Cut down my full-size? Or buy a Waggy?
#1
Cut down my full-size? Or buy a Waggy?
I'm thinking I'm going to take a different route with my zuk. I've currently got a fullsize Chevy D44 out of a 72 blazer. I can get a Waggy rear D44 (narrowtrac I think) for pretty cheap, so I'm thinking I can just pick up a set of waggy inner shafts and cut down the D44 I've got. I MAY be able to get a matching waggy front, however, for about $150 where it's missing brakes (which I have on my Chevy). Should I pick up the waggy front if he decides to sell it? Or would it be better to spend that money on some chromo shafts and cut down the D44 I've got? One advantage to cutting down the axle I can see is that I'll be able to cut and turn the knuckles for better caster.
Anyone have any insight to lend? Tires will likely be either 36" IROKS or 37" MTRs.
Anyone have any insight to lend? Tires will likely be either 36" IROKS or 37" MTRs.
#2
#3
No I'm pretty sure both the Chevy and the Waggy are low pinion? I know for sure the Chevy is.
I think the Chevy brakes should work on the Waggy axle. I should be able to swap the flat-top knuckles to the waggy and use all the brake hardware (though the chevy brakes probably need to be gone through with a fine-toothed comb as well).
I think the Chevy brakes should work on the Waggy axle. I should be able to swap the flat-top knuckles to the waggy and use all the brake hardware (though the chevy brakes probably need to be gone through with a fine-toothed comb as well).
#5
I need passenger drop. Both the Chevy and the waggy are passenger drop.
The Chevy's got flattop knuckles. I just need to take the passenger side knuckle to get machined/drilled/tapped for high-steer. The chevy knuckles should fit on the waggy and vice-versa.
My main thought is "how difficult is it to cut the tubes down?" because if it isn't too hard, then I will take the money I would have spent on the waggy 44 and put it into getting chromo shafts for the chevy, since i'll need to get new shafts anyways. I'm also wondering about the cast-in spring perch on the D44. The differential housing has the spring perch cast right there with it, so it might make it difficult to get things to line up properly. I think if I have to though I can just grind the perch down?
The Chevy's got flattop knuckles. I just need to take the passenger side knuckle to get machined/drilled/tapped for high-steer. The chevy knuckles should fit on the waggy and vice-versa.
My main thought is "how difficult is it to cut the tubes down?" because if it isn't too hard, then I will take the money I would have spent on the waggy 44 and put it into getting chromo shafts for the chevy, since i'll need to get new shafts anyways. I'm also wondering about the cast-in spring perch on the D44. The differential housing has the spring perch cast right there with it, so it might make it difficult to get things to line up properly. I think if I have to though I can just grind the perch down?
#6
#7
Oh I was thinking I'd need new shafts because the Chevy ones would obviously be too long once the tubes were cut. I'll probably do the cutting myself since it'd make more sense to buy the Waggy front if it cost me 160 bucks per side. I'd like to make the Chevy work if I can because then I won't have to worry about trying to get rid of the axle.
EDIT: I think like 77-79 Wagonneers (not grand waggys) are passenger side drop. http://forum.stx4wd.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2035
EDIT: I think like 77-79 Wagonneers (not grand waggys) are passenger side drop. http://forum.stx4wd.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2035
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#12
Originally Posted by redranger4.0
careful i bet those shafts have a neck down on them, might not be able to respline them. If you plan on shortening the chevy axle, shorten it so that it uses shafts from another D44, that way if you ever break an axle its not a custom length.
I'm not going with toys because 1) they're hard to find and kind of expensive, and B) because I'd initially planned to go full-width but have since decided against it. And the 14 bolts I've found just haven't been very cheap and they're HUGE. Too huge for me to deal with. That D44 kicked my *** even. The Waggy's are still a few inches wider than Toys, and much wider than zuk axles, so it'll still be a big increase in stability.
#13
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Fx4wannabe01
Wheels & Tires Semi-Tech
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09-12-2007 05:57 PM