project green meanie

hi all!

i just picked up some uni-mog 404 diffs that i am putting in my 94 explorer..
i am using 16"air shocks in the front with either a 3 link or a one link
the rear i am up in the air with..it is definatly getting linked,but i am trying to do it without moving the gas tank..
it is auto,and obviously that scares me..i was thinking of going with the c-4/5 combo...what transfer cases were offered behind those trannys?i would like to have a doubler made,buy it might not be nessasary because the diffs are geared 7.54!but i was thinking that i might need the length of a doubler to make the super long mog pinion work.i am planning on pushing the front end way forward...
i will run the unimog 20" rims with 39.5 iroks...and i want to try out tractor tires in the winter,i think they will rock in our sloppy forrest trails here on vancouver island...
how far back will i have to move the rear diff to clear 39.5's with good articulation?
i am willing to chop the rear wheel wells strait out the back if nessasary..
the top will be choped behind the rear doors,and i am going to try to graft the upper half of the hatch back on there...think it will work?
exo cage also..
as soon as i get my camera working again i will get some shots of what i'm working with...
thats it for now.

 

[green meanie]

sent!

 

[XplorerKid]

 

[dreamr]

This is interesting, in all my SAS research I have never seen a suspension system quite like this. Then again I've never seen portals under an X either.

 

[j602]

That's badass. Starting to understand how this works.

 

[green meanie]

it is just a home built version of the torque tube suspention that the mog uses from the factory.very simple and easy to built.it also completly protects the drive shaft

 

[Creager]

thats bascially the same idea as a trac-bar isnt it?

 

[j602]

Now is this going to sprung by leaf springs?

 

[FROADER]

Now is this going to sprung by leaf springs?

I believe that's what the airbags are for.

 

[j602]

Well, that was my first thought, but I didn't know airbags could be used to "spring" a suspension.

 

[green meanie]

yup,the bags are the springs!it's like riding on air!
it is acually alot bouncier with them than i thought they be .no shocks yet of course!

basically the same as a trac bar?it has a trac bar,if thats what you mean?
a torque tube suspension has a tube that can swivel hooked to the end of the transfer case,and the other end is rigidly mounted to the third member.the drive shaft runs inside this tube,and is well protected.it controls all for and aft movement,as well as axle wrap.the trac bar controlls the latteral movement.
old cars from the 1910's and 20's used this system also.it works very well,and there is really no math to figure out,so that is why i went with the one link,which is basically identicle,other that the shaft is not inside the main tube,and i have a x-member that the main link hooks to rather than to the back of the t-case...
i think mid 80'sto 90's camaro's used a very similar system on there rear ends.
hope this explains it a little better

 

[dman726749]

ok ok ok, everyone go look at the free 4wheel parts mag that jsut came out (mine came today) there is a yellow heep in there on rockwells with basically the same type of setup with airbags. much easier to see and comprehend when its there infront of you

 

[j602]

Damn, I haven't gotten that one yet.

How do you know how it rides when you don't have a front suspension?

 

[Brian_B]

Hmm...my catalog (read magazine) had not came yet.

 

[green meanie]

Damn, I haven't gotten that one yet.

How do you know how it rides when you don't have a front suspension?

my buddy had the same bags in his truck!

 

[brnbomr]

the sickest rear axle setup on an exlpoler ive ever seen. cant wait to see it don.

 

[Doug]

Have you tried cycling the suspension with those airbags?

 

[Brandons]

Wow, that is friggin awsome!!

 

[daddy_ja]

you plan on making those bags flow through for good flex?

 

[green meanie]

i will have them valved so i can inflate or deflate individually.i was thinking about a flow through,but it would be real unstable like that.but it would only be one more solonoid,so i might add that feature also.
i havn't cycled it side to side yet,but you can see in the pics that i have done it strait up and down.i need to hook the bags up independantly to do that,which will be this weekend.i will just hang the front on the motor lift so it doesn't fall off the front stands!

 

[green meanie]

rick,are you reading this?if so,could you post some pics of how you upper front links are mounted to the frame?or any one else that has a similar set up.i am just getting ready to set the front up,but am having a hell of a time trying to find the room to fit links.it seems that the exaust is gonna be in the way for sure on that side.