Monster Garage Fab's-4-link SAS

[bigTXbronco]

My apologies for disappearing everyone. Had a crazy hectic week... anyways, let me answer some of your questions now.

[bigTXbronco]

Originally Posted by kidlightning5

Why did you choose to do a D50, just wondering for info. I'll be keeping an eye out on this build looks like something I want to do. Great job!

Because i personally think the axle will handle what i plan to throw at it. and i want to personally know its potential. it's ring gear is a half inch larger than than the d44 and it's three quarters of an inch smaller than the d60. it does have thirty spline shafts that are the same diameter at the splines as the d44 (but from what i'm told the d50 shafts are stronger than the d44's, that is in stock form of course. and i would assume that's because they used a different material grade or modified the material through heat treat to yield a higher tensile strength.) but i dunno, like i said, that's just what i was told.. but no there is not much for aftermarket for these axles other than a decent range of gear ratios and a hand full of locker mfg's. no chro-mo shafts or anything like that. could easily get someone to make some though... if you have the capabilities in the area like we do here in houston or you could have someone like moser make them for you... but that's not my intentions... i would like to see this axle do great in factory form at 488 gears and a detroit. but we'll see.

Originally Posted by Killswitchengage

Nice to see a D50 getting used. My Diesel has gone 250k with 35s on a D50 with no prob.

that's what i'm talking about! i have cruised many diesel and excursion sites and many of you guys seem pleased with the axle... not to mention i have seen many 250's and excursions running big tires and actually abuse the truck on the trail and they seem to hold up just fine.... some running as large as 42s.

Originally Posted by Killswitchengage

Is the Caster going to change as the suspention cycles?

no sir..

[bigTXbronco]

Originally Posted by crash-harris

Didn't realize that you were moving at such a nice pace. Keep it up!

Originally Posted by stan the man

What a hunk of junk!


Nah I'm just kidding, are you done yet? I wanna see this thing done. Should look sweet with 40's on it.

Originally Posted by biscwgn

Dam thats some good looking fab work i'm ready to see the finished product!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by zrxw13

any updates?? at the rate this is goin already, you have to have the pan hard bar and the stearing set up or somethin else by now at the least...

Thanks and yes, i can't wait to see it on 40's myself... but that comes last. also, no, unfortunately not much more has been done... just a lil bit on the steering and jacked with the sway bar a lil but nothing major... unfortunately other projects in the garage superceeded the importance of my truck last week... hopefully more will be accomplished this week. i will post pics tomorrow when i get a chance of what little work did get done last week.

Originally Posted by Andy351

you should invest in some dimple dies

i know, just been doing things the same way for forever now...

Originally Posted by KyleQ

Interesting...

thanks! i guess.... lol

[bigTXbronco]

Originally Posted by Joes93Bronco

i am curious as to why you didn't use an end for your links that would give you some adjustability?

Don't need it... the axle will be dialed in right where i want it. Have done it this way many times....

Originally Posted by zrxw13

alright, finally the new thread is up... bigTX!!! that's looking really good. what coils do you plan on using? how many + inches of lift are they and for what year truck? are you gonna keep the stock buckets? or switch to the 78-79 ones?

thanks. going with the newer 9" superlift springs. and i am not sure of the buckets yet... if i do keep them... i will cut them.. and give them a better look. otherwise, i'm thinking, hoops mounts running off the frame... but at this point still undecided.

Originally Posted by plug ugly

several things,
1. you are going to a lot of effort for not that much tire. why?
2. Im guessing you are strictly mud? In not, why did you kill your breakover angle so bad?
3. with non adjustable links, I hope you dont plan to change coils/heights, as you have no way to adjust caster
4. props for being sorta different, but you would have been money, time and performance ahead with a set of cage arms.

1-because it's my truck and i want to four link it... lol but really... it's just how i wanna do it...

2-no, don't get me wrong, we got lots of mud.. especially right around where i live... but no, texas has a lil bit of everything... so i'm hoping for it to be "all around" capable.... yes, i am aware i killed my breakover point... but honestly, i didn't kill it.... i just wounded it slightly... lol check out one of the first pics i posted when the ttb was pullled. the lower skid plate hung down quite a bit... i'm only technically adding about 4.5 inches at most onto where that plate hung... so yes, it looks drastic, but really if you think about it, it's not all that drastic... but yes, when you go link... sometimes you have to make sacrafices... and that was mine... i will still have more ground clearance than i had before the build when my truck sat on a 4 inch lift and 33s... not to mention now my articulation should be drastic.... so i believe i am building a good build... i would like for some people to give me some measurements if you could. that way when i am done i can see where my cage sits in correlation to you guys with lift and running radius or cage arms... i would like measurements from someone with a 6" lift running 35s. measure from flat ground to lowest point, probably skid plate or radius or cage mount.. i believe my cage will sit just above that stance in correlation to ground clearance...

