heims are stronger than TREs.

Not to mention they are easy to take off and back on. All it is is a bolt. Unlike that silly tapered TRE.

ive seen them both fail so im not sure if you can say neither would fail. You buy good quality heims and they will far outlast from the elements/abuse compared to a TRE.

 

alright, then i will go with that bracket route then. i just also found a site describing the differences in the dana 30 before 1990, it turns out the terra flex system will not work with my hubs, rotors or calipers due to revisions in those years after

dana 30 front axle bearings and hub assembly - JeepForum.com


the jb4x4 bracket it $175 shipped to my door plus brokerage fees, and it will clear a 44044 spring

but to do heims i will go with the btf bracket with the double shear, plus it looks real strong, and is the same price as the jb4x4 piece, ill put the bracket on order soon. also, i didnt realize that drilling the knuckle to 5/8" doesnt really take off any of the knuckles stock because the taper is .625 at its widest diameter anyway, its only just clearing the taper out.

i wont be able to do much without my high steer, so ill probably be piecing together the required parts for a steering shaft this week coming

thanks for your help so far!

 

ok so i should have the btf bracket in a couple weeks, they have none made at this time

i need to return my rotors this weekend, for some reason they dont clear the hub diameter, i guess they are for another year.. i also need to find some stronger hardware for the hub. i had enough m12x90 flanged bolts to secure the hub to the knuckle but i just realized the grade is only an 8.9 or 5.5 rate in metric, ill probably need a 10.9 or greater grade. and if i didnt have enough running around to do this weekend i also need to find the proper sized banjo bolts for the brakes. i just bought a set for them but when i checked the new caliper it was a slightly smaller thread then the old core i sized from.

 

i got everything i needed this weekend and now ill attempt the driver side brake assembly on monday and hopefully everything lines up nicely. i should be able to get my brake line issues resolved this week and ill start looking for the main pieces required for a steering shaft..

 

brakes line up really nice, no real issues.

i used thread locker throughout for all hardware, and used anti-sieze on the outer splines while i used a good grease on the inner seal spline and carefully installed the axle. i did 80 ft pounds on the 12mm hub bolts, and ball joints, 15 ft pounds on the caliper bolts, and when i get some weight on the axle ill need to get the axle nut to approximately 175 ft pounds

im just awaiting my high steer to come in for more progress, if the weather clears up a little more here i can go scavenging for steering parts tomorrow evening.

 

Axle looks real nice man, good work!

 

scavenging for steering shaft parts

the yard was closed today when i went, but i was told there is a couple 91' year 4 runners out back. if the shafts arent very good, i hear a ford aerostar, specifically a 1995 will tighten right up to the ifs box spline (link below). that might be an easier find for the rag joint/box end if i cant grab the 4 runner piece for whatever reason. at lunch tomorrow ill also try to find an E-250 shaft to build off of and another ranger shaft to play with.

EDIT: (for those having trouble finding a steering shaft from an E250 for their SAS, the shaft from these particular vans are the same design from all Ford E150 - 350 Vans from 1997 - 2004. i was just informed of this from a local scrap yard and then i did some research on this to verify the years. this makes a scavenge much less discouraging!)

aerostar shaft seen here
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...152904&page=24

im also looking for certain methods of supporting the shaft through the firewall like the one idea starting on the bottom of this page.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...152904&page=29

if anyone has any ideas of modifying the original ranger connections on the cabin side, post em up
thanks,

i want a unit bearing built into the firewall like in the link, not built off of the wall using a pillow block bearing.
after a quick search in google for 'fire wall bearing' and i got this.. this may come together nicely!

http://www.bryke.com/310-251/Steerin...g+Support.html

 

looking for a steering shaft didnt go as expected, both 91' 4 runners had un usable systems. one didnt have it at all and the other was stripped at the box spline. surprisingly, another 4 runner is being brought in tomorrow at the yard, and i will get the shaft from that. i was going to get the aerostar shaft tonight but since the real deal is coming in tomorrow i will compare them and see the differences. maybe get both..

