BMXking's Axle Swap 1st gen. Coils/Radius Arms!!!

Well, I finally decided to start a thread on it. For those of you who don't know, I will be doing a full-width swap. High-Pinion Dana 44 front and Ford 9" rear. I am still looking for the HP D44, but I picked up the 9" Monday. I have never really done a lot of work on axles, so this will definitely be a long process, but I have already done a lot of research about this(and am still learning a TON). I plan on doing as much of it myself as I possibly can, but will have a shop do the regear for me.

FRONT AXLE
-1977 F-150 HP D44 Full-Width $200 - Moved Forward ~1.5”
-Myers Machine Coil Seats $40 shipped
-6* Pro Comp Pinion shims under coil buckets (to fix coil angle) $18
-CAGE Offroad 5.5” Coil Springs $150 shipped
-Coil Buckets Spaced Out 2.5" (3/16" x 2.5" x 6.5") $FREE
-Bronco Graveyard 78-79 Coil Spring Tower, Pair $90.80 shipped
-F250 Shock Towers $28 shipped
-Stock Axle Shafts(for now) $FREE
-Warn Premium Hubs $72
-Extended, Plated, Heimed, Wristed 1978-1979 Bronco/F-150 Radius Arms $222 shipped
-CAGE Radius Arm Mounts $FREE w/ R/A's
-Adjustable Superlift (p/n 1080) track bar (76-79 Ford f150/78-79 Bronco) w/ Energy Suspension poly bushings $125
-Skyjacker Stainless Steel Braided Lines for lifted D35 TTB's $90
-Bronco Graveyard 66-75 Early Bronco Adj. Bracket $45
-New F150 tie-rods & stock Explorer drag link (w/ red poly dust boots) $121
-Stock pitman arm $FREE
-Raybestos Professional Grade $19.95 shipped
-Powerslot slotted rotors $120
-Rebuilt Calipers $26
-Completely rebuilt (seals/bearings/ball joints/u-joints/etc.) $260.23
-Energy Suspension Red 7* C-Bushings $21
-Stock Explorer D-shaft w/ 1310 D44 pinion yoke for stock Explorer u-joints $FREE
-Rancho RS5000 shocks $20
-Bronco Graveyard Upper Coil Spring Retainers $22
-Rancho RS5000 steering stabilizer w/ custom bracket $25



REAR AXLE
-1983 Ford 9" $85
-Rubicon Express Anti-Wrap perches welded SOA $35
-Wild Horses Weld-On Shock Mounts $15
-Stock Springs w/ AAL and red rear poly bushings $10
-Stock Axle shafts w/ new bearings, seals, collars, etc $140
-94-99 Dodge Ram 1500 front rotors $58 shipped
-'76 Cadallic Eldorado Calipers w/ e-brake $155 w/ core calipers
-'78 F150 Extended Stainless Steel Braided Rear Brake Hose $45.34
-Custom Bent Brake Lines (w/ 3/8" ends) $8
-'79 Caddy Eldorado Brake Line end box thing $FREE
-7/16" Banjo Bolt for '76 calipers $5
-Bendix Brake Pads $35
-Speedway Motors GM Large Caliper bracket (7" mounting points) $40 2-day shipped
-Cut off mounting points from Ford 9" drums to use as spacers for the disc conversion (no longer a backing plate behind the shaft) $FREE
-Third Member from eBay (4.88s, mini spool) $150
-BC Broncos Disc Brake Conversion Wheel Studs $15
-Wild Horses Super Duty U-bolt Kits $60
-Extended/balanced rear driveshaft w/ stock 1310 to match the 1310 on the axle $123.63
-Skyjacker Nitro 8000 shocks for 2" lift Explorer $FREE
-Copper Third Member Washers $12.24

TIRES
-37x12.50-16 Maxxis Creepy Crawlers $400.00

WHEELS (5 on 5.5)
-16x8 Black Rock Crawlers $293

Grade 8 Hardware: $200

Tig Welding: $200

Parts Sold
-Stock Third Member w/ 3.50s and open diff -$50
-Lower Coil Mounts -$25
-Stock Radius Arms -$25
-31x10.50 Dunlop Mud Rovers, 15x8 black rock crawler wheels, Skyjacker 2” lift coils, drop-in K&N, front Skyjacker Nitro 8k shocks, Dual CB Antenna Mounts/Coax, and 235/75r15 spare tire, APC Ultra-White Bulbs, Radius Arm Bushings, Sway Bar Bushings -$415
-Ford 8.8 - 3.27 gears, 31 spline, stock limited slip, drum brakes, SUA, great condition. -$70
-Front Axle Shafts -$60

TOTAL: $3156.24





Future Upgrades:
Dana 44 -
-30 spline ARB
-Yukon 4.88s
-Warn Chromoly Inner and Outer Shafts, Moser Max 44 shafts, or Superior Axles
-Dedenbear flat top knuckles
-Blue Torch Fabworks Hi-Steer Arms
-Rancho RS9000X adj. shocks
-Late 70s T-Bird calipers (1/4" bigger piston, and still use Bronco pads )

