Jack's SAS version 3.0

[Four0Sport]

got a D44 housing, its stripped, on jack stands, got a carrier and a lunchbox locker, buying gears this week, trying to decide to go hi steer or re-use the knuckles on my low pinion axle.. heres my question, i want to use my EB chromo shafts, so if i narrow the RH side axle tube 6" and leave the LH side alone that will let me reuse all my eb shafts, except the LH inner, I'll have to get a F-150 shaft for that, right? run on sentence, i know.

 

[james t]

No you can reuse the inner you have. EB and truck are the same on driver's side.

 

[Kirby N.]

Are you 100% on that James? I ordered all Full size f150 stuff outers and drivers and an eb passenger inner when I got my chromos for my exploder. Might not have necessary though.

 

[Four0Sport]

finally found where I had Mr. N's page bookmarked..

looks like F-150 lh inner shaft measure 18 29/32", EB 18 7/16"

 

[james t]

Are you 100% on that James? I ordered all Full size f150 stuff outers and drivers and an eb passenger inner when I got my chromos for my exploder. Might not have necessary though.

Yea, they're interchangeable. I ran all F150 shafts in an EB front for years, just had to get the long side inner cut down and resplined. It was hard to get the outer C clip on the stub shaft (alot of people dont even run this clip) so i used a bolt with a body washer. Cant remember the size, but the stock stub shafts are threaded on the end for a bolt.

It's a case of "close enough".

 

[Four0Sport]

Thats good to know James, thanks!

RH C is off, seemed like we worked the weld with a grinder forever before we finally saw the crack. Still got some lameness going on though, lower ball joint stud is seized in the C. Tried a long punch and a sledge, tried a C press, drilled the majority of the center out but the thing wont budge. Guess I'll have to take it somewhere and borrow some heat.

 

[Four0Sport]

 

[gmanpaint]

What did you do to line up the outer C back to where it needs to be?

 

[Four0Sport]

angle finder and measuring tape. low-tech out this way, but it worked. lol

 

[Four0Sport]

To catch up from where this left off... the narrowed hp 44 is doing great. No driveability issues, pinion angle is great, corrected a caster problem and performs well.

Now on to current issues. It became apparent to me that my rigs cog is too high. I'm top heavy and it shows on off camber obstacles and hill climbs. I need to replace a main leaf so I'm thinking about removing the extra full length leaf and overload which in theory should lower the rear close to 2 inches. Am I foolish fir staying soa? I like the clearance and haven't had issues with axle wrap.

Front might not be so easy. Currently I'm running 5.5" eb coils and a slightly trimmed engine crossmember. I know any lower and I'll have to heavily trim and support the crossmember. Would the eb 3.5" coils lower me 2"? I'm afraid the spring rate and smaller coil diameter will lower it more. I would keep the springs I have now and move the buckets up but I have too much money in the duff brackets.

Thoughts and ideas appreciated

 

[FR-425]

Cut the front coils one half turn at a time until it matches the rear.

 

[gmanpaint]

Unfortunately, Anything to increase front travel is going to cost some bucks.

I just went over the entire thread again to see what arms your using. As far as I can tell, your using the stock EB arms? Not sure if you extended them and by how much if you did. I would consider going longer to help increase the travel and thus helping the "Feeling" of high COG with off camber stuff.

I def wouldn't use the 3.5" coils.

Someday you will be installing hoops and long travel coil over shocks. These seem to be the best option for the most articulation possible. Check out BKennedy's, Ricks, & Turboexplorer's builds. They all run the coilovers/SOA, and they all have mad travel, and no complaints about off camber situations for the most part. Rick installed the anti-wrap bar set up.

Someone here would buy your JD stuff if you ever change it up.

Oh... The more you use it, the more you will want out of it. This trend will take a stock Explorer, and eventually turn it into something that nobody even knows what it was to begin with. In other words, it never ends, until you seek professional help, or the wife threatens to leave you over it.

 

[Four0Sport]

Good points... ultimately I know the truck will be on tons and front coil overs. I do have extended arms in my garage waiting to go on.

 

[Kirby N.]

The extended arms will help a lot. My exploder felt really too heavy with stock arms, when I wristed one it opened up a lot more travel that happened easier in the front. Then instead of flopping the body around on every obstacle it would articulate the front in unrestricted.

 

[Four0Sport]

Thanks for the advice guys!

 

[turboexplorer]

Cut the front coils one half turn at a time until it matches the rear.

I recommend against cutting or modifying springs. Buy the appropriate spring for use when you know what you want. Another benifit of being on coilovers.

Unfortunately, Anything to increase front travel is going to cost some bucks.

I just went over the entire thread again to see what arms your using. As far as I can tell, your using the stock EB arms? Not sure if you extended them and by how much if you did. I would consider going longer to help increase the travel and thus helping the "Feeling" of high COG with off camber stuff.

I def wouldn't use the 3.5" coils.

Someday you will be installing hoops and long travel coil over shocks. These seem to be the best option for the most articulation possible. Check out BKennedy's, Ricks, & Turboexplorer's builds. They all run the coilovers/SOA, and they all have mad travel, and no complaints about off camber situations for the most part. Rick installed the anti-wrap bar set up.

Someone here would buy your JD stuff if you ever change it up.

Oh... The more you use it, the more you will want out of it. This trend will take a stock Explorer, and eventually turn it into something that nobody even knows what it was to begin with. In other words, it never ends, until you seek professional help, or the wife threatens to leave you over it.

I don't have any off camber concerns when wheeling and like gmanpaint said I'm on coilovers and SOA.

 

[gmanpaint]

Something cheap and easy to help with the hill climb concern. I'm sure your feeling the front springs unload as you ascend, and feeling like it might flop front over back.

If you hook your winch to the axle and compress your front suspension before you climb a steep hill, you will negate the front unloading and decrease the front from feeling like it is going to flip backward, while increasing your front traction at the same time. Some people install a small 2k ATV winch just for this purpose. They leave it attached to a welded ring on the axle tube, and increase/decrease the load rate as needed. Acts like a center mounted, push button adjustable limit strap.

Just an idea is all. LOL!

 

[Four0Sport]

Something cheap and easy to help with the hill climb concern. I'm sure your feeling the front springs unload as you ascend, and feeling like it might flop front over back.

If you hook your winch to the axle and compress your front suspension before you climb a steep hill, you will negate the front unloading and decrease the front from feeling like it is going to flip backward, while increasing your front traction at the same time. Some people install a small 2k ATV winch just for this purpose. They leave it attached to a welded ring on the axle tube, and increase/decrease the load rate as needed. Acts like a center mounted, push button adjustable limit strap.

Just an idea is all. LOL!

thought of that.. might one day down the road. dont tell anyone but i bought my wife a TJ so now I have to throw money at 2 vehicles.

 

[Kirby N.]

Bc broncos sells springs in 1/2 inch increments up to 7". They are a low spring rate (my best guess is 170-180lbs) and they are linear rate. I dig them. I ran them on my explorer and now my ranger.

Don't be a closet jeeper! Tjs rock! My wife has an 06 lj rubicon and stock it will go further than my modified ranger.

 

[Four0Sport]

I have my eyes set on a 06 LJ... one day I'll have it. But for now I'm trying to get the best use I can out of the Explorer. Don't want to throw too much money at it seeing as the body looks like crushed aluminum foil that was stretched back out. I have the extended arms in my garage, just need to build a crossmember to mount them. Only other thing I was thinking about was hydro assist steering.