3-no sir.... i don't plan on changing it.. if i do i will rebuild new links and get different coils and just set it up completely different.... but yes, i do plan to run 40s for play time... but when crawling through the woods, i'm not worried about caster! and besides theres not much between the two sizes...

4-thanks! but that's not what i wanted... but if i would have just done another build using cage arms or radius arms i wouldn't have felt the need to post a build thread either... and money ahead.... probably, time, again, probably, performance... i dunno... lets just wait and see...

Originally Posted by reptillikus

I didnt even notice they are non-adjustable. Yes, id defintely change that so you can fine-tune your alignment once its on all four tires. Wouldnt affect just caster either, it would also give you a way to dial that axle in to make sure its perfectly straight underneath the rig, ensuring good handling on the road.
Aside from that, i think its cool but i wouldnt have used the TTB buckets, i definitely wouldve switched to the 70s buckets, not only because its so much cleaner looking, but also to move the axle forward an inch. Once you hit that 40" mark, you need all the firewall clearance you can get.

nah.... as stated above in a previous statement we have done the links like this before on numerous rigs both streetable and non... and haven't had any problems... when you build the links its designed to be where you want it. don't feel the need for too much adjustability there... not to mention, imo it creates a weak spot in your links making them adjustable... which is why we weld them straight... but that's our way. also, on the buckets... i stated before i will either alter them or do away and go hoops!

Originally Posted by doubled1178

What is the size of the tube used here?





What is the size of your upper and lower links?

1.75

Originally Posted by 4x4_Racer

Maybe its too soon, but what are you doing about the rear suspension? Are you adding another 4 link setup or are you going with leafs?

Originally Posted by doubled1178

He already said.

doubled is correct. leafs for now... 4link later.

Originally Posted by Mud-Nut

Looks good dude, thanks for the new thread and the update. Keep up the good work!!! I like that trac bar mount on the axle, it looks pretty sweet. Nice job. But a few concerns though....

What kind of "modification for the steering" are you talking about? I wouldn't be welding onto that knuckle if I were you.

And I'm also concerned about the non-adjustable links.

thanks! non adjustable links... again... no biggy to me... on the steering... just changing the angle of things slightly to help with any bumpsteer, and to strengthen the arm... have done this many times and no problems. and works out great! i will post pics of this tomorrow... have seen some steering arms break under extreme wheelin.

[bigTXbronco]

anyways.. think i'm caught up now.. i gotta be up in four hours... so no time for pics ... will post tomorrow.

[plug ugly]

Originally Posted by bigTXbronco

nah.... as stated above in a previous statement we have done the links like this before on numerous rigs both streetable and non... and haven't had any problems... when you build the links its designed to be where you want it. don't feel the need for too much adjustability there... not to mention, imo it creates a weak spot in your links making them adjustable... which is why we weld them straight... but that's our way. also, on the buckets... i stated before i will either alter them or do away and go hoops!

it just makes centering and squaring the axle, as well as setting caster a PITA, but you prolly already know that.

[f1fiddy]

Originally Posted by bigTXbronco

no chro-mo shafts or anything like that. could easily get someone to make some though... if you have the capabilities in the area like we do here in houston or you could have someone like moser make them for you... but that's not my intentions... i would like to see this axle do great in factory form at 488 gears and a detroit. but we'll see.

A couple of my buddies with yota's had their front shafts and birfeilds 'cryogenically frozen' or something like that. I don't know a whole lot about it, except it wasn't too expensive and I am guessing cheaper than custom axle shafts. Just a thought. for being different, I saw a late 90's superduty burnt to a crisp at the jy with the axle still there and thought of this thread. The axle tubes looked to be about 4'' OD, would that be a Dana 50?

[Late Model Man]

Originally Posted by f1fiddy

A couple of my buddies with yota's had their front shafts and birfeilds 'cryogenically frozen' or something like that. I don't know a whole lot about it, except it wasn't too expensive and I am guessing cheaper than custom axle shafts. Just a thought. for being different, I saw a late 90's superduty burnt to a crisp at the jy with the axle still there and thought of this thread. The axle tubes looked to be about 4'' OD, would that be a Dana 50?

Most likely it's a D60 if it's in a superduty. I'm surprised it wasn't pulled already.

[Andy351]

Originally Posted by f1fiddy

I saw a late 90's superduty burnt to a crisp at the jy with the axle still there and thought of this thread. The axle tubes looked to be about 4'' OD, would that be a Dana 50?

4" od tubes on a front axle? you guys really measure stuff funny up there, or maybe its just the metric conversion and you misplaced a decimal....

