Bkennedy's SAS and Rebuild Thread

As some of you know, I am working on building a parts list for a shortened Dana 44, long radius arm with coil overs SAS. 5:13 gears to match my rear axle and an ARB, maybe an electric locker. I have a pretty good list so far. At the same time, I am going to swap out the rear drum brakes for discs off of a 99 Explorer.

Please note: The plan is to keep this project as simple as possible with mostly off the shelf parts. I am not a fabricator, just a decent welder with a what I would consider the minimum required tools (chop saw, cut off wheels, air tools, welder, etc.), who likes doing his own work. Your opinions are welcome, but what I really need is technical advice. I have been thinking about this for several years and now have the time and cash to make it happen. Please keep on topic with your advice and don't go off on a side track about how you would do it as a four-link, or caged arms, or leave the axle full-width because that is not what I want. I want a simple-ish set up that works.

 

[BKennedy]

No TDS for us this year, maybe ever. The last few years has been such a s&^t show of drunken idiots leaving their trash everywhere and loud music at 4am, we are over it.

 

[FR-425]

I own a lathe and a mill, if you send me the specs I can turn that tapered bushing. Free labor. Just shipping and materials as usual.

316 Stainless or 304

I still have my stock pitman arm so i can get the taper angle off that.

 

[RockRanger]

I own a lathe and a mill

Jealous. I want both those someday.

 

[BKennedy]

I own a lathe and a mill, if you send me the specs I can turn that tapered bushing. Free labor. Just shipping and materials as usual.

316 Stainless or 304

I still have my stock pitman arm so i can get the taper angle off that.

That would be outstanding! I don't remember the outside measurements of the bushing that's in the pitman, but its a 7* taper. I will pull it apart again this week and let you know. I am going to order the misalignments.

 

[FR-425]

 

[FR-425]

Jealous. I want both those someday.

It's a game changer, ,, ,,but expensive .. .learning curve is not to bad. Just make sure you get a copy of "Machinery's hand book".

 

[josh40601]

No TDS for us this year, maybe ever. The last few years has been such a s&^t show of drunken idiots leaving their trash everywhere and loud music at 4am, we are over it.

Can understand the displeasure with that.

 

[BKennedy]

I just got off the phone with BC Broncos, they people who built my track bar and steering. The tech said the binding I am getting can be fixed in a simple, easy way:

Measure the degree of angle of the drag link at ride height. Remove the pitman arm and put it in a vice. Leave the tapered bolt in place. Use a torch to heat the pitman from just before the hole to the bend. Get a big wrench and slowly twist the end of the pitman so it is at the same angle as the drag link at ride height. He said he has done it dozens of times, incorporates it into their shop builds, and has never had one come back. I can keep the strength of the tapered bolt/sleeve, and correct the angle.

I was looking forward to having a custom FR-425 sleeve in the pitman, but this method sounds like a winner. When he was explaining it to me, I had a "Ahhhhhh" moment. It is so simple and it should work.
What say you people??

 

[WormsExplorer]

If a shop guy has done it MANY times and no one has ever come back I would go for it.

 

[FR-425]

Now that is a Ahhhh moment. Simple is genius.

Maybe just a custom shift knob then?

 

[BKennedy]

Yeah, I will out that on the to do soon list.
PSA:. For those of you who don't have an engine cross member and need to drop the oil pan, don't forget those two transmission bolts that are bolted into the back of the oil pan. They are hidden by the shroud. Took me over an hour of cursing to figure out that they needed to come out.

 

[BKennedy]

Now that is a Ahhhh moment. Simple is genius.

Maybe just a custom shift knob then?

I could use a custom shift knob for the transfer case. Can't find one that says
2 L
4 L
N
4 H
2 H

 

[FR-425]

Thread pitch and size. I'll make somp'n cool.

 

[BKennedy]

Thread pitch and size. I'll make somp'n cool.

I have no idea...

 

[josh40601]

That's a pretty genius idea for the pitman arm. I will be watching to see how it works for you, and possibly incorporate that into my trucks as well.

 

[Brian1]

The twisted pitman arm is fine, go for it. They are forged steel so no real issues in bending/twisting them slightly. I've done a slight height modification to one with that method with no problems and I know a very reputable Jeep shop that does it as well. After you are done twisting it, bury it in a bucket of sand to let it cool slowly. Alternatively, Google search "Genright twisted pitman arm" for a sweet twisted pitman arm that is fabricated with double shear if you wanted to go crazy and make your own.

 

[josh40601]

The twisted pitman arm is fine, go for it. They are forged steel so no real issues in bending/twisting them slightly. I've done a slight height modification to one with that method with no problems and I know a very reputable Jeep shop that does it as well. After you are done twisting it, bury it in a bucket of sand to let it cool slowly. Alternatively, Google search "Genright twisted pitman arm" for a sweet twisted pitman arm that is fabricated with double shear if you wanted to go crazy and make your own.

That is freaking awesome. not $200+ awesome to me personally, but if I had extra funds, that would be on the list.

 

[FR-425]

I have no idea...

Unscrew the knob and find a standard nut size that fits.

 

[BKennedy]

The twisted pitman arm is fine, go for it. They are forged steel so no real issues in bending/twisting them slightly. I've done a slight height modification to one with that method with no problems and I know a very reputable Jeep shop that does it as well. After you are done twisting it, bury it in a bucket of sand to let it cool slowly. Alternatively, Google search "Genright twisted pitman arm" for a sweet twisted pitman arm that is fabricated with double shear if you wanted to go crazy and make your own.

Thanks, Brian. I was going to wrap it in my welding blanket because I don't happen to have a bucket of sand around the house just now.

That is freaking awesome. not $200+ awesome to me personally, but if I had extra funds, that would be on the list.

Agreed.

Unscrew the knob and find a standard nut size that fits.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........


I resealed the oil pan. I had no faith in the replacement gasket I got from RockAuto. Went to two auto parts stores, they were the same. OEM is a rubber gasket that fits into a slot that runs all around the pan. Replacements were all metal with rubber edges. I RTV'd the heck out of the oil pan (it said to use a little, but I used a lot), as I really don't want to do that again anytime soon.

PSA: Start with the real long torx head bolt at the rear of the pan. Run that all the way down before you start any other bolts, or it won't tighten. Took me 20 minutes to figure that out.

Spent the rest of the day getting to the lower intake. Finally got it apart. I haven't actually torn apart an engine on a modern car. Last engine work I did was on a 68' SS El Camino I used to own. I could change out the valve cover gaskets in less than 30 minutes on that 396. Hope I can remember where all those electrical connectors and vacuum lines go. It has been leaking oil at the back of the lower intake, and the right side valve cover. Mostly the valve cover. Going to replace the thermostat, fuel injector O-rings, and upper radiator hose while I have it apart. The heater hoses were replaced when I did the SAS.

 

[BKennedy]

I spent half of the day driving to an auto parts store because the intake kit Rock Auto sent me isn't correct. The only things I have found I can use are the valve covers, and the upper intake gaskets. Seems like every time I order parts from them, I get stuff that doesn't fit.

After I got the parts locally, I spent a few hours cleaning up the intakes, and when I go to clean up the injectors, crap. One of the pintle caps is missing. Found the pieces of it in the manifold. While I was trying to figure out the part number on the injectors, I noticed the pintle cap on that one was cracked.
Ordered this rebuild kit off ebay; http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bosch-02801...ash=item1c781a3c22:g:8LcAAOSwImRYVpT9&vxp=mtr

I opened a can of worms when I decided to fix a few oil leaks. What will I find next...