I have a line on a front axle that I will be able to pick up this week. I was just wondering if anyone has made their own swap. I have plenty of fabrication skills but I'm just wondering if it would be worth it compared to just buying the kit.
Who has made their own SAS
- Thread starter ajfriz
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I did mine without a kit. I had an old SA frame to take measurements from, then I did a BUNCH of reasearch and reading. Lots of measuring and test fitting, spent a while with the truck up on ramps staring at it, taking measurements, comparing it to the frame diagrams in the FSMs.
I made my front hanger from scratch, put a bunch of gussets on it.
I found a piece of 1" EMT condiut makes a GREAT alignment jig once you get the holes drilled for the shackle tubes. I carefully drilled the holes (used a hole saw in a BIG drill), then welded the tubes in. I did all the welding while all the IFS stuff was still on the frame and the truck was still drivable.
Then, one day I worked up the courage, put the truck up on stands, and torched off all the IFS crap, did a LOT of grinding, painting, and started bolting stuff on.
I was really worried that my truck was gonna drive like crap with this suspension. After getting the shocks and steering stabilizer on, I had the alignment checked and it was dead-on perfect. All my reading and measuring paid off. Four years and 50,000 miles later, and the truck still drives perfectly straight, one finger on the wheel at 75 mph, all day long. Best mod I've ever made, I love it.
I made my front hanger from scratch, put a bunch of gussets on it.
I found a piece of 1" EMT condiut makes a GREAT alignment jig once you get the holes drilled for the shackle tubes. I carefully drilled the holes (used a hole saw in a BIG drill), then welded the tubes in. I did all the welding while all the IFS stuff was still on the frame and the truck was still drivable.
Then, one day I worked up the courage, put the truck up on stands, and torched off all the IFS crap, did a LOT of grinding, painting, and started bolting stuff on.
I was really worried that my truck was gonna drive like crap with this suspension. After getting the shocks and steering stabilizer on, I had the alignment checked and it was dead-on perfect. All my reading and measuring paid off. Four years and 50,000 miles later, and the truck still drives perfectly straight, one finger on the wheel at 75 mph, all day long. Best mod I've ever made, I love it.
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Here's a great writeup, using a kit, but it's doing everything you will have to do anyway....
http://home.off-road.com/~mithrandir/sas/
http://home.off-road.com/~mithrandir/sas/
Pride and glory! All can be yours if you build it fully custom!
First time around is far easier with all the parts fabbed and measured by someone else, but then it looks like everyone elses too..
I did my SAS on my 93 when there were less complete kits than available now, so I ended up buying parts from all over to complete the swap.
You can do it on the cheep, the geometry is really straight forward, just need to look at a stock 85 or a completed SAS and steal some measurements.
I had some harsh tire rubbing at full lock so I fabbed a custom set-up that pushed the front axle out and down. Jeep Cherokee rear leafs on the front and rear, steering box moved forward, weird shackle lands at the frame, etc.
(Sorry, no pictures, still too newbish)
Had access to a fab shop at the time and it made things much easier.
Research as much as you can, buy the bigger items from someone else, and get creative with the rest. Find out first person what works and what doesn't.
93 pickup 22re, Marlin box, ARB Hy-pinion 5.29, detroit 5.29, dents
First time around is far easier with all the parts fabbed and measured by someone else, but then it looks like everyone elses too..
I did my SAS on my 93 when there were less complete kits than available now, so I ended up buying parts from all over to complete the swap.
You can do it on the cheep, the geometry is really straight forward, just need to look at a stock 85 or a completed SAS and steal some measurements.
I had some harsh tire rubbing at full lock so I fabbed a custom set-up that pushed the front axle out and down. Jeep Cherokee rear leafs on the front and rear, steering box moved forward, weird shackle lands at the frame, etc.
(Sorry, no pictures, still too newbish)
Had access to a fab shop at the time and it made things much easier.
Research as much as you can, buy the bigger items from someone else, and get creative with the rest. Find out first person what works and what doesn't.
93 pickup 22re, Marlin box, ARB Hy-pinion 5.29, detroit 5.29, dents
- Thread starter
- #5
Thanks for the info guys. I guess I need to track down a sa truck to get the measurements off of. I have really been thinking of doing this myself because of my cheapness.
KLF, where did you get your steering? Everything looks really good on your truck. You want to come do mine for me
KLF, where did you get your steering? Everything looks really good on your truck. You want to come do mine for me
I used Sky Mfg steering arms, and a Budbuilt tie rod and draglink, with Sky's tapered end to connect to the stock pitman arm. Stock location for the steering box. I have OME springs, probably the lowest amount of lift that can be used with cross-over steering. I had to build up a special bumpstop on the pass side to keep the draglink from hitting the frame.
