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71 Wheeling Rig

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Fireball, Jan 18, 2021.

  1. Jan 15, 2022
    vtxtasy

    vtxtasy oldbee 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor

    Tucson, AZ
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    Pretty late model one at that.
     
  2. Jan 18, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    I'm slowly working up the motivation to start heating/scraping bedliner off the floor tunnel and start the transmission swap.

    Besides that, some fun stuff showed up on Craigslist over the weekend.

    My plan has been to steal this D44 front axle out of my Flatfender project for the '71:
    [​IMG]

    A friend of mine bought it somewhere and I really don't know much about it's history. It has 2.5" tubes and appears to be a CJ tapered D44 center Section with 70's vintage D30 tubes stuck into it. The axle shafts seem to be 27 spline narrow track D30 parts. I have no idea where they found 27 spline side gears for the open D44 diff but that's what it has.

    This is what showed up on Craigslist:

    A 3/4 Chevy D44 housing narrowed to 58" WMS:
    [​IMG]

    High steer knuckles and Chevy spindles:
    [​IMG]

    Ford rotors and disks for 5x5.5 bolt pattern (with spacers):
    [​IMG]

    Chevy caliper brackets:
    [​IMG]

    Heavy duty tie rod and drag link with 1-ton ends, and 30 spline inner axles with 19 spline outers:
    [​IMG]

    It's set up for a CV on the front driveshaft so the pinion points up 12 degrees at 6 degrees caster:
    [​IMG]

    For $375.00 it's a nice pile of parts.

    I won't used the housing in the '71 because I want to stay narrow track. I will, however, use the spindles, hubs, and rotors to have 19-spline outers on the 44 from the flatfender.

    I'll probably end up using the housing and high steer knuckles on the Flatfender (when I get to it some day) or a Jeep wagon.
     
    Jw60, timsresort, Twin2 and 5 others like this.
  3. Jan 18, 2022
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    USA
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    What a deal!
     
  4. Jan 18, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Whoohoo! My overdrive parts showed up! Thanks AA!

    [​IMG]
     
    Danefraz, dozerjim, Twin2 and 5 others like this.
  5. Jan 19, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Time to start putting all this together:
    [​IMG]

    Started by assembling the synchronizer hub:
    [​IMG]

    I replaced the dogs because they were quite worn:
    [​IMG]

    Got the snap ring back on the splined shaft. What a pain. I can barely spread the thing with my largest snap ring pliers. I barely got it started and used a brass drift to get it the rest of the way on:
    [​IMG]

    Cleaned up the pitting on the shift rail with some 600 grit paper:
    [​IMG]

    Got the shaft and mid-plate assembled along with the shift fork/rail:
    [​IMG]

    New detent spring and ball since the old ones weren't looking so hot:
    [​IMG]

    Gear set assembled:
    [​IMG]

    Then I was looking at next steps and realized the sun gear bearing is pressed into the spider gear carrier on the Saturn parts:
    [​IMG]

    On the Warn parts, the bearing is retained on the splined shaft by that annoying snap ring and a large machined ridge. It seems like my options are:
    1. Press the bearing out of the spider carrier and used the Warn setup. This makes assembly/disassembly more difficult because the bearing outer race is a tight fit in the spider carrier.
    2. Order a new Saturn splined shaft and snap ring. This has the advantages of giving me new gear teeth throughout since I've already changed the rest of them, getting rid of that annoying snap ring, and easier disassembly.
    I opted for #2 and ordered more parts. If the lead times are long, I'll probably just press this bearing out and get things together with the parts I have.
     
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2022
  6. Jan 23, 2022
    timsresort

    timsresort Active Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    South Lake Tahoe CA
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    58 is a good width for a flatty. Nice score, a lot of that is getting hard to find cheaply. The wrecking yards around No. Ca and Western Nv are pretty much depleted of anything pre-90's.
     
    Fireball likes this.
  7. Jan 23, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    That what I figured. They aren't making anymore solid front 44s except expensive passenger drop ones for Wrangles so I should grab this while it's still cheap.
     
  8. Jan 24, 2022
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    Score for sure! Are you going to outboard the springs with that housing? It may also take a bit of whittling to go spring under. I too think the width is about right. Essentially wide track CJ (or Willys wagon/wide tread FC 150). My latest iteration of the 3B is 56.5 front, 57 rear. I believe the Scout II axles are also close to that width.
     
