Another FW 78/79 dana 44 swap

[Bray D]

What's the Ackerman effect? lol

I know what the Ackerman angle is, and why its implemented into the steering geometry.

Chop that front steering crossmember out while you're waiting for your new springs. Its crampin your style.

 

[wahlstrom1]

My camber was dead on, my castor was out to lunch from day 1.....

Looks good, 'nuther SAS on the board!

 

[railman]

What's the Ackerman effect? lol

I know what the Ackerman angle is, and why its implemented into the steering geometry.

the Ackerman "effect" is the way it looks to people who have no idea what it is and why it looks "wierd" to them....

and you ask 95% of people and they respond "Acker----what?????"..........

l8r, John

 

[Bray D]

It doesn't look like anything fool :MrT:

Its the offset of the tie rod end from the ball joint. Run a line throught the TRE and the BJ on both sides, they should form an angle (the Ackerman Angle) that intersects at your rear axle IIRC. I'd have to draw it out to see for sure. When you turn, your inner tire turns on a shorter radius (obviously). The offset of the TRE accounts for this, making your outer tire turn on a larger radius than the inner tire.

 

[railman]

I know exactly what it is....just saying for those that don't....

can't tell ya how many times someone saw my Ranger parked with the front slightly turned and thought I had something broke cause one tire was turned and cambered so much more than the other....I just shortened the answer to be the "Ackerman Effect"......or more appropriately the "Visual Effect of Ackerman Angle".....

l8r, John

 

[97TrailRigDD]

Got the drag link on. And cut the plates for the frame where the track bar mount will be.

 

[Bray D]

Lookin good. One more week!

 

[97TrailRigDD]

Springs will be here Monday.

 

[Bray D]

Is there any way to adjust ride height without getting new springs. That's general question, not specific to your application, but specific to coilovers.

 

[97TrailRigDD]

I could crank the adjusters down some more and maybe get the ride height I want. But there would be almost no space left between the coils.

 

[Bray D]

Yeah, that's why I was saying I'm not talking about in your situation, just curious if coilovers were adjustable like that. That's nice that they are. It would suck to get the new springs and have them make you too tall or too low again.

Since you'll be able to set your ride height to where you want it to be regardless of the springs, go ahead and build the trac bar before the springs get here.

 

[97TrailRigDD]

Yeah, that's why I was saying I'm not talking about in your situation, just curious if coilovers were adjustable like that. That's nice that they are. It would suck to get the new springs and have them make you too tall or too low again.

Since you'll be able to set your ride height to where you want it to be regardless of the springs, go ahead and build the trac bar before the springs get here.

I will try to get it in tomorrow. Got a good start on the frame side.

 

[97TrailRigDD]

If you have any tips, pics, or web links for the axle side of the track bar please post them up. Don't know if my bracket that mounts on top of the axle will work.

 

[97TrailRigDD]

I think I can use the stock 44 track bolt hole. But how do you get the bolt out? Mine was kind of messed up so I cut it off. does the rest of it need to be turned out or knocked out?

 

[Bray D]

I'm not sure about the factory bolt. I cut mine off. My axle side trac bar mount is as easy at is gets. Literally two triangular shaped plates that make the two sides, then completely boxed it in so dirt/mud/crap won't sit in it.

What about your prefab bracket makes it so it won't work?