Cheap Axles.

[Spinalguy]

You are going to need the cage regardless of what it is sitting on. Build the cage first. Than if you decide the truck now looks ghey (which i have never heard anyone say anything negative about cages on any axle/wheel combo...but i digress) than you could think about axles or begin harvesting what you need.

[Bnine]

Umm this thread has taken an interesting turn.  I not sure where cheap and $800 dollars worth of just knuckles are supposed to intersect?

The problem is the short side tube on anything other then a 78-79. The simplest solution is to get a later model bj 60 and cut and stretch the short side to match a 78-79. Then cut down the passenger side to match as well.

This does 2 things, eliminates the need to run coilovers, and allows you to rotate your knuckles to your desired caster angle.

Purchase some yukon snofighter inners for about 140$ each and you are off to the races.

Use the dana 60 bible done by billavista on pirate 4x4, and yukon axle shaft info to get the various lengths.

For the knuckles you really neednt worry about it until you get into 42 inch tires and bigger. The stock ford knuckles are a bit weak for really big rubber, but for 40's and down they are lots. You can plate them, but dont worry about it.

Also, dont worry about histeer arms. The are over rated, and limit your uptravel to much. They cant be used for a tie rod practically, and when used just on one side for the dragling, you still need the frame notch to get a reasonable amount of uptravel.

Simple solution is just knuckle over the factory knuckles with an inverted T done with 1 ton ends and call it done. Its high enough to be out of the way, and more then strong enough for up to about 40" tires.

Grab Dom and stop out for a coffee and some BS, and we can go over the finer details bud.


hope that helps

[4PLAYZJ]

What about the new dodge axles?  2004 + I think.   Lots of drivers side tube the steering knuckles mount the tie rods very high(less than an inch below the upper bj and I like the idea of a sealed bearing unit.  I dont think they are a dana 60 though because they dont used shims to set the carrier but threaded adjusters like a corperate axle.  I just did one ate work and man was it easy to work with with lots of tube to play with.  Do you know what make they are?

[Bnine]

They are american axle manufacturer (AAM). They are good quality and big axles, but I dont know if there is any aftermarket support for them at all. I would try pirate and see what they have to say about them.

I do know spidertrax tried using those unit bearings to build an even lighter version of the knuckles and bearings I run. They didnt hold up well at all and they scrapped the idea and went strictly to ford F450's.