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F/r different wms

F

frankensteinxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
ohio
I just installed an xj d44 rear about a month ago.
I belive this measures around 60"


I am about to get a killer deal on a 78 ford front d44.
I believe this measures around 65"

Is that 5" gonna make a difference.
Should i narrow the front 44 or just throw it in there and go.
Thanks for helping with a stupid question. :dunno:

:cheers:
 
I know its not the easiest to work with but im getting it for 50$ so if it doesnt work out Im not takin a big loss and i can resell it.

I dont think the extra few inches will really hurt anything.
 
The guys who mud bog race and hillclimb use a different track width in order to give each axle "clear" room to bite. I don't know if that much difference will affect on road manners and cornering radius.
 
i run a hp44 up front full width and the xj 44 rear on my dd/weekend wheeler and have no complaints about it at all. honestly if nothing else it makes the rig more sturdy cause the extra width. if your worried about the width difference just throw some 1.5 inch spacers/ adapters on the rear your going to need adapters anyways cause the bolt patterns are different
 
It is a trail rig only so im not worried about road manners.
I usually do trail riding and some rock crawling.
I wont own wheel spacers again. I had some and the studs started breaking off not long after mounting them.
Thanks for all the input guys.
Ill probably just run it full width and if i dont like it I can narrow it later.
:cheers:
 
frankensteinxj said:
It is a trail rig only so im not worried about road manners.
I usually do trail riding and some rock crawling.
I wont own wheel spacers again. I had some and the studs started breaking off not long after mounting them.
Thanks for all the input guys.
Ill probably just run it full width and if i dont like it I can narrow it later.
:cheers:
Click to expand...

But the wedges are cast in so you will have to run leafs is that what your planning?
 
The guy im buyin it off of has and xj with the same front end and he is using coils. Ill have to see how hes mounting everything.
I could narrow them to waggy width and use waggy axles.

OR

Ok, this might be stupid but im asking anyways.
Could I just cut the axle tubes off at the pumpkin and replace them with tube welded in place then build my mounts off of that??? Just an idea?
Any problems with this theory?
:dunno:
 
you might be able to do it but i dont know how it would all play out. this is naxja and you do see all kinds of crazy ideas that work out bitchen. maybe if you had a slip joint or ran the tube insert type truss. im not 100% sure on this though. if you do pull it off i want to see it.
 
Had a 1979, full-sized, wide-wheeled AMC Jeep Cherokee, model number 17, with over a quarter million miles, 258, 3 speed, etc., and the front tire track is like an inch and a half further out on both sides over the rears.., thusly as already mentioned allows for the potential of gaining 'fresh' bite. One thing I noticed is when going up hill, in particular, there is a slight odd feeling whilst tracking up hill on a tight turn.., seems to track around the turn(s) with a great responsive feeling in the steering.., tracking without sliding off of direction. Seems there is a possibility that you had some cheap wheel lug studs in your kit. There is what: a dozen wheel spacer companies plus.., try googling and comparing their claims as to strengths, etc. I can't use them, (want them), because I have the small narrow wheel bearings, and the pressures would eat them, etc.
 
OOPs. pasted to wrong forum.

John
 
I run a full width setup with that axle. I actually run the stock Ford Radius arms. I have a XJ D44 in the rear and run a set of Spidertrax 1" spacers on the rear. I have wheeled the piss out of this for 5+ years and love it. I ran into a problem having the rear a couple of inches narrower only once on an obstacle in Moab called Escalator. You needed to keep your right rear tire up on a wall and it was almost impossible due to the rear being just a bit narrower. I have been trying to take some pix of the setup for a months but life keeps getting in the way.

Other than going to a D60, if I were building another rig, I would go out of my way to use the same axle.

I wristed the passenger side radius arm, but rarely use it. It works great on the trails and has great street manners.
 
Ok Ive done some research and getting the tubes out seems to be a PITA!


so now my brain is wandering and coming up with really stupid theories,
I think what i am going to do is cut the tube a few inches from the housing , then slide a piece of 12" tube into the existing one goin in about 6" and sticking out about 6" and plug weld and fillet weld it. Then I will slide a piece of tube over the piece I just insatelled and fillet weld it to the original tube and plug weld it to the smaller tube.
How stupid does that sound to you guys????
 
it sounds like it will work. double slip joint. just make sure your axle shaft has clearance for the inside of the tube.
 
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