vintagespeed
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Upland, CA
Ok, call me crazy but I'm seriously contemplating tearing down my Junk for round 2 of suspension fab.
I spent the better part of this past year building a 3 link + TB front with a HP 3/4 ton D44, 14B rear, hi-steer, ARB, 38s & coilovers. It came out well with the exception of a DW problem. This could be caused by unbalanced 38" TSLs on beadlocks, but I dont know.
In order to make the front axle stout enough for the 38s I was planning on installing ChroMo axleshafts & CTMs. This will be on the order of $1200-1300 or more cause the shafts have to be made to length because the D44 is an F250 model not the F150 standard size 44.
This is where I find my quandry. I can make the front strong enough for the 38s by spending a sh*tload of $$$$ OR I can buy a pair of Rockwells ($750 PAIR) with enough left over to get at least 1 locker for the same price.
The plan would be to move the front axle forward an inch or two to fit the Rockwell with flex room, build a upside-down triangulated 3 link front & run full hydraulic steering. This would all be mounted on a sub frame to add some strength for mounting points. With 6.72 gears & 38s my rpms at 65mph in OD (AW4) would be 2810 or so, which is back to stock.
To fit the axles correctly I'd have some new hubs machined that'll fit my 8 lug wheel pattern with discs & position them as narrow as possible but still protect the drive flanges with my 5 3/8" b/s beadlocks. I'm targeting about 73" wms to wms with the custom hubs, about 4" wider than I am now.
Anyone have any idea how much it might cost to machine some custom hubs? Is it possible to trim down the OD of the hubs to a little less than 5" so that my wheels will fit (I love my wheels)?
I spent the better part of this past year building a 3 link + TB front with a HP 3/4 ton D44, 14B rear, hi-steer, ARB, 38s & coilovers. It came out well with the exception of a DW problem. This could be caused by unbalanced 38" TSLs on beadlocks, but I dont know.
In order to make the front axle stout enough for the 38s I was planning on installing ChroMo axleshafts & CTMs. This will be on the order of $1200-1300 or more cause the shafts have to be made to length because the D44 is an F250 model not the F150 standard size 44.
This is where I find my quandry. I can make the front strong enough for the 38s by spending a sh*tload of $$$$ OR I can buy a pair of Rockwells ($750 PAIR) with enough left over to get at least 1 locker for the same price.
The plan would be to move the front axle forward an inch or two to fit the Rockwell with flex room, build a upside-down triangulated 3 link front & run full hydraulic steering. This would all be mounted on a sub frame to add some strength for mounting points. With 6.72 gears & 38s my rpms at 65mph in OD (AW4) would be 2810 or so, which is back to stock.
To fit the axles correctly I'd have some new hubs machined that'll fit my 8 lug wheel pattern with discs & position them as narrow as possible but still protect the drive flanges with my 5 3/8" b/s beadlocks. I'm targeting about 73" wms to wms with the custom hubs, about 4" wider than I am now.
Anyone have any idea how much it might cost to machine some custom hubs? Is it possible to trim down the OD of the hubs to a little less than 5" so that my wheels will fit (I love my wheels)?
. All the while I thought my 33's with 4:56's @2500rpm on the highway was a pig. I wish I had the power to run 65mph on the steeps. I just can't see this beast being driven at highway speeds much.
