dhkonrad's 93 ford ranger

[2004xlmiller]

too deep? Truthfully I thought it was still too shallow... Im not really sure on how to read the pattern on the pinion, but it seemed pretty centered peak to valley, but off center towards the base of the head a little. Towards the fatter part if you will. I guess that would indicate too deep? But it wasn't close enough to the base to worry me at the time IIRC.
Maybe you were referring to this picture?

This picture was NOT the final pattern, and was before final pinion depth adjustments. Up until what I have the pattern to be now the pattern was on the peak of the ring gear, which to me meant it was too shallow. Is that wrong?
here is a side view to see how deep the pattern is


seems to be the pattern is far enough out towards the peak? maybe?



These are just pvc at the moment...

But honestly, I wasn't planning on it no. I normally just make sure I pull the bungs out a little bit so that I can get all the way to the root without cold lapping and TIG weld them. I was talking to one of my friends who races quite a bit including KOH, and he said that's all he ever does and has yet to see any fail. He said if he's pushed for time hell even just MIG them, and still has yet to have issues. Figured it was good enough for me too.

I figured you had a plan for that but felt I'd ask.

 

[dhkonrad]

You make a valid point. You've gotta remember that I'm basing my suggestions on photos. I like to run my 44s and 30s slightly deep to fight deflection under load.

And I appreciate the suggestions. Even if I don't necessarily agree every time, they always induce much thinking on my part...
So if my pinion IS deeper than optimal, do you think its too deep? There seems to be space into the root, and its not off the end of the pinion. Seems like a little deeper would be better than a little shallower?

I figured you had a plan for that but felt I'd ask.

I'm glad you asked. I actually had never really heard of doing it that way before. You kinda got the proverbial ball rolling in my mind. The bungs just aren't super long so Idk how effectual it would be...

 

[brinker88]

Like I said, yea. I prefer them SLIGHTLY deep. If it's any consolation here's what my pattern on my 44 ended up being:

Drive:

Coast:

 

[Kevery]

I don't have any advice for your gears other then run it. BUT, you should throw a bend in those links. It would shorten them a couple inches and give you some more ground clearence.

 

[dhkonrad]

Like I said, yea. I prefer them SLIGHTLY deep. If it's any consolation here's what my pattern on my 44 ended up being:

Drive:

Coast:

I don't have any advice for your gears other then run it. BUT, you should throw a bend in those links. It would shorten them a couple inches and give you some more ground clearence.

Well, I think Ill try it where I got them then. Its only money right?

I would try something like that, but its a pain trying to find someone to bend 2" 1/4 wall DOM... Not to mention I don't think I have much clearance if I am going to be able to fully stuff a side. Idk if I will be able to first go around with springs, but I am thinking it would be nice to be ready for it..

 

[Kevery]

I would try something like that, but its a pain trying to find someone to bend 2" 1/4 wall DOM... Not to mention I don't think I have much clearance if I am going to be able to fully stuff a side. Idk if I will be able to first go around with springs, but I am thinking it would be nice to be ready for it..

I bent mine with a pipe bender and a torch. LOL the bent wasn't that drastic so it didn't flatten out much at all. I also mounted my link brackets on the outside of my frame rails making the clearence issue between my frame and the link none existent.

 

[brinker88]

If I go slow, I have no problem bending 1.5 or 2 inch 1/4" DOM with my Harbor Freight "kinker". It doesn't kink. That's how I bent my steering.

 

[dhkonrad]

I bent mine with a pipe bender and a torch. LOL the bent wasn't that drastic so it didn't flatten out much at all. I also mounted my link brackets on the outside of my frame rails making the clearence issue between my frame and the link none existent.

My link mounts are directly below my frame, so my clearance issue isn't with the frame rails either, its with the sliders and the body mounts... I just got my track bar tacked together so Ill do some more cycling of the suspension and see what I have clearance wise...

If I go slow, I have no problem bending 1.5 or 2 inch 1/4" DOM with my Harbor Freight "kinker". It doesn't kink. That's how I bent my steering.

I can do 1.75 1/4 DOM with mine, just not 2", and I guess neither can anyone around in a 20 mile radius to me, except for 1 exhaust shop...
Good to know about the HF one though, because I have a friend with one...

Got some more stuff in the mail

They are the wildhorse 5.5 rockcrawler springs

After mock up with pvc, I got started on the track bar
Penetration on first pass on the bung

and got the track bar mounts tacked in

Frame side didn't lay out so well, so I added a piece of metal to fill the gap. It is 1/2 steel, so I think it should be plenty strong, and I made it in such a way to have more area to weld onto the frame so it should actually be stronger. I hope.

