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Just bought my first IH...Help

2K views 25 replies 12 participants last post by  Sully 
#1 ·
Just brought home a 1980 Scout Terra. So far I think it has the following:

345 engine
t-19 tranny
dana 300
dana 44's front and rear with some kind of posi or locker at least in the rear.

It has a spring over and 2" body lift...35" tires.

I'm trying to find out what the weak points in this rig are. I want it to be rock solid. Any suggestions or help as to where these things usually break is appreciated.
 
#3 ·
Welcome 69th. Dont mind the old-farts, they get grouchy and are easily annoyed when some one new posts. If you have patience they'll eventually stop flaming ya. But until that time, post some pictures of ya wheeling so we can cut ya some slack! :p :evil: :D
 
#4 ·
Sixty-Ninth Airborne said:
Just brought home a 1980 Scout Terra. So far I think it has the following:

345 engine
t-19 tranny
dana 300
dana 44's front and rear with some kind of posi or locker at least in the rear.

It has a spring over and 2" body lift...35" tires.

I'm trying to find out what the weak points in this rig are. I want it to be rock solid. Any suggestions or help as to where these things usually break is appreciated.
I'm a newbie too !!
But as far as your parts .
Swap the T-19 out for a T-18 ( especially if the T-19 is a wide ratio )
Dana 300 are JUNK get a Dana 20 .
I can trade you a T-18 and Dana 20 combo for your T-19 / Dana 300 .
Let me know .
 
#6 · (Edited)
From my experience is rag link, drag link and rear springs from axle wrap. On lifted and "WHEELED" Scouts!! :flipoff2: Other problem areas is the 2 barrel sloshing fuel and dies going down very steep hills and on rough terrain, power steering needs boosted with a locker and requires a Chevy sized pulley on it after boosting to keep from splitting the pump. I-H pulleys are smaller. Some complain of Gold Box failures, I never had a failure. Convert it to a petronox. (SP)? And probably the biggest wiring headache is the BIG red main power wire from the Alt to the Amp gage goes Nuclear and does a melt down right in the firewall connector with the other wires.. :shaking:
 
#7 ·
69th, Welcome to the world of IH... sounds like you bought a fairly capable rig. My suggestion would be to take it out and wheel it. Fix/change things as they break or you don't like this or that. The components you listed are the best IH has. But through modifications done here or there you may find some shoddy work you'll need to correct. The rag joint is a good idea also check body mounts since I think you mentioned a body lift.
 
#8 ·
update

Hi all,
Thanks for your advise so far. I took it out and didn't manage to break anything. The axles are both supposed to be equiped with detroit ez lockers. They don't seem to be clicking and popping around corners like I would expect them to though. Any thoughts? Also I'm pretty sure that it has a z-link. Scanning this board they seem to be frowned upon. What woud be a better setup?

Thanks again.
 
#10 ·
Abi Normal said:
I'm a newbie too !!
But as far as your parts .
Swap the T-19 out for a T-18 ( especially if the T-19 is a wide ratio )
Dana 300 are JUNK get a Dana 20 .
I can trade you a T-18 and Dana 20 combo for your T-19 / Dana 300 .
Let me know .
:shaking: How many times must I read stuff like this without a :flipoff2: ?

Sounds like you got a good truck. The tie rod and drag link are kinda low and bend on stuff.
 
#11 ·
I broke the rear dana 44 today. made a loud pop and a new dent appeared in the diff cover. This dent goes out though, instead of in. Bummer. At this point I'm not sure what broke. The ring gear has all it's teeth, can't tell on the pinion. The Locker looks kinda gnarley, but really, how often to detroit's let go? I'm not sure if I should fix the 44 or start looking for a 60. I'm running 35's right now but would like to go to 37 or bigger. Anybody's thoughts?
 
#12 ·
Sixty-Ninth Airborne said:
I broke the rear dana 44 today. made a loud pop .....
Hold on a sec, you went wheeling and don't have pictures? :shaking:







just messing with ya man. :p :)
 
#15 ·
Sixty-Ninth Airborne said:
I broke the rear dana 44 today. made a loud pop and a new dent appeared in the diff cover. This dent goes out though, instead of in.
cool :grinpimp:

I'm not sure if I should fix the 44 or start looking for a 60. I'm running 35's right now but would like to go to 37 or bigger. Anybody's thoughts?
Both. Fix the 44 to get you back on the road, but look/shop and piece together a rear 60 (or 14B). 35's are popularly considered the raged edge for a rear D44.... 35-spline D60 (even SF) is good piece of mind. Just make sure you figure out what width you want to run in the future, sucks to build it twice :D
 
#17 ·
Sixty-Ninth Airborne said:
ok...stupid newbie question here: what is this 'even SF' of which you speak?
not a stupid question if your new (but I should flame you anyway :D)

SF = Semi-Float. Stock axles are semi-float style. The axle/wheel is held in by one bearing on the out-side, the shaft onto the differential, and a retainer. Snap an axle shaft and you risk the axle/wheel coming out.

FF = Full-Float(er). Stock on most 3/4T and up trucks, and the way the front is. Wheel hub is located on a spindle with two bearings and is independent of the axle shaft. Break an axle and wheel stays on.

For building a custom rear end and SF is easier and cheaper (well, atleast cheaper) and if you build it big enough, the odds of failure are small. FF's cost more and require more work, but do have an advantage.

Most people, when building a custom rear axle, just stick with SF.
 
#18 ·
ok, got under my broken a 44 today and had a closer look. Ring and pinion look ok. apparantly one of the gears in the locker let go. with the trans in nuetral and the axle off the ground, the broken locker appears to be acting like a spool. is there a chance I can fix the locker or should I just replace it? is it ok to keep the ring and pinion since they look ok, or does driving around a little bit with shrapnel in the gear oil automatically wreak them even if they look ok? Thanks,

airborne
 
#22 ·
Either way, I'd pull the locker & shafts out to see what it was.

If money is an issue, & you already see a 60 sometime in the future, find an open carrier, weld it up & put the R&P in it... You'd be back on the road with one days work & very little $$$ spent.

Just out of curiosity, what were you doing exactly when it blew?
 
#23 ·
MochaMike said:
Either way, I'd pull the locker & shafts out to see what it was.

If money is an issue, & you already see a 60 sometime in the future, find an open carrier, weld it up & put the R&P in it... You'd be back on the road with one days work & very little $$$ spent.

Just out of curiosity, what were you doing exactly when it blew?
:jeep:

Uh...nothing officer...why do you ask? Private Property huh? Really?

It's funny you should ask that. I need to pick myself up a red star and I'll show you pictorially.

As for the welding idea...why not just weld up what's left of the locker?
 
#25 ·
If you're really twisting the body around, keep an eye on the radiator, the way it is mounted makes it pretty susceptible to body flex, and once the tanks break, you're screwed. New cores are easy to buy, but the tanks are strictly junkyard items. I don't think the EZ locker uses the heavy dog-tooth gears or carrier of the original Detroit Locker, and it isn't meant for larger tires. I'm doing OK with my Dana 44/Detroit set, but the factory axles won't last much longer - go for a Dana 60 - one look at the bearings and axles and you'll know why. Good luck.
 
#26 ·
Sixty-Ninth Airborne said:
It's funny you should ask that. I need to pick myself up a red star and I'll show you pictorially.
Or you could just email the pics to one of us who has a red star and can post 'em for you. (Not me though, I'm off to Italy in T-3 hours and counting! :bounce: )

And keep that silly-ass heep emoticon out of this forum there, soldier! :flipoff2:
 
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