Project Mazzuki

[dogboy]

I still wanna see the steering D44's front and rear!! 4 wheel steer would be awesome! You know you want to do it!!

 

[Loanranger]

Loanranger, looks like another awesome build. I gotta be honest, I wish the mazda had the 3.0 in it. But, I good running fi2.3 with a M50d and like you said a couple of transfers behind, this thing is definately gonna be wicked! Can't wait to see what axles your gonna use.

I had thought about dumping a smallblock in my ranger and using the 2.9 out of it, but I think the 2.3 is a perfect balance of lightweight and power in these things.

I still wanna see the steering D44's front and rear!! 4 wheel steer would be awesome! You know you want to do it!!

Oh I know I want to, it's just whether it's feasable at this time. If I came across a ford D44 for the rear, there would be no question, but trying to make the best of the turd of a CAD axle is going to be a pain. I'm sure I'd never have a problem with it, even if I left the CAD in, and just perma locked it. Or cable lock it, so I would essentially have a cable locker if I welded the spiders. It would be the same idea as unlocking a hub, but without having to get out to do so.
I'll probably end up mocking it up with the dodge axle, and keep an eye out for a ford axle to replace it with.

I've got to get up to my buddies place to get the older 44, I have a ten bolt here I can use untill then though.

Tonight, I had to work on the Burb, which ended up in disaster, so I decided to do a little measuring to see where things will end up in the frame. The engine and trans, from crank pulley to the u-joint on the slip is 53". The overall dual transfercase setup, from u-joint on the slip to rear output on the rear case is 25.5". I was able to clock the first case at 90* and kept the offset between the input from trans to final outputs at 7", which is the offset of a single case.

The three issues I will run into, the vent. The vent will be near the bottom now, but I can redrill the case for a new vent, and either weld up the old hole, or seal it with some sort of compression plug. The second issue is the shifter for the first case will be pointing straight out to the drivers side, parallel to the ground. Not a biggy, The first case will be a range box only, so really all I need is a hi-low shift. Either by linkage or just a 90* shifter, this one is fairly simple too. The third, and most serious problem is in bearing oiling. I won't have a drain, but I will have a fill hole at approximately halfway. The shift forks will still be submerged, but instead of the mainshaft (outputs) being submerged, the input will be. Whether the gears will sling enough oil to keep everything lubricated?
One thought was to use the old vent hole as an inlet to an electric pump which circulates the oil to the top?

Ah, well, the main concern right now is being able to tow the LJ to Tahuya this sunday, after that is getting more of an idea of what axles to use.

 

[Loanranger]

I got a little time last night to slide some axles under it.

The front is a GM 10 bolt, similar enough for now to it's final replacement of a 76 Dodge D44.
The rear is a 9? Dodge half ton d44 with unitbearings, and the CAD system. I think my cheapest (not neccessarily easiest) option is going to be to use the center chunk from the newer dodge, with the tubes and outers of the older dodge axle.

I also made a stand for the frame, the bottom is a cart a buddy of mine used to use for pulling engine/trans/ft suspension assemblies from front wheel drive cars. The stands were made up by another buddy for use with the truck hold down system on Chief frame racks.

I also started mocking up the clocking of the two transfer cases, and I think I found something that will work.

From the front

passenger side

drivers side

rear

over

8.5" seperation between input and final outputs, this is 1.5 inches more than a single case, but the wider diffs line up perfectly with it at 8.5"

Front output and front pinion

Rear output and rear pinion

The way they are clocked now, the shifter holes are basically at a 45 degree angle, which also keeps the outputs on both cases submerged in lube. Only the rear case will need to be redrilled to put the vent on the top instead of down low on the side.

 

[spaz1879]

that is a crazy way to put the transfer cases together looks cool!

 

[Loanranger]

The dual cases will happen some day, but I think I'm going to take this build in an entirely different direction. Same idea of a stretched out crawler, but it's gonna be built for brute power.