The other side of the mount will be treated the same way

The strap is hooked below the pitman arm, and the left side is laying on top of the tie rod end, so its not an exact layout, but both sides should move down equally so it should be pretty accurate. Idk but IMHO I think that is looking pretty close. Anything should be way better than the bumpsteer I had with 6" lift and stock steering on my TTB...

 

[2004xlmiller]

My link mounts are directly below my frame, so my clearance issue isn't with the frame rails either, its with the sliders and the body mounts... I just got my track bar tacked together so Ill do some more cycling of the suspension and see what I have clearance wise...



I can do 1.75 1/4 DOM with mine, just not 2", and I guess neither can anyone around in a 20 mile radius to me, except for 1 exhaust shop...
Good to know about the HF one though, because I have a friend with one...

Got some more stuff in the mail

They are the wildhorse 5.5 rockcrawler springs

After mock up with pvc, I got started on the track bar
Penetration on first pass on the bung

and got the track bar mounts tacked in

Frame side didn't lay out so well, so I added a piece of metal to fill the gap. It is 1/2 steel, so I think it should be plenty strong, and I made it in such a way to have more area to weld onto the frame so it should actually be stronger. I hope.

The other side of the mount will be treated the same way

The strap is hooked below the pitman arm, and the left side is laying on top of the tie rod end, so its not an exact layout, but both sides should move down equally so it should be pretty accurate. Idk but IMHO I think that is looking pretty close. Anything should be way better than the bumpsteer I had with 6" lift and stock steering on my TTB...

20mile radius? I call teh bs... wfo?

 

[dhkonrad]

20mile radius? I call teh bs... wfo?

WFO has the same bending limit I do 2" .120 wall, or 1.75" 1/4 wall.


Flexed it out on jack stands

Kind of hard to see but the track bar is making contact with the dif


Im kind of thinking the easiest option would be to rotate the lower track mount a little bit to push the whole track bar forward so that it will go right in front of the diff. I seriously doubt I am going to be able to bump it that hard though, and if it is a problem later on down the road I could always put a slight tweak in the track bar (like 5*) without losing too much strength. I don't really know what I should do...
drooped all the way.

Obviously I don't have the drag link in which I think is going to be the biggest limiter to flex and droop, at least for the passenger side.
And other side

Again, hard to see but the track bar is making contact with the cross member. I don't think I am going to have to cut it up, but maybe bend the front rib further forward


Also radius arm clearance:

 

[dhkonrad]

Got started on radius arms.
Cut the old one down a bit

ground down a bit of the inside part of the ribs so that the tube would slide in.

and as commonly is done, slit down the center of the tube and slid the DOM over the end of the radius arm

gave a bit of radius and curvature on the end of the DOM to get it to sit cleanly on the wedge, and then tacked it up.

Tires only a 35, so you can see they aren't SUPER long.

Under the truck


Now I just need to do the other side, cycle it one more time, and then tack weld the link mounts and set it on the springs so I can get an idea of ride height.
When I go to weld the DOM to the old radius arm, should I stick weld it with 7018 because of the the Radius arm, or will I be safe to MIG weld it?

 

[2004xlmiller]

Really like how this is turning out!

 

[brinker88]

When I go to weld the DOM to the old radius arm, should I stick weld it with 7018 because of the the Radius arm, or will I be safe to MIG weld it?

Preheat the radius arm and mig it. Then wrap it in a heat blanket to slowly cool it.

 

[dhkonrad]

Really like how this is turning out!

Thanks man! I feel like I am starting to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Preheat the radius arm and mig it. Then wrap it in a heat blanket to slowly cool it.

Sounds like a plan.


Got the second radius arm tacked up and on

I moved the frame side trackbar mount forward because I was worried about it interfering with the coil and it helped give clearance for the diff/trackbar

it does contact the tie rod now, but oh well. I can always move the axle forward a little bit, but truthfully, I don't think there is anyway on this earth I am going to get the axle to suff that hard, nor am I going to get TREs to articulate that much at the pitman arm... So I am pretty happy with those clearances.



and radius arm clearance

Yes thats my old radius arm mount still welded to the frame. Im kinda lazy...

 

[dhkonrad]

Full bump on passenger side



limiting factor is engine crossmember (surprise surprise), and tranny cross member. I trimmed the crossmember a bit already, but looks like I will have to do more...
full bump for both sides

and clearances