Need more pics of the diff housing bridge, looks awfully thin. There were pics running around a few weeks back of a bridge made sorta like that out of either 3/8 or 1/2" plate that bent all to hell. Could probably use some bracing on the pass side upper mount as well.
Need more pics of the diff housing bridge, looks awfully thin. There were pics running around a few weeks back of a bridge made sorta like that out of either 3/8 or 1/2" plate that bent all to hell. Could probably use some bracing on the pass side upper mount as well.
I was doing a search for the pics while you were replying. It was a post by Jeepinamerica.com about his extended wheelbase. Had to follow a link to the pics, but he built it out of 5/8" and bent it pretty bad.
The added bracing looks better, but still think tube would be better than plate for making it. Just my opinion, I hope I'm wrong and it works great.
Must have been something out of whack the lowers take most of the abuse in that setup. Way to change the tracbar setup in regards to how it mounts to the frame. Congrats you got yourself a snowplow:flipoff2:
I was doing a search for the pics while you were replying. It was a post by Jeepinamerica.com about his extended wheelbase. Had to follow a link to the pics, but he built it out of 5/8" and bent it pretty bad.
The added bracing looks better, but still think tube would be better than plate for making it. Just my opinion, I hope I'm wrong and it works great.
I know that tube is stronger but trust me there isn't much space to work with. The UCA mount on the bridge is very close to hitting the lower rad hose at full stuff.
Yeah I did build both bridges out of 5/8's. Both were twisted. I have replaced the rear but not the front yet. Even though you welded a plate to the front or your mount and braced it, I doubt it'll hold if you ever have to use the the skinny pedal.
So I guess your useing RE style long arm? Forget the drivers side and beef up the pass upper control arm.
What everyone else said. Brace the shiat out of the pass. side upper mount. I've ripped mine off 2 times. Also you might reconsider the tracbar mount also. It looks like its just welded to the spring bucket. Everything else looks pretty nice
Thanks for your input guys, I have been working pretty hard on this project and I finally finished it tonight, a bit ahead of schedule, here are some pictures, I still have to finish the rear.
I still have to fine tune the steering and caster, as well as loosing some lift in the front cause it is a bit to high up front IMO. I test drove the jeep and it rides great.
awesome, looks great! i'm gonna be hasseling you for details for a while, since i'm in the process of doing the same thing, i finished the rear but now have to get on the front, bloody prob is how to find one of those babies out here in the praries.....
is yours out of a 78-79 F350?
did you do any retubing or adjusting to the width? what gears and locker are you running?
If you are worried about the bridge bending, you could plate the horizontal surfaces similar to what we did on mine. That should strengthen it quite a bit from what I have seen on friend's setups.
I finally am working on mine tomorrow. Lots of crap came up in the last two weeks and I haven't had a chance to work on it. Plus, half my stuff is back ordered, so even if we bust butt, we won't have parts in time for the run I was hoping to break it in on. (Ride is 1st weekend in April, detroit locker and tires will be here at end of March, rear axle still has to be started and shafts ordered.. looks like I'm taking my backup)
If you are worried about the bridge bending, you could plate the horizontal surfaces similar to what we did on mine. That should strengthen it quite a bit from what I have seen on friend's setups.
I finally am working on mine tomorrow. Lots of crap came up in the last two weeks and I haven't had a chance to work on it. Plus, half my stuff is back ordered, so even if we bust butt, we won't have parts in time for the run I was hoping to break it in on. (Ride is 1st weekend in April, detroit locker and tires will be here at end of March, rear axle still has to be started and shafts ordered.. looks like I'm taking my backup)
What is the width of that thing now? If it was 69" to start with and you cut down 2.7 from the short side is it now about 66.3"? I take it you did not cut down the long side any. How did the front dif line up with the trans case? I was thinking you would cut down the long side, but didn't know if it would line up wrong or not. I am looking for one my self. It is a d60 or a ford 9 for me. I am still thinking and looking. What rear are you going with. I found a d60 here but the guy wants 900 for it. Thet seem high . any thoughts. Yours is looking good. thanks
What is the width of that thing now? If it was 69" to start with and you cut down 2.7 from the short side is it now about 66.3"? I take it you did not cut down the long side any. How did the front dif line up with the trans case? I was thinking you would cut down the long side, but didn't know if it would line up wrong or not. I am looking for one my self. It is a d60 or a ford 9 for me. I am still thinking and looking. What rear are you going with. I found a d60 here but the guy wants 900 for it. Thet seem high . any thoughts. Yours is looking good. thanks
My front 60 is about 66.5" WMS-WMS (69.25"- 2.71"). I didn't cut down the long side, just the short. The diff lined up perfectly with the TC output shaft. There is about 1" between the C-knuckles and the spring plates. I am using a dana 60 rear from the same truck, I bored the spindles to 1.625" and bought some moser 35 spline shafts for it.
Looks good! What backspacing on the rims and any chance of getting a front on view a little further back just to see how the tires stick out? Or better yet, could you measure the how much it sticks out?
Looks good! What backspacing on the rims and any chance of getting a front on view a little further back just to see how the tires stick out? Or better yet, could you measure the how much it sticks out?
Good thing about Detroit is that Canadian beer is easy to find, bad thing is that there's no good wheeling within about 6 hours. But we could try and get together for a beer if you end up in the area.
Where about in Ontario are you? Looks like there's still snow on the ground, so I am guess a little farther north?
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