Isles4evr's 91 2rd Getting a 44

[Isles4evr]

I finally decided to do the deed after being dissapointed with the D35. I purchased a set of waggy 44's localy for a good deal last month.
I've stripped the axle, and installed new wheel bearings, ball joints, rotors, pads, calipers, u-joints, gears, carrier, and all the bearings and seals to go with it. For now I am leaving it with an open carrier until i decide what type of locker to install; I am interested in the Ox and ARB, I was just wondering if anyone could give me some feedback on the two. I have a set of 4.88's in it, and plan on running a 37x12.50 MTR for now possibly switching to a 36x14.50 TSL.
Total suspension lift hight will be around 6-7" plus my body lift. I am also wondering if it would be worth it to install the rear 44 to match bolt patters and widths. I had to buy them in a package deal so I figure while I have it might as well, unless anyone has any other ideas.
I am going to class for work for the rest of the week, and can't start on the teardown and install until next weekend (31st). So we'll se how it goes.

 

[Isles4evr]

Here are some pictures to hold yall over until the actual work starts...

 

[Isles4evr]

And here's the latest project I finished... 98 F-150 with a 10" Full Throttle Kit and stock wheels and tires... it now had 38.5x14.5R16.5 TSL's on it.

 

[white96x]

Another SAS....i like that idea!!!! good luck with it. and the F-150 is cool too....my shop just did a modified 12" CST on a '98 too.....they look nice IMO.

 

[Isles4evr]

Thank you for the support on the SAS. As for the F-150, It looks awsome, not sure how it does off road, and the kit sucks horribly. THey said it was easy to intall, the only modifications were to cut the old bupm stops off. Wrong! I had to cut an old diff bracket out of the way so you could steer, the lateral compression struts had to be welded, the front lower control arm drop had to be modified, and I had to make my own brackets for the ebrake. Other than it is was fine though .

Oh yeah I have one more question. Would yall recomend going with a custom steering setup with himes like one from Cory, or go with a stock waggy steering and modifing it to fit?

Chris

 

[jimbo74]

i would go custom rather than having to do it wrong several times

 

[Hotweels]

that waggy diff should allready be tierod over knuckle and if you keep it original waggy width just use the stock tierod and get a draglink to match the waggy on one end and the explorer pitman arm on the other, you could go with heim's they are tough as hell but wont hold up as long as stock TRE's in mud and winter driving they get salt and silt in them that destroy's the lining....
just relating some personal experiance..... my .02

 

[unclemeat]

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures.

I have transplanted the front 4.56 differential in my X now, but I haven't gotten it off-road yet.

 

[NOTAJP]

Keeping the rear D44 makes sense due to width and bolt pattern but would be down grading cause the 8.8 is much stronger than the D44. You could double check the width as I can't remember off the top of my head. A set of adapters/spacers are available for the rear to match the front as well. That's a cheap alternative to swaping the rear.

I have installed an OX locker and really like them. It's almost a toss up between the two. If you already have onboard air or a rear locker then the choise would be more obvious.

I have hi-steer/cross over steering and love it.

Good luck, can't wait to see the SAS!

 

[Isles4evr]

Thanks for the responces and information. I think that I am probably going to go with the custom steering setup, but I still have some time to decide on it. Also, I have looked into getting adapters for the 8.8 that would give me the 6 on 5.5 bolt pattern but I cannot seem to find any. Dissasembly starts this comming weekend I hope so I'll post a few between now and then of the finished axle.

Unclemeat, Did you ever get a set of 4.56's for the rear? I decided to go with 4.88's and even if I keep the 8.8 the 4.56 gears I have for it now are usless. They are richmond gear brand with the install kit and new carrier pin all brand new in the box.

Chris

 

[unclemeat]

Yea, I got the regear completed almost two weeks ago. Snow is predicted and I can't wait to go out and spin all four tires.

 

[Isles4evr]

I finished regearing the front 44 tonight. What a pain in the ass!! I had never regeared a 44 before, only a few gm rears 10 and 12 bolts so I had no clue the carrier shims were inbetween the carrier and the bearing not the bearing race and the housing! I did get it done though, so I'll be reassembling the axle tomorrow and getting all the metal together that i'll be needing. Teardown will start either sunday or next weekend, see how tomorrow goes.

I'll have a few pics by sunday.

Chris

 

[Isles4evr]

I wound up working at the shop longer than expected today, so minimal progress was made. I also found out that the hub for the left side is mushroomed where the bearing seal taps in, so I need to goto the yard tomorrow and see if I can find one. So for now this is what I have:

And here is a picture of the 4.88's freshly installed...

Chris

 

[Isles4evr]

Sorry for the delay... I just changed jobs last week so it was a little crazy around here. My best friends family just opened a garage so I've started working up there, where I now have a whole building to my dispose.

I got the front axle completly rebuilt and ready to go in. Today I removed all the TTB parts from the X. I have gathered all the metal and parts I need for the swap (so I think atleast). I'll be taking care of all the little tedious things durring the week, and should start on the intall this comming weekend. I'll post so pictures of the progress tomorrow when I get off of work.

Chris

 

[madmoose]

hey you are just ripping out that front end off that truck, what about the gears, are they 4.56 if so would you be interested in selling them. I would like to get my hands on a set for my truck it has 37's on it and i need the lower gears, the rear gears are easy to get a hold of but the front dana 35's are hard let me know!

 

[Isles4evr]

I actually had a set of 4.56's for the front and rear but I sold them a few weeks ago. I fount the front 3rd member on the RRORC board. I'd search here, RRORC and the ranger station.

Sorry
Chris

 

[Isles4evr]

Pictures

Here are some updated pictures

Completed front end:

New wheels:

As she sits now:

 

[Isles4evr]

Old front end:

And here are the seats I installed... just have to put in the harnesses, and paint the brackets:

You can see the stock seat mounts with the brackets I made out of 1x2 1/8" thick stock

 

[Isles4evr]

Well ran into a little snag tonight. The steering doesn't look like it is going to clear the springs when they have the weight of the vehicle on them so I guess it is time for flat top knuckles. I wanted them anyway, but didn't really want to fork out the cash for em right now

On a good note I started fabing up my spring hangers tonight, and so far everything that I had in my head has translated well into fabrication. I'll have some pictures later for yall.

Chris

 

[Isles4evr]

Well I have the front spring hangers tacked into place, and all my measurments are taken for the rear springs hangers which I will be making in the next few days. I'll have some picture tomorrow of the front hangers.

Of course, as all projects go, I have another thing to attend to that will delay my truck. My sister blew a head gasket in her Accord friday so I need to fix that asap since it is her only vehicle and my mom has to share a car with her so she can get to school and work. Hopefully it won't take but a night to pull the head off and a night to reasemble... we'll see though.

Chris