The Ramdatsun I previously built is going to get a new home. The 318 v8, np435, and probably a 203/205 running to the D60 rear and 8 lug D44 front, will get set into a highly reinforced sj410 frame, and I'll put what I can of the body back on it.

I just got some old ford rims today that will fit on the ramdatsun, which will hopefully allow it to fit on the trailer. The rims and tires that are on it are way too wide/too little BS.

 

[Loanranger]

I got a trailer lined up for tomorrow, to bring the ramdatsun down here. SO hopefully soon I'll be able to continue in on this thing.
*If, since this is no longer a rbv metamorphasis build, a mod wants to move it, just let me know where you moved it.

I'll try and get some pics up of the ramdatsun tomorrow, not sure when I'll get around to tearing into it.

 

[Loanranger]

The ramdatsun is here, and after it not cooperating for awhile, I got it running.

yup, that's a he-man shield on the front.

 

[Bronco_Chuck]

Just a question, if you go with a front axle in the rear what do you plan on doing about the gears? Since they would be running on the cost side of the gears, hence making the gears weaker.

 

[Loanranger]

Just a question, if you go with a front axle in the rear what do you plan on doing about the gears? Since they would be running on the cost side of the gears, hence making the gears weaker.

Although the plan has changed (for now), even the coast side of D44 gears are WAY stronger than the drive side of samurai gears.
In other words, I don't forsee any strength issues, though by the time this things see's rearsteer now, it'll likely just get D60s.

 

[Bronco_Chuck]

all im saying is that even tho its stronger than the samurai gears its still going to be turning 37's or 38's a you said erlyer. and if i remember correctly the bigest tire size the d44 is rated at safely is around a 35 and thats going forward.

but if i might make a sugestion why not use the center section of a rear and cut the axle tubes to the lengths you want and use the outers and shafts off a front axle?
not trying to say your wrong or anything just my .02

 

[Bronco_Chuck]

just so you have an idea of what im talking about, heres a pic of a D60 rear steer.

 

[Loanranger]

I fully understand what you're saying, and I actually have a rear D44 that's offset and narrowed to sami width, with 5.38s in it that I could stuff some front outers on. IF I had some spare front 5.38s laying around, you bet your ass I'd be using that. But I work with what I have, and never take anybody's word for anything. Sure "they" say that you can't run 37s on a D44, but who the hell are "they"? "They" said I couldn't do alot of things on the LJ, and some were right, but most weren't. People hear things and spout them off like it's the bible, when there's way too many variables to discount any theory untill proven otherwise.

I'm all about trying things that "they" say can't be done for free, rather than running out and buying all the bling, cause "they" said I needed it.

 

[crawlin91]

I get sick of these simple aftermarket part bolt on builds.

 

[dogboy]

What is with the oil bottle? Does it go through that much oil or something? I was thinking maybe it was fuel and you have a gravity system, but it would go through that qrt. or fuel like NOTHING.

all im saying is that even tho its stronger than the samurai gears its still going to be turning 37's or 38's a you said erlyer. and if i remember correctly the bigest tire size the d44 is rated at safely is around a 35 and thats going forward.

but if i might make a sugestion why not use the center section of a rear and cut the axle tubes to the lengths you want and use the outers and shafts off a front axle?
not trying to say your wrong or anything just my .02

You also have to look at the weight of the rig. A samurai weighs almost nothing, and this one will probably weigh even less. I bet you could put an early 80's cly. Ranger tranny behind a 351, and if the rig was light enough, you wouldn't have any problems at all with it. That "safety rating" is probably with a big V8 under a fullsize truck.

 

[Loanranger]

What is with the oil bottle? Does it go through that much oil or something? I was thinking maybe it was fuel and you have a gravity system, but it would go through that qrt. or fuel like NOTHING.

No, that IS the fuel. It's just got a holley 2 barrel on it, so it just sips the fuel. It took the whole quart to get out to the ditch and into the side lot though.



I'm working on the exhaust on Fordzuki, I've got it rerouted, I just need to get a couple more bends in it, and weld a muffler on it. Then I can get back to this project. Well, after I clean the garage.....again.