Whitesnake 3/4 ton build

[Lake_v2]

Special thanks to Jeep-Deere and Crazy Sammy for helping me haul/load/unload the axles, wouldnt have started without you guys

So picked up dana 50 front and ford 10.5" rear w/discs, here are the basic plans and short parts list.

38-40" tires, minimal lift with and leaf springs.

Will be starting this built in late january early feb, just gathering parts now.

Move rear axle back 3-4" will be total 7" stretch rear, with xj springs and traction bar. Front spring eye of the xj's will be frenched into the frame. Rear spring eye/shackle will be on rear bumper/crossmember.

Move front axle forward 3", use astro van steering box tapped for hydro-assist. Will use the yj 2.5" springs and move the shackle to the front of the bumper.

Some mods that will be needed are the fuel tank has to come out, will install a fuel cell sunk into the floor about 4". I will retain a stock style filler neck, but relocate to the position a tj has it in.

Will have to change out the master cylinder from one that will work with the disc/disc set up

Also going to build a flat skid for the t-case/trans/engine.

Another small mod will be to the rear corners, will cut them out to a near full comp cut(have to see when mock everything up).

Anyways, pics will come as I get started.

[Dirty LJ]

Wow! Can't wait to see!

[munepit]

That front axle was a Dana 50? Its huge, thought it was a 60 when I saw it. So does it use 44 centers and 60 outers?

[Desert Dog]

Make sure you get some chromo shafts for that D50; those low-spline, necked down shafts seem to break pretty easy on the trail. Seems like those shafts break easier than a 44. Also, some of the D50s I have seen have a funky metric lug pattern, but that shouldn't be an issue if you got the axles off of the same ford vehicle.

The 10.5" full floating rear is awesome. Same strength as a 14 bolt but with more ground clearance. Good find. Whitesnake got disk brakes now !!!!

Since you are going with the full axle swap and stretch, why bother with leafs? Time for coilovers or air-shocks my man.

[Lake_v2]

links have crossed my mind a few times, will see what funds allow.

the d50 has 9" ring gear, d60 sized knuckles and u-joints, the shafts are neck down 30splines on the inners. it is a high pinion which is nice.
the housing is the same size as a d60, so the d50 will be getting a shave to get rid of extra room around ring gear, should be able to get at least an 1" ground clearance if not more, will be taking the diff cover off and measuring for that soon.

the 10.5" rear is really nice as chris said 35 spline full floater with factory disc brakes and e-brake intergrated.

Been considering lockers, was thinking about an arb up front with grizzly in back. or grizzly both front and rear.

[munepit]

Weld the rear!

[Lake_v2]

Big thanks go out to Desert Dog, I now have 39.5" iroks for 17" rimss. A few more pieces and ill be ready to start on the hard parts.
In the meantime I will be shaving the axles and regearing locking and possibly weld the rear

[Desert Dog]

[quote="Lake_v2"]Big thanks go out to Desert Dog, I now have 39.5" iroks for 17" rimss. A few more pieces and ill be ready to start on the hard parts.
In the meantime I will be shaving the axles and regearing locking and possibly weld the rear[/quote]

Careful, those Iroks won't last 1,000 miles with a lincoln locker

[Lake_v2]

Havent gotten much of anything done yet, have been collecting parts, and fixing the truck to use as a daily driver/hauler.

Did some measuring tonight, looks like if I keep the leafs in front they will be outboarded. Also the wheels i picked up have 6" backspacing. The rim hits the steering arm, Ill be adding spacers to the front or grinding 1/8" metal off the steering arm.

I also have to put one tire/wheel together and mount it on front with a leaf spring set in place to check turning clearances before I commit to running front leafs. Have heard mixed reviews on whether the tire/wheel combo will rub the leafs a bunch. If it is too close may 3 link w/panhard the front with coils/shocks.

Here are some random parts pictures, dana 50 , ford 10.5, 39's, and 17 rims(cheap steelies, screaming for beadlocks)

[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/576.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/577.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/592.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/609.jpg[/img]

[munepit]

What about finding different wheels? 6" is a lot of offset.

[Lake_v2]

The 6" will actually help keep the jeep a bit narrower overall once i put the beadlocks on the rims won't have any hub sticking out past the rim, should work out ok

[Lake_v2]

Did a bit of mockup/measuring in the garage last night.

The leaf springs will not work out in the front unless I want the jeep super duper wide. Found that even if i had rims with 2.5" backspace I would still hit the leaf springs with the 39"s before hitting the stock steering stops.

Also opened the diff cover on the d50 and did some measuring, there is a definite lip inside the housing, I can cut to that lip then weld on 3/8" plate, and save 1" ground clearance on the front.

Have not yet measured the rear for any trimming.

But the first change has come in my plans, 3-link the front is happening for sure. For the rear, tentative plan is still to use leafs... but we will see what happens.

[Desert Dog]

Goatman has a couple of 12" ORIs on clearance right now. That would be nice in the front of your build.

[Lake_v2]

So first day of actual building something and Im stopped by a small snafu.

The beadlocks I ordered have the infection logo and state on the website available in all sizes with no other limitations listed.

