Bridging the divide between prerunning and general trails

[Josh S.]

Sounds good...its Dana44 not 45 tho ...I don't think you'll be able to run those coil spacers tho man, I don't think you'll be able to get alignment cams that will compensate for that kind of lift. I'm running the 5.5 beams and 5.5 coils, w/ 2.75 alignment cams. I believe that is the highest you can go. Mine is already a biotch to get perfect, but you can get it pretty close.

 

[CodePoet]

LOL yeah I had a brain fart. I thought that if I cut and turned the beams so they would have a factory like camber I could run the spacers, thanks for the heads up . I read on dezertranger that you could run ranger STX drop bracket, I guess I could do that if I really really wanted to. I might get some fiberglass fenders though so I could clear the 35" tires with 5.5" lift, guess tires can just tuck up into the fender wells in the rear.

thanks again
CP

 

[vrytired]

http://www.off-road.com/ford/zim/ttb.html
http://www.off-road.com/ford/zim/radius.html
some info here, may have already been posted but i'm goin to bed

 

[glfredrick]

I've been trying to apply some of the pre-runner tech to my TTB's all along. Anything that will soak up bumps like they do at 80+ MPH will also articulate on the rocks and trails pretty well. The major difference for me is the rate of springing. I tend to spring mine pretty softly so that they move easier instead of more stifly to handle jumping. Two sets of coils are not out of the question however, and one could have it both ways...

 

[CodePoet]

vrytired. THank you very much more the links!

glfredrick. That's what I was thinking too, I didn't think about spring rates though (i have ALOT to learn about them). I was planning on springing it pretty softly to give it a good all around ride, and the flex that will be needed on the more general trails we have in indiana.

Thanks!
CP

 

[Josh S.]

or you could go with a dual rate c/o...

 

[4x4Explorer]

Wow josh, great link! Very enlightening, LOL. Thanks! I've been wanting to build mine up for a long time now, but I'm still savin' $$$$ I was savin for a Camburg kit, but after reading that thread, I'm afraid to go to them. Thanks again, there was a lot of good info.

 

[Dannyboy]

My advice is lose the Dana 35 if you plan to wheel it hard. I've busted it up pretty good, cracked pumpkins, launched several warn hubs, etc. I'd go for a 44 TTB, they're a dime a dozen just like the 35 plus when you get the itch to go for the 44 the gears and wheels will work in the real axle.

Maybe I'm just a little hard on the TTB, it did last me several years of heavy wheeling, I just outgrew it far before I could get out of school to get a Dana 44.

 

[VBVA]

Robb is right when he says that the RIGHT coast doesn't have much hard core wheeling. When I think about mods, and I am about done with them on this Ex, I think strictly on what I am going to use it for. Where I live the sickest trail is Dictum in the GWNF where the hardest obstacle can be conquered by a stock Wrangler with 235/75's and little finese and where sand and mud reign king, so a solid axle is a little overboard. You have some great brainstorming ideas though and I can't wait to see how this project turns out!

 

[glfredrick]

VBVA,

You need to come on over to Kentucky for some real Eastern wheeling... Bring your 235's - and a winch! I'm no expert at western wheeling, with only one trip to Moab under my belt, but there are some vital differences - mainly in the traction/terrain aspects. Once you add heavy woods and the mud/clay/leaf debris mix that has built up over the centuries, you get a whole different world.

In the West, the obstacles are big and hard - in the East the obstacles are big and hard and slippery/muddy.

 

[CodePoet]

Well i've read quite abit about cutting and turning my beams...and i think for where I am an sas is the direction i'm going to go. The cut and turned beams just seem to more trouble than what I want and since i'm pretty limited in the amount I can lift it with the c/t beams the sas is the best choice. Here in idiana and the surounding states we need diff clearance since we have some pretty nasty mud at times and since I want to keep the lift all suspension the sas is just more suited to this kind of wheeling....not saying a cut and turned axle can't do it though. I say I want 35" tires...you know after a couple of weeks i'll be wanting 38"s lol with cut and turned beams i'd be looking at another MAJOR rebuild. Right no i'm considering d60's out of a newer f-350 (I LOVE pull-a-part yards), if I cut down i'll keep the 8.8 if I decide not to i'll put the rear 10.25 on the explorer...and change it's name to wide load lol (probably won't do that though )

Anyway that's what i've come up with...later
cp

 

[Josh S.]

Wow josh, great link! Very enlightening, LOL. Thanks! I've been wanting to build mine up for a long time now, but I'l still savin' $$$$ I was savin for a Camburg kit, but after reading that thread, I'm afraid to go to them. Thanks again, there was a lot of good info.

np dude. I wouldn't be afraid of Camburg man. They have some dank parts that perform real well...a bit expensive, but who isn't these days? I haven't had problems with the durability of their stuff at all, just problems with my axles flowing. I can't even concentrate right now cuz there is so much **** that is thrashed on the truck...just walked out to the truck on my lunhc break and have a flat BFG Mud with 80% tread...no spare...I'm so ###d

 

[4x4Explorer]

Well, after reading that thread you linked to, it seems like people with Camburg kits were having a lot of problems with axleshafts breaking. From what the people with Autofab say, they never have problems with axleshafts. Why do you keep breaking them? Do they bind through the travel? I don't get it.

I talked to a guy that had the camburg kit while back and he had the same problem. I never made the connection till now. I thought it was just weak axles.

 

[4x4Explorer]

oh yeah, I heard the Camburg 4wd kit only gives 12" of travel, not 16" Is that true?

 

[Josh S.]

I don't know off the top of my head how much travel, but www.camburg.com does. I thrashed a u-joint on the stubshaft(pass side) a ways back. Hasn't happened again, but I haven't romped the crap out of it in 4wd, only 2wd. I "prerun" in 2wd and 4x4 in 4wd. I can't remember for sure, but I think when I broke my a-shaft I was in Glamis totally beating the hell out of the truck over some narly ass whoops. I was in 4 low too, so that probly had something to do with it...but the angles on the axles are not very good, for with a bit of droop, they max out I guess. Possibly my coils are too tall...superlift 5.5, very stiff...I think the eibachs would work a lot better