Zhanx's SAS - HP Dana 44 on 37's thread

Ok decided I would like to run 37's.

I know knowi just locked the front and etc, etc. but over the next year i will have about 3 months(non consecutive) of time to wheel. the rest will be spent in schools training to to be an uber elite solider wearing a green beret. So I was like heck might as well do a SAS and do it right since I will gonna be saving all that money.

I've been thinking about axles.. tons of choices are brought up by research. My questions are there :

Should I buy a currie built axle or get a junk yard one and rebuilt it (remember time is not an option for me at this point but i did find one at a junk yard for 350 or so)?

How do i measure for coil-overs? (something i noticed no one covered in their threads)

Is the rubicon long arm kit the easiest way to do this? (more on that later)

Hydralic Ram Steering ?!?!? is it as easy as i think or am i way off by thinking its easy to setup verus anything else

ARB air lockers everyone raves- (410 input please on this) are they worth it?

Will my stock transfer hold up for now or should i swap to a manual?

How much better are out board shocks than in board?

I dont expect all these to be answered for me so dont worry. I will adding answers and websites for parts as time goes on. Most likly i will not be doing the swap unless a miracle happens and i get time.. but i want all the right parts before i pay someone to do it for me. This thread will have a ton of stuff in hopefully by the time i am done to answer any question on a coil over sas. Any input who be great,, as i want to start ordering parts for this in march.

hmm.. found a couple of wagoneer dana 44 at a junkyard that i need to go check out and get a firm price on.. might go that way for now.

started a price list to figure out the basic cost to just rebuild the axle out of a 80's wagoneer (will adjust when i get the axle and the year and add to it)

from accuautoparts.com

$142.80 MOTIVE GEAR - 4.56 RATIO RING & PINION GEARSET
$ 99.87 MASTER INSTALL KIT
_______
$229.80
from autozone.com
$ 15.99 FENCO_REMAN DRIVER SIDE BRAKE CALIPER
$ 15.99 FENCO_REMAN PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE CALIPER
$ 24.99 DURALAST SEMI-METALLIC BRAKE PADS
_______
$286.99

from offroadlockers.
$229.99 Aussie Locker
_______
$516.76

am i missing anything? Still cheaper than the Superlift or trailmaster kits.

 

[IZwack]

izwack i cant do that here also?

No zhanx -- do I need to remind you of forum rule #519 sub-section A-165?

Hehe kidding, you can do whatever you want but technically, the rear axle is not an "SAS" (from the title of this thread) unless your starting from an IRS

 

[zhanx]

ok i started a new thread just you.. its like an easter egg you got to find it

 

[IZwack]

Woot!

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184779

 

[zhanx]

izwack if you weren't a presdential candidate and i didn't have a high powered rifle we would never get long how do you always do that.

 

[zhanx]

photochoped it

ok a bity of boredom set in and i took a pic and gimped it (photoshop for linux). here is what i might look like when finished. with this.. (i hope that day comes)

 

[FROADER]

Needs bigger tires with the front axle moved forward a little.

 

[zhanx]

why your at it raise it a tad more


nice work

 

[zhanx]

k question on steering ...

the **PLAN**

Going to run a 1st gen steering box for now. Cheap for me and no issues with the power steering lines.
7/8 and 3/4 Heim joints with misalignment spacers and drill the stock locations to 3/4
Question I have looked and looked but oh well i'll ask anyways (research is fun cause you get to see cool rigs and wow i cant believe he did that rigs)

which one of these is best and why.. leaning toward number 3 but i have to get a flat spot machined and etc. to make sure its right.

now i might just order a steering kit. but for now i am going to run stockish steering i.e no high steering till it breaks. and for the first year of its life my sas wont see offroad cause ii'll be gone.

 

[IZwack]

#1 would be optimizal because it keeps the link between the two knuckles on top of the knuckles and it keeps the drag link the most horizontal. Having said that however, it looks to be the weakest as the single bolt which holds the two heims on the passenger's side will probably undergo too much stress and will eventually sheer right between the knuckle and the first heim joint on top of it.

#2's only downside is that the link between the two knuckles is the lowest of the three designs -- kinda dangerous on rocky trails.

#3 is the typical setup on stock steering setups and therefore has withstood the test of time. However, the drag link will be the shortest of all three designs and will have a little bit more bump steer and the previous two.

 

[Mud Bug 94]

id say #1

 

[zhanx]

#1 would be optimized because it keeps the link between the two knuckles on top of the knuckle links and it keeps the drag link the most horizontal. Having said that however, it looks to be the weakest as the single bolt which holds the two heims on the passenger's side will probably undergo too much stress and will eventually sheer right between the knuckle and the first heim joint on top of it.

kind why i wasn't sure on it i know more stress will be placed on bolt.. But a solution would be to carry an extra bolt just in case. But the lost of steering is not a good idea.

 

[IZwack]

My vote is for either #2 or #3. It depends on the purpose of the vehicle. If its going to see a lot of high speed trips, then #2. If its more for trail where you dont need to worry about too much bump steer, then #3.

 

[Mud Bug 94]

http://www.trail-gear.com/images/highsteerkit-600.jpg ,,,you need the passenger side style knuckle and then do style #1

 

[r37ribution]

wow is that for our trucks?

I need to replace my steering as well...

 

[95exploderboy]

Its for a Toyota, they get all the cool parts....

 

[r37ribution]

Lots of guys on here end up going with a yota steering setup when they upgrade to SAS tho...

 

[95exploderboy]

They will use the Toyota box, but you couldn't use those high steer arms unless you had Toyota knuckles. The steering design fits, its just that most of the components in that kit will not work.

 

[Mud Bug 94]

dana 44 flat top knuckle....high steer

 

[sn0border88]

yup, just do #1 like that pic about, thats considered full histeer. You just need a passenger arm that has 2 holes in it which is very common. Stacking 2 on top of another is asking from trouble. ANd if you use tre's you wont have to worry about a bolt breaking caus the tre's go through the knuckle.

 

[zhanx]

i need oh so many parts and i am ready like a power steering gear box and uhh.. springs and 7* bushings... sucks a wheel bearing died before i had those parts. hopefully i will start this in july now