advice on centering D44

[Four0Sport]

Been reading lots of pages for my eb d44 sas under my 93 2dr and was pleased to read you can use the rh lower trans xmember holt to line up your 78-79 radius arm brackets. mocked it up over the weekend and the diff seems to sit too far back. the front dshaft ends up sitting on top of the pinion yoke and the bottom coil retainers arent sitting under the buckets.

can you guys lend some advice to a first time DIYer?

purchsed the duff ranger/explorer sas trac bar bracket, thought about using the trac bar to help line things up. ive been slacking on this swap and want to get it done asap. its frustrating to have to ride shotgun in your friends jeeps each weekend..

any information welcomed..

 

[james t]

I do it the redneck way- with jackstands under the axle at ride height, wheels off and under it's own weight, use two ratchet straps as an X across the axle housing as a makeshift trac bar. Hang a plumb bob off of each fender down to the brake rotor. Adjust ratchet straps until you're the same distance on either side of the axle to your plumb bobs... stand back and eyeball it a few times... now you know how long your track bar needs to be.

 

[IZwack]

Position the axle in the wheel well and then locate the radius arm mounts. Don't locate the radius arm mount and then locate the axle. If necessary, get or build an extended RA.

 

[Four0Sport]

thanks guys.. now i have some ideas when i head out to the garage this week

 

[james t]

Position the axle in the wheel well and then locate the radius arm mounts. Don't locate the radius arm mount and then locate the axle. If necessary, get or build an extended RA.

Crap. I was thinking about "centering" from side to side, not front to rear.

Sometimes i post before the coffee has kicked in. :

 

[FROADER]

Before locating the radius arm mounts, move the axle forward 2 inches.

Mine was centered and I really wish it was moved forward a little for tire clearance reasons. Unless of course you're only going with 33s.

 

[Four0Sport]

Before locating the radius arm mounts, move the axle forward 2 inches.

Mine was centered and I really wish it was moved forward a little for tire clearance reasons. Unless of course you're only going with 33s.

plan is for 36s. the coil buckets are JD sas buckets so moving g the axle up isn't really an option now. my biggest concern is getting the diff lined up right under the buckets and drilling the frame for the mounts. do I need to Jack the vehicle up and try to measure my ride height? should I install the coils and measure? I am this lost LOL and doing the work alone

 

[Kirby N.]

I moved mine fwd 3.5". That was the most I could get with the steering box in the stock location. Worked well for 37s though. I had to cut a little on the front of the fender but that was much easier than cutting on the rear. I did mine with a plumb bob and a but load of measuring too.

 

[james t]

I moved mine fwd 3.5". That was the most I could get with the steering box in the stock location. Worked well for 37s though. I had to cut a little on the front of the fender but that was much easier than cutting on the rear. I did mine with a plumb bob and a but load of measuring too.

Yea im right around +4" in the front and that's all i could get without opening a giant can of worms (moving the steering box, extending steering shaft, etc.)