Pics Pics Pics of more nine inch stuff. How's my welding/setup/etc?

[Lucas]

Here is a busted 8.25 shaft compared to my new favorite axle, the Ford 9"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/shaftcompare.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/shaftsizeagain.jpg
And the only thing better than a niner is a shaved and trussed nine inch:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/nineinchtrussed.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/nineinchangle.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/Nineinchside.jpg

[Lucas]

It took some time, but I experimented with different styles of welding depending on how big the gap in the housing was or what angle it was at. Here are the obligatory bead pictures.
For straight welds I used the dime style:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/stacked1.jpg
I did a Z-link type pattern for vertical/upside down welds:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/verticalweldcorner.jpg
If the gap got big, which it did, I did the push pull technique:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/gapweld.jpg
There was a piece of crap that fell into the gap as I was laying it down and it blew that top bubble into the bead.

[Lucas]

Now that the housing is done, this can go into it:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/detroitinstalled.jpg
Detroit Locker, Yukon 5:13s, 1330 yoke, new everything. Here is a pattern:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/ninegearpattendriveside.jpg
Backlash at .007, Pinion preload right at 16 in/lbs. Took extra time to get the tolerances that low, but I wanted to make sure it was done right.
Tomorrow I'll get a crackalakin' on the front HP fohteefour.

Let me know what you think. If this belongs in a different forum, please move it. Thanks.



More pics on this thread:
http://jeepin.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=10;t=004908

[theslacker]

Damn man, now I have to wipe up the drool.

[Lucas]

Damn man, now I have to wipe up the drool.

Thanks :wave: Any other comments/suggestions are appreciated. I'm so wrapped up in this swap I'm afraid I'll lose perspective.

[Jeepkid8037]

I am by no means a master fabricator/welder, but those welds looks real clean. I also HATE welding upside down, but you did a damn good job. I like the truss, looks clean, and i cant tell you how many times i wish i had the knowledge to gear/lock a 9". Looks real good, definately post up more pictures as you make progress. I do have a couple of questions...

What thickness steel did u use for the truss?

Did u preheat the cast pumpkin prior to welding?


-Will

[COXJ]

looking good man. thats what the plan is for my jeep just with 40spline and a spool. and whos disk breaks are you using?

FYI Ford 9" aint got cast iron on the housing just the 3rd member. its all steel baby!!!

Will

[gearwhine]

looks very cealn, but my question is...why did you have to weld upside down if the housing was bare and pulled out?

I don't like the dime style, all it is is tack welds overlapping each other, almsot no heat, the others looks very nice though. _nicko_

[XTrmXJ]

Nice work, good choice of tech for the welds, but is it just me or did the axle housing/tubes warp, it looks like it in the first pic

[Wil Badger]

your pinion seems to be a bit inbound from the swipe pattern i see.should be fine but i also thought shooting for the center of the tooth was your best bet and you seem to be just a bit off.sometimes you just can't bring it in and have the backlash the way you need it so there are trade offs.the rest looks good from what i see

[David Taylor]

Must be an optical illusion because of the truss. The housing looks bent.


to late

[Lucas]

I like the truss, looks clean, and i cant tell you how many times i wish i had the knowledge to gear/lock a 9".
What thickness steel did u use for the truss?
-Will

The nine is a super easy axle to work with. If you're ever going to gear an axle, this is the one to learn on.

why did you have to weld upside down if the housing was bare and pulled out?

Not exactly parallell to the ground upside down, but depending on where on the pumpkin I was welding, if I was in a rhythm and didn't want to stop laying down the bead I had to get into some weird angles before I stopped and repositioned the housing.

plan is for my jeep just with 40spline and a spool. and whos disk breaks are you using?
I read that some don't like the 40 splines b/c you give up bearing strength for uneccesary shaft strength. The guys at true hi-nine alloy have 35 spline FF kits.
It's sad, but I'm still using drums for now. It only cost 25 dollars to completely redo them, so for now, that's what I'll be running. I *almost* tried an explorer swap, but I think in the near future I'll try out the Maxima caliper with the built in parking brake. http://www.naxja.org/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=537642#

Must be an optical illusion because of the truss. The housing looks bent.
Yes, ummm, your eyes are decieving you. You are getting very sleepy....



your pinion seems to be a bit inbound from the swipe pattern i see.should be fine but i also thought shooting for the center of the tooth was your best bet and you seem to be just a bit off.sometimes you just can't bring it in and have the backlash the way you need it so there are trade offs

This isn't an illusion. The pattern is a little towards the toe but the important part is getting centerd face to flank. As you said, it's probably a little toeside b/c the BL is so low. Also I should point out that the contact pattern on the nine inch is HUGE, as in bigger than a Dana 60.

