider_pass.JPG
 
Bolted the FJ80 front axle in and now it's sitting on its own wheels. It's a shame, it looks like an old school gasser now... :laughing:


Gasser.JPG


Gasser_II.JPG




Added just one more leaf to each side in the rear.

Not a gasser now.JPG



Still sits about one inch proud in the front. I can lower the tall front spring perches by about an inch and add one more tiny leaf to each side in the back. Should sit nice and level then. We'll see...
 
Why are those perches so tall? I would have made them as tall as necessary. Also, what is your caster?
 
Aisin said:
Why are those perches so tall? I would have made them as tall as necessary. Also, what is your caster?
Click to expand...
I didn't know what the final front end height would be, so I guessed low. Easier to lower a tall perch than to raise a low perch. The perches are only tacked on.

Sitting like it should be, the caster will be just slightly positive. Don't know exactly.
 
the_white_shadow said:
Is that a full width spring hanger? Or mini truck width for the perches?
Click to expand...
After doing a fair amount of research and from personal experience, I went with a full width kit. I learned that I should have used a full width kit when I went to a front Diamond housing on my '81 mini. Live and learn.
 
FrankenToy said:
After doing a fair amount of research and from personal experience, I went with a full width kit. I learned that I should have used a full width kit when I went to a front Diamond housing on my '81 mini. Live and learn.
Click to expand...
What’s the center to center measurement on that front hanger? 32.5”?
 
FrankenToy said:
After doing a fair amount of research and from personal experience, I went with a full width kit. I learned that I should have used a full width kit when I went to a front Diamond housing on my '81 mini. Live and learn.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. I am planning on using a fj80 front in my first gen '81 and am going sprung under. I figured the pumpkin would be my issue with a standard width front hanger. I may have to cut/notch into the housing to get what i am wanting to work.
 
the_white_shadow said:
Thanks for the info. I am planning on using a fj80 front in my first gen '81 and am going sprung under. I figured the pumpkin would be my issue with a standard width front hanger. I may have to cut/notch into the housing to get what i am wanting to work.
Click to expand...
This is the route I am taking. I plan on cutting into the housing and laying a piece of 2.5” box tubing into the cut. 3rd Gen 2wd frame here.
 
Took a different tack. When I tried to tighten the u-bolts, they wouldn't tighten, just get squishy. Something was bending that probably should not have been bending (u-bolts most likely). With the aforementioned set-up, I tried to lift the pinion angle by slightly angling the perches. On the passenger side, because of the shape of the axle housing the u-bolts weren't perpendicular to the leaf spring plate. I thought I had a little "wiggle room" with the u-bolts and the plate, but not that much. The pinion angle was 5* downwards, which meant a caster angle of ~ +10*. No bueno. I did a little trig (sin@=O/H) and determined I how I needed to shape the perches to increase the angle of the pinion by 5*. Couldn't do that with the arrangement I initially tried. So this is what I did.

Started with some 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 1/4 rectangular stock:

perch stock.JPG



Sculpted some new perches. Literally walked them in with an angle grinder and die grinder. Took the better part of a day because of the effed up shape of the FJ80 axle housing. That is the front axle I have, gotta run with it. I decided to make u-bolt eliminator kit that, albeit, still used u-bolts.

passenger side.JPG



drivers side.JPG



The corner fillets are just tacked in, not sure if I really need them. I can either burn them in or knock 'em out with a hammer. Haven't decided yet. The pinion angle turned out perfect. The caster angle is now within spec and the u-bolts will cinch down as they should. And if necessary, I can add a castor shim, should the springs sag that much, with impunity.

pinion angle.JPG





Lesson learned: I will NEVER use an FJ80 front axle again... :laughing:
 
How much did the new perches lower the front?
 
fj80 axles werent made for leafs. I cant wait to see how hard its going to be to mount some leafs spring under on an 80 front. I plan on slicing and dicing the housing to get what i want. Look good though. Can you post some pics of the passenger side? Id like to see how close you are to the diff with the spring spacing youre running.
 
2 86s said:
How much did the new perches lower the front?
Click to expand...
From my first attempt, about 3/4" (mostly just to level the rig as much as possible) . From that to final, about another 1/4" (that is taking the passenger perch to the bare minimum). Without modifying the axle housing it's about as low as the perch could possibly be. It's the passenger side that is cause of almost every issue.
 
the_white_shadow said:
fj80 axles werent made for leafs. I cant wait to see how hard its going to be to mount some leafs spring under on an 80 front. I plan on slicing and dicing the housing to get what i want. Look good though. Can you post some pics of the passenger side? Id like to see how close you are to the diff with the spring spacing youre running.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't be any more difficult or easier to do SUA than SOA, I would imagine. One advantage of SUA would/might be is you could still use the factory steering arms (and knuckles), if you were so inclined.

CIMG1375.JPG


CIMG1372.JPG
 
So you think with spring under i can get by with using the factory knuckles and steering setup? I was going to get some Hellfire or FROR knuckles. Id ike to keep it above the axle/springs if i can and not behind the axle,so that may be my only way. Or maybe a y-link setup. ill be using a IFS steering box.
 
If you don't want the tie-rod behind the axle, then the factory arms simply won't cut it. But if that is something to compromise on, then there shouldn't be any issue from the Pitman arm to the front passenger side steering arm using SUA, which definitely is NOT the case with SOA. And the factory FJ80 tie-rod placement is directly under the pinion snout (as in very close). If one didn't modify the axle housing to the point of raising the leaf pack towards the center of the axle housing, there appears to be sufficient room for the tie-rod with the factory arms and leaf springs. So, yes, I think it would work but, again, the compromise is having the tie-rod behind the axle and not above it.

However, if you're considering FROR FJ80 hi-steer knuckles/arms, I would order them now. They might ship before Valentine's Day.
 
FrankenToy said:
If you don't want the tie-rod behind the axle, then the factory arms simply won't cut it. But if that is something to compromise on, then there shouldn't be any issue from the Pitman arm to the front passenger side steering arm using SUA, which definitely is NOT the case with SOA. And the factory FJ80 tie-rod placement is directly under the pinion snout (as in very close). If one didn't modify the axle housing to the point of raising the leaf pack towards the center of the axle housing, there appears to be sufficient room for the tie-rod with the factory arms and leaf springs. So, yes, I think it would work but, again, the compromise is having the tie-rod behind the axle and not above it.

However, if you're considering FROR FJ80 hi-steer knuckles/arms, I would order them now. They might ship before Valentine's Day.
Click to expand...
Im hoping they have a black friday sale, but im not holding my breath. Their social media presence is terrible.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh