Ditcherman
SILVER Star
Dupe deleted
FJ40 Upgrade: Offset Teraflex High Pinion D60, 14 Bolt Hybrid Rear Axle
- Thread starter Rock40
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #42
Thanks, that’s really appreciated.
I have zero formal training with TIG. I spent a LOT of time watching videos on Welding Tips and Tricks, Jamie is excellent at both demonstrating and explaining what’s actually occurring during the weld process. Then it’s just practice and having the material cleaned correctly before you get going.
- Thread starter
- #43
Driver side coil bucket, bottom side of it. Decided to fully box it in and gusset it instead of just vertical gussets underneath. Angled for sliding up and over
Burned the TMR link mount in also. Welding down between the two = not fun
Started the truss gussets, cut 2” relief holes
Debating whether or not I should cut a few extra holes, not sure. Would probably be a combination of 2”, 1.75” and 1.5”
Anybody have any thoughts? Purely visual, the weight savings angle is… not much of an angle
Burned the TMR link mount in also. Welding down between the two = not fun
Started the truss gussets, cut 2” relief holes
Debating whether or not I should cut a few extra holes, not sure. Would probably be a combination of 2”, 1.75” and 1.5”
Anybody have any thoughts? Purely visual, the weight savings angle is… not much of an angle
Ditcherman
SILVER Star
The weight might not be much but the gas mileage gain sure would be!
Ok seriously your build looks so nice with so much attention to detail the effort would match everything else.
I don’t know how you welded down between those two so neatly. More tungsten stick out?
- Thread starter
- #45
Yeah, QUITE a bit of tungsten hanging out there to do that. A gas diffusing lens really helps, plus a lot of pre-flow to help purge the area. And those inside welds were definitely pushing it.
Why did you choose to not weld the truss to the center section? I know it's a different material than the tubes (cast vs rolled) but it's been done.
The 14b has the bearing retainer bolt flange you can tie the truss into if you don't want to weld the center, but on a d60 the truss is just floating.
No criticism, just want to head your thoughts.
The 14b has the bearing retainer bolt flange you can tie the truss into if you don't want to weld the center, but on a d60 the truss is just floating.
No criticism, just want to head your thoughts.
- Thread starter
- #47
Oh yeah, criticism is good
I didn’t tie it in, mainly because the Teraflex housing has (4) 1/2”-13 threaded holes, I believe to assist with locking a truss down to the differential without welding. It’s a guess at least.
Also when I did the Artec truss on the 14B under the M715, that stinker wasn’t designed to be welding to the cast housing anywhere
I figured between the extra step of welding the tubes and the 4 threaded bosses on the casting that welding the truss in addition to that was probably way overkill for an axle going under an FJ40
- Thread starter
- #49
Just boils down to overall suspension lift and essentially replicating the modified FJ80 axle I’ve got now
The 40 sits LOW on 37”s and the coil pads are right at the axle center line. If I moved them up over the axle tube (which arguably would be easier) I’d be throwing another 1.5”+ of suspension lift on it. There’s rarely much penalty for a low COG
- Thread starter
- #50
Had a BIT of a panic moment this morning thinking about the high pinion and the passenger side upper link
Crawled under the 40, took measurements and then replicated it, more or less
It’s going to be pretty tight with the 1410 yoke, think it’ll all clear tho
Started notching holes in another truss plate. Not sure how others do it, I’ve found an aluminum plate with a 1/4” pilot works well clamped under the material you want to cut. The aluminum is kind of “sticky” and resists sliding around some. Plus it’s very obvious when you cut through the steel plate and hit the aluminum
Crawled under the 40, took measurements and then replicated it, more or less
It’s going to be pretty tight with the 1410 yoke, think it’ll all clear tho
Started notching holes in another truss plate. Not sure how others do it, I’ve found an aluminum plate with a 1/4” pilot works well clamped under the material you want to cut. The aluminum is kind of “sticky” and resists sliding around some. Plus it’s very obvious when you cut through the steel plate and hit the aluminum
- Thread starter
- #51
Driver side truss. Actually had to cut it apart to provide enough clearance for the coil spring. Oh well 
All the truss gussets are in. Pulled the whole thing off and added braces between the plates.
Plan is to get the truss solidly bolted/clamped down and slowly weld the whole thing but not weld it to the tubes. Then I can get some Steel-It weld through paint up in it before reinstalling and welding the truss to the tubes
Here’s an example of “nothing’s easy”
All the truss gussets are in. Pulled the whole thing off and added braces between the plates.
Plan is to get the truss solidly bolted/clamped down and slowly weld the whole thing but not weld it to the tubes. Then I can get some Steel-It weld through paint up in it before reinstalling and welding the truss to the tubes
Here’s an example of “nothing’s easy”
**** that's tight. Are you gonna be able to slide the cover down and out?
- Thread starter
- #53
Yeah, it’s actually not bad. Lift the bottom out first and the top clears fine. It was just the clearance for that upper allen head bolt
Looks nice. If you go with rotors that arent drilled and slotted you can machine the surface multiple times if you want.
- Thread starter
- #55
Huh, I didn’t know that. Although I do road drive it, it doesn’t get enough miles to wear brakes out. Think I’ve done about 34,000 miles in 25 years. HA!
That dline clearance on the pass upper is tight, especially with that high pinion. I am running an offset 60 semifloat and whoever retubed it didn't quite get the diff offset far enough to match the fj40 rear so my pinion is about 1.5" closer to center and low pinion which I hope will yield clearance very similar to your mock up, may have to limit drop out on that corner ?
- Thread starter
- #57
Yes, I definitely might have to limit it. Really won’t know until I get the axle/driveshaft in and cycle it. Or, make new upper DOM links with a slight 5° or something like that bend in them to get the clearance
- Thread starter
- #59
Yeah, as long as that sucker doesn’t totally bind up.
- Thread starter
- #60
More or less finished the truss off today
2” hole in the top is so I can access and service the ARB air line. Punched a few more holes in the front and rear truss plates
Notched out the rear of the truss for coil spring clearance also
Fully welded, just not to the tubes yet
2” hole in the top is so I can access and service the ARB air line. Punched a few more holes in the front and rear truss plates
Notched out the rear of the truss for coil spring clearance also
Fully welded, just not to the tubes yet
