Okay guys, I got an HP44 and a Ford 9" out of a '77ish F-150 for $60 a couple weeks back. I know that some of you have put these very axles into an XJ. I know that they are wider (about 4-5" wider) than stock, so please limit the discussion here to how to install these beauties. I want to end up with a 2 link + track bar coil suspension front and rear. The rear radius arms will function as a "wristed radius arm" setup to avoid having to use Ford-style radius arm axle bushings. My plan is this...
- relocate the D44 radius arm/spring mounts (yes, they're welded on, not cast) to the correct spring perch width for an XJ.
- keep the Ford radius arms, and attach them with a home fabbed crossmember.
- fab a rear crossmember directly above the original rear axle position. It will include XJ style front coil "retaining pillars/bumpstops" and shock mounts, if you can understand what I mean - those round tubes your front coils fit over.
- use STOCK front coils for the rear. They will mount directly under the unibody frame rails, fitting to the above mentioned crossmember.
- weld on some factory front coil/shock perches from a stock XJ D30 to the Ford 9" to hold the rear coils in place.
- fab up some rear radius arms. One would be a "Y" shaped arm, with two bushings that mount to the rear axle. The other would be like a long control arm, with one bushing attaching to the axle. Both rear radius arms would be a similar length to the rear driveline to minimize the need for a long travel driveline. The rear radius arms would attach to the frame a little behind the t-case crossmember. The bushings throughout the rear radius arms would be those found in XJ front control arms.
- the rear would be held laterally with a track bar, similar to the one on the front of a stock XJ.
Whaddya think? Mostly, I'm curious to see how you'd build the frame mounts for the radius arms. Should they be crossmembers, tying the framerails together? Or, I could make one long frame mount for each side which would hold one front radius arm and one rear. Would it be stronger to make one crossmember for the rear and a seperate for the front.
BTW - I understand the pros/cons of rear coils. Better flex vs worse stability and all that have already been considered. I really want to know what you guys have done for consruction of the suspension components for installation of these axles, and also for rear coil conversions.
Any and all info would be helpful and appreciated, thanks in advance. I know this is a crapload of stuff to respond to, but I want to do it all at once. Good thing I have a spare lifted XJ to keep me going for a couple months...
Jared
Oh yeah, I want to end up with about 5-6" of total lift. It sits on RE ZJ 4.5" coils in the front right now, so it's lifted about 5.5".
- relocate the D44 radius arm/spring mounts (yes, they're welded on, not cast) to the correct spring perch width for an XJ.
- keep the Ford radius arms, and attach them with a home fabbed crossmember.
- fab a rear crossmember directly above the original rear axle position. It will include XJ style front coil "retaining pillars/bumpstops" and shock mounts, if you can understand what I mean - those round tubes your front coils fit over.
- use STOCK front coils for the rear. They will mount directly under the unibody frame rails, fitting to the above mentioned crossmember.
- weld on some factory front coil/shock perches from a stock XJ D30 to the Ford 9" to hold the rear coils in place.
- fab up some rear radius arms. One would be a "Y" shaped arm, with two bushings that mount to the rear axle. The other would be like a long control arm, with one bushing attaching to the axle. Both rear radius arms would be a similar length to the rear driveline to minimize the need for a long travel driveline. The rear radius arms would attach to the frame a little behind the t-case crossmember. The bushings throughout the rear radius arms would be those found in XJ front control arms.
- the rear would be held laterally with a track bar, similar to the one on the front of a stock XJ.
Whaddya think? Mostly, I'm curious to see how you'd build the frame mounts for the radius arms. Should they be crossmembers, tying the framerails together? Or, I could make one long frame mount for each side which would hold one front radius arm and one rear. Would it be stronger to make one crossmember for the rear and a seperate for the front.
BTW - I understand the pros/cons of rear coils. Better flex vs worse stability and all that have already been considered. I really want to know what you guys have done for consruction of the suspension components for installation of these axles, and also for rear coil conversions.
Any and all info would be helpful and appreciated, thanks in advance. I know this is a crapload of stuff to respond to, but I want to do it all at once. Good thing I have a spare lifted XJ to keep me going for a couple months...
Jared
Oh yeah, I want to end up with about 5-6" of total lift. It sits on RE ZJ 4.5" coils in the front right now, so it's lifted about 5.5".
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