6 lug front options

What options do I have for a 6x5.5 pattern front axle thats around the 58-60" WMS. I want to use an Isuzu rear end with 4.56's. They're a 3rd member axle, about 58" wide, and I have the stupid thing, the rims, AND the 33" tires so that total price can't be beat. My 8.8 has 3.27 gears. I'd rather regear 1 axle instead of 2.

I'm not afraid to hack up some axles, like switching tube sides and such. But the easiest is probably to just find a Wagoneer front? Or are there other stock or nearly stock axle options? I don't know much about bronco axles. Easy to make 6 lug? I like the leafs idea because it's easy but radius arms are pretty easy too. Either way, it'll be better then the TTB Any ideas are welcome.....

 

[IZwack]

Wagoneers run the 6x5.5 (along with its Full-Size Jeep [FSJ} cousins like the J-10) .. not sure of the width though but that's easy to fix (cut) since you'll need to grind around the "inner C" (aka inner knuckle) anyway in oder to set the caster and pinion angle. As for the regear, Wagoneers dont come with 4.56s (at least not that I know of) so I dont think there's any way around regearing unless you find someone selling an axle with the ratio you're aiming for.

 

[Public Nuisance]

Chances are really good I'll have to regear the front which is totally fine. I can swing $130 for gears from Randy's. However, having to also do the rear doubles the price and amount of work. That's why the Isuzu rear interests me. It has 4.56 gears (which will be quite nice for crawling) and I have the 6 lug steel rock rims and 33" tires to fit those rims. If I stay with the 8.8 I need to regear that also and find cheap, 5x4.5 15" rims wide enough for my tires....it's just more messing around and more cash.

Shouldn't need to mess with cutting C's either. Am not going for 12" of lift. It'll be relatively low. Not to mention it won't be driven down the highway.

Just looking for what options I have for front axles. I've never had a desire to go 6 lug, especially something thats not full width, so I'm not that familiar with whats out there. Next week I'll start cruising the local yards. Was one last year with frt/rear waggys but who knows if its still there and I can't remember if it was vacuum disconnect.

 

[Public Nuisance]

Just because, I'll post some pics. It flopped on it's roof. Last year I fit 35's on a 93 with lots of cutting....will call that one V1.0. A fried tranny plus a bunch of other stuff = scrap yard now. But good thing V1.0 has a good windshield, hood, door and I think theres a pass fender laying around too. V2.0 is loaded, with leather, and all for $350....which will be a wash once V1.0 gets parted/scrapped out.

 

[james t]

You could also use an early Bronco front... to get the 6 lug you simply run the older GM hubs/rotors. Same wheel bearings and everything else.

 

[IZwack]

JamesT presents a good point - you can always swap hub/rotors, provided that the spindle is the same (since the bearing have to match). To see the different spindles, check out Part-Mike-Part's Spindle ID guide:
http://www.partsmike.com/tech-help/spindle-id/

If the spindles dont match, then you'd need to swap out the spindles. BUt be careful because not all spindle bolt patterns are the same (the bolts that attach the spindle to the knuckle) - I think Ford has the odd one out of the group where the bolt holes arent evenly spaced apart (to make room for the brake caliper).

 

[RockRanger]

Waggy axles are around 61.5" wide. They work perfect in a TTB truck. That is what I have and am happy with it. They are six lug as well. Most if not all have drive flanges but some $75 manual hubs for a dana 44 will solve that problem. Junkyard hubs off a TTB f150 or bronco will work as well. Ford used a 5 bolt spindle where chevy and jeep used a 6 bolt. The ford is nice cause the center bore is larger making removable of broken axle shafts easy. The chevy spindle uses a smaller hole that the assembled u joints just fits through. If you snap a u joint or rip the ears off it usually means you need a grinder to cut the old axle shaft apart to get it out. The chevy is also easier to hi steer on as well if you need that for your setup.

 

[Public Nuisance]

^^ Yea breaking a shaft on 6 stud knuckle sucks. Was with my buddy 2 weeks ago when he did that. Grenaded ujoint and ripped ears + snapped knuckle at the top ball joint = fail

Anyways, thanks for the suggestions. I'll get busy searching for waggy or bronco axles. What year broncos am I after? If I find some chevy flat tops I'd pick them up reguardless. Would fit on my 78 F250 HP D44 which gives me more options on that particular project.

 

[RockRanger]

bronco axles are 71ish to 77 for the early bronco. I think they are 58" wide. All the dana 44 knuckles will swap between dana 44 inner C's. Not sure if the 8lug dana 44 stuff will fit the chevy knuckles.

 

[james t]

The ford is nice cause the center bore is larger making removable of broken axle shafts easy. The chevy spindle uses a smaller hole that the assembled u joints just fits through. If you snap a u joint or rip the ears off it usually means you need a grinder to cut the old axle shaft apart to get it out.

Before you ever break anything, or go wheeling, you cut 4 notches in the hole of each chevy spindle in an "X" and then you can get any kind of boogered up shafts out just like a Ford. Been there, done that.

fyi early Bronco fronts are 59.5" with drums and 60" with discs.

 

[RockRanger]

Before you ever break anything, or go wheeling, you cut 4 notches in the hole of each chevy spindle in an "X" and then you can get any kind of boogered up shafts out just like a Ford. Been there, done that.

Have any pictures of what you are talking about? Sounds like a good labor day weekend project for me to get done.

 

[IZwack]

I think he means notching the knuckle's large center hole to allow mangled yokes to pass through - cauz its already a tight fit when you are trying to install/remove a normal axle shaft, so any deformation in the yoke would pretty much make it impossible to remove the axle shaft w/o removing the knuckle (which means TRE and ball joints).

 

[james t]

No pics, but yes izzy got it.