Builds HDJ80 LHD #snlcbuilt Ute (pickup) (1 Viewer)

[SNLC]

Decided I want the front axle, the Diamond, under it out of the gates. So besides focusing on the engine I am going to focus on that as well.

Ordered some fancy radius arms for that purpose.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Went ahead and just bought 300m RCVs for the front axle too. Might as well set it up right from the start!

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

I could be wrong with my calculations here but I do believe this will be my final crawl ratio with the 38’s and an H152 manual trans.

With Black Box and 3:1 tcase = 150+:1

Without Black Box so just 3:1 tcase = 60:1

That’s with 4.3 gears in the diffs to keep it nice on the street and highway.

Cheers

 

[cruisermatt]

I could be wrong with my calculations here but I do believe this will be my final crawl ratio with the 38’s and an H152 manual trans.

With Black Box and 3:1 tcase = 150+:1

Without Black Box so just 3:1 tcase = 60:1

That’s with 4.3 gears in the diffs to keep it nice on the street and highway.

Cheers

I'm at around 110:1 and it's plenty, I much more then that I don't really see the point for in a full size truck, so I would think the doubler and stock t-case would be plenty, and you could bolt the 3:1 t-case gear in later if you really wanted it? And then you would have a lot of range options. Are you planning on driving this or trailering it? A lot of folks have complained of the black boxes burning up the fluid on the quickly on the freeway

 

[Feldrian]

Run

I'm at around 110:1 and it's plenty, I much more then that I don't really see the point for in a full size truck, so I would think the doubler and stock t-case would be plenty, and you could bolt the 3:1 t-case gear in later if you really wanted it? And then you would have a lot of range options. Are you planning on driving this or trailering it? A lot of folks have complained of the black boxes burning up the fluid on the quickly on the freeway

Run a pump and cooler with the black box and they're fine on the highway. Running a catch can helps to, otherwise they like to puke everywhere.

 

[SNLC]

Bling!

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Sitting here next to it right now thinking to myself…

I am going to modify this A LOT!

How much? Unsure at the moment but I have lots to play with and want to push the front axle forward minimum 2”, shocks are going to eye to eye vs pin to pin. I am not afraid to move the steering box or panhard forward and even cut out the front cross member in the frame if needed and fab a new one. I even have a new 79-series LHD steering box which has same size sector shaft as the 105, it sits way forward though and throws backwards like all 70-series.

The radius arms are so I can do a radius arm flip and not have to change the panhard, plus should flex better too. Other than coil buckets and probably panhard mount all my axle side brackets I will make. Not wanting, as previously mentioned, to go to a linked suspension at this time but do plan to modify and make it better.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Nice long holiday weekend and my Cruiser just came in the shop!

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

If I wasn’t slacking so bad I would already have the front axle out.

Pre tear down measurements. It seems to me it has around 4-4.5” of lift at this ride height which I like.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Checking my new school tool to my old school tool to make sure both jive. Marking center from my starting point here.

Cheers

 

[mudgudgeon]

Checking my new school tool to my old school tool to make sure both jive. Marking center from my starting point here.


View attachment 3669424View attachment 3669425

Cheers

Ooooh! Pretty green string!

Line lasers are the best invention since Black & Decker introduced cordless tools

 

[SNLC]

I didn’t get a ton of time in it today but before I start any fab I want it clean so I spent some hours cleaning the frame rails today.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

I tossed the Diamond under it in its approximate location with the bling radius arms to start getting a visual on my ideas.

I don’t think the bling radius arms are a go now. I am tempted to 3-link it yet without coil overs. Probably stick to my overall game plan and goals but we will see. Tomorrow is a bunch of hacking and grinding!

Cheers

 

[scottryana]

You're 7/10 of the way there to a linked suspension you might as well just go links... As you know the stock suspension has good road manners but falls a little short off-road compared to a 3 link. Coilovers are expensive but unlimited spring rates, easy to adjust ride height, don't have to worry about the spring falling out with extreme droop. As far as you have come might as well go all the way...

And at the beginning of this thread I was in the just get it together and go enjoy it! lol

 

[OffRoadScott]

I tossed the Diamond under it in its approximate location with the bling radius arms to start getting a visual on my ideas.

View attachment 3670191View attachment 3670192View attachment 3670193

I don’t think the bling radius arms are a go now. I am tempted to 3-link it yet without coil overs. Probably stick to my overall game plan and goals but we will see. Tomorrow is a bunch of hacking and grinding!

Cheers

Kind of curious as to why you would flip the radius arms when using the aftermarket arms like Superior's when caster is built in. Looks like you'll loose some upward travel over the stock radius arms. The nice thing about using a bare axle you'll be able to build the axle with the needed caster when you weld on the mounts.

I am sure there is a reason behind this and I am looking to hear why.

 

[scottryana]

bare axle you'll be able to build the axle with the needed caster when you weld on the mounts.

Nope. The determining factor for caster is the relationship between the pinion and the knuckles. You can see he just has the Birf Bells tacked in. He will have to rotate those to the appropriate caster before final welding. The mounts on the axle can go anywhere.

 

[OffRoadScott]

Nope. The determining factor for caster is the relationship between the pinion and the knuckles. You can see he just has the Birf Bells tacked in. He will have to rotate those to the appropriate caster before final welding. The mounts on the axle can go anywhere.

Okay and that is why I don't do my fabrication work... LOL

 

[SNLC]

Still in the shop, having fun!

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Kind of curious as to why you would flip the radius arms when using the aftermarket arms like Superior's when caster is built in. Looks like you'll loose some upward travel over the stock radius arms. The nice thing about using a bare axle you'll be able to build the axle with the needed caster when you weld on the mounts.

I am sure there is a reason behind this and I am looking to hear why.

I think for the Aussies the flip gets them caster, ground clearance, um what else?

For me it gets me ground clearance #1. I can set the caster to whatever I want with the Diamond axle and the knuckle balls just tacked. As long as there is no conflict tie rod to radius arms, which in a standard 80 series radius arm set up you can only rotate so much for caster before it’s a problem, aftermarket arms help. With flipped arms I would never have the same issue with tie rod to arms when it comes to setting caster so I suppose that is my #2 gain here.

For me the point of the “super flex” arm was to hopefully avoid modifying the panhard mount on the axle. As you noted these arms are going to limit up travel to much so my original plan is no go. Different arms perhaps but I am not buying more arms to find out. There is an Aussie “flip kit” which includes arms and utilizes an arm similar to the super flex I got. I tried to buy their kit but got no responses so went with the Superior instead. Sometimes you need to be willing to experiment and try new things, even if they don’t play out. That’s how you figure things out without someone spoon feeding you, in my opinion of course.

All in now regardless!

Cheers