1998 Sport D-44 SAS Complete!!!

98 Sport D-44 SAS Complete!!!

I wanted to wait till the truck was done b4 posting here, but here I am, the truck is done.... FINALLY.

The gears and locker are in, and the new driveshaft is in, and it works great, I had it out on the highway and it seems to get a better ride at higher speeds..... Good thing....

Specs:

D44 Front axle from a 84 Grand Waggy wide-trac
4:10 Gear ratio Locked
Warn Manual hubs
Leaf spring suspension
Rancho 5000 shocks all around
94 X steering box
Tom Woods custom front driveshaft
Woodring driveshafts custom rear driveshaft
rear SOA and 3" blocks
Modified Tranny Crossmember (to allow driveshaft to fit)
all the rest of the SAS is custom fabricated

 

[Skunk]

Climbs pretty good too!!!

 

[cdsl227]

I'll say!

 

[cdsl227]

Did you swap the knuckles or are you running 6-on-5.5 on the front?

 

[Skunk]

no.. still running 2 different lug patterns, need to get adaptors for the rear soon, really tired of luggin 2 full size 35" spares around in the back of the truck, gets to be a bit too top heavy.

 

[cdsl227]

Originally posted by cdsl227
4 less bushings to wear out!

2 for the upper arm, 2 for the lower arm...that equals 8.


only 4 for the leafs!

Geez, sometimes I ought to check my math...

Still 8 bushings, but since I've never in my life had to change bushings in a leaf suspension- hell it equals 0!

By any chance did you locate any closeups of the spring hangers?

I got leafs, RE1454 4.5" Extreme Duty YJ Front Spring - 4.5" Extreme-duty leaf spring YJ front 5 leaf w/2 added leafs, totaling 7...I think they'll hold up.

I'm starting to fabricate (in my head) the front suspension design so I can purchase the raw materials...any info you could shoot this way'd be appreciated.

I like the sq. tube up front and I'm figuring on doing that with mine.

What gauge did you use? 4" x 4" x 1/4"?

What did you use in the rear?

 

[Spas]

Oh, the Flex! lol

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by Spas
Oh, the Flex! lol

That's beautiful! Gotta love those leafs!

 

[cdsl227]

Yeah, maybe if we get enough of these things leaf sprung we can start a movement!

Who wants a truck that rides like a car anyway!

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by cdsl227
Yeah, maybe if we get enough of these things leaf sprung we can start a movement!

Who wants a truck that rides like a car anyway!

I don't know about 2nd Gens but my wife thinks ours rides better with the SAS and leafs. I feel a little bit more of the road, but yes it's a truck and I like the ride of a truck.

 

[cdsl227]

What SOA perches did you use on the front axle and where did you get them?

I ordered the perches for the rear...but the place I ordered from says theirs doesn't take into account the fact that the drivers side perch is integrated with the pumpkin cast...

One more- the square tube up front...what is it?

I was figuring to use a 4x4x1/4...I don't know much about the types of available steel, but I'm assuming the square tube is seamed?? Right?

Do they make square DOM?

Ok, well 3 questions...but they're all related!

Excuse my stupidity in this area...

Thanks!

 

[cdsl227]

Originally posted by lizardtrac
no.. still running 2 different lug patterns, need to get adaptors for the rear soon, really tired of luggin 2 full size 35" spares around in the back of the truck, gets to be a bit too top heavy.

I went looking for 5-on-4.5 to 6-on5.5 adapters...the place I called after searching the Net said they aren't made because they'd have to be 2 piece design.

The 6th lug kills it, in terms of centering the pattern.

Then again if you know where to get a 1 piece stout adapter- educate me!

Then I won't have to swap the knuckles.

 

[Rx4phun]

isnt the dana 44 a 5 on 5.5 and not a 6 on 5.5. I know Rick has a one piece adapter or at least I am pretty sure
Gary

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by Rx4phun
isnt the dana 44 a 5 on 5.5 and not a 6 on 5.5. I know Rick has a one piece adapter or at least I am pretty sure
Gary

The Waggy front Dana 44s are 6 on 5.5. The Ford Dana 44s from the EB and F150s are 5 on 5.5. The only difference is the knuckles out. Somebody had to be different. Rick's adapters are one piece but he only had to convert to 5 on 5.5.

 

[Rx4phun]

well thats good to know which mean I know just slightly more than nothing now. Thanks
Gary

 

[cdsl227]

Question...

Where'd you get your SOA perches for the Waggy Axle?

I called two places and they said they had perches, but didn't even know what I was talking about when I told them the Drivers side was integrated with the pumpkin...

I already got the longer anti-wrap perches for the rear.

BTW- Jeffs Bronco Graveyard quoted me $810 for everything needed to change over to 5-on-5.5...some new, some used parts...I'm tempted to go buy the F-150 axle for $500.

Thanks...

 

[Skunk]

I used a regular set of pirches, however, I used a grinder to grind the drivers side pirch to fit the casing, you will also need to grind the bottom, were the pirch was factory so the U bolts will fit around it. I dont know how experienced you are with welding, but when you weld the prich to the cast casing on the drivers side, be sure to get it either mig'ed by a big ass welder, or if your using a stick welder, use Ni-Rod.

Now, as per $810 for those parts, HOLY $H!T!!!!

they are maybe $200 at the most.... you may want to think about a trip to Harrys you pull it, out here, parts are so damn cheap. dont dare spend $810 on those parts!!

 

[cdsl227]

Thanks!

I was leaning toward buying the F-150 ($500) axle and pulling what I need off that.

I was hoping to get SOA perches that were designed for that axle...but if I gotta grind some... Oh well...

My friend owes me a favor so he is going to give me his 220 Lincoln Arc and run a 220 outlet for me. He never uses it anyway...and complains it's taking up space.

At least now I know what sticks to use.

What size is the box tube you used in the front...I'm guessing 4"x4"? That's not DOM, right...it's seamed...that's all I can find here is seamed box tube.

When it comes to looking for parts- DAMN IT S#CKs to be in NYC!

 

[Skunk]

out here you can pick up a f250 front end for less then then half of 500

yeah, make sure you use Ni-rod for the steel to cast welds, you dont need it for steel to steel tho, just a good 7018 rod will work fine.

the front tube is actually a class 3 trailer hitch cut down with 1/4 plating for the front spring mounts.

 

[cdsl227]

Quick question-

How did you measure for locating the front spring mounts?

I'm assuming spring length eye-to-eye split somewhere down the middle...

I'm curious how you got the axle positioned correctly...

I figure if I get 2 or 3 methods it'll cut down on some the the trial and error.

Thanks!

 

[Skunk]

Well, things are a bit different now, I now know why things went so wrong with the swap, even tho it still came out ok, and is still going great, I think it was because I didnt own her, and that thought in the back of my mind that she could be taken away if I got into severe financial problems..... well, now I own that *****, I get the title this week, and shes goin back into the garage for an extreme overhaul.... and now that I dont have $440/month payments on her, I can sink more $$ into doing the SAS better. Shes already a stong truck..... but soon she will be awsome!!!