[David Taylor]

On my old nine I had the 11" drums. they worked great. The new axle has
explorer disk and I can't tell any difference.

[XTrmXJ]

This definatly looks warped, you should have taken your time on the welding to prevent the warping, have to keep it cool

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/nineinchtrussed.jpg

[Joe]

And the only thing better than a niner is a shaved and trussed nine inch:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/nineinchtrussed.jpg


And why did you truss you nine?

[Beej]

Here is a busted 8.25 shaft compared to my new favorite axle, the Ford 9"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/shaftcompare.jpg

Forget the axle, I want to know more about that electric skateboard...

[Lucas]

And why did you truss you nine?
Peace of mind. I could lift the housing with my pinky finger, and I'm not a very big guy so that worried me.


checked the gousing today, doesn't look warped like it does in the pic. I tried to keep it pretty cool. Welded a few inches, did the other side, worked on other stuff, then went back to the housing.


Thats good to hear about the drums working out for you,Taylor.

[Gil BullyKatz]

This definatly looks warped, you should have taken your time on the welding to prevent the warping, have to keep it cool

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/nineinchtrussed.jpg

it's the perspective of the camera angle...

if he had taken the pic from a lower height and straight on...

it wouldn't look as warped...

course...

once it's assembled and running...

the truth will be known!

:D

[Lucas]

Got a little done today. Had to fully move out so it't not much, but any day I can burn some metal is good for me.
Sorry for lack of pics, just the major parts...
Fixed that tube I chopped in half. Sleeved the inside with .25"wall HREW turned down a bit. No inside shot, but it just looks like a tube pressed into another:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/JeepBuild060.jpg
This has been a four day ordeal:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/JeepBuild064.jpg
The knucles were pressed on VERY tight. 12 ton press didn't do anything to move them on the 3/8"tube. I kept grinding out the weld and tube, but didn't want to chop up another tube again by going too deep. I eventually took the MIG to them, high heat, low wire speed, and burned a dirty but deep weld around the ID of the tube. Shrunk it up enough to lessen the press fit, stuck it in the 12 ton press and it still fought me. Finally BOOM, and after four days of messing with it the knuckle finally budged about 1/8 inch:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/JeepBuild062.jpg

After taking some measurements I tapped the ends partially on and went home:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/JeepBuild049.jpg
its finally starting to look like an axle again.

Also, all this bent housing talk got me worried so I snapped some more pics:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/JeepBuild068.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/JeepBuild067.jpg

Looks a little better from this angle. Gonna finish up the 44 tomorrow and mock everything up for the x-member, then start thinking about plans for the rear. The goal is low, wide, and smooth bellied. Hopefully it won't look like a rollerskate.

[gearwhine]

The goal is low, wide, and smooth bellied. Hopefully it won't look like a rollerskate.

nope, it will look good, just don't go too wide...looks better if you can move the rear axle back a little though. _nicko_

[Lucas]

Holy Hell this past week has been busy! Try finishing a 54 page thesis, building four axles, trying to swap them using a new suspension design, moving out, saying bye to all your friends and buring the proper bridges, applying for scholarships, AND try to move to NYC all at the same time...enough bitchin' though, time for some pics.

First, went to the steel shop to pick up some plate/tube. 22 feet of 1.5od .25" wall tube. This stuff was WAAAAAAY beefier than I had expected. I think when I get to steering it will be practically unbendable. Cut some up and stuck it on the end of the radius arms:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/radiusarms.jpg
Those are big RE joints. The problem withth the radius arms are that the factory studs are a little less than 7/8". My tube has a 1"id, so there was a lot of play. I didn't want to trust a single weld between the arm and the tube, so I welded material onto the factory studs, turned down the weld blob until it was uniform, then pressed the plug into the tube. No pics because I suck, but it was pretty tech I think.

that night I finished around 2am, went to a party and drank too much too quickly, and walked face first at full speed into a glass door:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/outtaknoxville010.jpg
this was after I cleaned up. Tip of the day= drunk college girls think idiots walking into doors are adorable :p
Anyway, loaded up 4 38"s and my 4 35"s and rims and went to the shop to get them mounted:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/tahrs.jpg
#$#$#y^%$in' tire shop chunked rubber ouut of one of my 35s on the machine. I didn't find out until much later though. No time to correct it now though :mad:

[Lucas]

Once I had the arm mounting straightened out, the front end began to come together: Booyah!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/frontend.jpg
then finally I get the tires on:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/tirestickout.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/steering.jpg
differnt angle:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/frontshot.jpg

At this point I worked like a madman for the next 30 hours straight to get everything squared away, but it just didn't happen. I had to catch a flight to NY, so my friend came to load her up on a trailer (total BIIIIAAATCH), and take her to a friends shop where I will finish her up over winter.