 

i got my box input shaft from the 'new' 91' 4 runner today, everything looks nice, intact, tight and not siezed up lol. i checked it out good, and cleaned up the buisness end for now. ill need to get the other pieces of that puzzle soon.

i also got my BTF bracket today and all i can say is that it is one overkill bracket lol. but very strong! ill work on getting it on tomorrow and ill pick up new hardware and rod ends for it next week.

pics..

 

No such thing as overkill lol. Everything looks like it is coming together smooothly, for now lol

 

ohhh, when i get back from my weekend ive got some stories to tell about that BTF instal. what should have been a 40 minute job took me all friday morning lol.

 

Blue Torch instal overwiew.

i had a few issues installing that bracket to my knuckle. i feel the problems could have been possibly prevented by using another method of installing the bracket then how i had completed it.

i set the knuckle up on the horizontal mill and bored out the hole in the knuckle to 5/8. i more or less had the knuckle set up straight to what i was able to get from it, but there isnt much of a surface to pick up a straight edge from.
once i drilled out the 5/8" hole for the taper i installed bracket with the hub bolts looslely through the hub and tried to drop in the 5/8" bolt. for some un clear reason the hole on the bracket was positioned very far from the straight bore i put into the knuckle, it was out by almost 1/4" outward.!?
since i was unable to figure the positioning issue i welded the original hole in the bracket and re-marked and drilled a new one that was in line with my hole in the knuckle.
i have a feeling the bracket could have been made incorrectly, or my hole just isnt inline to where it needed to be.

if i were to do this again i would not drill this knuckle on a machine, but i would install the bracket, and drill & tap the 2 1/2" bolts on the side, and then hand drill the knuckle through the bracket to keep it in line.

i just hope this little issue wont cause me major steering problems later..

 

after it was corrected the bolt drops down very easily and i feel it will work for its intended purpose. the only issue that still is present is the angle of the bracket where the rod end bolt drops through. it is on a slight angle and the bolt head doesnt sit flat on its surface. once all the spacers are made up and the rod ends are installed it should sit and pull itself in with some bolt pressure.

the drivers side was an easy job, i had just hand drilled the hole and finished that quickly..

 

i got a bunch of parts for monday, ill be doing the pass. brakes and installing some rod ends i got from Competition Engeneering, and then ill be making up some shims for the misalignment. i also picked up some longer hardware to keep the abuse off the threads and on the shank of the bolts.

later this week ill probably go ahead and order my leafs, and required hardware for the front, and make up my tie rod and drag. im talking with the boss this week to see when i can get some time to get my steering box mounted.. then after that i have the ability to finish a shaft once i find all the pieces.

 

i still need to find some time to make the tie rod, spacers and drag links, but most of the goods are finially on the axle...

 

What size are those steering bolts? they look really small.
that high steer bracket is way cool, how much did it set you back?

 

the hardware is all 5/8" and the heims are 5/8 x 3/4", actually its a pretty good size for hardware. the BTF bracket was under $200, but since im in Canada i had to pay $60 to the UPS guy for the brokerage fees on top of the cost.

 

i just thought i should post an update on the 4x4 conversion part of this project.

i just gave the truck its first oil change since the swap of the driveline and everything is holding up well. i dont have anymore annoying leaks of ATF fluid except some occasional drip of oil from the paper gasket between the tcase and the transmission extension housing. (fluid doesnt flood this area but it is present) occasionally a drip will form from fluid soaking through the gasket, but ive never seen a drip on the driveway add up yet. i blame the transmission output seal for the leak because the max fluid level in the tcase is below the seal, so it cant really leak out, it just splashes in the case and cant really stick around to leak. the transmission seal is constantly flooded and i assume it is the weak link here. i might take it back in to have it fixed but i dont know if it is worth it..

