FJ40 Upgrade: Offset Teraflex High Pinion D60, 14 Bolt Hybrid Rear Axle

[Rock40]

Cool, the multi-matic units are nice

 

[Ditcherman]

Hahaha! Actually that’s pretty cool. What did you get?

I’m running an old (probably early 2000’s) Miller Synchrowave 250. But it’s tuned up good and runs great on DC, plus the water cooled torch makes a HUGE difference

Did you tune it yourself or take it somewhere?
Do you do much to keep it in tune?
My sits as is did from the auction. I’ve checked a few things but never adjusted anything.
I figure my limiting factor is dipping my tungsten.

 

[DangerNoodle]

Did you tune it yourself or take it somewhere?
Do you do much to keep it in tune?
My sits as is did from the auction. I’ve checked a few things but never adjusted anything.
I figure my limiting factor is dipping my tungsten.

The only thing I've really found with those tig welders need is an occasional point adjustment if starts start to get hard.

The most helpful thing I have found to improve weld quality is a solid, nice torch and good consumables. I run a CK 20 water cooled on mine. So much lighter and it fits in so many places so much better. I also run a tig button for AC and really weird spots. They has been a super nice upgrade for cages and having to shove my head in places or run on my back.

 

[Ditcherman]

The only thing I've really found with those tig welders need is an occasional point adjustment if starts start to get hard.

The most helpful thing I have found to improve weld quality is a solid, nice torch and good consumables. I run a CK 20 water cooled on mine. So much lighter and it fits in so many places so much better. I also run a tig button for AC and really weird spots. They has been a super nice upgrade for cages and having to shove my head in places or run on my back.

My miller w250 torch looks similiar. I’ve never known anything different.
That tig button looks great. Gonna get one of those on the way for sure. My cage time is coming up hopefully.

 

[Rock40]

Yeah, @DangerNoodle is right, when I say “tuned” the points is the big thing, and using good consumables. I also think in addition to hard starts, that the arc gets a bit unsteady/unstable if the points need work. The machine I’m using sat for years, and the points needed a serious cleaning

Would LOVE a torch with the push button start for cage work or being horrible contorted somewhere but that’s not in the cards quite yet.

@Ditcherman, have you tried running a gas lens on your setup? It won’t help keep the tungsten out of the puddle but they make a big difference in gas diffusion and how “clean” your weld looks afterwards.

I usually buy most of my torch consumables from Jamie’s Weldmonger store. This is a very basic cup and gas lens set, think I’m running a #7 glass lens currently: WELDMONGER® Furick Jazzy #10 Combo Kit - For 17/18/26 Style Torches - https://weldmongerstore.com/collections/gas-lens-kits-and-accessories/products/furick-10-ck-worldwide-combo-kit-for-17-18-26-style-torches

 

[Ditcherman]

Yeah, @DangerNoodle is right, when I say “tuned” the points is the big thing, and using good consumables. I also think in addition to hard starts, that the arc gets a bit unsteady/unstable if the points need work. The machine I’m using sat for years, and the points needed a serious cleaning

Would LOVE a torch with the push button start for cage work or being horrible contorted somewhere but that’s not in the cards quite yet.

@Ditcherman, have you tried running a gas lens on your setup? It won’t help keep the tungsten out of the puddle but they make a big difference in gas diffusion and how “clean” your weld looks afterwards.

I usually buy most of my torch consumables from Jamie’s Weldmonger store. This is a very basic cup and gas lens set, think I’m running a #7 glass lens currently: WELDMONGER® Furick Jazzy #10 Combo Kit - For 17/18/26 Style Torches - https://weldmongerstore.com/collections/gas-lens-kits-and-accessories/products/furick-10-ck-worldwide-combo-kit-for-17-18-26-style-torches

I think it starts fine. Points look good.
I’ve done much better since I’ve turned the balance way up, was struggling with it between 3 and 7, now I’ll run 5 to 9.
Definitely run gas lens on Al and sometimes on steel. Just using the cups/ lenses from miller, I’ll look into more specialized cups.

