Solid Axle Swap BS Thread

Did you torque it? It has some ridiculous torque spec at like 160 ft/lbs or something... When we torqued the pitman arm on Mark's truck it sinched up nice a tight. Probably 1/4" or less to the bottom of the housing.

 

No I didn't. I cranked it down pretty good, didn't seem to help. Using a mallet didn't really help either. Threw a lock washer on, cranked it down and called it good.



I ended up running the TG arm (cheaper and didn't feel like I needed to have a shorter one)

 

I finally am getting the title unscrewed on this. I was afraid I would end up with a trailer queen or parting it out to recover my costs and look for another that could be licensed for road use.

Picked it up in AZ for $4500, but the Uhaul from Phoenix to El paso, plane ticket, titling and registration cost another $1700.

It is a V6, 5speed, has 529s, spool locker in rear and 37s.

The first order of business is to box and reinforce the rear frame and add tow point, sliders and a winch.

It has a broken lockout hub and an oil leak, easy fix

Later I'll put a locker up front and add a Marlin Crawler. The spool locker may have to go so I can run it on hardball, but maybe go with an elocker.

I want to keep it street legal for now. I figure about 10k total to get it to where I want it.

Hopefully I'll have it ready for the Chile Challenge in Las Cruces in Feb.

Although I've been wheeling since the 70's, this is a little more modded project than anything I had previously.

Jim

 

Sweet looking rig man. The spool in the rear is fine, no need to change it unless you start having problems. I DD my rig with a locker in the rear (though its different than a spool...) But no issues. I actually have a spool right now in the rear of the crawler and I do drive it on the road pretty often and don't even notice it anymore, besides the obvious tire squeak. I'd truss that front axle too, they bend easy.

 

Also maybe fix that rear shackle angle a bit.

 

That, too.

 

Make sure that thing has longfields and you'll be fine with a spool in the rear it just tends to squat and squawk the tires around turns.

 

I have the same box and arm and mine looks just like that. It just wouldn't go any higher.

 

Pitman arms and the sector shaft are tapered slightly to retain a tight fit. If it were straight splines, it would never stay tight.

 

And now you know my money saving secret lol but mine is saving for welding school so I can get a job so I can afford to SAS.

FIRED!!!!

 

Thanks, good to know. Should I still torque it down, or will the lock washer suffice?

 

Definitely torque it to whatever spec is. The lock washer will keep the nut from wanting to back off (obviously).

 

x2 on this. It looks fine. It's not supposed to hug the sector shaft.

This ^^^

I didn't torque mine down, just get it nice and tight and recheck it after a few hundred miles. Make sure you're lock washer is in there! You should have a few threads out the bottom of the castle nut

 

nice and tight like take my 1/2" IR air gun and give it hell till it stops turning thats roughly 400 ft. lbs.

 

Need some opinions. Y'all think that 2x3 1/8th wall square tubing will be strong enough for sliders. Will have 4 legs and be approx 80" long on an xtra cab Tacoma.

 

Should be okay I suppose. I'd at least beef it up where the legs will mount since square tubing doesn't have consistent strength like round tube.

FWIW, I'm using 2" x 3" x .188" wall for the rebuilt sections of frame and the link crossmember.

 

If I were to do it again I would use 2x4 .188 on my rear frame. The 2x3 has a little flex without a bed cage.

 

since im not moding my frame to much im just gonna plate it with 1/4 on the bottom and oustide.. of the rail from the front bumper all the way back to the foward rear spring hanger..

 

I figured I'd just use tube for the entire rear.