I had Sky bend me up some shock hoops, then I beefed them with scab plates on the frame and extra bracing:
You can't afford me, I'm too slow.
I had Sky bend me up some shock hoops, then I beefed them with scab plates on the frame and extra bracing:
You can't afford me, I'm too slow.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #7
I think that looks great. I was really thinking of going ome springs but I wasn't sure if the crossover steering would work with that low of a lift. Another goal would be to handly 35s and I don't know if ome would be able to do 35s without rubbing. I know what you mean about being slow. It seems like any project of mine takes quite awhile.
I had these OME springs on my previous '84 truck, then swapped them to this one, so I have probably 80,000 miles on them now. VERY pleased with them, I would buy them again if these ever wear out.
I have 35x12.50 BGF MT's as my trail tires, they don't rub unless I REALLY stuff a tire hard. I also have a 1" body lift, and I moved my front axle forward by about 1.5" (re-drilled the spring perches).
I usually have my 33x10.50 BFG AT's on for DD use, on the nice SR5 alloy wheels. I have my old IFS wheel hubs on, so these deeper BS wheels will fit without rubbing. These tires are a perfect combo with 4.88 gears on the street, my speedo and odo is dead on now.
I have 35x12.50 BGF MT's as my trail tires, they don't rub unless I REALLY stuff a tire hard. I also have a 1" body lift, and I moved my front axle forward by about 1.5" (re-drilled the spring perches).
I usually have my 33x10.50 BFG AT's on for DD use, on the nice SR5 alloy wheels. I have my old IFS wheel hubs on, so these deeper BS wheels will fit without rubbing. These tires are a perfect combo with 4.88 gears on the street, my speedo and odo is dead on now.
Go to Sky's website (http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/) and read about his "Solid Axle Widening Kit". Basically, you use the aluminum spacers to bolt the FJ vented rotors to the IFS hubs, this pushes the wheel mounting flange outboard some, giving you about 3" wider stance, and provides more clearance for your brake calipers. I also have V6 calipers in the front, made a HUGE difference in braking performance.
I honestly don't know how much lift it is, maybe 4-5" or so. I do know that I am within 0.25" of being above the allowable height for NH vehicle rules, so I can't go any higher without being hassled when I get my annual inspection.
Depends on where/who you buy it from. Some will sell you just the parts you want, others will only sell the whole kit. But Brian makes a very good point, they're not that expensive now, so getting the hangar prefabbed is not a bad idea, saves a lot of work. I just felt like doing it, I had all the scrap steel I needed, so the cost was only my time.
Correct. I've purchased front hangers from Marlin and FRORF; both were very nice about selling me just the parts I wanted/needed.
I've built a few hangers myself, in part because I think ALL aftermarket pieces have an inherent flaw in that they don't extend along the bottom of the frame rail far enough to add significant strength. That said, I can get a hanger for $50-80, or spend $30 (or more if you can't find scraps) on steal and 2-3 hours making it the way I want. So it's all a trade off.
Personally, if *I* were doing another SAS, I would build my own front hangers... yes, hangerS. It would be a two-piece unit much like the stock hangers, only stronger and extending much farther back on the frame rails. This would also allow me to utilize an ARB-type front bumper w/o modification.
But I'm not doing another one anytime soon.
- Thread starter
- #15
I went wheelin tonight with a guy and his 85 4runner. That thing did great. I got stuck a couple of times because of the crappy tires, but this guy didn't at all. The snow was really deep and it was very easy to slide off the side of the trail and get stuck. All I have were some wheels and tires off of an 80 series and he had 37s with dual cases and lockers front and rear. Mine has the lockers but I couldn't compare. It is def. time for the sas. I really appreciate all of the input you guys have given me. I can't wait to get this "done"
Ive done a few SASs in the past and have always built the hangers just because I had the tools and materials to do it... The next one that I do I may buy the hanger kit and shackle tubes just to see how much quicker the entire swap will go... This is pretty funny now but the very first SAS that me and my bud did back in 1998-99 we actually cut the cront part of the frame off of an 80 4x4 and welded it up under the frame of his 86 with all kinds of gusseting and plating... he drove it every day until we re-made the hanger in 2003 when I was making another hanger for another SAS... The only reason we changed his was because he wanted to move the front axle forward some. I think it woud be just as easy (possibly quicker) for you to buy the hangers and add the necessary bracing to them as it would to build your own... but as we all know opinions are like azzholes... everybodys got one... haha
take it easy
-j-rOd
take it easy
-j-rOd