DirtyComanche

Okay... BFG A/Ts are good, barring they're an A/T. If you hate mud and want a tire that's actually good off-road... Get some MT/Rs. They SUCK in mud, but are awesome at everything else. And are tough. They probably make some noise on the road... BFG tires are really weak.

It's lug centric... 6 bolt 15x8. Some aftermarket (american wheel or something). It still centres as the lugs are still tapered. I checked that. I wanted to use the set to make beadlocks, but I really don't want to use it. It's just annoying. I think I'll just save myself the bother and try to track down another. Or a different set. It's a shame few aftermarket wheels come with less than 3.5" BS.

I've got a set of rims that are mint, other than 1. The tapers for the lugs to seat on is kinda messed, and one or two of the holes are oblonged slightly. It was a victom of walking lug nuts. I dunno if I should try using it or not. I threw it on an axle and torqued down a set of lugs on it and it looked alright then. If it had a tire on it and I actually had a driveable vehicle with that bolt pattern, I'd take it for a spin and see if it comes loose or vibrates... I know I should probably just take it in for scrap steel. But it's kinda a bish to break up a set for it. Worth a shot? I'll get pics... Unless everyone just tells me to throw it out. And actually aren't being totally anal.

what, you don't like mounting/de-mounting tires on the side of the road when you're late for somewhere? :nuts: (its gettin late sorry guys. :chillin: ill go to bed now.) When I'm late I just drive on it. As long as you go fast enough the centrifugal force causes the tire to expand like there's air in it. Barring this speed is well above what the 4.0 can muster with a long downhill and a few JETO (jet assisted take-off) packs, I can happily drive until the tire comes apart. Actually, I hate dealing with flats or dismounting tires, etc. If it goes flat - I put air into it and drive on it. If it won't take air, I put the spare on. OR I drive it to where I need to be (if it's close... I drove 4k with 2 blown beads... Not enough air to seat them). It is tempting to ditch my full-size spare in favour of a tube (or 6) though - just because the thing is such a PITA to have around. Other than then you have to debead the tire, which isn't too hard if it is in bad enough shape to be putting a tube in it. But, I know if I do this I'll put a nice 1.5' sidewall gash in a tire and render the tube fix useless. Anyways, I still think it's hack to run different rims. Unless you're talking a street vehicle. Or a vehicle that is, without a doubt, totally hack and proud of it.

could run different rims front to back :brows: :D Yeah, and two spares... Actually, if you just carry tubes it would work alright. It's still hack.

Stock rears are like, umm, 60". What's it out of to be 63"? F-150? Typically a hair narrower is a LOT easier to deal with than too wide. You can throw spacers on a narrow rear, or leave it narrow to decrease turning radius. Too wide means running spacers on the front (your unitized hubs will HATE you) or swapping in a new front axle; a PITA.

:cheers: too much?

Yes, dedenbears. They're avaliable for more than just ford - they make chevy/jeep D44, IH D44, and chevy D60 kingpin ones (they fit ford/dodge kingpins too - I think). Several other companies make chevy/jeep D44 ones (part's mike, etc). Crane also might make D44 ones, they definatly make D60 kingpin... Anyways, I don't have a point here.

It's a 3.07~ (3.08, w/e) - unless it isn't stock. A 4.0 and a 5spd ALWAYS got 3.07s.

Take it from the donor. There's dimples in the floor where the holes for it are supposed to be drilled. And a cover where the lever goes. Same if you want to put in a centre console - the floor has the dimples to drill for the screws. Is it an easy swap? Theoretically. Would I bother? Perhaps. If I planned to wheel it I'd not swap any of the stock garbage in. If I planned for it to be a street/DD truck, sure. But I'd probably put a NP242 in then. And a 5-speed.

Yeah, your headliner is too far foreward. It needs to go back about an inch or so looking at the pic.

I'd have to go read Mr N's guide to D44s again, but I know MOST if not all ford D44 knuckles are missing some serious beef on the one side of the casting. Hence they like to crack. I've never seen a ford D44 do this, but I saw a ford D60 do it. And it ain't cool when your knuckle decides to be two peices - each with their own balljoint (well, kingpin). I had a set of F-150 stupid-cab ones and they were definatly the weak casting. I compared them to both the stock waggy and the part's mike knuckles. FWIW - I'd not use a ford knuckle. Oh, and yeah, a E-350 master is apparently a bolt in swap and should fix that. Yes, I haven't fixed my brakes yet - they work fine offroad.

