Front end work

[R.J.]

hey made a poll, so everyone go vote for what you want to see!!!!

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208533

 

[RockRanger]

10 bolts = dana 35
12 bolts = dana 28

 

[R.J.]

change in original plans, the beams will be widened now

it's been decided, im going to widen the beams and only use a right side d44 intermediate shaft, making the track width aprox 4.5"s wider.

i originaly wnated to keep the front end stock width because i didn't want any custome axles, but since this will i'll be using a stock d44 peice, it'll be easy to replace if need be and cheap

 

[mounty71]

Why are you going 2.25" wider each side? Why not 4" or 4.5" like some kits offer?

 

[R.J.]

matt, come on, im building the front end around the stock d44 axle shaft. so however longer that is from stock is how uch i'll be widening it. im pretty sure its 4.5"s longer so a nice addition of 2.25 on each side will be great, thats all the width i really want anyways. (i don't want tickets for the tires sticking out past the fender)

 

[mounty71]

Right, i thought the D44 shaft was about 7" longer, so you'd be cutting off about 2.5" to get it to be 4.5" longer than the D35. No? I admit, i still have more to learn about the TTB.

 

[R.J.]

when you see the pics, you'll understand

i need to find the exact lengths of each shaft (the 35 and 44) but i'll be pretty busy the next few days so it might be hard to put in any good project time.

well off to bed, have an in-class essay at 8 tomorrow morning

 

[R.J.]

it's 5"s longer than the d35

d35 = 19 7/8"
d44 = 24 7/8"
(measured form the center of the u-joint to the end of the splines)
and i checked it out and it fits right inot the d35 female shaft perfect

 

[R.J.]

oh and i also messed around with the new coil buckets, tried to get some rust off of them. took em apart too, cause there's the bucket, the plate that the spring sits on, and a big bolt through the top to adjust the ride hight.

the bucket without the spring seat

the thick, movable spring seat peice

all the peices back together

the adjusting bolt

 

[mounty71]

Thanks for pointing that out It's easy to miss otherwise. But wow, that's a lot of adjustment

 

[Dannyboy]

what is going to keep your coil retained up top?

And nice work bro. You're right, this forum can use some Dana35 buildup excitement.

 

[R.J.]

keeping the coil in will consist solely on limit straps. i could always weld or bolt something in to keep the spring in, but with the limit straps set right, the coil shouldn't come out.

 

[94 Crawler]

Very nice too bad I've already decided to go sas. Some of those built axles are awsome.

 

[Dannyboy]

yeah, on my old truck I felt SAS was the only way out, but after seeing a truck like PaulB's, its pretty cool to see the stock suspension modified to be a custom top performing unique suspension setup. It's not like guys are running out to swap TTBs under anything else, so it's unique to our trucks so it makes it a little more fun.

 

[R.J.]

but i've found out that trying to build a semi prerunner and moderate rockcrawler gets you more poeple to make fun of you. prerunners say screw 4wd and going slow is gay. and rock crawlers say screw that stupid scissor action ttb peice of crap and get a solid axle. oh well i still want to do it to run both terrains.

 

[IZwack]

but i've found out that trying to build a semi prerunner and moderate rockcrawler gets you more poeple to make fun of you. prerunners say screw 4wd and going slow is gay. and rock crawlers say screw that stupid scissor action ttb peice of crap and get a solid axle. oh well i still want to do it to run both terrains.

Have you watched.. the KOH vids? Solid axled vehicles / rock crawlers desert racing, mostly running V8s near WOT, from one rock pile to the next. XRRA rigs are I guess somewhat the same but KOH had a lot longer high speed distances than any XRRA. I know these are highly specialized and high dollar vehicles but they're vehicles that can do both high speeds and rock crawling so it is definitely possible to build a vehicle that is somewhere in that gray area between prerunner and rock crawler.

 

[mounty71]

Have you watched.. the KOH vids? Solid axled vehicles / rock crawlers desert racing, mostly running V8s near WOT, from one rock pile to the next. XRRA rigs are I guess somewhat the same but KOH had a lot longer high speed distances than any XRRA. I know these are highly specialized and high dollar vehicles but they're vehicles that can do both high speeds and rock crawling.

The other day you linked a video to pirate4x4 tv in one of Burns' threads, and it showed rockcrawlers hauling throught he desert over whoops one second, then crawling the next. That was a really cool video to watch. The thing about our trucks with TTB is we can have the best of both worlds, that's also why i like Jeepspeed trucks. And we are driving freaking explorers! How much more can people laugh at us?

 

[carlover]

The other day you linked a video to pirate4x4 tv in one of Burns' threads, and it showed rockcrawlers hauling throught he desert over whoops one second, then crawling the next. That was a really cool video to watch. The thing about our trucks with TTB is we can have the best of both worlds, that's also why i like Jeepspeed trucks. And we are driving freaking explorers! How much more can people laugh at us?

Ive watched videoos of those jeepspeed guys, very impressive setups and capabilities.

 

[R.J.]

looked some of that stuff up, its pretty cool. the haulin and crawlin video is pretty sweet. freakin rock racing and then jumping and stuff. its cool to watch but i also like watching people go slow and trying not to slip a tire.

 

[RockRanger]

Did you see the video from the "king of the hammers" event last week? 50 mile race through the desert. Part of the race went through a bunch of the trails out at the hammers. The video on it is sweet.