I’ve been using a long tapered point lately on all but the highest amp welding and like the precision.

I posted earlier that seeing the puddle and work was crucial, and came as a surprise to me what I was missing with my contacts in.

Im happy with my improvement but will still try to get better. Not sure I’ll reach your level…

 

[Rock40]

These are the GM wheel studs.

Here’s the portion that pressed fit into the hub. Shoulder area passes through the rotor but it’s not a press fit

Mocked up one side for the RuffStuff caliper bracket and the axle flanges. Never did this trick before but I put 40 psi of air on the calipers, which centered my axle flanges perfectly. Thanks for the tip RuffStuff. Held them with pressured air and tacked the flange in in 4 places. Released the air, pads are totally square to the rotor, nice

 

[Rock40]

Well…. Gonna name this axle the TeraB**ch because the gear setup has been just that

There are some fairly major differences (I’ve discovered) from a standard D60

For one, this was designed to run the older ARB RD36 where the air line was over on the non-ring gear side. You can see the line exiting bottom left here:

And new ARB’s like the RD167 I’m using have the air supply on the ring gear side

To go along with that, the bearing caps are MUCH taller and wider than a standard D60. GM Kingpin D60 cap is on the left

And because the caps are so darn wide, Teraflex machined a relief in the bearing cap shown here

Unfortunately I didn’t realize all this until I pinched the ARB line right down by the collar and that’s a $120 replacement

Fortunately, the copper line is welded into the collar with silicon bronze. Right up my alley, so I was able to fix that pretty easily

 

[Rock40]

And since swapping bearing caps around is a big no-no, I had to cut a relief in the ring gear side cap for the airline

And yes, I verified the cap placement with the factory marks from TeraFlex because I didn’t trust TBBM (The Bozo Before Me) that owned this. He was the guy running 5:13’s on a 4:10 down carrier with that big ugly shim stack mess to make up for it

Also, the upper pinion bearing is significantly larger than a GM D60. Teraflex is on the left

I’m here now and will “probably” run this pattern, been at it for 2 days.

And I’ve got nearly 100 thousandths worth of carrier shims over on the ring gear side which tells me that overall, the housing is a bit wider than a standard D60. Normally that shim stack is somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 thousandths or so

Running Ford high pinion, reverse cut 3:73 gears, hence the desire for 1410 joints since I keep blowing the ears off 1310 and grenading the CV joints from Tom Woods

 

[Rock40]

Couldn’t leave well enough alone. Pulled another 2 thousandths out of the pinion depth, this looks good. If I’m understanding reverse rotation the “drive” side of the ring is the concave side. Now it’s time to pull it all back apart and replace the setup bearings

 

[matzell]

Couldn’t leave well enough alone. Pulled another 2 thousandths out of the pinion depth, this looks good. If I’m understanding reverse rotation the “drive” side of the ring is the concave side. Now it’s time to pull it all back apart and replace the setup bearings


View attachment 3848850


View attachment 3848849

Hi pinion ride on the drive side of the gear like a rear does, the convex side like the last pic. Pinion looks a little deep to me.

Are the OD of the bearing races the same? I have seen different pitch and number of rollers over the years but the OD of the race was the same. Are you putting shims under the inner race? or under the pinion bearing? 60's can be a pain. Once you get all that, you have to shim the outer pinion for bearing preload.... All axles are different. I just finished setting up two sets of 80 series gears with E-lockers. All had different shim packs.

 

[Rock40]

Hi pinion ride on the drive side of the gear like a rear does, the convex side like the last pic. Pinion looks a little deep to me.

Are the OD of the bearing races the same? I have seen different pitch and number of rollers over the years but the OD of the race was the same. Are you putting shims under the inner race? or under the pinion bearing? 60's can be a pain. Once you get all that, you have to shim the outer pinion for bearing preload.... All axles are different. I just finished setting up two sets of 80 series gears with E-lockers. All had different shim packs.

Convex side? Ok. I guess I thought since it was reversed it’d be opposite.

