2 1/2 ton axles

[Mud Bug 94]

i forgot you wanted a 46. if its gunna be trail only then go for it.

 

[sn0border88]

Are the other axles rebuilt? If not, id look into the costs reqired to do that as well. I seem to remember you saying you wernt going to go cheap on the axles.

 

[CodePoet]

I love the idea of rocks man, but I have another suggestion. In my opinion a trail rig needs to be as low as possible, these will require a lot of lift. How about looking into tractor or rockwell ZF axles (same thing kinda). You can find these in heavy equpment salvage yards and have planatary outers so you get a way low crawl ratio. There was a guy in my club that got ahold of some of these, they're uber strong (5 ton) and will eliminate the top loading issue. Granted...they ain't small but i'd say they'd at least be an option.

Here's some info: http://www.truckworld.com/Monster-Trucks/Monsters-Monthly/2000-may/monster-tech1.html

Personally i'd like to try to build a set of 9"s with planatary outers for a buggy...one day

Oh and no matter what you decide, get two steering axles and go full hydro in the back, if you're going to be doing this much fabrication there is no reason in my mind NOT to do it

And skip the idea of 46"s....go with a set of micheline 52" military tires. They are cheap, big, and the guy who one TTC last year ran them. You can groove them and run them at 0psi for alittle more flexability...these things are stiff

Oh yeah, and narrow the front end (the truck not the axles), and maybe something special in the rear to

And maybe a 351 swap lol

My suggestions keep spiraling outa control

 

[Burns]

Well according to the guy that has them the only thing they need is the boots on the front axle. So i do not see a major rebuild. If i am correct the places that rebuild these axles do not replace everything.

The 52s are huge and i dont thing that will be good for me...To big if i may say.....The rearend of the body i have already planned to make it narrower...the front end will just have to be a unknown for now...

 

[CodePoet]

Not that big haha

Making the front narrower would be easy. I still suggest rear steer.

 

[james t]

All you do is pull the brakes off and flip the hubs. That gets you 69". Thats only like 2" wider than you are now. Take the rest up in backspacing if you want it narrower.

 

[Burns]

All you do is pull the brakes off and flip the hubs. That gets you 69". Thats only like 2" wider than you are now. Take the rest up in backspacing if you want it narrower.

with the hubs flipped out i have found them to be 80inches

I would love to have rear steer but for this year i have to set my self a limt...The rear steer adds almost 1500 to the price....

 

[james t]

with the hubs flipped out i have found them to be 80inches

I would love to have rear steer but for this year i have to set my self a limt...The rear steer adds almost 1500 to the price....

Yes, "flipped out" or in normal position its 79.5"... flipped in its 69".

 

[Burns]

I want the axles to be as wide as they can be...the idea around narrowing the body is to allow for more up travel in the suspension....my little though but wont know how much to do till i can test it...

 

[IZwack]

I want the axles to be as wide as they can be...the idea around narrowing the body is to allow for more up travel in the suspension....my little though but wont know how much to do till i can test it...

dont make it too wide, or else you wont fit in the trails

 

[Burns]

dont make it too wide, or else you wont fit in the trails

Oh yeah that would be bad but with the axles at 80to90inches will not hurt me to bad because i can play with rim offset later on....

I hopefully will know within the next four weeks to what i am going to do....It is all boiling down to money...what doesn't but i am doing the project for sure just a matter of money to determine when i can start buying parts and axles..

 

[sn0border88]

80 to 90 inches isnt bad????? thats allmost the wheelbase of a cj for christsake.

 

[Mud Bug 94]

i agree, thats a lil wide...if they were70, you could narrow the body and tuck um nicely..

 

[Burns]

Well it will be between 80 to 84 or so....Not to 90 just got carried away with myself

 

[sn0border88]

thats axle width alone, add in tire/rim width as well.

 

[Burns]

the axle without rim/tire is 79 1/2 inches....So with rim/tire what you think? i dont think it will be over 84 or so

 

[sn0border88]

nope, not with those 16" wide 46's....

 

[Burns]

well the rims will be a 20by10wide but with the extra tire it might be better to set it up hubs in and make them narrower....

 

[james t]

Most of the trails around here are really wide, like Hot Springs and Clayton, and i can tell you 80" axles will suck no matter what backspacing you run. That is unless you plan on it being mainly a mud truck.

 

[IZwack]

I had to measure my Explorer in order to fit it on the trailer and it came out to be 87" from the bulge of one tire to the other