front SOA - please confirm my angles

[c r a c k e r]

Some searching around, lots of info, lot's of opinions.
I'd like to lay out my plan and hopefully someone says ya, did that, it'll work fine - no worries. Not worried about method, just angles and results.

Thanks in advance to all opinions, comments etc.
- 76 SII Stock 44's front and rear, will see 37's
- SOA for lift, on stock springs (may do the 44044's later on)
- will trim anything else i need to fit the 37's, will beef up much as well (running 33's for now)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Spring angle = 13 degrees (for perch)
- measure from level, high towards front of vehicle
Pinion angle = 26 degrees
- measure from level, point towards t.c., actual angle straight to
TC is 28 back off 2 just to be sure.
Castor = 4 degrees
- assuming this is the desired amount, currently driving on 2 degrees
and feels good
Perches = drill extra seat hole 1" each way
- to enable testing with stock driveshaft, change out driveshaft later
- assuming standard location will work w/out bottoming out stock
slip, but unsure until bolt it up.

[ih4ever]

i dont know about anything else becides the caster and driveshaft stuff.. i did an soa and did nto get that technical, just put it together but made sure i did everything right...

my caster is at 5 deg. and im running 35's. everybody says somewhere between 4-6 depending on what tires you run...

and if you do an soa the front driveshaft will not work, much too short after spring swap...

[SJscouter]

and if you do an soa the front driveshaft will not work, much too short after spring swap...

if you turn the pinion up the stock driveshaft will work with stock springs, down at the shop we do soa all the time and maybe 10% of the time the front driveshaft is alittle to short.

[ih4ever]

well i guess my driveshaft was one of those 10% huh :)

[BLK Scout 800]

On my 800 te front driveline worked fine BUT I would go with a CV style if I were you...Also if you are going to 37's I would inboard those leafs to help the turn radious (tire rubs leafs) I pulled them in 2'' on each side.

[Sully]

When I cut and turned my front axle, I did it based on a shackle forward SOA with the stock springs.

I went with a 16 degree pinion angle, and 5 degrees of castor (or a total of rotating the knuckle 21 degrees.)

I can't tell you how well it works installed yet, because I haven't put the axle back together and slung it under the truck yet. :rolleyes: In my haste, I forgot the old adage "measure twice, cut/weld once" and welded the knuckles on at about a full degree of difference. So I've been procrastinating putting it all back together and seeing how bad it came out. :emb:

[srscout]

I did an SOA on my 75 Scout II but I narrowed a 3\4 ton Chev front to Scout specs and used Ford 1\2 ton outters. Also used an Avalanche (now made by Poison Spyder) cross over arm to take care of steering issues. I set the caster at 5 deg and it works fine with good steering return. As far as pinion angle I left the perches stock and used 6 deg steel shims welded to the perches and a CV front drive shaft. It all seems to work well.

Quite a bit more went into the build up but this is what relates to your questions.

BTY---- 35" MTR\s, Dana 44 staying in the front with Powertrax No-Slip, replacing rear 44 with FF dana 60 w\ 35 spline shafts and Eaton E Locker, narrowed to match front. 350 Chev\SM 465\ NP 205 and 4.10 gears.

[Bill usn-1]

Here is a 76 with the SOA I do on 37's.
Due to heavy wheeling I had started to reverse the tips on the back springs so I added an extra leaf under the main. That's why it looks a little taller. that and the wheel well trim to remove cancer!!!

The rear is now a FF D60 but you get the idea.

With current wheels the fronts rub the springs. They need to have more offset to the outside like the rear wheels.

http://www.northtexasbinders.com/NormalPictures/1362.jpg

[tmbrtank]

Yup, it sounds right. You won't actually know for sure until we start doing it tho'. There are so many variables involved with each rig and the manner in which you measure it is hard to say. When are we gonna start on this project? You gonna make it on Memorial day to work on this or are you starting sooner?

Stock front driveshafts usually work ok with stock springs and no other serious mods to the suspension. Obviously lots of flex could keep them from fitting, also there seems to be a few different "stock" shafts. I would agree with the 10% comment.

HTH,
KZ

[justscoutin]

i had to get a different shaft for the front. i used a rear shaft from a 70 j##P comando. I'm running 36" swampers on it with minimal rubbage in the rear wheelwells. probably won't rub when i get the bodymounts fixed.

[c r a c k e r]

O.k. - I wanted to give feedback in case another newb tried to use my numbers...they are WAY OFF.
13 perch
26 pinion
4 caster
I ended up with WAY less pinion and different spring perch.

Basically i learned that you really should do like the others tell you - do it while under the truck so you can visually see what happens.
---------
Here's my story in a nutshell:
- Paid another guy to cut and turn to my specs, oops I gave him the wrong fing numbers (those listed above), once i put it under the truck I was very disappointed.
- put spring perches in the correct place to point pinion slightly below straight to t-case (figured w/ visual inspection and a little cad work)
- ground out his knuckle welds (boy he didn't get much penetration) and smacked them around
- placed under truck and set caster with TORPEDO LEVEL and gradeschool plastic COMPASS and a straight edge, tack weld and remove.
- take to super duper welder buddy (stevesjeepfab.com) and got some REAL welding done
- bolt back up and put the rest of the shiat back together.

I ended up with:
- Pinion looks right, who cares what angle it is
- spring perches are what they are to make the pinion look right
- caster is just over 1 degree (oops, thought I was going for 3, but forgot I wanted to raise the ass a bit afterwards which of course lessened the angle)

Les Schwab alignment shop says - looks good, nothing to adjust, no charge.??..
Here's the specs:
Left-----measurement-----right
1.0 Camber 0.6 (oops)
1.5 Caster 1.3 (damn close i think?)
.02 Toe .04 (that's me and a tape measure F&R of tire...)

Tomorrow am - we'll finally see how she drives going 75-80 mph to work!!
and... Sunday see how she does on the trail!

Thanks again guys-