Trussing front D44

[Goatman]

I hit a small bomb crater on the dry lake bed out at JV and launched the XJ 4-5 feet in the air. Thankfully I came down flat and smooth and didn't even stop, but later the axle seal was leaking and in the morning I noticed that the housing was cracked. I had cracked it once before and repaired it, but (stupidly) failed to add a truss. This time it's fixed right, I hope, and if it ever breaks again it's going to have to go to the scrap pile.

I ground out the crack in the front of the housing, and ground out old weld from the previous repair, and ground a groove around where the tube enters the housing to increase the weld area into the housing. I used a 100,00# tensile strength partially stainless rod that the welding shop recommended for the housing repair, then MIG'ed all the welding on the truss. The truss is 1.5" .120 wall. I used the rose bud on the torch to keep it all hot while the welding was being done and for a good while afterwards, so hopefully it's done good enough to hold together through all the abuse that it's bound to take.

Here's the crack ground out:

And the truss:

So, do you guys think I have a chance of this thing holding together?

 

[Goatman]

Here's a pic of the nifty shock mounts I got from the circle track race shop to fit the rod ends on my new Bilstein 7100's. No need to mess with the spacers when bolting up the shocks since that sleeve slides through the hole on the one side, then tightens up against the rod end. Easy.

 

[STEELFISH]

Looks good, are you just running a 3 Link?

 

[Lincoln]

Much better. I bet you still bend it.

 

[xjoe]

Nice work! If there is a way to break it I am sure you will find it!

 

[Goatman]

Looks good, are you just running a 3 Link?

Yep, running a 3 link. All hard joints so no axle wrap from the upper rubber bushings.

 

[BrettM]

Yep, running a 3 link. All hard joints so no axle wrap from the upper rubber bushings.

I bet if you put leafs up front you would stop breaking D44 shafts/joints/hubs

axle wrap is a GOOD thing

 

[tealcherokee]

man, you over build things just like i do......and yet still break them.....just like i do....

i literally TORE a piece of 1/4" plate that i made a LCA bracket out of, like an inch from the weld too, so then i used some box tubing, 1/4 wall, still managed to bend it, now its all 3/8" stuff for my axles

looks awesome btw

 

[Jump This]

Here's a pic of the nifty shock mounts I got from the circle track race shop to fit the rod ends on my new Bilstein 7100's. No need to mess with the spacers when bolting up the shocks since that sleeve slides through the hole on the one side, then tightens up against the rod end. Easy.

Thats what I needed last week damn it!!
But since I plan on rebuilding my upper shock mounts anyway....you say these mounts are from a circle track type shop?
Do you know who makes them?
Rick R:sunshine:

 

[Goatman]

Thats what I needed last week damn it!!
But since I plan on rebuilding my upper shock mounts anyway....you say these mounts are from a circle track type shop?
Do you know who makes them?
Rick R:sunshine:

Sure, Victory Circle.

They're in Bakersfield, so it's easy to get rod ends, tabs, and other good stuff. A race car fab shop showroom and parts house with pretty much anything that would go into a race car......really cool browsing.

 

[Weasel]

I used a 100,00# tensile strength partially stainless rod that the welding shop recommended for the housing repair, then MIG'ed all the welding on the truss.

Why did they recommend that? Usually the weld material should be the same strength as the base metal, otherwise you have a possiblity of the weld becoming too hard (brittle), cracking and failing.

 

[luvrox]

Hey Richard, the fab looks great but the coil mounts are still about a foot from the C,s. You aint going to find no happiness at altitudes over two feet without those magic 2.5" springs tucked right next to the C’s.

 

[Goatman]

Hey Richard, the fab looks great but the coil mounts are still about a foot from the C,s. You aint going to find no happiness at altitudes over two feet without those magic 2.5" springs tucked right next to the C’s.

Those magic 2.5" springs are going under the next project rig.

Why couldn't you have been riding with me instead of watching?

 

[luvrox]

Those magic 2.5" springs are going under the next project rig.

Why couldn't you have been riding with me instead of watching?

Uh Uh, cus we both know that line about pay backs being a bitch.

 

[David Taylor]

Hey Richard, the fab looks great but the coil mounts are still about a foot from the C,s. You aint going to find no happiness at altitudes over two feet without those magic 2.5" springs tucked right next to the C’s.

Hey Gary, you mean like these? The ups man dropped them of today.

 

[Goatman]

Why did they recommend that? Usually the weld material should be the same strength as the base metal, otherwise you have a possiblity of the weld becoming too hard (brittle), cracking and failing.

I guess you'd have to ask them. Remember we're dealing with cast steel here.

 

[Paul S]

Hey Gary, you mean like these? The ups man dropped them of today.

I have a feeling it's going to be a busy & expensive Summer for the WCGIC:confused1

Paul

 

[FarmerMatt]

I have a feeling it's going to be a busy & expensive Summer for the WCGIC:confused1

Paul

:confused1 is right... After dropping a few geezels on my new front end, I now have to also build / rebuild my rear lower links... Dave mentioned, on the phone a week or 2 ago, that he had thought I had bent my rear lower links. I thought he was crazy & than I looked :shocked: . Sure enough, both rear lowers are bowed. I never dreamed that I'd bend 1.75 X 250 wall DOM. Now I've got to figure out if I just want to start over with chromo or try to straighten & strengthen what I've got... (sigh)

 

[David Taylor]

:confused1 is right... After dropping a few geezels on my new front end, I now have to also build / rebuild my rear lower links... Dave mentioned, on the phone a week or 2 ago, that he had thought I had bent my rear lower links. I thought he was crazy & than I looked :shocked: . Sure enough, both rear lowers are bowed. I never dreamed that I'd bend 1.75 X 250 wall DOM. Now I've got to figure out if I just want to start over with chromo or try to straighten & strengthen what I've got... (sigh)

Paul actually spotted the bend in yours. We where talking about link material and came up with this. I thought it might be overkill at first, now I'm glad I got it.


http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/product.php?productid=511&cat=172&page=1

Hope it doesn't bend on me.

 

[C-ROK]

Paul actually spotted the bend in yours. We where talking about link material and came up with this. I thought it might be overkill at first, now I'm glad I got it.


http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/product.php?productid=511&cat=172&page=1

Hope it doesn't bend on me.

I'd then recommend sleeving that with a sacrificial length of 2"x.120" HREW. It would also add a little more strength and negligible weight.
Nice fishmouth or tapered weld on each end to join the two and sexy it up some too.