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appy's sas and rear axle swap

17K views 69 replies 29 participants last post by  KyleQ 
#1 ·
I was going to wait until I was finished, but I figured it'd be better to get some opinions on what i should change or do different before everything is finalized and welded out.
Specs:
87 eddie bauer, stock 302fi, bw 1356(for now)
'79 Dana 44- 4.88's w/aussie locker
'79 9"- 4.88's w/ mini-spool
Did this mostly with parts we have accumulated throughout the last couple years. i.e.-on the cheap.
I started with some 6" springs we found at a junkyard. But I like how high the truck sat on the stands, so up it went. Dropped the buckets down 3" and re-inforced the crap out of them.



My drag link and tie rod are 1.5 x .5wall dom with heims on both knuckles, and a 1ton chevy tre going in the drop pitman.


Made my own rad arm extensions to accept a pair of 1-1/8" implement heims.



Seeing as good rear springs cost so much, I figured it would be cheaper and better to go ahead and 4-link the rearend. Welded up a truss from jeg's on the rearend too. Links are 1.5 x .25"dom with regular old cheap smiley's heims.


These are 79 4" springs and the ttb buckets. I just cut them down to fit, and will continue to gusset them, once final placement has been figured out.


This is just where we finished last weekend. Still got a lot of fab work to do.




So, what do you think? Remember though, this is now pretty much a trailered only rig.:beer
 
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#2 ·
wow, really cool to see a fsb with rear coils. that should be interesting. but honestly, implement heims on the front? might wanna think about springing for some quality heims that will be safer in the long run. looks good otherwise, though
 
#3 ·
yeah, I know....Those are more of an experiment than anything else. I know several guys with tube buggies and 1tons that swear by them. Plus, its only $25 for a pair. Besides, those things are so big that the stud on the 27yr old cast rad arm that the ext. is screwed onto will break before the heims do. Thanks to crawler, I've alreay got plans to build my own rad arms, and more than likely, they'll be with good 7/8 or 1" heims.
 
#7 ·
youve made alot of progress since i saw it last!
good job man... i might be callign you up when i swap in a d44 and sterling this summer!
ace
 
#9 ·
id sleeve those extensions with some hrew or something so they dont snap at the joint. And i would have rotated the rear pinion a little more as well to save on u joint life, but all in all it is looking good. On those extended arms did you box the frame on the inside? also did you build a brace to run from both new radius arm mounts. just trying to make sure you got everything done or planned for.
 
#11 ·
welndmn said:
Looks good, but you will nee more vert sepration at the link ends, both frame and axle.
how much is good? Is there an average it should be? Not a whole lot to move on the axle end, but I haven't made the tabs for the uppers yet.

And I think the jack has settled since the weekend, cause it was alot better than that sunday.

stx4wheeler said:
id sleeve those extensions with some hrew or something so they dont snap at the joint.
On those extended arms did you box the frame on the inside? also did you build a brace to run from both new radius arm mounts. just trying to make sure you got everything done or planned for.
Thought about sleeving them, but it wont do a lot of good. The arm flares out right there at the stud, so there wouldn't be a lot of support anyway.

Haven't done anything as far as the rad arm mounts go. they lined up right next to the trans x-member, so was thinking that'd be enough support.

Thanks, Ace. But at the rate I'm going, I'll still be working on it this summer.:banghead
 
#14 ·
appy said:
I thought about the springs being a little stiff, but its not going to see the street anymore. Plus and its easy enough to swap springs and move the buckets.
This is true, only one way to find out and hopefully by the time I get to this point you'll have it figured out for me. ;)
 
#18 ·
grind down the little lip on the radius arm by where the stock stud is attached, so that you can sleeve it with a piece of tube, ans andy stated plate the arms do a search for "radius arm extensions suck ballz" by muddinmike. this will get you some pics of bent radius arms.
 
#20 ·
stx4wheeler said:
grind down the little lip on the radius arm by where the stock stud is attached, so that you can sleeve it with a piece of tube, ans andy stated plate the arms do a search for "radius arm extensions suck ballz" by muddinmike. this will get you some pics of bent radius arms.
yeah, I forgot all about that one:twak even had it saved in my cp.:duh
I've been tossing around the idea, maybe worth it to go ahead and do it now, once I pull it all down.

What about that link spacing, welndmn?
 
#23 ·
Got a lot done this weekend.
But first, found these on the other camera




Anyway, on to this weeks progress. Got the link mounts finished, and all welded up. The bars are done! Now just have to get some different springs, and mount those up. I'm also gong to use some stock front lower spring plates and retainers, if anyone has a set, let me know!!



Top mount gusseting


Capped off the frame tabs for strength, and to keep from hanging up. Also capped off the lower axle tabs as well.


At ride height


Had to test it out. Looks like the springs will be my limiting factor here.






My 5foot tall wife keeps complaining its too tall. I'm 6' tall, so yeah, its pretty big.:rockon
 
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