RC D44 Swap questions....

[Ghost]

Ok, I found these arms for the fords and like the way they use the head unit to overcome the cast wedges on the D44 to make there extended tubelar arms.

http://www.cageoffroad.com/catalog/item/1241774/724575.htm#image_1

These are actuall James Duff arms or copies of them. I contacted both companies about the cast piece but neither would tell me who builds it for them. They will not sell it seperate either. The manager at Duff said he had several customers that used there arms on Jeeps but I really want something different. Sorry for the long post. My question is this. Would it be possiable to find out who cast the piece? Any suggestions on where to start? What would it take to reproduce thise piece? CNC Machine or Machine it out of a solid piece? The piece would have to be 3" x 6" x 7".. Any input would be greatly appreciated.... ty

XJ "doing things the hard way" Ghost

 

[JeepFreak21]

James Duff won't sell it seperately??? Maybe try approaching them as a previous customer looking for replacement parts?
Billy

 

[Ghost]

James Duff won't sell it seperately??? Maybe try approaching them as a previous customer looking for replacement parts?
Billy

Tried that! They need the part back bc then it becomes a warnty issue he said. So I tried the "new market" strategy. "You could sell these to jeep people for easy swaps!" No we sell our whole arms and several people have mounted them on there jeeps was his response to that one. Gotta love a company that is unwilling to try new things..... Plus I forgot to mention I dont want Heims they wear out too fast!

Here is the Duff Version: http://www.jamesduff.com/eb/suspension_components.html

 

[Ghost]

I guess this means tha no one has an idea on how or where to get them built?

 

[motorman]

Ghost, if you search around there are a ton of ways people have built up
/extended Ford arms. I have a few spare arms, plus an early Bronco Dana 44 with disks and one with drums that I am going to sell. If your interested let me know. To lengthen arms with tube is not too difficult.

I was going to put the Bronco front in my XJ but you have to go up to something like 7-8" of lift due to centered pumpkin and decided to narrow an HP 44 to waggy specs instead (aka route Jes, Crash, Goatman, etc went). That way 6" of lift works.

 

[FarmerMatt]

Why wouldn't you just extend the ford arms?

 

[Matt S.]

Why wouldn't you just extend the ford arms?

Thats what I was thinking...

And why no hiems? I am confused on that too.

 

[Ghost]

Why wouldn't you just extend the ford arms?

Mainly bc I want to have an arm that is high clearance. One that goes up, in, and back. I am also considering using the factory arms and just fabing up a mount for them. They are cast if I was going to weld to cast then I'd just have some mounts welded/bolted to the axle. I guess I just wnat to do it different too! This is all new teritory for me and I was looking at options. I like there idea unfortunately it's not looking too feasable without buying there arms.

 

[Ghost]

Thats what I was thinking...

And why no hiems? I am confused on that too.

Heims wear out fast. I dont want to replace the heim every few months. I like the jonny Joint bc it is rebuildable. I had a heim on my TB and still do and It wore out in a few trail rides. I will be replacing it eventually.

 

[cyrus]

Ghost, draw adetailed print of what you want for the c end radius arm adapter. you should be able to do this with the stock arm and the pics you posted, take that print (drawing) to a machine shop and have them make two peices, one shown and one simetricly opposite. Or make them yourself if you have the capability. It may be a bit pricey for a shop to do them, but if that is how you want your jusk to be built, do it. I would guess a good shop could do them on a CNC machine from HRS or CRS in about 4-5 hours, average shop rates are about 75 an hour around here. Shop around, find a good price.


Just my 2 cents

 

[Ghost]

Ghost, draw adetailed print of what you want for the c end radius arm adapter. you should be able to do this with the stock arm and the pics you posted, take that print (drawing) to a machine shop and have them make two peices, one shown and one simetricly opposite. Or make them yourself if you have the capability. It may be a bit pricey for a shop to do them, but if that is how you want your jusk to be built, do it. I would guess a good shop could do them on a CNC machine from HRS or CRS in about 4-5 hours, average shop rates are about 75 an hour around here. Shop around, find a good price.


Just my 2 cents

Actually I have sent this info to a machinest jeeping friend since this post and he is intrested in them too so we shall see.....