I'm on the verge of buying a pair of 44's out of a 78 scout. Then I opened up my latest issue of JP and they recommended avoiding scout axles. Can anyone tell me why? Is the front a pass. or driver side drop?
Another option is to buy a 84 f-250. but I think those axles are a little too big, at least until I have a tow rig. Thanks for any input.
<IMG SRC="smilies/usa.gif" border="0">

Because the front axle has 0 degrees caster and you'll have to have the knuckles removed and rewelded with the proper caster to make 'em work right.

Originally posted by TornadoTJ:
<STRONG>Because the front axle has 0 degrees caster and you'll have to have the knuckles removed and rewelded with the proper caster to make 'em work right.</STRONG>

What does "make 'em work right" mean?

I said the caster was at 0 degrees on Scout axles. That's not the proper angle. I'd say "to make 'em work right" means to get the caster set correctly.

What i believe he means is with 0 degrees caster you'll need to rotate the knuckles to get proper steering geometry along with proper pinion angles.

Originally posted by beeflog:
<STRONG>I'm on the verge of buying a pair of 44's out of a 78 scout. Then I opened up my latest issue of JP and they recommended avoiding scout axles. </STRONG>

Like the other guys said you'll need to turn the knuckles. Your Jeep will wander if you don't. The Scout axle are a great width though and getting replacement axles is easy enough. I'd use them if the price was right.

<STRONG>
Is the front a pass. or driver side drop?
</STRONG>
Passenger side.

thanks for the info. is $300 for the pair a decent price? he is asking $350.

I run a pair of scout 44's in my CJ7, The caster takes only a couple of hours to fix, a grinder, welder, BFH, and an angle finder is all you need. and you can set it so it fits your Jeep perfectly, I tilted the pinion up 10° and added 5.5° of caster. Slammed it it sprung over and busted it first time out! hehehe, $300 might be a bit steep though I paid $200 CAN (like $50 US) but if the gears are a decent ratio and the brakes work I'd go for it.

Originally posted by TornadoTJ:
<STRONG>Because the front axle has 0 degrees caster and you'll have to have the knuckles removed and rewelded with the proper caster to make 'em work right.</STRONG>

Don't try giving somebody advice if you don't know what the fawk you are talking about. They might just listen to you.

Originally posted by Bear:

Like the other guys said you'll need to turn the knuckles. Your Jeep will wander if you don't. The Scout axle are a great width though and getting replacement axles is easy enough. I'd use them if the price was right.


Is the front a pass. or driver side drop?
[/qb]
Passenger side.[/QB]


It wanders and won't return to center by itself coming out of turns. Most of the Scout owners I know simply add shims. It's certainly tollerable if your only paying 350. You get 30 spline shafts in 78 Scout D44s. Upgrade your u-joints and your set. Check out the u-joints at http://www.highangledriveline.com/

Don't cut and twist the knuckles until the steering drives you crazy... or you do your spring over. --Josh

I just recently swaped ScoutII 44s into my wrangler. Te front is a pain in the ass to set up SOA but I have no complaints now that it is done. Just take your time and grind away!! Doug

They sell some castor correctors that allow you to get a couple degrees of castor without whacking the ends off.
http://www.cafes.net/epp/CasterCorrectors.htm

I recently got a pair of scout 2 D44's for $100. All this stupidity about the castor keeps them cheap. The one bad point about the scout 2 front axle is that the spring perch is part of the pumpkin rather than on the tube. This can make spring location a problem.

does 0 degrees of caster really matter on a rock crawler? can't you just set it up so the steering geometry looks good and not worry about shitty driveshaft angles if your only going 1 mph on the trail?

Check this out! D&C Extreme (http://www.DandCExtreme.com/buildup/pro1/day3.html)

This is about the cut and turn front 44. You can also grinf it smooth all the way around and weld on a perch. But remember, it is cast metal and you will have to preheat and use Nickle 55 or so rod.

Here is how it looks mounted and a new perch on it>>>> http://www.DandCExtreme.com/buildup/image/day4steeringb.jpg

[ 10-03-2001: Message edited by: SweetCJ7 aka. Allen Kurtz ]

Originally posted by The Flem:
<STRONG>does 0 degrees of caster really matter on a rock crawler? can't you just set it up so the steering geometry looks good and not worry about shitty driveshaft angles if your only going 1 mph on the trail?</STRONG>

No - that's why Willys guys don't care. 60 MPH down the highway is a scary thing for so many reasons, what's one more. The only reason it matters on the trail is that you loose some of the automatic return to center that you would get if you had some positive caster.

Originally posted by SweetCJ7 aka. Allen Kurtz:
<STRONG>Check this out! D&C Extreme (http://www.DandCExtreme.com/buildup/pro1/day3.html)
</STRONG>

Interesting looking high steer conversion.

Originally posted by JustJosh - Buy my Scout, Ask me how:
<STRONG>Don't try giving somebody advice if you don't know what the fawk you are talking about. They might just listen to you.</STRONG>

Did not the others tell you the same thing?

Originally posted by old jeep:
<STRONG>Interesting looking high steer conversion.</STRONG>


Their not the most brilliant people. They are just IH purists. They should have gone chebby flat tops I know. Maybe that wasn't in the budget.

Originally posted by SweetCJ7 aka. Allen Kurtz:
<STRONG>Check this out! D&C Extreme (http://www.DandCExtreme.com/buildup/pro1/day3.html)

Here is how it looks mounted and a new perch on it>>>> http://www.DandCExtreme.com/buildup/image/day4steeringb.jpg

[ 10-03-2001: Message edited by: SweetCJ7 aka. Allen Kurtz ]</STRONG>

D & C Extreme is Damien's company, there was a big debate about the arm, and weather it would hold up. Damien has a customer using the setup on a race truck, with no failures, so he can attest to the strength of the setup. The setup also keeps the drag link and tie rods in the factory alignment, good if your have ever been in a Scout. The 100" wheel-base Scout can turn inside a CJ5. I can almost flip a U in my three care wide drive way. One reason for not going with flat top, you can re-use the stock drag-link, and factory tie-rod. Second is cost, cheaper this way, their is a guy in CO that will do the conversion for a little over $100.00.

Joe <IMG SRC="smilies/smokin.gif" border="0">

The caster issue is overrated.

I have a friend with a scout 44 (soa)in his yj (also a dana300) and never did a thing with knuckles or shims. His jeep is fine on and offroad.

Originally posted by SweetCJ7 aka. Allen Kurtz:
<STRONG>
Their not the most brilliant people. They are just IH purists. They should have gone chebby flat tops I know. Maybe that wasn't in the budget.</STRONG>
I take offense to that. <IMG SRC="smilies/thefinger.gif" border="0"> Come hang out on the IH board and tell me what you think. Granted we are a little different, you have to be when people keep calling your rig a Heep. We're a little odd because we drive something that you can't get off the shelf parts for. Just about everything is used, built, or borrowed from another rig. When we're on a run I pack enough shit to get myself out, because I know I can't borrow parts from a Heep. I always welcome any vehicle along for a run, can't say the same for some of the Heep crowd.

We do in some cases use Chebbie flat top knuckles. But the conversion is not that simple, the Chebbie brakes are no where near as stout as the stock Scout setup, and a Scout ain’t that easy to stop, especially with half ton Chebbie brakes.

Joe <IMG SRC="smilies/smokin.gif" border="0">