Ford 9" -
-New Strange Nodular Iron Case w/ 3.250 carrier bearing (STR-N1906) $359 Summit Racing
-Moser Spool and Axle Package Number 1 (ASP1) - 35 spline full steel spool for 3.250 case, 35 spline custom alloy axles, Axle bearings, 5 on 5.5, 1/2" studs $590 Moser Engineering
-Yukon 4.88s (F9-486) $139 PORC
-Daytona Pinion Support 3.250 case (STR-N1914) $115 Summit Racing
-R&P Master Install Kit for 9" Ford-3.250 Case, Daytona Pinion Support(R9FDD) $100 Moser Engineering
-Pinion Yoke 1310 - 28spline pinion (may upgrade to 1350 if I get a new t-case) (PY210) $90 Moser Engineering
-Axle Breather Vent $12 Bronco Graveyard
-Axle Truss
-Rancho RS9000X adj. shocks
-94-02 Dodge Ram 4x4 Powerslot Slotted Rotors

Now on to the pics!

 

[ohe_boy]

Well, when I made that post I was having a hard time getting those wheel studs through the rotor and hub. I've used C-clamps and tried to press 'um in that way but that didn't work too well. So I decided to see if you had done this already. Since then I got them in using a different approach

 

[bmxking5]

What?!?!? You don't go and post that you had problems with something that I need to do, and then not tell what your other approach is! Let me know because I'll be doing that this weekend most likely.

PS - was the other approach a BFH?

 

[ohe_boy]

Sorry about that...hahaha I thought maybe you had a system with installing those stubborn wheel studs.

OK, What I found to be the best way of installing these wheel studs, especially new wheel studs cause they got those mean spline-looking things on, is to grab a couple of washers just big enough to fit over your 1/2" wheel studs. You want the washers to be somewhat thick and strong, like a grade 8 washer or something, but you don't want them too thick either.

Next would be to start your wheel studs in (of course making sure your hubs and rotors are together) by using a punch and a hammer. Just tap them in enough so that it'll stay in.

Then, secure your rotor/hub down. I used a couple of c-clamps and sat the rotor/hub on a horse and clamped it down. I also used some sheetmetal plates so that the pressure of the clamps is not all in one spot.

Place the washers over the wheel studs (FYI hub/rotor/studs are facing upwards) and with an old/used/not gonna use wheel nut, start it on the wheel stud. You may need a couple of wheel nuts. Its most likely you'll fatigue some of them. I mean you got 10 of them.

I then used a ratchet and socket and used it on the wheel nut.

The basic idea of this method is using the wheel nut to "pull" the studs through the rotor and hub. The splines on the studs needs to carve itself in the hub. The washers is there to avoid the wheel nut from bottoming out. The only thing about the washers is that you don't want to use too much or go too thick cause you want to use as much of the threads on the wheel studs and nut as possible. This will disperse an even amount of torque/ pressure along the threads. The less threads you have, the risk of damaging the studs and nut increases. I used grade 8 washers that equalled to 5/16 of an inch. Grade 8 is preferable becuase under that amount of pressure others will start deforming.

I think I may have covered everything, but if you have any questions just posts them up. I'll keep checking on your thread. Good Luck!

 

[bmxking5]

Ok cool, that's what I was planning on trying. Thanks

 

[ohe_boy]

Cool, at first I figured the clamps would work but I guess pulling 'um works better then pushing 'um!!

 

[jasonb]

or just use a hammer!

 

[TheRookie]

or just use a hammer!

Quoted for truth.

You can also use a ball joint press in some cases. But a good ole BFH cures a lot

 

[034x4]

Screw pulling them through with a ratchet, my Impact made quick work of it, I couldn't imagine using a ratchet for that good lord.

 

[STEVE-O]

Screw pulling them through with a ratchet, my Impact made quick work of it, I couldn't imagine using a ratchet for that good lord.

Seriously, impact gun is the way to go if you've got one.

 

[bmxking5]

No air tools at the house. May bring em into work to do it if I've got time.

 

[jasonb]

I've got a hammer you can borrow. If you need an impact gun you can come get mine. I'll need it back Wednesday though.

 

[BeauJ]

Man, when you get this beast rolling, I'll let you drive mine if you let me drive yours

 

[bmxking5]

I've got a hammer you can borrow. If you need an impact gun you can come get mine. I'll need it back Wednesday though.

I've got plenty of hammers. I should of rephrased it...I don't have any air compressor or tools at the house.

 

[bmxking5]

Man, when you get this beast rolling, I'll let you drive mine if you let me drive yours

I don't know if your truck will be up to my standards. J/K...sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[jasonb]

I've got plenty of hammers.(

well just hammer those studs in place. It only takes a minute or two to do both sides.

 

[ohe_boy]

A 3lb sledge hammer on a inch half bolt did nothing on those wheel studs. The splines on my new wheel studs must have been really good. A ratchet with even an extension breaker bar did the job perfectly.

 

[TheRookie]

A bolt is not a punch. thats why it didnt work. You need a quality and thich punch. A bolt has far too much spring to it to drive in a tough stud.

 

[breel]

air hammer, WD-40, and freeze the studs the night before

 

[034x4]

an air hammer! he's not trying to destroy the studs.

 

[TheRookie]

an air hammer works fine. no problem