Your opinion on making a ford 9" front axel

[creeperjeeperxj]

My boss and I have been kicking around the Idea of making Ford 9" into a front axel for my xj. It kind of seems like a no brainier. Just flip it, cut it to length and weld on some knuckles. But nothing's that easy.
So has anyone herd or knows someone that has done this. What all is involved?

 

[Rockslut]

Gonna have to do something for inner axle seals and what outers do you plan to use? Plan on heavy gusseting everywhere to keep it together. Most 9" only have .188" wall or .25" wall tubes. That is not enough for a front axle.

 

[MontanaXJ]

Not only would the inner seal and weak tubes have to be addressed, the heavier duty Ford 9" center would make for interesting placement of the coil buckets and link mounts due to its width. The Currie front 9" housings use the older style centers that aren't nearly as wide.

 

[TJMouse]

http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestore/categoriesre.aspx?id=1121

 

[Rockslut]

Currie is overpriced.

http://www.spidertrax.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.1248/.f

 

[creeperjeeperxj]

and I think curiee uses 8.8 inners.

 

[madmax]

Gonna have to do something for inner axle seals and what outers do you plan to use? Plan on heavy gusseting everywhere to keep it together. Most 9" only have .188" wall or .25" wall tubes. That is not enough for a front axle.

1st off: how think is the tubing on a stock dana 30? 1/4'' maybe

2nd the only 9'' that are 1/4'' are in the cars. if you get one out of a 70s f150 its 3/8s. if you cant find one in a 1ton 70s van it 1/2 and 69'' wms to wms. and that the one you want to make a front 609

 

[Rockslut]

1st off: how think is the tubing on a stock dana 30? 1/4'' maybe

2nd the only 9'' that are 1/4'' are in the cars. if you get one out of a 70s f150 its 3/8s. if you cant find one in a 1ton 70s van it 1/2 and 69'' wms to wms. and that the one you want to make a front 609

I have had 3 different 70's - 80's rear 9" housings and have never seen one with 3/8 thick tubes. He never said what outers either.

 

[vetteboy]

1st off: how think is the tubing on a stock dana 30? 1/4'' maybe

I don't think I would use anything on a D30 as a comparison for why something should be "strong enough"... :explosion

 

[xDUMPTRUCKx]

it would be retarded not to start with a spider 9 housing with how inexpensive they are.

 

[woody]

My boss and I have been kicking around the Idea of making Ford 9" into a front axel for my xj. It kind of seems like a no brainier. Just flip it, cut it to length and weld on some knuckles. But nothing's that easy.
So has anyone herd or knows someone that has done this. What all is involved?

Are the pinion bearings going to be adequately oiled with it 'upside down'?

 

[JLane99XJ]

why not at least start out with an axle intended to be a front axle..

a ford 9" is a low pinion, unless you change to a custom HP setup$$

reverse cut gears for it to become a front axle $$

oiling & seal issues $$

the shape of the 9" housing not compiant to an xj suspension
--coil-overs & custom control arms$$

do some research about toyota-d44 hybrid axles see the costs of that setup & multiply by 5 @ least..
and thats starting with a front axle to begin with..

you'd be better off investing you thoughts and $$ into developing planetary gear reduction bolt-on portal boxes!

 

[Goatman]

and I think curiee uses 8.8 inners.

So what where you thinking of using?

You can't just flip the 9" center section over and use it in the front. High pinion center sections have special provisions to adequately oil the pinion bearings, which you don't have by just flipping a low pinion center section. So, to use a 9" in the front you have two choices, either a Currie HP which uses reverse cut Ford 8.8 gears, or a High9 which uses their own reverse cut 9" gears.

Now, if you've done the research and think you can modify the 9" to properly oil, more power to you, but if that was the case I doubt you'd be asking the question here. The 9" makes a very good front axle, but it needs to be done right. Also, the same thing applies as upgrading to a D44, the stock axles and u-joints are the weak link, since they are the same yokes and joints as you can run in a D30, so if you're going to upgrade it's not worth it unless you go with chromo axle shafts.

 

[vetteboy]

You can't just flip the 9" center section over and use it in the front. High pinion center sections have special provisions to adequately oil the pinion bearings, which you don't have by just flipping a low pinion center section.

That, and the fact that it would spin the wrong direction. :roll:

 

[KarlVP]

Ford 9 fronts are great axles. Some of the ones from Currie have D30 outers with a 9 inch center. Not worth it IMHO.

I've been toying with the idea too. A spider9 housing. Crane D60 Kunckles a Hi9 Center with an ARB and bobbly long D60 birfields. That would be a pretty indestructable setup.

For that kind of money, you could just buy a bolt in Dynatrac Pro Rock D60 and spend 2 hours installing it.

 

[Rockslut]

Benefit of making a 9" front is that you can put the pinion angle wherever you want. Then you dont have to worry about getting a high pinion center section. Also, the 9" housing is all steel with no cast portions. You can weld a top link mount on without a bridge.

 

[JLane99XJ]

, the 9" housing is all steel with no cast portions. You can weld a top link mount on without a bridge.

top link mount better be plated and braced or it'll likely rip thru the housing,,
i say go for it and make it work. you can do it..
like with anything, if you throw enough time and money at it, it'll eventually work!

 

[tbburg]

Currie uses a van housing for thier front axles. It's a lot narrower then the truck housings. Check thier website, they list the measurements. They've had trouble finding them, so they started making new ones themselves, and don't sell used ones any more.

For inner axle seals, try looking around the JP magazine website. They did a project in spring '05 called the Hazel 60, where they converted a rear Dana 60 to front use. It was a way stupid build - they spent like 5 grand on it using all new parts, then said a dynatrac 60 front was cheaper.. Anyway, during the buildup, they found a slip-in axle seal used in circle track racing, made in a variety of sizes that workes as an axle seal when installed right next to the diff. bearing. Sorry, 'don't have a link.

You could just buy a currie bare housing (about $750.00) truss and build off that.

 

[Goatman]

Benefit of making a 9" front is that you can put the pinion angle wherever you want. Then you dont have to worry about getting a high pinion center section. Also, the 9" housing is all steel with no cast portions. You can weld a top link mount on without a bridge.

:dunno:

What, exactly, are you talking about?

Put the pinion where ever you want so you don't have to worry about getting a high pinon?? Somehow I'm missing what you're saying, please explain yourself........

 

[RWKHausSupply]

:dunno:

What, exactly, are you talking about?

Put the pinion where ever you want so you don't have to worry about getting a high pinon?? Somehow I'm missing what you're saying, please explain yourself........

Oh come on you know. You just rotate the 3rd (clock) it to any of like 12 or so available angle's. :lecture:

:twak:

Never mind that the 9" has one of the lowest (low pinion) designs, right? Not to mention the length.

So answer me this.
How much for the housing? How much of it will you use? How much total will you have into it, to built it to a usable working housing with empty 3rd, inner C's, outer knuckles, spindles, and hubs in a 5 or 6 lug?

If its over 1300$ you might want to call performanceoffroadcenter and talk to them about the New Solid axle (used to be rockcrusher) bare working 44/60 built that Solid is going to offer in the next few days to weeks. Best part is that its a High pinion Solid axle high clearance 44 center, 1/2" tubes, solid axle inner 60 C's and outer knuckles (balljoint though), spindles and hubs for 5 or 6 lug. Just add axles, brakes, locker and gears. Not too bad.