I hadn't mocked them up until tonight because the wheels and beadlocks were in different locations.

Well uh don't order them if you have an 8 lug axle, there is no practical way to get the wheels on/off the vehicle if the outer rings are mounted on the wheels.

I sent an email to the company tonight, to see if they can make a similar ring or just exchange for a different style.

[Lake_v2]

Made some headway this weekend, got the stock axles and bracketry out of front and rear, got some of the brackets cut off front and rear axles. set it up at ride height and did some mock up and figuring.

Also picked up the coil springs ill use for the front, and had a maybe genius/maybe retarded idea.

Coil springs-rear ford aerostar, going up front in jeep progressive springs with around 19" extended length, about the length of 3" xj lift coils.

Bumpstops-rear ford aerostar, got 4 from same minivan, they are simple and will work as inside the coil bumpstops for the front.

the possible genius idea is to use the parking break cables as cutting brakes for the rear axle, i picked up two e-brake handles from the jy, the cables that came on the axles are long enough to put the handles on the left side of front seat. The rear is an open diff and I may leave it as an open diff if the cutting brakes work out.

Some progress pictures.
[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/2022.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/2021.jpg[/img]

[Lake_v2]

With it set at desired ride height right now it should be 24" to belly, have enough room in front for 7" uptravel but most likely be limited at 5" depending on how much clearance i have steering and trackbar.

It is set to clear garage door by about 2-3".

I hope to have the rear axle in, mounted and tires on their own weight by end of this week. then will be on to the front axle.

[Lake_v2]

Made some more progress this week. Got all the beadlocks(drama sucks) welded on and ready to mount, got the old brackets off front axle, got the steering box in, got the front axle mocked into place to start getting link brackets welded on and mocked in.

With the astro van box, front stretch and current rear stretch the wheelbase will be between 104 and 107 inches. The front tires leading edge will be about 3" in front of the bumper...talk about approach angle. Should have 5-6" uptravel in front and about the same in the rear.

Oh and it will clear garage door by 2" or so, havent measure top of cage height, but with the highline fenders already done, it will sit low and wide...

On with the pics...

[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/031.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/030.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/029.jpg[/img]

[t_long927]

DUDE IT IS LOOKING AWESOME!!!!!!!

[chrisrigby]

just ballpark whats the measurment from outside of bodyline to widest point of tire? is it still streetable?

[Lake_v2]

outside tire-tire should be around 84" wide. will still be streetable if I add trucker mudflaps to the rear. The tires should tuck in about 1" into the fenderwells without any flare.

[Lake_v2]

so, i thought i was on a good pace until i ran into issues with my rim selection...

The rims I had got were the stock 06 ford rims with 6" backspacing, seemed like a good choice steel, fit lug pattern, 6" backspacing, and were extremely cheap...

well ok they will not work with beadlock rims welded in them and i found out the hardway

apparently when ford had the rims made they pressed in the centers as most companies do. the difference between this wheel and most manufacturers is that the pressed section is on the very outer edge of the shell.

i only found this out after i had welded in all the centers and had them half mounted, because of the outside press fit there is/was actually two lips to weld on the rim, but the one for the center was so thin that it was not really weldable.

long story short, rims didnt work, have to grind out centers and reweld them in a different set of steel rims, oh and i bought a new spool of welding wire.... lol

[TheBigDogg]

I have some 16.5x9.75 with like 4.5-5" backspace for sale [img]http://img.tapatalk.com/c6e4dc0e-f228-e99d.jpg[/img]

[REDxj5150]

Are you going to sell those to me or not harry? I've posted in your ad, tried to bother you about it via Facebook. Do I have to come outside your house with a big banner stating I want the damn tires?

[Lake_v2]

haha, thanks for the offer harry, im on the hunt for a proper 17" wheel again, most likely will order some black steelies on the next paycheck...

still got a long to do list and got the joints coming in this week, so have brackets to make for the front.

also still need to tap the steering box and find out how i want to do the steering

for the steering there are a couple options, can use the stock knucles with a straight tie rod(factory ford comes with a u-shaped rod to clear the leaf springs, or can send knuckles out to have billet steering arms and machined surfaces for them, or also found a crossover set up to replace passenger knuckle that comes with tierod/ends.

[Lake_v2]

Finally made some more progress, got the rearend sitting on its own weight. It is almost exactly where I wanted it, Tires have 11psi in them, height of bottom of rocker is 30". Height to top of cage is 80" about 3" clearance to garage door. Looks like I wont have any rub issues when the tire is stuff, still need to get front end set up before i can do any test flexing. This weekend should be burning in the spring perches on rear and making shock mounts. Shock mounts will fit with no notching of frame in between the tire and outside of framerail.

Once I get rear perches finallized, I will start building the upper front spring buckets to match height in rear of jeep.

Anyways here is a pic of the rear.

For reference my yj will be 30" to bottom of rocker and becca's yj is 27.5 to bottom of rocker. 40"s versus 33"s can anyone say "LOWRIDER"....

I can't wait to get this project rolling.

[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a400/lake_v2/600.jpg[/img]