034x4's D44 SAS thread...

I think this is my first post here, but i've used this board for alot of research on explorer and ranger SAS. So i finally decided i should post my project and it's progress so far.

The truck originally is a 2003 edge 4x4. 37,000 miles with 4.10's/LS.
I had 3" body lift, fiberglass front fenders and cut rear fenders to have plenty of clearance for 35x12.50 BFG mudders. Made a trip down to savannah and on the way home my passenger hub bearing pretty much exploded. Taking with it, the pass knuckle, caliper, rotor, bent inner tie-rod, ground flat outter tie-rod. I already had the D44 in preperation for the SAS but with this, i decided to go ahead and start on it.

This is the ranger, in the beginning.

After the bearing failure, at 70mph on I-75 north...

 

[JS91X]

i know all htis i just had a brain crap for a minute or 2

 

[RockRanger]

well i was meaning if it would move too far back and the drive shaft slip out of the yoke

The only way the driveshaft should be affected is if both sides drop (ie hicentered on a rock) and the Ujoint binds and breaks. This problem could be resolved with a simple center limit strap. His front shaft was the one that came apart. With the rear how it is now. The point that the driveshaft will get the longest is when the drop bar is compressed against the frame and the leafs are flat. As soon as those drop bars start to come off the frame the driveshaft will start to get shorter.

 

[034x4]

Good call. Center limiting strap is on the asap to do list, after I take out the body lift tomorrow. I don't need un-controllable unloading on downhills, hence the center strap to keep the axle from dropping too far from the frame, but it can still pivot to either side and flex unaffected.

The front shaft pulled apart, because I caught all 4 tires in the air going up a steep hill and jumped a 2' verticle ledge, when I landed the front end "crawled" forward and the truck didn't, over-extending the too short driveshaft (even with a 12" slip, moron d-shaft shop).

 

[Nick26]

so i guess you don't have to worry about relocating the gas tank for a 1 link now... thats good

 

[034x4]

I'll still run a one-link, just not on these axles.

 

['97 V8]

I'll still run a one-link, just not on these axles.

 

[offroader_69_me]

do not take this wrong as it is sheer Jealousy, but you have way too much free time, that is SICK, I love it!!

 

[034x4]

lol thanks man, when I get bored, I try something new on the truck. It's a bad, expensive habit haha.

 

[JS91X]

when you gonna tell us what axles you got ?.....i think i know the front allready tho

 

[034x4]

Well i'm selling them for the time being, so I can get bigger axles.

 

[jasonb]

wait.. you're selling the tank axles already? for bigger ones? If so, you may need to remove the "Caterpillar" logo from whatever you get.
Or did you mean something else, like biger TIRES?

 

[JS91X]

what kind were they then

 

[034x4]

Naw bigger axles jason. Lol.

They were big axles james. haha.

 

[034x4]

Took off the body lift.

This is how you get the bushing to stop spinning when they break lose!!

Cut the bed, some more, shock mounts fit through.

Winch is in the grille now, had to cut out the support behind it also.

Powerbraking it at work doing burnouts (which I didn't think it would do) and my buggy-links went to full droop before the tires would spin, so I got reggie to do it for photo. Instant 6" of lift lol. For the haters, the arms at are FULL DROOP, and the leafs are semi- wrapped up, so it is not possible for the shackle to invert.

 

[JS91X]

Naw bigger axles jason. Lol.

They were big axles james. haha.

damn you !!!

 

[jasonb]

Go bigger before you even went bigger! I like it!!!

 

[JS91X]

how are those tsl's holdin up on the road and being daily driven ?

 

[034x4]

Ahahaha they ride nice, but they have about 40% tread left, if that.

 

['97 V8]

did you buy them new?

 

[RockRanger]

The only thing I can think of bigger then what you were going run would be rockwells or maybe some type of portal axle.