Originally Posted by Late Model Man

Most likely it's a D60 if it's in a superduty. I'm surprised it wasn't pulled already.

its more like 50/50 its a D50 or a D60, but if the truck was burnt to a crisp then the front is probably warped and worthless


so you used 1.75", what wall thickness?

[bigTXbronco]

Originally Posted by plug ugly

it just makes centering and squaring the axle, as well as setting caster a PITA, but you prolly already know that.

no, really... like i said.. it has not been an issue for us. ever.

[bigTXbronco]

Originally Posted by f1fiddy

A couple of my buddies with yota's had their front shafts and birfeilds 'cryogenically frozen' or something like that. I don't know a whole lot about it, except it wasn't too expensive and I am guessing cheaper than custom axle shafts. Just a thought. for being different, I saw a late 90's superduty burnt to a crisp at the jy with the axle still there and thought of this thread. The axle tubes looked to be about 4'' OD, would that be a Dana 50?

hmm... have to check into that cryogenic freezing process you are talking about.... on the axle.... the d50 and d60 look identical... the difference is on the inside... best to check out the housing for some #'s and check 'em to be best off. all excursions came with the d50 and some f250's between 99-02 came with them until ford used 'em all up and made the 60 a standard for the 250....

[bigTXbronco]

Originally Posted by f1fiddy

A couple of my buddies with yota's had their front shafts and birfeilds 'cryogenically frozen' or something like that. I don't know a whole lot about it, except it wasn't too expensive and I am guessing cheaper than custom axle shafts. Just a thought. for being different, I saw a late 90's superduty burnt to a crisp at the jy with the axle still there and thought of this thread. The axle tubes looked to be about 4'' OD, would that be a Dana 50?

oh and the 4" tube... that's quite large... 3.125-3.25" is more realistic.

[bigTXbronco]

Originally Posted by Late Model Man

Most likely it's a D60 if it's in a superduty. I'm surprised it wasn't pulled already.

i wouldn't bank on that... especially being late 90's....

[bigTXbronco]

Originally Posted by Andy351

4" od tubes on a front axle? you guys really measure stuff funny up there, or maybe its just the metric conversion and you misplaced a decimal....

its more like 50/50 its a D50 or a D60, but if the truck was burnt to a crisp then the front is probably warped and worthless


so you used 1.75", what wall thickness?

yeah, i corrected tube dia in another response... 4" is large... lol but also i agree with andy about them being no bueno! if the truck has been burnt (to a crisp) i would bet money those tubes are warped in some fashion, and enough to cause problems for anyone that tries to use that housing again. i personally wouldn't think about using that axle... but, that's your call... now if the axles were completely submerged in some thick mud while the rest of the truck was on fire... that would be different... axles would be fine in my opionion if that were the case...

.188 on cage

.250 on links

[bigTXbronco]

Originally Posted by f1fiddy

for being different

Thanks! unique is what im hoping for! i believe when it's done... people are either gonna like it or absolutely hate it..... i don't think there will be an in between...

[f1fiddy]

Originally Posted by bigTXbronco

yeah, i corrected tube dia in another response... 4" is large... lol but also i agree with andy about them being no bueno! if the truck has been burnt (to a crisp) i would bet money those tubes are warped in some fashion, and enough to cause problems for anyone that tries to use that housing again. i personally wouldn't think about using that axle... but, that's your call... now if the axles were completely submerged in some thick mud while the rest of the truck was on fire... that would be different... axles would be fine in my opionion if that were the case.

Well now you guys have me wondering so I think I will go back and have another look and maybe snap a pic.I work with a tape measure and steel for a living and use both imperial and metric on daily basis.I can actually eye ball something way better in imperial than metric even though metric is what I was taught.

Hey Andy aren't you clowns and the brits the only ones stuck in the dark ages

[bigTXbronco]

Ok, finally! an update!!

[bigTXbronco]

and some more.....

Coils are in!!! Unfortunately the square tubing for the lower mount needs to be re-done... to mount it with the spring straight the tubing had to hang off the truss slighty.. and there is no way to clean it up and look decent... So now the plan is to cut another piece of square tubing but this time longer and then one end will be cut so that it angles down toward the bottom of the truss near the axle tube. (make sense?)

anyways, to the pics!

[project86]

Originally Posted by bigTXbronco

Ok, finally! an update!!

Is that where your drag link will mount? I know it's tacked in now, but why not machine and tap the knuckle, or just mount the drag link to the tie rod? I don't think I could ever trust a welded knuckle.

[bigTXbronco]

Originally Posted by project86

Is that where your drag link will mount? I know it's tacked in now, but why not machine and tap the knuckle, or just mount the drag link to the tie rod? I don't think I could ever trust a welded knuckle.

Haven't had one fail yet... and do it to most projects.