    Fireball likes this.
  9. Jan 24, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Yes, the width is about the same as a wagon/truck, a Scout II and Wagoneers. I think it will be about perfect. I'll probably grab a 90s Izuzu Rodeo rear for a 58" D44.

    Whatever I put this axle into, I'll probably go coil springs with trailing arms and a track rod that's parallel with the drag link.
     
  10. Jan 25, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    The remaining overdrive parts showed up today:
    [​IMG]

    In the end it will have all new gears and all new bearings with the exception the the thrust Torrington bearings that were in great shape.

    Tomorrow I get to take this back apart to swap the shaft out:
    [​IMG]
     
    Rubicloak, Twin2, duffer and 5 others like this.
  11. Jan 27, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Got the shaft and bearing swapped out:
    [​IMG]

    Bolted the planetary assembly to the transmission output shaft. Lucky for me a D18 yoke fits the Ford input shaft and I didn't need to take the transmission cover back off to put in two gears at the same time:
    [​IMG]

    Got the lock plate and weird snap ring in place. The sticky transmission assembly lube helped hold the plate in place while I dealt with the snap ring:
    [​IMG]

    Then I did a test fit of the rest of the overdrive without gaskets to see if things are working. All seems good. It shifts and operates as expected:
    [​IMG]

    Hopefully I'll have time tomorrow to bolt it home with gaskets and call the overdrive done.

    I still have a few things to do and this assembly is ready to go:
    • Remove the yokes and put sealant on them. I forgot to do this when assembling.
    • Oil the front yoke felt while it's off. Also forgot to do this.
    • Put sealer on the one backwards transfer case to adapter bolt. Yet another thing I forgot.
    • Look into replacing the vents on the transmission and transfer case with hose barbs so I can use remote vents mounted higher up in the Jeep.
     
    Ol Fogie, blalp!, Rubicloak and 4 others like this.
  12. Jan 27, 2022
    Twin2

    Twin2 not him 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Virginia Beach, VA
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    looks Heavy :whistle:
     
  13. Jan 27, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Yeah, that's coming off the bench with the engine hoist.
     
    dozerjim, Ol Fogie and Rubicloak like this.
  14. Jan 28, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Small progress.

    ARP thread sealer on the bolts that go open into the transfercase:
    [​IMG]

    Overdrive installed with gaskets and goop. Torqued to 30 ft-lb:
    [​IMG]

    I was tying to imagine what shape floor boards I'll have to build. I'm not going to worry too much about that until it's in the Jeep though:
    [​IMG]

    I also sealed the backwards adapter bolt. Still need to do the yokes.
     
  15. Jan 30, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Found an intermediate front driveshaft in my pile of junk. 1310 U-joints and looks like it will be the perfect length with the T-18:
    [​IMG]

    I'll get a Tom Woods shaft made for the back but don't want to spend money on a front shaft yet since it's getting a D44 is in the nearish future. If this shaft is too long for the D44, I'll modify it or get one made.
     
  16. Jan 30, 2022
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    USA
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    Front drive shafts are stupid easy to make. You can set one up pretty easy with an indicator and a straight table, or even mocked up in place with an indicator. Youre not going to balance it, but for the speeds you need, it's not going to matter at all.

    I would grind off those welds, knock it apart and buy the DOM you want and make it happen. The last front shaft I made, I went big and got all the parts new.
    https://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/p2...kx_slip_yoke_1310_series_16_spline_6.562.html
     
    Ol Fogie and blalp! like this.
  17. Jan 30, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Agreed, but for the permanent front shaft I need to get mine balanced. I drive 40+ MPH in 4wd all the time in the snow.
     
  18. Jan 30, 2022
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    This!!! If it's strictly a trail Jeep it doesn't matter much but for those of us that run on-road in snow/ice, it does make a difference. Being in 4x4 mode at 55 mph isn't uncommon for me. And why my 3B front driveshaft has a double cardan joint.
     
    Ol Fogie and Fireball like this.
  19. Jan 31, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Spent the night at the parts cleaner scrubbing things.

    The bellhousing front cover, and the clutch fork:
    [​IMG]

    Then the grimy driveshaft and a yoke:
    [​IMG]

    Soooo much caked on grease and dirt. At the end of the third hour you start questioning your hobby choices. Hope to get it all painted tomorrow.
     
  20. Feb 2, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Most recent round of stuff painted but work has been too busy and It's been to cold out in the shop to accomplish much this week:
    [​IMG]
     
    blalp!, Rubicloak, Ol Fogie and 3 others like this.
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