while driving i get a small vibration that i didnt have with the 4x2 driveline but only at higher speeds. at just over 3000rpm @ 120kmp the gas pedal will begin to vibrate slightly under my foot. and the t case shifter will vibrate the same in my hand, but it isnt anything critical and i only notice it when im in a hurry lol. i expect the issue would be my tires, since they are beginning to wear funny, and i can hear them getting louder with some age. or it could possibly be the driveshaft. nothing is loose or worn yet but either way i dont imagine it will add up to anything. maybe one of those weights on the back of the t case may help counteract some of the vibration, because mine never came with one..

how much spline is in those explorer drive shafts? i have the boot at about its maximum tension before i would need to remove or move it. possibly there is just enough spline contact that it causes a slight vibration as it floats at the end of the spline. i should of had my shaft an inch longer. i cant shift anything in anyway that it shouldnt, but maybe at speed things give a little.

during my oil change i checked the case oil along with my rear diff oil. the t case fluid was decent, but it was dark in color. while my diff fluid was shot at over 60000km. since its an open diff and the guts are being replaced anyway ill just let it go until then.

 

One tip for getting stuff shipped up here, Get it shipped USPS. You can still get the same service (ie time frame) and they do not charge any brokerage fees

 

Just for clarification, our 30 cross-over steering brackets are bolted to a knuckle in all mounting holes and a heim is bolted b/t the bracket and knuckle while it is welded/cooled.

Did you drill the taper out from the top or the bottom? Generally while installing these I bolt the bracket to the knuckle using the hub bolts, and transfer punch the holes that need to be tapped in the knuckle.

I would pull your "level" from the top mating surface of the factory steering arm.

 

I drilled the hole from the top of the knuckle on a horizontal mill, possibly my mistake was using the hub face as a level parallel surface to drill the hole from. i set the hub face up on a set of blocks and located and centered the hole, and then drilled. possibly the hub face is off chamber? it doesnt show it much, but that may have been my issue here. either way, this morning i dropped in my hardware, heims, and spacers i made, and everything is very straight with no sign or evidence of off chamber or funny angles in the hardware. i had also punch located the holes on top then drilled and tapped with no issues, except,, i needed to clear the holes in the bracket for 1/2" hardware because there was no way my 1/2"- 13 bolts cleared those holes in that bracket, they were close but they were undersized for the 1/2" i wanted to run. i just had some unusual problems with its install but everything is inline and will work fine.

 

thanks for the hint, i didnt know about that.

 

i just ordered another $2000 worth of parts to get the rear geared and locked. i went with an 'Eaton E-locker' for the 28 spline ranger 8.8 and got a set of 4.88 to match the front along with an instal kit. all the goods should be in by next monday. i was really wanting to get the rear done and rolling and i soon will. my front 44044 springs are going to be another 2 weeks from now so i might as well get the rear prepared..

ill probably need to pick up one of those 'tire paq' programmers from superchips. but im not sure if i should get it before or after the instal. i just dont know if it would hurt the trans to run without it being properly calibrated for shifts.. opinions?..

 

today i decided to create a drive shaft spacer to hopefully solve any short driveshaft issues i am having. when i got my shaft made i should have gotten it done about an inch longer because ive really got the spline at about its limit before it falls out. i noticed it today while i had the truck in neutral, and the e brake on. i was able to jimmy the spline around a little bit with no weight on the driveline, which makes me believe its about at the end.. if the spline was more engaged, i believe my slight vibration at higher speeds or coasting may be resolved also..

the spacer i made will just snug up between the 2 flanges and extend my shaft to about 1.5" over what i have already, which should give me some comfort in that aspect.. ill be installing it tomorrow morning.

 

i installed the spacer this morning and everything is working out well. the spline is now much more engaged and has tightened up alot. i also have no vibrations that i can detect as an imbalance issue. when on the gas i get some small vibration from the engine rpm, which is normal, and at really slow or higher speed i can detect my tire wear slightly but i dont get any more coasting vibrations and high speed rattles. i made my spacer out of steel for strength and abrasion resistance, but if i were to make another i would reccomend aluminum for the weight savings..