Yes, on the upper pinion bearing, the OD of both the outer race and bearing is much larger than a standard 60 and I guess that’s a Teraflex mod or strength improvement. I could take some quick measurements once my setup bearings come out.

Pinion depth shims go under the lower pinion bearing just like a normal 60 and it’s currently set with the bearing preload correct, just everything with setup bearings. I’ll have to verify everything again once the new earrings go in.

And I completely agree, all these axles are different to some degree, this Teraflex is just REALLY been different when it comes to shimming it

 

[matzell]

Convex side? Ok. I guess I thought since it was reversed it’d be opposite.

Yes, on the upper pinion bearing, the OD of both the outer race and bearing is much larger than a standard 60 and I guess that’s a Teraflex mod or strength improvement. I could take some quick measurements once my setup bearings come out.

Pinion depth shims go under the lower pinion bearing just like a normal 60 and it’s currently set with the bearing preload correct, just everything with setup bearings. I’ll have to verify everything again once the new earrings go in.

And I completely agree, all these axles are different to some degree, this Teraflex is just REALLY been different when it comes to shimming it

After thinking about it, in a front application it would ride on the drive side of the gear. In a rear, it would be the coast side, unless you are using special gears like in a High Nine or maybe a Gearworks, where the gear is made different to be in the rear and ride on the drive side. So I guess if they are stock gears then the concave side would be the drive side. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Rock40]

After thinking about it, in a front application it would ride on the drive side of the gear. In a rear, it would be the coast side, unless you are using special gears like in a High Nine or maybe a Gearworks, where the gear is made different to be in the rear and ride on the drive side. So I guess if they are stock gears then the concave side would be the drive side. Sorry for any confusion.

Ok, we are on the same page. It’s goofy trying to keep track of whether it’s in the front axle or the rear. I’ve second guessed myself repeatedly. From what I understand, that’s why no OEM uses a high pinion rear since the drive force is applied to the coast side which is something like 30% weaker. But in a D60 under a relatively light rig it should be fine

These are the Ford reverse spiral gears which would normally only be in a front D60 application. Nothing really special or unique about them

 

[Rock40]

All done, new bearings are in, ARB is tested, no leaks. Just waiting on a special spanner to install the pinion seal housing

 

[Rock40]

Another TeraFlex oddity, the threaded pinion seal retainer. This is why I needed a really large adjustable spanner to torque it

Retainer, pinion seal and forged 1410 yoke are in, just not torqued yet. Couple more things down tho

 

[matzell]

Another TeraFlex oddity, the threaded pinion seal retainer. This is why I needed a really large adjustable spanner to torque it

View attachment 3852724


Retainer, pinion seal and forged 1410 yoke are in, just not torqued yet. Couple more things down tho


View attachment 3852725

That is a crazy housing set up. think I will stick with a stock hp housing....

 

[Rock40]

Stainless brake lines are in, always a PITA making those right

Coil bucket retainers. Had to order some 2.75” OD DOM, which only came in a .375” wall. And it was nearly $100 for 12”

They double as the coil retainer and also the axle bump stop. Probably won’t crush them

Sort of a difficult weld here adding the .25” cap, pretty hard not to burn the edges off. It’ll play

 

[Rock40]

Surprise surprise, parts showed up today. I thought the 35 spline drive flanges might take some waiting

And the 1410 driveshaft parts. No more child sized joints, that’s 2.5”, .25” wall DOM

And the machine work for the Orion output was completed today. The retainer is bearing bronze and centers the Spicer yoke on the Toyota flange. And the Spicer part was drilled for the Toyota patten

So I guess you CAN run a 1410 output on an Orion case . Now the output shaft or something in the case will be the next casualty

 

[Rock40]

Should also mention that I “was” going to run flanged Dutchman axles. Until I determined that the long side is way too long for them to make a flanged axle in an alloy I’d want to use. I think the long side may be just under 42” so a 1541 alloy was the only option and that carries a 3 year warranty.

By going to the drive flanges, I can get their Hy-Tuf material which is something between a 4130 and 300M alloy. Those carry a lifetime warranty and are naturally 2x the price