[animaldevictor]

hi there wehn i have started to restore my FJ55,while MY "animal" is on the piant shop, i decided to go SOA . (to much junk on my mother 's back yard) i have started modfying 1987 an fj60 front axle hoousing to fit on a FJ55 [ATTACH]Attachment 189463[/ATTACH]
i cut and turn for another project that didn't start (have to sell my HJ60), all i did it was just cut a section of the longer side, the section was 28mm long out from the original mesure, and relocate the the spring perch. after i welded back in position i have me some holes around the weld to make some spot welding to add more strengh to the first welding
Attachment 189464

[animaldevictor]

my apoligies here are the pics[ATTACH]Attachment 189473[/ATTACH]

[animaldevictor]

acouple of weeks later i have finished, i and added the shock mountsAttachment 189480

[RHINO]

the rosettes are a nice touch, but why longer shock mounts instead of longer shocks??

[animaldevictor]

well, the idea to have the shock towers to high in order to keep the same shocks , well i just an idea, is it better to have longer shocks or have the stock ones ,,,, any sugestions, will be welcome

[RHINO]

you will have more potential travel after the lift so you dont want the shocks to be the limiter.

[animaldevictor]

ahh ok , Rhino thanks ,, you right ,, i will look for new shocks , and cut the shock towers , but i have to deal with the stering bars to, by the way, do you know a good option to make the stering bars, thick wall or solid steel bar

thanks

[RHINO]

there is much reading and pics on this site dealing with crossover steering and different means to get there, i suggest you take a look and decide how you want to do it.

[inkpot]

Originally Posted by RHINO

there is much reading and pics on this site dealing with crossover steering and different means to get there, i suggest you take a look and decide how you want to do it.

Howdy! I would recommend that you go ahead and do a "high steer" setup while you are still in the fab stages. After 20 years of SOA on my Piggy, I finally went with the setup from Luke Porter at 4X4 Labs. I'm very happy with the results. Very beefy, and well protected. John

[animaldevictor]

yes, high steer rocks, i will try to see if posible to get high steer here, yesterday on lunch at work i went to get 30x20 sanvick bar for steering bars, i hope that they last me at least 200 years on my pig, well whats left are the pitman and other little things for the steering

[animaldevictor]

By advise Of Rhino i desided to cut the shock towers a little to get longer shocks y have con almos to 2 inches from the first high Attachment 191469
Attachment 191470
which shock does give better perofrmance bettwen rancho and procomp ?

[Cruiserdrew]

I recommend you run the shocks as long as you can-you will need to raise the upper mount and lower the axle mount. That gives the maximum articulation to the front axle.

Also, I would not weld the axle mount on, untill it's all bolted together in the truck. If the rotational position of the shock mount is off even a little, it's hard to get the shocks to fit.

Ranch has a huge selection of shock lengths, and work well for projects like yours.

One other thing--do the high steer. I used 4x4 Labs system, and can highly recommend the design and workmanship.

[animaldevictor]

while i am gathering parts for the SOA the pigs is on the BArber shop
to get a good Paint job, i will spect to wait a couple of months until they finish the job ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, overhauling of 3 months
Attachment 192143
Attachment 192144
Attachment 192145

[animaldevictor]

after a little pause (too much work) came back to my project. Due to the lack of HI-Steer I have decided to take momentary mesures Attachment 208980
the welding look not but actually it has been nicely done with 6 rod of 6010 an 3 rod of 7018, will be test on the trail soon (i Hope)
Attachment 208981

[Cruiserdrew]

You need high steer. I doubt that welded steering arm will last long. How about sending a set of arms to "W" in Oregon-he can bend the stock arms into a hi-steer position. That's the cheapest high steer going.

[animaldevictor]

here are some pics of the front axel cut and turn, with the nuckles already installed Attachment 208989

Attachment 208990

Attachment 208991

[animaldevictor]

here are the pics of the momentary mesure (hi-some steer)
Attachment 209010

Attachment 209011

[animaldevictor]

Andrew, how do i contact "W" in Oregon can you give me the contact information , I tough that my welding metod works, but if you have the experience on this welded steering arms wont work fine , i talk with a friend here in Costa Rica that does SOA and other suspetion he maid some of hte rig that he lift with the welded arm and toldme that is a 50% change , so better to find another solution

thanks

[zuluzeugma]

Tratamos solder "steering arms" como estuviste; pero, rotaron muy rapido. How did I do?

[inkpot]

Originally Posted by Cruiserdrew

You need high steer. I doubt that welded steering arm will last long. How about sending a set of arms to "W" in Oregon-he can bend the stock arms into a hi-steer position. That's the cheapest high steer going.

Howdy! I was VERY lucky with my welded double steering arm. It lasted 20 years, done by a professional fabricator at the time. Nothing else was available. BUT, it failed suddenly, with absolutely NO warning. Fortunately, I was in a parking lot when fell off. I had just come off the freeway at 75+ mph! I highly recommend getting properly fabbriated steering arms for any setup. Bending them may be a workable method, but I think it will have negative effects on the steering geometry as the distance from the TRE to the centerline of the steering axis. I think it would make it a bit harder to steer and it would be very quick reacting, like a sports car. John

[animaldevictor]

John thanks for the advice, yes actually the point of builtding the double steering arm a like just for a while until i get the money and the means to get the high steer from 4X4 labs or some where else , i was also wandering , well go to my friend the machinist and ask him if it´s also able to made the hight steering arms here, well i think if that costme the same than getting the high steer in US and shiping down to Costa Rica, but in the mean time i have mede reenforcements to the double arm, at least to last me enough to get the others later

[animaldevictor]

here are the pics of the welding proccess

[animaldevictor]

and back to it´s place

[animaldevictor]

Guys , needs another opnion!!!, when you made the SOA , an also planing to put a very nice power steering, based on your experience whats the best option, a saginaw box or put the toy minitruck, i have already a saginaw out from a cheroke comanche, but i have figure out that is a little complicated to place the linkage , in other hand is it true that saginaw is normally stronger than toy minitruck, that will be some to consider

thanks

[RHINO]

saginaw is good if you already have one then do it. i did a mini truck and it worked pretty good but i have now FJ60 and it is great!!

[animaldevictor]

mean while, the other parts are starting to get on chape, on the body an paint are finally working
but i think there is more rust than i have espected

[animaldevictor]

the resto process is goin slow, new job no time to get into, and the guys from the body&paint shop are also to I hope i Will get the paint job done by the end of the month, well at least still going

[RHINO]

slow is better than nothing at all,,,, what you are getting done is looking good.

[animaldevictor]

RHINO I get te tubngand te tie´s for my pig i am now in miami Fl,i am looking for tires, tanks for tthe tip with the tie rods and the tubing that you post on your thread.
thanks

[animaldevictor]

hi All, yesterday I went to get new birfields and hubs for my pig and y have purchase this hubs (impulsive fool)

They are electric activated hubs

and to be honest this is the first time that I see that kind hubs on my life and if one of you knolegeble guys have some information about how they work properly I will apreciate

thanks