The Frankenstein Build! LT/Expo/Trail rig..and BS

Okay people. Debate time.


I have two options right now, IMO, for the front.

1) get a new clam shell, slap an arb and 5.29s in it. Call it good. ~$1500 ish bucks.

2) fuck the 7.5". Fit a 8" tacoma clamshell in. But I have to down grade to 4.88s as the 8" for some stupid reason doesn't have 5.29s. And add an arb. Plus to me this means I'll need to do a crawlbox for sure down the road. Could mean custom cv axles too. But..rock solid front end..or at least more solid. ~$$$$$$$

Obviously the first one is cheaper and easier. But it would be nice to know I can throw these 35s around almost care free, besides steering which I want to upgrade anyways. But not sure I wanna go to 4.88s

 

4.88s on 35s might leave you wanting dual cases on the trail.............

4.88s on 35s might leave you wanting a superchager on the street...............

 

Well..I have a supercharger. Doesn't work for shit yet but I have one haha

Would just bank on doing dual cases with 4.88s soon after I did it and got the blower working.

 

2

 

3

 

Three is the Dana Super 35 ifs front end from an Explorer right?

 

From what I have seems 1st gens and 5.29 do my work nice together. Everyone I have seen with them blows the shit out of them

I'll stick to my 4.88

 

I like option #C(urrie)

http://www.chassisunlimited.com/sto...independent-9-housing-axles-series-30-cv.html

 

That would be fun. Also extremely hard with where the motor is haha

 

1

Unless you want to sell LT and do SAS? Er naw.

 

Even if you modified the oil pan?

 

Did you have a front Arb to begin with? Or any locker for that matter? I say option one should be the safest bet. I can't imagine the 8" clamshell being worth all the extra work that goes into it considering I feel this was more of a fluke than anything. Lately I've seen only a couple week spots in the front clamshell and those were the spiders which I just blew, which the locker would fix, and the add tube itself which a friend just blew because he was locked up front and the one wheel was stuck in a rock. Generally the cv's are the first to blow not the diff right? Also if you get that front done via ecgs you get a warranty

 

#1 all day

 

How many issues have you had with the front clam shell over the X amount of years you have owned your truck?

If I were in your position, I wouldn't even consider option #2. I'd SAS it before I'd go through with that option.

 

Really number one is the best although I'd like to see #2 happen. You should just use a crush spacer next time you set the gears on the clamshell.

 

Did this one have a solid spacer?

 

Yah

 

He said yes when I asked him earlier. Was trying to figure out what might be the root cause of that amount of carnage.

 

I would run a solid spacer again. Make sure pinion preload is correct. Red thread locking compound on the pinion nut. I don't think that would cause that failure just because it had a solid spacer.

 

That was my thought as well. Zuk won't touch the things (solid spacers) and I figured that was for a reason