Solid Axle Swap!!!

Well....your committed now bro, once you start cutting the chassis there is no going back, not that you would want to.

Dilmah did you look into obtaining a Dana axle?

I found a Dana44 1/2 way thourgh the GQ axle build. The D44 is a lot wearker compared to a patrol axle. The crownwheel is either 8.5" or 8.9" wheres a patrol is 9.25". The front axles are also stronger as they use a 31 spline birfield joint which is protected inside of the hub, a D44 uses a 30 spline uni joint which is not protected.

Another importnat factor is space parts: GQ spares are cheap and very readily available throughout Australia. D44 spare would have to come from the US as tracking down a complete D44 with non vac disconnects is almost impossible in AUS.

For my application in this build and where it is heading both axles would have sufficed in strength. A D44 can handle 37's if upgraded with chromo axle shafts. A GQ will handle 37's in stock form however breakages are not uncommon. When the stock CV's break some chromo replacement will be on the cards.

Yeah that's what I was thinking but the calmini kit was designed for it hence the question.

I'm tossing up on this at the moment. Was going to go a 3" cal and 2" body but I really want a solid axle aswell :/

The only issue I can se myself having is with the pumpkin offset. I may not have enough space on the short axle side to weld the bracket in the correct position

I don't have the space to do it myself. What's ur total cost at the moment I'd you don't mind me asking? Can send via a pm.if you like

yeah man ill send you a pm

Started prepping the chassis yesterday. The ole 4" and hacksaw did a pretty good job. Only went through 10 grinding disks which was better than the 30 it took to get the axle done

Got a bit left to do on the passengers side and I need to paint the exposed chassis and touch up a few areas with the grinder. I imagine another 1/2 day and it will be all done. Still waiting fow Calmini to send me my shit. They are pretty useless. 6 weeks now and still havnt posted my kit!!!!!

What!! Thats terrible...whats the hold up over there?

F@$K knows. starting to get pissed off. I just wanna out flex some crusiers and patrols already!!!!!! Not to mention im getting sick of riding my bike to work every day

Big company you would think they would have stock!!!Hope its a motorbike not a push bike

Nah pushie, 25km round trip.........

Rancho do a coil over that uses the same brand of spring as the Fox. I don't know if they are any better for quality etc. they are adjustable both spring and valving. You have to google rancho coil over to find them, I can't find the link for them on there website.
Good work by the way to mate. Watching with interest.
Cheers

Yeah I started working on the axle again today. Need to flip the face so the third member is up the right way. A lot of work, ill post up some more pics in the coming days

Cut the diff hat off a few days ago to open her up for a look. Going to try and get the studs out this weekend. If they are stubborn Ill just cut them off and drill and tap new holes and get some new studs.



Also been playing with the 4 link calc to see what I can come up with for the rear. Thinking of running some 12 - 14" Foxes in the rear to compliment the front



Im looking at turning the nav into an offroad racer. It will get a CAMS spec cage next year, some 37" treps if I an fit them under the front guards on steel beadlocks. I think ill still use the 33' ATZ's for the speed stages and the 37's for winch challenges.

Future mods will be a forefront turbo, Unichip and some work on the intake system. Gonna see how far I can push the YD25. The timing can be advanced 4 - 7 degrees.
I have a spare motor sitting at home if I destroy this one, I have ported the head and made a custom intake phleum as the stock one is very restrictive

I had a look the other day at the possibility of putting a four link in the rear. Would take some fab work that's for sure. No cross rail in the chassis for the top arms to mount and the fuel tank is in the way.
That's for a street going conversion. Race truck shouldn't be a problem because you would more than Likely run a fuel sell and an extra rail in the chassis wouldn't be a bad thing for strength anyway.
Did you look at the rancho coil overs? If so what do you think of them.

Yeah I had a gander, what sort of price are they compared to the Fox?

dilmah said:

Yeah I had a gander, what sort of price are they compared to the Fox?

Click to expand...

Yeah not sure of prices, wasn't sure if you had done any research on them as yet. They look the good tho.
With your four link st up, I designed a setup years ago and ran it in my GQ shorty for a few years. It is a six link setup and gives the exact same travel characteristics as a standard four link setup but with no penhard rod. You will see on some set ups that they run the top arms on an angle like a v shape connected to the top of the centre of the diff. But if you look closely at that setup it really is just trying to tear itself apart when the diff travels up and down with the axle parallel. As the two arms travel up and down the distance between the arms becomes greater. The setup I came up with has non of this going and and with no penhard rod means no bump steer. I was going to mass produce it and took the prototype I was running in the GQ to a test lab and put it under load to see if it could handle the loads and it passes with flying colours. So thin like 10 killer neutrons before it failed. I still have the bit and pieces of it in the shed as I never took it any further. If you want the design I can take some photos and I'll draw something up if you are interested. You need some special joints (Johhny a Joints) to make it work. I had my own made by a engineering shop but you can buy similar ones now.
Let me know if you are interested and I'll get it together for you.

Cheers.

Ive already got 1 1/4" Heim joins siting at home and most of the brackets already made. Ill see how it sits after the SAS goes in. If the arse is dragging ill 4 link the rear straight away otherwise ill drive it till it gets stickered then ill do the rear