M416 with a drop axle?? (1 Viewer)

[EricG]

I'm finally getting around to doing something with the m416 I bought nearly 5 years ago! Just got the tub off - its pretty rough so I'm going to build my own box. Put a pair of 285's under it to see how high it will sit. Previous owner had done some work to extend the hitch and swap to Toyota pattern hubs.

So in the process of all that I got to the axle. It looks to be about a 4" drop axle, SOA?! I'll admit, I didn't really know what I was looking at when I got it, but I've been reading a lot of builds since then and thought they all had straight axles.

Was this a stock config, or did somebody swap it in at some point? The shock mount and such seems stock. Just seems odd to swap in a drop axle, then SOA it, just to get the axle center back about where it would've been with a straight SUA setup ... and the the axle tube hanging down to catch rocks.

 

[cruiserjunkie]

Not stock axle

 

[spotcruiser]

Not stock.

 

[myquestoyota]

Turn that over and you have some serious ground clearance!

 

[EricG]

Yea, I don't actually need that height. Looks like it will be a little nose-down as it is. I think a straight SUA would put it at just the right height.

 

[greentruck]

Puny, iffy looking hub assembly, whatever it is.

You can spec a new axle for under $300. That's what I'd do. Or find a junkyard. I'd think there are probably some M416 axles floating around after most of the rest has rusted away?

 

[bikersmurf]

I'd loose a couple of leaves from the bottom of the spring pack to lower it a wee bit... or flip the axle, and run it above the spring pack.

I've also seen an axle built out of FF hubs and spindles out of the front of a 40. I'd planned to do that with the old drum brake front hubs I had... could likely even figure a way to make the drums work again.

 

[EricG]

Puny, iffy looking hub assembly, whatever it is.

You can spec a new axle for under $300. That's what I'd do. Or find a junkyard. I'd think there are probably some M416 axles floating around after most of the rest has rusted away?

The diameter of the axle tube is consistent with the 3500# axles on trailerpart.com

Guess I could pull one of the hubs and measure the spindle ... probably should have a look at the bearings anyway.

 

[EricG]

I'd loose a couple of leaves from the bottom of the spring pack to lower it a wee bit... or flip the axle, and run it above the spring pack

Can you run a drop axle like that, with the tube above the spindle? Seems like a bad idea to me.

 

[greentruck]

Eric,
If you do end up getting a new axle, keep in mind that's the time to do electric brakes, as they are much cheaper to spec on the axle than ordered separately later. IIRC, the $300 number included e-brakes and provision for a parking brake, but it's been a couple of years since I checked it. Doubt it's changed much, though.

 

[EricG]

Eric,
If you do end up getting a new axle, keep in mind that's the time to do electric brakes, as they are much cheaper to spec on the axle than ordered separately later. IIRC, the $300 number included e-brakes and provision for a parking brake, but it's been a couple of years since I checked it. Doubt it's changed much, though.

Yea, shipped price for the full deal with brakes is about $360 from trailerpart.com. think its going to wait though - have a lot to do already and I hope to do a trip in June.

 

[bikersmurf]

Can you run a drop axle like that, with the tube above the spindle? Seems like a bad idea to me.

Don't know why not... How much weight are you planning to haul in it?

There are some other thoughts here ---> http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/23297-Question-regarding-dropped-axle-flipped