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How hard would it be to do a straight axle swap to a Dana 44 for someone who has never touched suspension components before? I just bought a new MIG welder, but I haven't played with it yet. The only welding I've ever done was with an ARC welder around 7 years ago. Does anyone know of any websites I could read to further my knowledge?

Thanks
-Brandon

Try Lincoln or Miller welding web sites.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

Welding wont be too much of a hassle, I just need to play around with it a bit. My question was more towards what I need and what I need to do for the axle swap. My truck is currently 2wd, and I want to make it a 4x4. Right now i'm not sure which engine/transmission/t-case is going into it, so I figured I could go ahead and swap the front ends while everything is apart.

That might be a little tricky! 800xl might have a few suggestions! Good luck!!!

From what I have found on the web, the only way to really know how to do it is to just jump in and do it. Sounds like a blast!

Cuttin' torch and metal fab, her I come!

Go for it, and don't forget to take lots of pics!!!

Bleh. That means I have to spend MORE money on a camera. Disposables it is!

I hate to rain on your parade, but this is a deadly serious undertaking! I doubt very much that a home/hobby wire feed welder is up to the task, unless it's really got the amps and the gas and a highly skilled operator. I've been welding for 40 years and personally I would not even consider welding up my own steering arms and such. That's a job for a skilled and certified specialty welder.

I would not look at doing the project if you don't know the exact difference between a Pitman arm, a steering arm, a drag link, an idler arm, a Panhard rod, caster, camber, bump steer, scrub radius, king pin inclination, Ackerman angle, toe in and toe out etc. You also have to make an imformed and intelligent choice as to whether you want crossover steering drag link-to-knuckle, or crossover drag link-to-tie rod, or double crossover, or Y-link or just what is best for your rig.

There's an article in the December '05 "4 Wheel and Off Road" magazine that covers this subject. Remember, the lives of every single individual that comes in the line of fire of your steering is on the line. One failed part could spell disaster. Sorry I can't be more positive, but this is really complicated stuff. Check out the Pirate 4X4 site for more info.

#11

Would this be a bad thing to try even if the truck is going to be a trailer bitch anyhow? I wouldn't drive it on the road unless it had be tested ALOT. I plan on puttin' alot of research into it before I do it, and I plan on taking ALOT of measurements and doing alot of designing first. That's why I was asking for people that knew of any good axle swap websites I could read so I could start to learn how all of this works.

It would be a little different picture if you were going to trailer it and test it as you describe. One of the reasons I posted like I did is from some of the horror stories I have personally seen out on the streets! Incredible ignorance turned into disaster waiting for a place to happen, or already happening.

I would start by looking at all the 4X4 mags you can get your hands on. Also work the net, with inquiries for 4X4, 4 wheel drive, and all sorts of combinations of that kind of thing and you'll get lots of hits. Pirate 4X4 has some good info by Bella Vista, also 'Offroad Fab', and 'Pavement Sucks' websites etc. Many of the 4X4 parts sites also have lots of tech info added that can help you get a picture of what's involved.

Many guys have taken a shortcut and eliminated a lot of fabrication headaches by swapping the body of choice onto another chassis and running gear. It's still a lot of work, but less mechanical engineering is needed! Another way is to install a complete integrated drive train on your chassis/frame exactly as it was on a donor truck that's factory engineered.

The main thing is to know your own limitations and be realistic about just what is within your personal capabilities. From there all it takes is money!

#11

I dont want to just swap the body, because I want to do this to learn, just as much as I want to drive the truck. I have a nice little "backyard" (63 acres) to play in to make sure the steering is kosher. A buddy of mine runs a 4x4 park in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and he suggests Dana 44 axles. He is only use to dealing with the bigger trucks like broncos and such. Would a Dana 30 be adequate for a LUV? I'm not going to be doing any heavy rock crawling or anything. It is all going to be mud and sand.

Thanks in advance again, and I'll post pictures as I do it.

Oh, is it a bad thing to swap axles before I know what kind of engine/transmission/tcase will be in the truck? My automotive knowledge is limited to turbocharging 4bangers.

-Brandon

Pretty hard to plan the build unless you have a plan: like what engine, trans etc. Even a Dana 60 is going to be pressed to its limits with a blown 454. It can soon be an exercise in, "What can I break next...?" That is, first you upgrade the front axle, then the engine, and the engine blows the new front axle, so you upgrade the axle again and now you can go for more hp out of the engine and on and on in a never ending cycle.

I think horse power and torque are the first consideration as that's what breaks parts. Once you figure out just what you'll be satisfied with there, then you can work on a design to make it happen, and figure out whether you'll need a Dana 30, 40, 60 or 70.

#11

I don't want anything like a blown 454. I'm thinkin' either a chevy v6 or a SBC (probably a 350). I'm not lookin' for anything with overwhelming power. I dont know anything at all about v6's or v8's. (yes i know, start reading, I am). If I go with a SBC, I already have a TH350 I can use.

Did you meen hitch? Cuz I would hate to think you were talkin about my ex wife

Beyond all the power/breakage issues there are some simple factors in axle selection that you want to consider too, like which side the diff is on. If you were just dropping a solid axle under a stock LUV, you want the front diff on the right side. Depending on what motor/trans/tcase you are looking to use, you may need something with a left side diff. Another thing to consider is gearing choices. That means you want to be thinking about the rear and the front axle as a set so you can get gears that match at both ends.

From what I have read on alot of other forums, some good axles for transferring to a small truck would be those out of a Wagoneer, so I'm gonna be looking for a wagoneer to rob.

If anyone is interested, I just found a couple good links on a front leafspring conversion (for a jeep, but same principal), and for building a Hy-Steer setup on a Dana 44 front end.


Steering
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Steering/Steering_Index/SteeringIndex.htm

Front leafspring conversion
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Leafspring_conversion/leafs.htm

I'm sure I'm not the ONLY shade tree mechanic interested in turnin' a 2wd LUV into a 4x4.

http://www.independent4x.com/item.jhtml?UCIDs=839915%7C1109488&PRID=1380497

Couldn't most of those parts be striped off of a wagoneer at the junkyard? What makes that kit worth $609.99?

w00t! After much reading and research, I know what I am going to do with my LUV. I know which parts I am going to need, etc, and now I just have to start collecting parts.

Engine: SBC 350
Transmission: SM465
Tcase: NB205
rear axle: dana 44 from wagoneer
front axle: dana 44 from a ~1975 wagoneer
custom made shackles, rancho 44044 leaf springs
front driveshaft: custom made from square tubing, will also act as a slip yoke
(will only use 4wd for low low low speeds. will not be using 4wd on street)
steering: i'll rob it from a wagoneer, or buy the steering setup on independent4x.com
shocks: not quite sure, but i can get a good deal on tmax


I think that about covers it. Does anyone see a problem with this setup?

Can someone post a close up of a Luv that has had a Straight Axel swap done to it?