Dana 35 axle shaft clearance issue.

[tw205]

show us the passenger side bracket mounting and style

Here are both axle pivot brackets.

 

[Josh B]

Do you still need this viewable? I just added a 2 to the name

 

[bobbywalter]

i suspect the drivers beam is distorted or the arm is too far forward? is the pinch bolt for the pig in?

maybe measure top of bj to the rear hanger on both sides

 

[tw205]

Investigated a little more yesterday. I took a measurement from the base of the radius arms at the cross member to the top ball joint. Passenger side was 20 5/16” to center of ball joint. Driver side was 20”. I have another BII with 6” lift so I measured it as well. Both sides measured 20 5/16”. I think this confirms my suspicions that the front axle beam is bent. I think it’s at the pivot end. I have a spare but it’s been cut and turned and won’t help. I do have the old 28 I could reinstall to prove brackets and frame are good. Imma go see if I can score another 35 this morning at the u pull it. Every time I go there this young girl want to buy my BII. At least she has good taste.

 

[SenorNoob]

That's so close... Is it possible the alignment is just that far off? I know I was surprised by how far things can move with an adjustable bushing. (I can move it far enough to have the knuckle rub the beam.)

I'm thinking you'd have serious caster going on. But that is hard to see when fully assembled.

 

[tw205]

I have swapped out drop brackets with no change. I’ve now removed the axle and I think it’s bent at the pivot mount. Should I put the heat to it and try to straighten it or find another?

I’ve got a Dana 28 in the corner I can throw on just to see. I was worries my frame was bent.

 

[tw205]

The 28 fits correctly. Axle shaft is in the center of the housing. I’m not sure if I should be happy my frame isn’t bent but the axle I bought is bent and seems unusable. Money down the drain.

 

[Josh B]

At least the pickers here has a warranty, it cost about another 6 or 8 percent but for a year you can swap it all you like

 

[scotts90ranger]

I had a similar but opposite issue a few years ago, I was at an offroad event and there was a boulder in the road on the drivers side the direction I was going and I wacked it pretty good with the pumpkin, the passenger side axle shaft was hitting the back of the beam away from the bolt. I had changed the passenger side beam to try to fix the issue before I realized it was the drivers side beam that was bent... I ended up putting a chain to the bottom of the beam to the hitch of my F350 and backed up then welded a support to the bottom... it stretched at the hole that is in a dumb spot structurally...

Don't worry about the welds, they were overhead flux core in the dark in the driveway... they've held since February of '19 apparently from the dates on the pictures...

 

[Josh B]

I wasn't worried, I thought it was kinda funny

 

[tw205]

I picked up another front beam. Here they are side by side. The cleaner black one is the bent piece. ¹

 

[sgtsandman]

Nothing some heat and a BFH can't fix...

 

[tw205]

Nothing some heat and a BFH can't fix...

I was thinking the same. Worth a shot.