DirtyComanche

Oh, you might want to think about the parking brakes a bit too. I think you can use the MJ cables, but I wouldn't know.

Canada is all one province? :nuts: Nobody ever told me! Just messing.

Yup. Companion flange is on the rear of the driveshaft. Bolts to the pinion flange (hence it's the pinion flange's 'companion')

THe 3.73 down carrier thing is actually talking about something odd about these axles. They're talking about the gear carrier (holds the ring gear), which is ment for 3.73 and numerically lower gears (ie, higher gears). Isuzu had special 'thick' ring gears made so they could put the 4.30 gears on a carrier that was not ment for them. It's not an issue as you can buy the thick gears or swap the carrier for a normal one in the event you want to regrear. You were thinking about pinion height... It's the same as any low pinion D44. And I won't comment on if 4.30 gears will work for you or not. I don't know. I'd need more details on your truck and intended usage. MJ spring perches are 42" centre-centre. SUA.

Flange: It comes stock with a rather strange pinion flange. It is only common to isuzu as far as I know. A pinion yoke from any other D44 or like design can be swapped on it. Or you can run the isuzu flange with the rodeo companion flange that has a spicer 1310 joint. That's the better route as the dana yokes typically suck. Disks shouldn't cause issues. You'll need to make new brake lines on the axle. The bolt pattern is 6x5.5. IT won't match the front. If you're 2wd you can run different rims and it's no big deal... Otherwise you can't do much. Oh, the driveshaft will be off... The D44 pinion is a bit longer. IF you use the dana yoke instead of the isuzu flange, it'd probably be close enough to work. And it'll be .5" wider than the front axle.

The funky flange is stronger though. You just need to know where to find the companion flange that takes a 1310 joint. But yeah... Another thread for this would be good?

Sure. It's probably 61" wide (or 58.5 like the 12Bs, you'd better check) but it's darn near the same width as the stock axle. Change the pinion flange, or get the companion flange with it...

Guess I coulda said triangulated 3-link with panhard... Two lower links on a slight angle, one upper on a bit more angle, one nice long panhard bar. I tink I'd have to recess the lower arm mounts into my 'frame' for it to work.

Well, if it was gonna go, it was probably going to be then. There's some pretty mad shock loading when they launch.

That's pretty rad....

They work good as long as you aren't trying to do anything too stupid, and as long as you aren't crazy on the skinny. The ford design is at least proven road-safe, which is better than some of the aftermarket kits out there... I'm tempted to build a set, but if I can figure out a 3-link I'd rather go that route.

Hardcore wheeler... I'd get one without a motor.

I have a set of stock TJ rears. They definatly don't work. I'll pick up some ZJ fronts and TJ fronts within the week... One of them might work. Jared, measure the JK ones if you have a chance... Free length, coil thickness, number of coils, coil width... I can figure them out with that much.

Not quite. I could whip up radius arms really easily. They're god damn simple. Unfortunatly the people I wheel with would probably laugh at me.

ANybody have a bunch of pics/info on the 3-link fronts? I can't fingure out how to fit one on mine. (maybe I'm not trying hard enough?)

You'd be suprised... They're LONG, and it makes them work. Image Not Found That's not flexed right out... I can pull a couple more inches out of them. Ohyeah... XJ spring perches are 43.5" centre-centre, MJ are 42".

Dual triangulated... The space is there. Rear panhards suck balls anyways, unless you have rear steer. Even then they aren't great.

I've modelled a rear 4-link... I don't know how it'll be just yet. I've hammered out a design for the crossmember and brackets on that side, a rough idea on the brackets for the axle, a firm idea for my upper coil mounts, and a decent idea on the actual arms design (just plain tube is too boring). I'm going to use RE larges at the frame side and Currie JJs at the axle end for adjustability. Maybe, I get quoted tomorrow. The numbers I came up with are: Link length: Upper:39.1 Lower:37.1 Which is funky. Normally you do it the other way, but that doesn't fit too well. Anti-Squat 131.02% RC Slope 0.0320 in / in RC Height 27.093 in RC Angle 1.8349 degrees It's a little whack as I don't have the CG correct (I know that for sure). I can get the AS down to about 125% with a single adjustment, but I think I'll set my mid-point for it at 131%. I could drop the lowers some more at the frame end and get it down to about 100%, but I don't like where they'll mount then - unless I make them way longer. In which case I think they'll get bent. I dunno. Figure it'll work okay... Maybe. Haven't a clue actually.

Dealer CPS is over $100 here. Aftermarket is about $50. It's really sweet. Of course, I have a perferctly functioning CPS attached to my bell-housing. And it doesn't do anything :nuts: Too bad I bought a new one when I did.

Dexon/Mercon III as per the manual. The tcases don't care though, incase anybody wonders.

Did you take any measurements of the aerostar ones? I could get them pretty easy. There's one down the street. Wonder how easy they are to take off... ;)

I actually looked at mine a bunch more, and I'm not so worried. Those toy cabs are crap anyways, and my top triangle runs over my head a lot better than that. I'm still going to put a couple tie-in plates between the cab top and cage.

Sell the XJ springs. Best thing to do with them. It's hard to say on height. When you go SOA a whole whack of things will affect the final height. Rear axle tube diameter, spring perche style (height), if you use 2wd or 4wd springs, etc will all affect it. I doubled the mains on my rear packs (gives them a good feel) and got about 7.5" of lift when I went SOA. That was with an exploder 8.8 and some slightly taller perches (about 1" off the tube). I think I was also running doubled over-loads. I want to say you'd get about 7". I'd try it without the shackles first, and if you don't like the stance, add them. Or add a second main to the packs - it's a good mod because the stock springs are a little too soft.

SOA the stock MJ rears for about 5-6" of lift (depending how you do it).

Apparently my rears are 150lbs/in. I think the calculator is flawed. Let's go with 160.