Another home-brew front axle build

[jstoll]

Im running the same setup (lights) on the back of my truck and needed to run resisters in paralell with the turn bulbs because the 2 inch lights I believe are markers and have more resistance so the flasher blinked anoyingly fast
I think I used a 25 ohm 5 watt resister? they actually had cooling fins on them :-)
take care
JAK

[bigal1]

I just read this whole write up,man you done alot of nice fab work.nice rig.

[surftaco]

Originally Posted by toyotathrasher

Ive got the same set up on mine but i used 3 two inch lights for each function. They look a little bit rice but they are cheaper than factory tailights. And leds are pretty darn bright too.

I was looking at LED's but the incandescent lights were like half the price and I figured they would get smashed eventually so thats what I got.

Originally Posted by jstoll

Im running the same setup (lights) on the back of my truck and needed to run resisters in paralell with the turn bulbs because the 2 inch lights I believe are markers and have more resistance so the flasher blinked anoyingly fast
I think I used a 25 ohm 5 watt resister? they actually had cooling fins on them :-)
take care
JAK

LED or incandescent? My 2.5" lights were listed as markers also but they seem to blink at the normal speed. Another reason I avoided the LED's is I heard you needed to use resisters to get them to blink at the normal speed.

Originally Posted by bigal1

I just read this whole write up,man you done alot of nice fab work.nice rig.

Thanks man

[Mawnov]

You can get 1 of these http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...CF13JL-02.html or do this http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...linker+flasher to take care of the flasher.

I am currently getting ready to replace my tail lights with led units and a sheet metal patch like you did.

[toyotathrasher]

Originally Posted by surftaco

I was looking at LED's but the incandescent lights were like half the price and I figured they would get smashed eventually so thats what I got.

I haven't broke one yet, the grommets just let them push back into the hole. I've torn the grommet but the lights are pretty stout.

[surftaco]

So I was looking for a mini-truck axle for my buddies samurai and stumbled across this gem on craiglist for $200 last week. Not sure what i'm going to do with it yet though.



It's a 91 axle so hasn't got the extra abs hole or the bigger brakes. But last night i went back to looking for mini-truck axles to help out my friend and stumbled across another fj80 front axle for $150, this one is missing the 3rd but it's a 94 axle with bigger brakes and abs hole. I think i'm gonna call the guy and offer him $100 for it.

the search for a FJ80 RHD steering arm is on

[surftaco]

Since i want to run the tie rod in the front i'll probably be trying to bend the arms slightly to add some ackerman angle since my truck sees a fair amount of street time.

I decided to practice bending some stock mini truck arms since i had a pile of them and only 1 set of fj80 arms.

[surftaco]

Ohh and if any one wants to buy or trade me for the double sheer lower arms I don't think i'll be using them

[toyoturd]

i wish i could get more fj80's around here. turning radius is crazy. other than double sheer slee style arms what else is the plan for this?

[surftaco]

I'm going to look for a double ended steering arm off a RH-drive fj80 and run the tie-rod in front through the drag-link holes. But since arms for the drag-link would be parallel i'm going to attempt to bend them out to achieve some ackermann angle.

at least thats the plan right now, bending the mini truck arms wasn't nearly as hard as i anticipated

[toyoturd]

is it going to still get put in sami or your yota?

[surftaco]

The fj80 stuff is for my truck. I don't think my bud with the samuri is willing to invest the time/money/effort to deal with the fj80 steering

[wj4play]

just our of curiosity, how wide are the FJ80 axles?

[locost7]

Approx 63" wms

[wj4play]

Originally Posted by locost7

Approx 63" wms

Cool thanks

[David D]

Originally Posted by surftaco

Ohh and if any one wants to buy or trade me for the double sheer lower arms I don't think i'll be using them

What are you looking for trades and cash wise? PM me if you want, but I would be interested in the set of lowers.

[surftaco]

So i've made a few changes in the past couple weeks.

First thing the y-link steering setup wasn't working out for me. I couldn't get rid of all the slop in the steering. So I ordered some heims and tube adapters from ruff stuff. Ended up cutting down my tie-rod to be my new drag link and I had a piece of 1.5x.25 wall dom long enough to be my new tie-rod.
and those are all 3/4" grade 8 bolts with proper length shoulders drilled for cotter pin then cut in the cold saw
I also found those cool locking flange nuts though mcmaster carr, also grade 8 according to catalog




I also pie-cut my driver side sway bar arm so i could have it wrap around the pitman arm and not be so high at ride hight.


And while I had the arms out i decided to add a relief cut and bolt. I just took a piece of 1x.25 dom with a nut welded to the end then welded that to the arm and cut it with a cutoff wheel after. Every other arm I've seen is this way, don;t know why the rock equipment ones aren't. It definitely cured a few rattles.

[JS-Economos]

Helluva build, shade-tree fabrication style. I can dig it.

[scottapher]

I'm guessing you might want some larger misalignment spacers for your draglink at the pitman arm. Unless you have noticed no binding or you have short enough limit straps, I found that when I went to 7/8th heims I needed a greater capacity for misalignment--as was the case when I still had a 3/4 heim at the pitman arm also.

I'm sure you've looked into it, just appears close.

I've always enjoyed this build and how you have packaged things in such tight spaces. Looks good!

[Booger Weldz]

Originally Posted by scottapher

I'm guessing you might want some larger misalignment spacers for your draglink at the pitman arm. Unless you have noticed no binding or you have short enough limit straps, I found that when I went to 7/8th heims I needed a greater capacity for misalignment--as was the case when I still had a 3/4 heim at the pitman arm also.

I'm sure you've looked into it, just appears close.

I've always enjoyed this build and how you have packaged things in such tight spaces. Looks good!

Just put a bend at the pitman side of the draglink so the misalignment is upward or flat at ride height, providing more available as down travel. Ive done this 3x w big hiems w big bolts(not a huge change and angle increment u get by say 7/8 to 1/2, but who wants 1/2" bolts on critcal parts like this)...

[Booger Weldz]

Originally Posted by scottapher

I'm guessing you might want some larger misalignment spacers for your draglink at the pitman arm. Unless you have noticed no binding or you have short enough limit straps, I found that when I went to 7/8th heims I needed a greater capacity for misalignment--as was the case when I still had a 3/4 heim at the pitman arm also.

I'm sure you've looked into it, just appears close.

I've always enjoyed this build and how you have packaged things in such tight spaces. Looks good!

Ill give u $400 for the axle

Just put a bend at the pitman side of the draglink so the misalignment is upward or flat at ride height, providing more available as down travel. Ive done this 3x w big hiems w big bolts(not a huge change and angle increment u get by say 7/8 to 1/2, but who wants 1/2" bolts on critcal parts like this)...

[Nickb45]

Nice work on the housing. I like seeing people build their own stuff.

[scottapher]

Originally Posted by Booger Weldz

Just put a bend at the pitman side of the draglink so the misalignment is upward or flat at ride height, providing more available as down travel. Ive done this 3x w big hiems w big bolts(not a huge change and angle increment u get by say 7/8 to 1/2, but who wants 1/2" bolts on critcal parts like this)...

True, but that bend will also hinder uptravel. You can always just make your own pitman arm with the correct angle on it for the heim at ride height like the old all-pro double sheer units.