1978 F-150 D44 Wedge Removal? How?

[Burns]

I have been talking to IZwack every now and then and i have decided that it is time for a 1st gen to get some air shocks. That means im going to get rid of my entire front suspension and i am also going to do a three link + pan hard bar.

This is the prob for now. I need to remove the wedges that the radius arms bolt around. Prob=Cast into axle.

Done some searching and did not come up with anyone who has done this before. I know it would be easier to get another axle but that is not going to happen. I have some family attachment to this set of axles.

 

[IZwack]

Wait what happened to this picture (posted on your "JoshC's SAS #2" thread, reply number 204). Or is the cast only on one side and the picture below is the driver's side?

I visited SavageWolf tonight to pick up an axle shaft from him and I saw the axle he shortened (which is the one he's stuffed under his Explorer). Basically he narrowed down the axle by removing the casted part. He removed just the right amount to fit an Early Bronco shaft. I think I remember him saying that the narrowed axle came out to be an inch or so wider than the EB axle.

 

[Burns]

I dont want to shorten the axle. I like the full width. I need to find a way to get the wedges down where i could put the links on.

I didnt post that pic.??? Its cast on both sides.

 

[IZwack]

No you did post that pic. But if thats what your wedges look like, then you can slice those off cauz you have a full running axle tube there.

 

[IZwack]

See how the axle tube in the image below is inserted into the casted one-piece wedge? Thats the axle you DONT want.

On the other hand, in your situatoin (or in that pic you posted at least), the wedges look like they've been welded onto the axle tubes -- which means you can just slice them off and you're good to go.

 

[Burns]

Thats not my axle. Thats joshc's.

 

[IZwack]

OMG Burns, I am so sorry!!! I got JoshC's thread mixed up with your build!! Man I need to get some sleep!!!

 

[Burns]

LOL its all good. Im needing to go to bed so i thought it was me. lol

 

[lifeguard379]

can you re-tube it? like cut the inner knuckle off the cast wedges and weld them on a new tube?

 

[Burns]

I could. But.....I think i can find someting better than that. If im going to do that ill just get another axle. If it comes to that. I think i can grind them down but not sure.

 

[Mud Bug 94]

you cant grind them down...even if tou did, and welded the link mounts onto the cast, the cast will break....geta new axle...

 

[james t]

Your only choice is to re-tube the axle if you're set on keeping it. Sorry man. You cant cut them off or grind them down because there is no axle tube underneath them... the wedges ARE the axle tube.

 

[Burns]

Hummmm....Could i just leave them there and weld(SP) to the wedges. Cause that would possibly work. I would not want to re-tube the axle. I think that would be to much trouble.

 

[tdavis]

The wedges are cast something (steel?) and welding to cast is usually not recommend.

Cutting the wedges off, and then splicing a short section of tube using slug works well. You'll also have to cut off the 'C' section, and put that on the tube.

 

[Burns]

Well. I guess im gonna have to find another axle. More money. How hard is it to re tube the axles?

 

[IZwack]

Finding another axle is cake.. come up to the DC area and you can pick up another comlpete front D44 for less than $100 from a chain of junk yards called Crazy Ray's.

 

[sn0border88]

cutting them off isnt an option, I have seen guys re use them in a link mount but it wasugly as hell and probably has broken by now. Just get a new axle or retube it.



What, no rockwells?

 

[Burns]

Well the rockwell project came to be around $5000. I decided that that was way to much to spend on the explorer or on anther explorer. Since the sas is only a year old and i spent 4000+ i need to keep some money and be smarter with my money.

I am now looking into another axle. I dont want to retube a axle.