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Robb's SAS

Hey Guys!
OK, I was trying to put off starting a thread like this until stuff got closer to done, but I have been asked so many questions in the middle of other threads, I thought I should.

This is the plan:
-SOA
-HP YJ D30 SFA
-35"s

As a lot of you guys know, I had the oppurtunity to have the work done by an expert at one heck of a good price.:D The SOA and SFA are being done by Cory at CRL Customs So, as far as the really technical stuff, I will have no idea since I am not the person actually doing the work.

OK, the first obvious question. "Why a D30?" I know most people instantly think of a D44 when they think of a SAS for an Explorer. The idea of a D30 hit me when I was planning on doing the project myself (which would have never become reality). I liked how the YJ D30 was about the same width, bolt pattern was the same, I thought leafs would be pretty easy (Wrong!), and $$$. So I started looking into the pros and cons of the D30, and after a lot of research, I felt it met my requirements for what I was looking for out of an axle. And to be honest, I think stock D44s (especially LPs) are a bit overated (yep, I said it). They aren't the strongest things on Earth like a lot of people seem to think.

OK, enough yapping for a starter post. Let me throw a few pics of the progress.

Robb

Start with a stock pic:
 

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that's one of the problems Lizardtrac had, I think he had it lengthened, but I don't know how much
 



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Hey Coryl, my friend Chola, had the same problem with the front driveshaft hitting the cross member, I know I promissed some pics, but he is always busy, so that will be a pic too, I thinking something about cutting it, and welding a new piece of metal, or something like that, I will try to figure that out as soon as possible...


:confused:
 






in one of the rags, I think Fourwheeler, last month, they adress that issue while indexing a superduty t-case what the essentially ended up doing, was cut the cross member, ans welded in a half piece of 5" diameter .5" wall tubing, and they said it was very strong. Of course, all measurements must be taken from the center piont of the front output shaft on the case, measure twice, cut once

or in my case I cut it twice and it's still too short:D anywho, I think I'll be doing something along those lines
 


















Sheesh, thats some wicked flex+height for an explorer.... looks really good...... robb! (Is this my first compliment to you? :p)
 






That def looks sweet Rob!!
 






is that a hydro ram i see on the axle? the other red thing?
 






Steering stabilizer
 






Sweet! Looking good, Robb. Makes me want to change my mind again and do the SAS before the engine swap!
 






on the last pic, what is that third tube up near the bumper right above the drag link, its not the drag link and its not the track bar.
 












That's the front crossmember. Since you have to cut out the old crossmember that held the front diff and the IFS components you need to replace it with something that's out of the way of the SFA and provides a little structural integrety.
 






<--- Dumb as a box of rocks!!

Since it was already at skyscraper height- did you get any closer shots of the steering setup??

I know this is simple stuff to you guys, but I need pictures...

Cause if I try to get this done in NY...it'll be paint by numbers. :)
 






cdsl227,
I wil throw you a couple of pics................cause that is how nice a liberal can be!!!:D
Steering Box Mounting:
close6.jpg


Draglink:
flex2.jpg


Robb
 












Coming along great Robb. That looks really good. I hope you don't get to attached to those tires!!! haha.

I'm in Oklahoma City right now and i'll be coming back home the second weekend of march, and i'm hoping to stop by Corys and see the progress he has made. Could see you there, just depends on how Corys work is doing.
 






Brakelines (not extended, that's up to Robb) are in.

Driveshaft is being lengthened. Should be back tomorrow night or Wednesday morning.

Still have to figure out the tranny crossmember. Shouldn't take but a few hours between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Going to change his oil (low pressure, he's probably a few quarts low :D) and bleed the power steering setup.

Then it gets delivered to my house to wait for him to pick it up.

While I am finishing Robb's, I start Josh's and another project coming in. Full hydro setup on a first gen sport SAS.
 






Cory, quick question are you compiling a list of components that you will be putting together as a "Kit" to sell??

The more components included the better... :)

You could price it based on the completeness of the kit...I would surely be interested in purchasing something like that.

Thanks! And GREAT WORK!! I know Robb must be happy as hell...
 



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I thought I was going to at first, but the more I think about it, the less I want to with the leaf spring setup. Would seem strange, because I know people would purchase it.

With the leaf spring suspension as I have it set up, a small movement of any of the brackets and the axle is not where it should be anymore. This includes welding up new ones to make sure everything is in place damn near exactly. I just don't want to get into it with the leafs.

As for the coil setup. When I get Josh's working and if I like how it comes out, I will probably sell that as a kit. With only two real brackets (trac-bar and new tranny crossmember), it would be difficult to change the position of the axle relative to the chassis.

Either way, the steering setup requires welding as you need to sleeve the frame for strength as does the tranny crossmember issue with leafs. With the coils, the issue disappears.

So to clarify. No leaf spring kit. Potential for a coil spring kit using a D30 axle or a D44 with the same mounts as an XJ/TJ.
 






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