Project 4x4 Commuter Mazda

[legoms013]

Here is a good article on standard cut versus reverse cut ring gears:

http://katy.tx4wd.org/tech/general_axle_info.htm#Reverse-Cut vs. Standard-Cut

 

[legoms013]

Started fabbing my new idler arm with bigger bushings, using common standard chevy leaf spring polyurethane bushings. DOM steel sleeves and bushings from RuffStuff, and 12" of 1"x2" .120 wall square tubing.

Transferred the angles to graph paper, and cut the tubing (too short ). Measure 3 time and I still manage to screw it up...so I welded it back and cut it again...this time right on the money.

Next have to carve out the tubing so that it is curved and has minimal gap-agge so I can it up nice.

New welding gloves:

Helped dad start his D44 swap:

He still needs high steer arms, tie-rods made, and misc. TRE's...all his outer hubs will bolt right up!

 

[4.0B2]

looks good..

 

[88_Eddie]

looks like the new arm will be just a tad stronger

 

[chrwilkins30]

I skimmed through the pics and saw the straight axle and had to read to double check. I thought you where getting rid of the ttb after all that work. Glad to see your not.

 

[legoms013]

I skimmed through the pics and saw the straight axle and had to read to double check. I thought you where getting rid of the ttb after all that work. Glad to see your not.

No worries, I imagine a few readers have thought the same…

Don't worry, I'm not gonna mess around with a little D44 when it comes down to SAS time, I need something to take the abuse of a Cummins 4BT…more like a narrowed D60.

 

[chrwilkins30]

That would be awesome.

 

[legoms013]

Boggin, here are two pics of my sliders, let me know if you need more or different angles.

Notice nothing about them looks straight. This is on purpose, when bolted up the are dang near perfect. The frame rails are not parallel and in two places they change angles, so there is actually Alot of geometry going on to keep them parallel with the body. The tubing is all just butt-welded together. The last 12" down at the end by the large tubing gussets warped some due to me totally spacing out and forgetting to clamp them down (idiot). I'll have to heat them up a little and straighten those ends out. And try to remember to clamp the crap out of them when I weld in the next set of gusseta for the opposite ends.

 

[demon-fx4]

sweet they look good to me

 

[legoms013]

Also ordered the No-Slip for the new 8.8 today.

Next up, new shafts...

Dad's progress:

 

[86 slo-vo]

what leaves is he running up front?

 

[legoms013]

what leaves is he running up front?

Who knows. Thats a good question. He says they are the epitome of a bastard pack, spliced together from the stock cj springs, lifted cj springs, yj springs, and some from some ford leafs. Basically anything he could grab at the time.....15 years ago when he built it all. Surprisingly, they flex pretty good, but he needed beef to hold up the V8....

 

[legoms013]

Axle shafts ordered, from Jeffs Bronco Boneyard. They are listed as heavy duty OEM replacemnts. Whatever that means

The gears ($680) locker ($506) and shafts ($257) are behind me now, the rest is cake:

Perches,
Plates,
U-bolts,
Shock tabs,
Calipers (existing ones are shit),
Rotors (existing ones are warped and badly grooved.
Misc. brakeline ftg.'s.

Left to spend ~$275. Finally, something that won't eat up a whole paycheck...

I might have this thing done by first or second week in august.

 

[4.0B2]

i wish i had $1500 to drop like its nothing.... lol

 

[legoms013]

i wish i had $1500 to drop like its nothing.... lol

I wish I could say it was nothing but it has been a lot of sweat on top of summer school. I have been a working fool. With no stopping in sight either, as I need to get the D35 regeared as well. Its a ways from over. Gotta pay to play it seems!