Yeah, just spray it with a good cleaner. I wouldn't worry about putting a peice of plate in there. You can though. Personally I'd use 7018. But it's not like it matters. The weld doesn't really have to be that strong. It just has to fill the teeth well enough. 7018 fills quicker - saves time. Besides, it's actually ment to be used on high strength steels. I know guys that welded theirs with stainless rod (Uh?), and others just used 6010/6011 or 6013 (the farmer's rods). Or 7014. Oh, coat the ring and pinion with grease if you're afraid of getting splatter on them.

The ford knuckles are weak. I don't know ford's reasoning, but both their D60 and D44 knuckles suck because they made them 'lighter'. At least, I'm pretty sure all the D44 ones are the same.

You can get a crush sleeve eliminator for a D30. About $20. And you can normally put the carrier shims outside of the bearings/races if you want. It's just not 'by the book' on all axles - but trust me, it is still often done (professionally).

You can always try running it on MEK, acetone, toulene, or methyl hydrate when you go for the test! (don't...) It's amazing what people will do to try to pass. I'd assume they do the 15/25 test on a dyno? If so - get some studded tires. They won't run those on a dyno unless they're stupid. At least, in BC(where they do test), they'll let you off with only an idle test if you have them. I'm lucky, I don't have any of it.

You should have seen the pros I had do my front! *Smack* (swearing) "Well, the bearing still turns. I think it'll be alright." *Smack smack SMACK* "Man, if I used the press this would be way easier." -We go over to the press- *Whirrrrr POP* (sweaing) "Well, I think we just broke the press..." I think I'll do my own next time. :roll: Everything was eyeballed. At least we used a torque wrench a couple times. But, what do you expect for HD mechanics; especially when you're paying with beer. In reality it isn't very hard. The FSM makes it BLOODY CONFUSING! You'll want to make setup bearings (get some old bearings and file/grind out the inside) and take your time and you'll probably be alright. If they aren't, they'll grenade pretty quick.

I guess. (I built the shock mounts FOR the shocks...)

Well, no... That's where things get fun with the D44 fronts. Certain years (Uh, 86-89?) had a vacuum disconnect! It's similar to the D30 one, but is on the short side of the axle, and is cast INTO the gear housing. They are considered highly undesirable! I don't know if you can even convert them to being a one-peice shaft setup. Also, the increased size of the cast nodular iron centre section will cause issues if you have difficulty welding to it. Parts books also show some changes to the brakes, and little things. Try to remember what year axle you have if you get one - I don't recall what mine is at all.

Ya know, hydro-assist deals with all those front mini-spool problems...

FWIW, both of mine do that. That is, without any of the vacuum BS. Along with every NP231 and 242 I've delt with. They don't engage/disengage if there's any load on them. So, pavement = takes a long time. Dirt = a while. Pure ice = instant.

Oddball Q, but does that sunroof on your truck leak at all? I'd imagine that as pictured, it would leak pretty good. :brows: Sunroofs always leak. Only on new cars do they not...

But, with a 2" lift and some lower BS rims, it won't rub the LCAs. Of course, then you need longer bumpstops or you'll hammer your fenders. Or just cut the fenders... I run 31x10.5s on my DD cherokee on a 2"~ budget lift.

IDK man, i just wanna know if i CAN substitute a dakota ax15 for my ax5. second gear is starting to die real bad on it... Go onto pirate 4x4... Wait, google search pirate 4x4 by typing 'www.pirate4x4.com: 2.5L AX-5 AX-15 swap' or such and you'll find a massive thread on how they did it. Somebody (novak, AA?) now makes the bellhousing to do it without visiting the junkyard. And you should be able to used the dakota AX-15 - it will have the same style of output (spline count might vary) and stud pattern for a 6-stud aluminum NP tcase - ie; 90% of them, including jeep applications.

Those FCs are kinda neat. But I'd never wheel one... Apparently without the counterweight they are CRAZY front heavy and like to endo. And with it they're jsut heavy. The MJ looks good. I actually really like those rims.