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[Nosebolt]

the above might as well be written in chinese ....  makes as much sense 

thats why we add pictures 

[Bulldog67]

doods 

And YOU accuse ME of departing the Cult of BD by going all technical......Pfffffff....

the above might as well be written in chinese ....  makes as much sense 

Im just a conduit dood, dont stress, Im still the president 

[Delk]

Here is a good amount of info on flat top knuckles. They are the only way to go to get the steering correct. When I canged the axle in my TJ I added flat top knuckes and the steering and track bar angles are greatly imporved.

http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/flatop_knucles.html

[Bulldog67]

Cheers bud

In truth im tryin to avoid any more significant cash as I wasnt expectin to have done so much already (3500 over budget ), so at this point im gonna give the following advice (or variartions of it) I have received from a couple of birtys:

"alternatively  get someone to cut the front spring purches off and set the axle at 6-8' and then reweld them on

it won't matter that prop don't run straight as long as its not an extreme angle and I doubt  that putting it back a few degree's from where it is now will make that much difference to be honest.

If it does become a problem then you would probably need to look at some form of custom prop using a double cardan or cv type joint but I doubt you will need to go there"

Clearly long term flat top knuckles are the way to go, but unless lightys are going to be cheap on an item (yeah i know ) that will be another £400-500 so its just make it work at the moment. I can look at doing that when I have the J10 or CJ7 back on the road. The CJ7 will move into my bro's once the Chief is out, but that has a very long list, and the J10, well, that is another story

[Nosebolt]

it won't matter that prop don't run straight as long as its not an extreme angle and I doubt  that putting it back a few degree's from where it is now will make that much difference to be honest.

normally I would agree but that would be for someone who drives a bit slower than you ade, at prolonged motorway speeds it will be an issue

try and get a price for tube rotation, its a one off mod that will allow the use of standard parts without any extra stress

[wildwood]

I presume you is Quadratrac and so can't do the Free wheeling hubs trick....................shame..... NB is right....

[Panic mechanic!]

just been reading about a wagoneer soa conversion that was done at home, the only thing he needed to change was to cut and put the spring perches on to the axle at the correct angle and change the front prop for one of an early xj so that it had a cv type joint rather than UJ.

[Delk]

In some cases with SOA when you have the castor correct the steering will end fouling the springs. If you have to rotate the axle enough to get the correct castor you maybe forced to go with flat top knuckles.

Also does your front driveshaft have a CV joint at the Tcase end? If not then you will need to rotate the diff back down since the UJ angles should be roughly equal to avoid drive shaft vibrations. If you do have a CV joint then you are fine having the lower joint straight.

Here is a good article from pirate4x4 about moving inner C’s
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Hybrid_Axle/HybridAxle.htm

[Bulldog67]

right, will do the perches first, and try and find an early xj prop

if that doesnt work then knuckles and tube rotation as the steering will foul

so my question this time is where the chuff would i get the tubes rotated? have no idea on where to even start lookin or who/what would do them

cheers

[Panic mechanic!]

I would think someone who builds props is the first place I would look. Or  decent machine shop, you can have a go yourself but you need to be a bloody good welder!

[Bulldog67]

do you mean builds axles?

[Nosebolt]

think he does, the main point is to get both tubes rotated the same, welding is pretty basic stuff, any competent welder should be able to handle it

[Panic mechanic!]

no someone who builds propshafts as they have the  tools, welders/lathes etc.... axle builders tend to just have dial gauges and measuring equipment, any half decent machine shop might be able to do it.

[Bulldog67]

so is it a pro job? special machinery?

google is drawing a blank shame its all cost coz presumably  would be a good time to go alloy shafts

[Nosebolt]

no, a good engineering workshop can do it. most is simple just the lining up is critical

remove axle
remove hubs and shafts
drill out tube welds (most are held in with a couple of plug welds through the pumpkin casting)
important bit line up and clamp the tubes while in unfixed pumpkin
rotate pumpkin to required position and reweld
rebuild and refit

[Bulldog67]

pretty sure bro will know a good workshop, and it doesnt sound as hideously expensive as i initially thought

cheers dood

[Delk]

I have seen it once where they ground the weld on the back of the inner C's. This was done so they could be narrowed but it is the same principle.

Either way have a good luck to see how far this will move the steering to ensure you don't have any contact before you start attacking things.

[Delk]

Correction

Have good look not luck!

[Bulldog67]

i guessed, altho it could have been a freudian slip

just looking at it it would seem flat top knuckles and hi-steer woud have to be done even if they were turned

have contacted lights so waitin on a price for the knuckles, but seems secondhand ones from the states arent mental money

[Nosebolt]

do the perches first and dry fit em before welding, may be easier to sacrifice a degree or 2 of caster to clear the steering.

afraid its a case of try and measure, then try and measure again

useful tools will be an inclinometer and laser level (can lend you if your man don't have)

[Bulldog67]

cheers dood

[dieselj20]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/narrowing_a_ford_dana44.htm

[Bulldog67]

again  top work dood, cheers 

[JamesH]

On my XJ I had to find a balance with the caster - all the way to stock and the angle on the UJ was causing vibration but with a bit less the handling is acceptable and vibrations have gone.

Shims would be the way I'd go, although on my XJ I fitted them differently from how WW described - the instructions on my Rusty's ones were to remove the centre pin from the springs pack and pass it through the shim and then back through the leaf pack (it stops it ever popping out).

[Nosebolt]

on a 6" SOA he would need some massive shims, moving the perches is a more practical solution but will lead to some nock on mods being needed