Ford HP44 - torsionn bar setup...worth it?

Benz0 · Oct 17, 2005

OK - picked up a HP44/9 combo from a late series F truck...good thing is the front is already setup for coils

Issue: should I run the torque bars, keep it simple since no uppers will be needed and setup a beefy crossmember - or would this be a waste of time?

BrettM · Oct 17, 2005

many people have done just that. it seems to work best with boxed and extended arms and a center limiting strap.

do a little searching, it's probably the most popular method of swapping 1/2-ton axles.

old_man · Oct 17, 2005

Are we talking the same thing. You are calling them torsion bars. Torsion bars are in effect a spring and are used on independant suspension. Around here we use radius arms with coil springs. Is this what you are referring to?

BrettM · Oct 17, 2005

he said "torque" bars, not "torsion" bars. This seems like a logical alternative name for radius arms. Also, he mentioned it's coil sprung from a Ford, so it must be radius arms.

Lucas · Oct 17, 2005

trainwrexj · Oct 18, 2005

interesting curvature to those springs. i'm assuming those aren't attached up top yet in the last picture?

Lucas · Oct 18, 2005

they are.

Benz0 · Oct 18, 2005

old_man said:
Are we talking the same thing. You are calling them torsion bars. Torsion bars are in effect a spring and are used on independant suspension. Around here we use radius arms with coil springs. Is this what you are referring to?

radius arms...at the time of the post I couldn't remember for the life of me WTF ford called them :laughing:

anyhoo - yeah I want to swap the setup on the XJ i am currently working on...seems pretty straight forward - I will be doing some searching now I remember the name

any search criteria for some good results besides the following?? "ford radius arms"

Lucas - thos rod ends look like big JJ's??? How did you go about the welding of that tube on the forged arms???just curious on the technique - rig looks awesome!

Also - looks like you're running the ford springs too? True - and how does it act on the trail?

Thanks!

Grant · Oct 18, 2005

Benzo

search for posts by FarmerMatt. He did the Ford radius arms a few years ago, so filter out any posts in the last two years - unless you want to look at his Cat buggy.

HTH

Lucas · Oct 18, 2005

Benz0 said:
Lucas - thos rod ends look like big JJ's??? How did you go about the welding of that tube on the forged arms???just curious on the technique - rig looks awesome!

Also - looks like you're running the ford springs too? True - and how does it act on the trail?

Thanks!

The ends are big RE joints. The tube extensions are 1.5" OD .25"wall DOM. That makes for a 1" ID which is bigger than the stud at the end of the radius arm. What I did was build up the end of the radius arm stud with a lot of weld, then ground it down a bit so it was a press fit into the tube. Right now they are just tacked in place. I intend to preheat the arms a bit, then just run a hot fat bead around the circumfrence. When you look at how the tube and flange of the radius arm come together, you'll see that it is an ideal V gap for a good weld.

Those are Rusty's 4.5" XJ springs. Using the ford buckets (sitting on top of the arm) gives a little lift.

I've actually never driven it. I had to move 900 miles away right at the end of the project. It will be completed at the end of December.

FarmerMatt · Oct 18, 2005

I've been running this setup for 4 or 5 years now with an early bronco front end. The subject has been covered many times for this swap on this board so a search should yeild a great deal of info. If swapping in a 44 I don't think I would go any other route.

Matt

STEELFISH · Oct 18, 2005

Lucas said:
Those are Rusty's 4.5" XJ springs. Using the ford buckets (sitting on top of the arm) gives a little lift.

I've actually never driven it. I had to move 900 miles away right at the end of the project. It will be completed at the end of December.

What size are those tires shown? I was curious...I am at 5" right now but may go up to 6.5...with the HP44...sorry to hijack

Lucas · Oct 18, 2005

I can't remember. 35x14x15 or something very similar on 10x8 rims with 4" BS. I wish I bought 10x8s. Only paid 100 bucks for the tires :sunshine:

88flexj · Oct 19, 2005

Lucas, do you have a picture of the crossmember finished. I am in the middle of the exact same swap. I was planning on sleeving the whole radius arm, and using the last 4, or 5 inches of my Rusty's lower control arms. The joints seem plenty beefy. Did your arms end up being on the side, or under the frame rails? Sorry for the hi-jack, just soo many questions :laugh3:

Gil BullyKatz · Oct 19, 2005

I think there's a few pics in this thread:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=65510&highlight=radius+arms

Ford HP44 - torsionn bar setup...worth it?

Benz0

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BrettM

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old_man

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BrettM

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Lucas

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trainwrexj

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Lucas

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Benz0

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Grant

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Lucas

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FarmerMatt

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STEELFISH

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Lucas

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88flexj

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Gil BullyKatz

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