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...

 

[034x4]

I'm not sure exactly, i think its around 5-8*. It points directly at the t-case at ride height. I had to cut and turn the knuckles so I could get high steer to clear the leafs. I have about 11* of caster. It's nasty. One of the main reasons i'm going to a 3 link so I don't have to clear leafs.

 

[IZwack]

I'm not sure exactly, i think its around 5-8*. It points directly at the t-case at ride height. I had to cut and turn the knuckles so I could get high steer to clear the leafs. I have about 11* of caster. It's nasty. One of the main reasons i'm going to a 3 link so I don't have to clear leafs.

so I guess my next question is - whats the ideal caster angle you're aiming for?
my stock Grand Wago axle I has 10* of caster

 

[034x4]

10* thats not right. You want 5-7* for a waggy axle. You have to take into consideration the spring perches are not at 0*.

 

[IZwack]

yeah you're right - i assumed the pinion sat perfectly horizontal

 

[RockRanger]

I have somwhere between 7-9* of caster on my waggy front end. I used the sky-mfg arm for my cross over because it is taller then most other arms out there so that I knew it would clear the springs.

 

[JS91X]

where the pics of that wheeling trip you went on a couple weeks back ?

 

[supergildo]

search for "034x4 maiden run"

 

['97 V8]

I just saw them Daaaamn is all i can say. You did good on that ranger.

 

[034x4]

There is also a thread about tellico called : tellico pics.

Did some work today.

Let the ignoramous posts begin!

It sits level now and leans ALOT less, woohoo.

 

[jasonb]

interesting! Bet you can't sneak up on anyone on a trail now though!!!

You plan to put some sort of padding or anything on the contact point?

 

[mynameisaric]

it reminds me of a giant tera-flex shackle, except not as weak looking.

 

['97 V8]

wow that flex joint shackle thingah mah jig is ingenous. Your truck is a SAS role model. ( bowwing to you) I am not worthy!

 

[JS91X]

oh yea i think i figured out what that new front axle might be.....

 

[Nick26]

haha wow, can you lock it for driving on the street?

also what if the arm ever flattened out at the elbow there and the shackle got inverted, might that cause some problems?

 

[034x4]

The shackle won't invert, the front hanger will bottom out on the control arm before it has enough down travel to invert the shackle.

Drove it on the street today and it doesn't even come off of the stops under hard braking. I might put some rubber/polyurethane type stop eventually but this is working so far so good.

 

[IZwack]

smashing idea .. kinda like a 3/4 ellipitcal but not
what would you call that cantilever thingimajig of a design?

 

[JS91X]

when that flexes doesnt the axle move forward or backward ? how exactly and what are those made of ?

 

[IZwack]

when that flexes doesnt the axle move forward or backward ? how exactly and what are those made of ?

the axle always moves backward and foward during flex, thats why theres a slip joint/yoke on the driveshaft. this design doesnt change the arch that the axle makes - its the same (the front pivot point of the leaf spring)

 

[JS91X]

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

 

[IZwack]

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

this has happened before to 034x4, there was a pic a few pages back of the disconnected driveshaft halves.. but thats why ppl get longer driveshafts and slip yokes with longer travel (034x4 said the driveshaft shop didnt make his driveshaft long enough - hence the disconnect).