Going with WAH, full width or shortened

I am thinking about going with the Wristed Axle Housing (WAH) setup. But since I have to cut the axle for the installation should I keep it full width or should I shorten them to an EB width?

I know that it basically comes down to personal preference but I was wondering if others did this or would recommend this? How would the flex change if at all? Would I have to cut the fenders if I keep them full width or shorten them? Any other type of extra fabrication will be needed?

If shortened I would also have to cut the ford 9 inch to width. Is it ok to do this or would it weaken the rear axle?

Any info on integrating the WAH on a Full Width axle is appreciated!!

 

[james t]

Are you running stock Ford radius arms? If so, the WAH will increase flex 10 fold. But, so will a wristed arm and you can build a wristed arm for about $20 and a helluva lot less work. If you dont plan on cutting down to EB width, there's no point in doing the WAH over the wristed arm. If it were me, id leave it fullwidth and wrist it.

You can cut the 9" down easy. In fact, its one of the cheapest/easiest rears to cut down. You just need new bearing ends and some shafts (or have the stockers cut/resplined). Id still leave it fullwidth.

 

[bmxking5]

I'm doing what james t just said. Wristed R/A and full-width.

 

[ohe_boy]

thanks james and king. I've been contemplating this for a couple weeks. At first I heard the WAH was the better way to go. So I figured if I have to cut the housing why not just cut it to EB length, which means cutting the 9 in too!
Although I heard that the WAH is better than the wristed arm (not sure if its really true) but what james said if I hadn't plan on cutting the housing to EB length in the first place then I should drop the WAH and go with the wristed arms.

I didn't plan on running the original arms ( its kinda rusted and unsure about its integrity) but I had planned on picking up the extended arms from duff.

What do you guys think...should I keep the orinal arms and wrist these or get the extended arms and wrist those?

 

[james t]

The WAH is better than wristed arms, but only because there is no pin to remove. The wristed arm has a pin on the passenger side that you remove when wheeling. It has to be pinned off when ran on the street. If money were no object, i would say the WAH is better only slightly. If someone wants to cut down a HP44 to early bronc width its usually easier to use the WAH and do it themselves. This is were the WAH has an advantage.

You dont have to extend a wristed arm. The "wrist" gets rid of all the bind. Thats the great thing about it- crazy flex with a short length arm that doesnt get hung up on everything.

 

[Rick]

Go full width unless you can't do to local cops getting pissy about such things

 

[ohe_boy]

Thanks Rick!! I've read that many kept them full width and I have seriously thought about keeping them full, I wanted to know how wide do these things get? This is also my daily driver and wonder how wide of a fender flare would i need? would the fiber glass ones do? If I keep them full width, I'm guessing wristed arms is the way to go. I have a hard time seeing what kind of fabbing I'm gonna need to do to keep thm full width. I have an idea, but thats all it is...an idea!

Also Rick (not to brown nose or anything) but I think your truck is awesome. I've read your mods over and over again trying to figure out whats best for my vehicle but can also kick some J**p butt. See, I wheel with j**ps here on Oahu and I want to make sure that my rig and me can hang with these guys! I know it takes experience and I'm new to wheeling (1 year) but I have learned a lot by this website. So keep it up so I can kick some local j**p butt!

 

[Rick]

Here is Marshall's full width F-150 Axles. I love the way that thing looks He's got a body lift on his so his sits a bit taller than mine. That gives his rear tires room to travel up. At the height I'm at, my tires tuck inside and are nearly touching the wheel wells when flexed so I wouldn't be able to go that route.

 

[ohe_boy]

Wow! That thing looks massive! What are the size of those tires? It almosts looks as if the entire tire is sticking out from the fender. How tall is it standing in that picture? Got any side pics??

 

[Rick]

36x14.50-15 Swamper IROKS. Same tires I'm running now.

 

[Rick]

Go through the Moab photos there are a bunch of shots that I took of his truck. http://www.explorer4x4.com/moab_05

 

[ohe_boy]

Cool! I was planning on getting that size tire too! Well the Mickeys 36x15x15's anyway! Too expensive!

Hey Rick! How could a get my hands on one of those "www.explorer4x4.com" or "Serious Explorations" stickers?

 

[CodePoet]

Rick...did he push his axle towards the front as well?

I'm going to be extending my ra's, heim'd ends (my exensions will be drilled and tapped for them), and eventually wristed...should work good

 

[ohe_boy]

It does look like he did that! Wouldn't that require longer RA's?

 

[Rick]

Yes he pushed his axle up a few inches. No it doesn't require longer RAs since he decided where to put the mounts on the frame to compensate.

 

[CodePoet]

Yeah, i'm going to make my own mounts outa a piece of square stock that will accept the heim (it's not goign to be street driven so i'm not concerned with that). As far as the RA's I want to extend them 8-12"s and down the road wrist them. I was thinking about pushing my axle up around 4"s that way I can trim the fenders easier, i'll also hack up the bumper like your friend did also

That' just my little plan...i hope it works good

code

 

[bmxking5]

If you push the axle up about 2" instead, the stock front driveshaft will fit perfectly if you change out the pinion yoke on the 44 to accept 1310 u-joints. I wanted to push up the axle about 3", but when I found out that I could use the stock driveshaft, I decided that I'd only push it up ~2". This is what -=DaemoN=- did on his, so that's how I found out.

 

[CodePoet]

hey man thanks for the tip!

 

[ohe_boy]

oh cool! now I don't have to find some custom made driveshaft!!

If you move it up 2", any trimming necessary? where and how much?

 

[bmxking5]

No problem. I know that we're all pretty much doing the same thing, so I figured I'd pass that on. Always good to hear that you don't have to spend as much.

It all depends on tire size. The reason people move the axles up, is so that they can trim the bumper or the front of the fender. If it stays where it is now, and you need to trim a lot, you'll be up in the firewall, etc. and you obviously can't trim all of that. Moving it forward basically makes it easier to trim, and depending on how far, it is going to be less to trim.