[Tacominator]

I have a wagoneer axle right now, due to some changes I am going to be making to my suspension, it would be easy to change axles. I am wondering if I can make the ford high pinion the same width and use the wagoneer axles, carrier and just slap some reverse cut gears in it??

 

[PappaF2]

I have a wagoneer axle right now, due to some changes I am going to be making to my suspension, it would be easy to change axles. I am wondering if I can make the ford high pinion the same width and use the wagoneer axles, carrier and just slap some reverse cut gears in it??

in a word... yes. I went a similar route but I used a combination of axles to give a width greater than a normal waggy axle. I used the stock ford d44 hp shortside and the waggy longside which gave me 3"-4" more width than the stock waggy width. It's not necessary to do but I like the extra width. SO whats up with your suspension? Did the 5 link not work out for you?

 

[Tacominator]

SO whats up with your suspension? Did the 5 link not work out for you?

Thanks todd, I may use a similar width setup as you did. The 5 link technically works, but I have a deathwobble at 35-40 with caster set at 5-6 degrees. At 0-2 degrees it's gone, but the truck wanders. I also have some problems with the tires hitting the links and the fact that it is all solid mounted makes it a bit noisy. I also think the deathwobble may be to the links pointed down so steeply or that I may have screwed up the caster when I rotated knuckels. Basically time for a 3 link with rubber bushings on the frame end I think. BTW, I saw some videos- weeeeee! lol.

 

[Dick Foster]

If you are coming to AZ Rocks, there will be three trucks that I know of running links and coilovers that I know work well on the street and on the trail. Jason Demello, Dean and I are all happy with our setups. Dean did shakedown yesterday so happy would be an understatement for him currently but his interor is pretty messed up right now from all that excess secretion of bodily fluids.

 

[Mr.T]

A bit off topic but who is running 40" tires with a 44 and a locker successfully without too much breakage. I was looking at 60’s and those things are huge. I’m now considering a custom HP44.

 

[ATLRoach]

Zac is running HP44 with 39.5" IROKs

 

[Mr.T]

he has CTM's and chromoly shafts right?

 

[Dick Foster]

IMHO any version of a D44 is too light for 40" tires.

 

[Dick Foster]

I am running CTMs and Chromos and would not run 40's maybe 37s but nothing larger. I have a friend that runs 37s with a built Ford D44 and he goes through hubs and stuff all the time, not axles mind you but remember that the hubs and gears are also subjected to the stress of larger tires.

 

[Tacominator]

Thanks for the input, I am hoping to check out some of the other rigs and get some ideas. For now, I am going to pretty much copy Jason's 3 link. My 4 link angles are too steep, tires rub them, the solid heims suck and I am getting a death wobble due to my crappy knuckle rotate job. I hate doing stuff 2 times to get it right, but I guess it's better than never. If I would have started talking to all you guys before I planned everything I would have done it right the first time!

 

[Tacominator]

I will probably be sticking with 35" tires, I figure a little more problems over some obstacles, but a lot less breakage= less headaches!

 

[PappaF2]

Thanks todd. Basically time for a 3 link with rubber bushings on the frame end I think. BTW, I saw some videos- weeeeee! lol.

no sweat. From what I have heard it is best if you are running bushings to run them at the axle end and run whatever joints at the frame, I am not sure if it really matters though. I suppose the bushings at the frame would be nice and quiet.

What videos did you see?

 

[PappaF2]

A bit off topic but who is running 40" tires with a 44 and a locker successfully without too much breakage. I was looking at 60’s and those things are huge. I’m now considering a custom HP44.

I would say with 40's go 60's that way you can hammer on them with no mercy rather than having a built 44 that you may want to take it easy on. Or if you do end up going for a built d44 try out that 35 spline d44 arb and run dana 60 shafts and outers!

 

[Mr.T]

thnx for the input. I kind of figured that I would need 60's. The thing that I go through on my 44 is inner and outer bearings and a set of Warn hubs. So it looks like the hunt for 60s continues.

 

[tacodab]

Thanks todd, I may use a similar width setup as you did. The 5 link technically works, but I have a deathwobble at 35-40 with caster set at 5-6 degrees. At 0-2 degrees it's gone, but the truck wanders. I also have some problems with the tires hitting the links and the fact that it is all solid mounted makes it a bit noisy. I also think the deathwobble may be to the links pointed down so steeply or that I may have screwed up the caster when I rotated knuckels. Basically time for a 3 link with rubber bushings on the frame end I think. BTW, I saw some videos- weeeeee! lol.

I hope you set your caster correct.

http://www.familycar.com/alignment.htm

http://www.aligncraft.com/terms/terms.html

http://www.specprod.com/TECH_DIR/SPCFundamentals.pdf#search='caster%20setting%20on%20wheel%20alignment'

 

[tacodab]

I have a wagoneer axle right now, due to some changes I am going to be making to my suspension, it would be easy to change axles. I am wondering if I can make the ford high pinion the same width and use the wagoneer axles, carrier and just slap some reverse cut gears in it??

just looked at your pics, it looks like the caster is going the correct way. the pan hard bar is not in line with the drag link. you do want them as close to parallel as possible. that will also affect your steering.

 

[Tacominator]

just looked at your pics, it looks like the caster is going the correct way. the pan hard bar is not in line with the drag link. you do want them as close to parallel as possible. that will also affect your steering.

I fixed that with 2 things: a 3/4 drop pitman arm and new mounts for the drag link. They are damn close now. Thanks for the input though! Shows how much I know about building a 4x, I really had no idea when I built it, then I realized it and it was a major duh. I also had my calipers on backwards, swaped left to right and couldn't figure out why the brakes wouldn't bleed! So far the only 2 major duh's, thank god. The truck actually drives fairly well, I just want it better!