Another FW 78/79 dana 44 swap

[Bray D]

I may be down for the Redbird ride. I'll pencil it in for now.

Here's a pic of my softline coming from the frame to the top of the dif:

I just built that little tab and came off of my shock tower bolt. It clears everything at full compression, I checked.

Then just hardlines off of that T to softlines at the calipers.

Builld is looking good. Nice and clean. What did the caliper brackets come from? Mine are integrated into the dust guards. I've got chevy knucks and spindle though.

Mine bolts to the outside of the spindle as well. Spindle has a slight interference fit into the knuck.

Looks like the stubshaft is a bit gnarled up?

 

[97TrailRigDD]

Hope you can make it. You might get lucky and win something.

Thanks for the pic, if you don't care I might copy that. Also reminds me I'm going to need limit straps.

I think those are 78 Bronco caliper brackets. The dust shield was between the bracket and spindle but wasn't much left of it, so they hit the scrap.

Everything on this axle is a bit gnarled up, but I have to use what I can.

 

[Bray D]

Feel free to steal the brake line routing. Its nothing earth shattering. lol. I don't remember the part number or what that soft line was from or I'd give you that info as well. I removed my ABS module too, so its just a hardline from my master to that frame tab.

You can see off to the left where the horizontal hardline meets the mount and the softline. I'm pretty sure those are the factory brake line mounts. They bolt to those two threaded holes on the cast wedge.

 

[97TrailRigDD]

Went ahead and painted the bracket. All the mounting surfaces got a coat of anti seize . They were rusted together bad .

Picked up new brake parts.

Stage 8s, braided lines and front u-joint will be here Wednesday.

 

[97TrailRigDD]

Hubs cleaned and painted, races installed, and studs pressed in .

Stock rubber bushings are a lot different than poly bushings. Should flex better I would think.

 

[97TrailRigDD]

Caster is now at 7 degrees with the stock bushings.

 

[86 slo-vo]

thanks for the pics bray, that exactly what im going to do.

 

[Bray D]

thanks for the pics bray, that exactly what im going to do.

No problem man. It seems to work well. Things get tight at full stuff, but that's how its supposed to be.

Lookin good Greg. One thing to remember with the rubber bushings, while they may flex a little better, they will also allow more axle wrap.

I've got 7* poly's and the axle wrap is definitely noticeable. It kinda comes with the territory with a 'factory' RA setup.

 

[97TrailRigDD]

Been looking at how to mount the coilovers. With the spring rates I have I have 2 choices.

1st is mount them on the radius arms 5 inches back from center of the axle and leaning towards the frame 15 degrees .

2nd is mount them on the inner c by the upper ball joint and lean them in 30 degrees .

2nd choice would be easiest to fab up and easiest to change later if I get longer coilovers . 1st choice they wouldn't be at a 30 degree angle .

What do you guys think ? Springs are 175#/225#

 

[Bray D]

Where do you have the stop set at? What's your top spring?

 

[Bray D]

Crunching the numbers, it appears they are going to be way too soft. What did they come off of?

 

[Josh40601]

I have to agree... I think that rate might be a little too soft

 

[railman]

as soft as they are you had better mount them up by the "C's"....

l8r, John

 

[97TrailRigDD]

I was using the calculator on F-O-A.com . 975 for weight and 70% droop . Radius arms are 38" . What do you guys come up with?

 

[Josh40601]

I didn't use a calculator. Just SOTP. 200/300 are super soft. There is no way i would go any softer than what i am running now. I had 300/450 and they were way too stiff. Great for flying through the dirt, but not to flexy for the rocks. Now i can't go quite as fast through the dirt as the axle will hit crap, but it flexes damn good for having crappy arms.