[Lucas]

In the meanwhile, this will be my new home:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/school.jpg
It's a pretty crappy pic of campus, but today at orientation I had a horrible scratchy feeling in my eye so I didn't feel like taking snapshots. Went to the student clinic and they told me I had a piece of metal lodged into my cornea:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/outtaknoxville.jpg
see that little white speck to the bottom left of my (hugely dialated) pupil? That's not a speck on my glasses. Its a chunk of missing eye they cut out to get at the metal. Hurt-like-hell.

Oh, and again, for kicks, here is another special helper that took me to the steel shop, being special when I was inside :slap:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/boredJello.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/angryjello.jpg
I miss my jeep already!

[hadfield4wd]

Ok, working on this same swap myself. 9" & HP44 Looks like you kept the pring perches (maybe flipped them). Will the angle of the springs hurt you, or should I make new mounts, so the springs are vertical.

Matt

[Lucas]

I think coil bow is more of a cosmetic concern than anything else. Check out Crazy4mopar's setup. very trick.

[sarvermr]

I think coil bow is more of a cosmetic concern than anything else. Check out Crazy4mopar's setup. very trick.

don't the coils rub the upper spring mounts? mine rubbed before when the axle was stock. there was no way i was going to run my coils at that much of angle. i figure they would rub all the time. i know others have said its fine, but i figured if i'm going to all the work, might as well make some spring mounts in the correct location too.

matthew

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/242000-242999/242380_405_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/242000-242999/242380_421_full.jpg

[Lucas]

I had *zero* time just to get the front end together, so I didn't mess with perfecting the mounts. The coils do rub the bumpstop towers, but its nothing a little grinding and welding won't fix.

[XJ_ranger]

gonna reinforce the radius arms at all?

i would...

what are your plans for steering?
what about trackbar?

[Lucas]

I didn't have time to do anything but mock everything up, so I definitely didn't have time to reinforce the arms. It's definitely gonna happen this winter though. Probably out of 1/4" plate.
The knuckles have already had the TRE holes welded up and redrilled. Now I have to retaper them from the top. Inverted T using fullsize chevy stuff. All the links are going to be made of 1.5" OD .25" wall tube. PSC tube inserts.
Cut down a stock TB mount already and plated it with 3/8". Using a small RE joint on the frame end, might end up keeping the factory ford TB mount on the axle.

[Lucas]

hey,sarvermr. Did you ever go alloy with those axle shafts? I already egged the hell out of my last set of D30 shafts on 31"s. My 35s are sooooo much heavier than my old rim tire setup that I'm aftraid the shafts agre gonna blow just rolling around town.

[XJ_ranger]

hey,sarvermr. Did you ever go alloy with those axle shafts? I already egged the hell out of my last set of D30 shafts on 31"s. My 35s are sooooo much heavier than my old rim tire setup that I'm aftraid the shafts agre gonna blow just rolling around town.

probably not going to happen - as i drive without front shafts :D

[Fullsizexj]

definatly looks way different from when I saw it out at Shredder Canyon

[Lucas]

Guess what I found out. Making custom steering SUCKS. If I ever do it again I'm going 3/4" heims and buying a few extra for spares.
I basically spent an entire day trying to drill/ream everything out. I lucked out b/c my tapered snap-on reamer crapped out on me on the very last taper I made.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/RandomWinterpics080.jpg
Draglink and trackbar are within a degree. Used half of a stock solid Ford trackbar, extended with DOM and ended with a small RE joint. The modified trackbar mount is super beef, but I forgot to get closeups.
Everyting was made with 1.5"od .25"wall DOM, spyder customs inserts, some cromo-threaded rod from McCarr, and of course, fullsize chevy TREs.
Comparing each link with stock stuff is a joke. It even made the Rusty's stuff that was on there before look wimpy (it was).


Assembling the 9" took about an hour. Tossing it in place and tacking it up took half that much time. This was actually the smoothest part of the build.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/RandomWinterpics081.jpg
Here's a pic of how much ground clearance there is with the shaved housing.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/RandomWinterpics082.jpg

So that's all the work I'll be getting done for the next few months. When I get around to It all I need to do is fully weld the suspension/axle, do the brakes (which will be totally different than the factory system), and figure out what length shocks I'll need.
At least she moves under her own power again. I only moved a couple of hundred feet (w/no brakes!), but 5:13s in the axles is NIIIIICCCCEEE. I thought something was broken, but in 4lo you have to give it a suprprising amount of gas to get the wheels movin :rock: