Crawlercreations 60-9 front axle and $$$$$$ build

[Jesus_man]

It is hanging just about level with the link brackets. I'm planning on building a skid plate that covers between all the links and protects the atlas and gives me a flat belly.

or...you could clock it flat....

[crawlercreations]

It is hanging just about level with the link brackets. I'm planning on building a skid plate that covers between all the links and protects the atlas and gives me a flat belly.

or...you could clock it flat....

Nothing would be gained from that for me. My link brackets hanging below the frame are there in order to get my link calculations correct so they're not moving. I really don't want the upside down V between the brackets anyway so building a skid there will be 2 fold; gets rid of the V and protects the atlas. It's still 21" of clearance to the belly to the bottom of the link brackets so it should be plenty on 102" of wheelbase.

[crawlercreations]

Not much done today. I was tired and unfocused. Mounted the battery and fuel cell. Changed the front output yoke on the atlas and filled it. Installed and charged the Oris. And painted the rear links. It's too bad the fuel cell is a piece of junk, it looks nice and fits well.

Ride height(a little high in the rear in anticipation of fuel cell and stuff)

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Full bump

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Storage area and fuel cell

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[Strike2]

Looks Great, and those rear mounts are beefy!
I get that with the ORI's you need no bump stops/sway bar but what about limit straps??

[crawlercreations]

Looks Great, and those rear mounts are beefy!
I get that with the ORI's you need no bump stops/sway bar but what about limit straps??

ORI's are limited internally as well. Basically bump stops and limit straps in one. Here is what their website says for the limits... Hydraulic end-of-stroke cushioning at full extension.

Having said that I might run a limit strap in the center of the rear and the diff side of the front. I spoke with Tom's driveshaft yesterday when I ordered my driveshafts and I should have just enough angle in the driveshafts to handle the travel I have but it'll be close.

They're pretty impressive things. Once I got them to ride height yesterday I shook the bronco as hard as I could. It barely moved. It's almost like the suspension is really stiff but I know it'll be soft and smooth.

[crawlercreations]

Another day in the books. Doesn't look like a lot was done but it feels like it. I focused on the tedious stuff that I rarely have the patience for doing. Fuel system is fully installed and plumbed, rear wheel wells are cut, panel in front of the wheel wells is built and installed, exhaust is in, drivers wheel tub is extended, the atlas shifters are bent where they need to be, and the console I built to cover the huge np435 hole is installed. Tomorrow will be focused on installing the wilwood master and building all new lines to the rear. Then, if I have the time, I'll install the new seats and harnesses. It's close! Driveshafts from Tom's are scheduled for delivery Friday so I've got a good chance at driving it Friday.

1/8" plate cut and formed for the front of the rear wheel wells. Still plenty of room for at least 42" tires...

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Still pretty and normal looking... Can't wait to get the tires back on it.

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[Eck]

Hurry up. I need you to work on my Bronco!!


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[crawlercreations]

Hurry up. I need you to work on my Bronco!!


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I'm trying! I'm so backed up on work from taking this week to myself it is .

[crawlercreations]

Got a little more done today. Interior is mostly complete. Fuel system is tested, brake lines are done to the soft lines at the rear calipers (scheduled to be delivered tomorrow) and some small odds and ends are done.

New seats and harnesses.

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Brake lines and breather.

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[crawlercreations]

It's alive! Drove it around a little today. Drives really well! I'm really happy with it. I highly impressed with Tom woods driveshafts. They are really well made and got to me before the local guys could get theirs to me plus it saved me just over $200! 3/16" wall shafts aren't cheap but they are beefy!

102" wheel base looks good!

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Sexy rear end to match the front now.

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[cravenbronco]

Wow. Very nice.

[Rox Crusher]

That looks great Jason

Now fess up...........

You had a garage full of hired help to get that beauty done so fast

[crawlercreations]

That looks great Jason

Now fess up...........

You had a garage full of hired help to get that beauty done so fast

I wish! When you take a week to work on your own junk you get backed up really quickly. Money coming in after spending as much I did is a strong motivator!

[Jesus_man]

I'm looking forward to your review after some more seat time, both trail and street!

[Gunnibronco]

That looks great Jason

Now fess up...........

You had a garage full of hired help to get that beauty done so fast

I agree, this has been impressive to say the least. That thing is badass!

[crawlercreations]

Thanks for all the kind words fellas!

Well the shakedown went extremely well! I'm quite happy with it. The Oris have settled my suspension to the point I'm quite comfortable on the highway again! 70 m.p.h. is no longer an issue. With the old rear suspension and coilovers I didn't exceed 45 cause it leaned and felt really unstable. Now I'll drive it across the country!

I didn't get many pictures today as I was busy enjoying it.

My pretty new diffs are all scratched up!

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[Justin]

Nice! Good to see it doing work!

[Jesus_man]

I would imagine you are quite happy with this!

[TOOLMAN]

Were you out for the Golden cruise on Saturday? I think I saw your rig.

[Strike2]

Thanks for the updates the Bronco is looks awesome!
So taking the ORI's out the mix (for now) do you think could you feel any difference in the ride quality on the street/trail due to just the rear stretch ??

[crawlercreations]

Were you out for the Golden cruise on Saturday? I think I saw your rig.

I was there. Cruised in from the north, parked at Walgreens, walked around for about 30 minutes and left to the south. I hadn't eaten all day so I was hungry. I saw 4 other early broncos there but not yours.

[crawlercreations]

Thanks for the updates the Bronco is looks awesome!
So taking the ORI's out the mix (for now) do you think could you feel any difference in the ride quality on the street/trail due to just the rear stretch ??

That is, basically, an impossible question for me to answer truthfully. I pulled it in to my shop with the front end done, but on coilovers, and the rear end sitting on coils and shocks along with 8 year old 4 link and 97" of wheelbase. I pulled it out with only the front 3 link staying the same but changed to Oris, completely new rear 4 link, rear Oris, longer wheelbase, etc.

I will say it drives quite similar to before I did any of the work and was still on radius arms, 4 link, coils and shocks. It definitely rides nicer on the street and offroad but it feels about the same at highway and cruising speeds. It turns sharper now than the dana 44 could so I don't really see a turning radius increase.

[Strike2]

Yea that's understandable as you installed multiply items all at once, that's the one down side that I have with my build is that everything is changing all at once.

[Gunnibronco]

I'm slowly convincing myself not to pour money into my D44. I'm seriously looking into a fab'd housing and Hi-9, then building a better rear end. But for now I know my weak link is my front end.

I found a local guy who is making his own center sections and will build an axle (with my C's) for what seems like a reasonable amount of money. For the money I think it's worth my time to have him do the work.

A couple questions.

You used "96 D60 knuckles" are these from a Ford? I have late 90s OBS Ford BJ inner and outer knuckles I cut off a bent HPD60. Will the disks and rotors you used work on these knuckles? I read a post on Pirate about making my 1/2 ton Ford rotors work, but you have to make a caliper hanger, and you are stuck using 1/2 ton rotors. I'd like to use the stock Ford calipers if at all possible. Do you know of any simple route to do that?

The guy building axles said he has a set of 5x5.5 hubs but they are unit bearing hubs from a SuperDuty D60 (pre 05). Are the unit bearings better or worse than the OBS spindle/bearing set up. He said the unit bearings are easier to service, but I've read a lot of people who don't like unit bearings and many who swap to traditional bearings. I have a bunch of the OBS D60/TTB50 hubs/lock outs/spindles etc, so I'm leaning towards using them.

Solid and Yukon make a D60 hub with 5x5.5 is there any reason to buy them instead of machining down & redrilling the Ford stuff?

If I go with the unit bearing set up I think the D50 & D60 outers are all the same. Do you know if the 99-04 D60/D50 knuckles will fit the OBS inner knuckles? Or would I need the 99-04 inner knuckles?

I need to come to grips with using an ARB as well. The selectable lockers for the 9" are all air. After watching Jeff on the Rubicon and seeing Eck's problems, this has become a real "issue" to me. I suppose if I'm buying from Hi-9 they know what they are doing and I'll get a quality set up.

I'm also wondering if there is any reason to or not to use stock style c-wedges or the brackets sold to connect my long arms (Bloody Knuckle/Cage) to the axle. I read that some who used the brackets were blowing up their bushings at the brackets.

There is a HP60 axle from Fusion that I saw, leaving more selectable locker choices (electronic). Price is a little less than the Hi-9 but so is the ground clearance.

Thanks

[Jesus_man]

Gunni - Let me know if you find a "buy one get one"...we could split the costs!!

I thought there was an e-locker out there for the 9". Will it not work in the hi-9? Since you can unlock the hubs, you could go with any locker up there and not notice it when the hubs are unlocked. And with the Atlas, you can put it in 2WD and still turn sharply off road. Perhaps a Full Detroit would be a good choice? But a solid selectable for the rear would be awesome!

Could you modify your radius arms to work with bushings? I'd be happy to draw you some brackets that someone with a CNC plasma could cut out for you. Actually the Bloody Knuckle site has weld-on brackets & bushings already, but I'd worry the vertical separation isn't enough. I have never looked real close at those arms, but you could also cut off the top mount and then run a second upper arm back to the main arm for pinion angle adjustment?

[Gunnibronco]

Gunni - Let me know if you find a "buy one get one"...we could split the costs!!

I thought there was an e-locker out there for the 9". Will it not work in the hi-9? Since you can unlock the hubs, you could go with any locker up there and not notice it when the hubs are unlocked. And with the Atlas, you can put it in 2WD and still turn sharply off road. Perhaps a Full Detroit would be a good choice? But a solid selectable for the rear would be awesome!

Could you modify your radius arms to work with bushings? I'd be happy to draw you some brackets that someone with a CNC plasma could cut out for you. Actually the Bloody Knuckle site has weld-on brackets & bushings already, but I'd worry the vertical separation isn't enough. I have never looked real close at those arms, but you could also cut off the top mount and then run a second upper arm back to the main arm for pinion angle adjustment?

I'll ask about a "quantity discount" when I put this in motion. LOL. Maybe he can build me a rear axle at the same time.

I only see the Yukon Zip and ARB options for selectable 9" lockers. If you find another, let me know. My mind set is opposite from yours. I'm considering an automatic (Detriot) in the rear and ARB up front. But I'll probably break down and go ARB in both. Most people I talk with push selectable up front for the ease of steering, and don't mind the automatic in the rear. I think you can probably get used to either one, it just takes time and practice.

I posted up about the C-wedges vs. brackets on FB and most are adding the wedges and running them. The separation distance between the bushings isn't enough to hard mount them and they end up tearing up quickly. I'm just going to add the wedges to my build and keep the radius arms the way they are. Most seem to like the extra "cushion" of the c-bushings. I'd probably sell my arms and build my own if I was going to modify them much. I'm not into reinventing my suspension at this point, I really like what I've got. I doubt I'd gain that much, and end up spending a lot of time and money trying to make minor improvements.

[Jesus_man]

I did some searching and I can't find an e-locker for the 9". I could have sworn I saw one somewhere. If I happen upon it, I will be sure to post.

Having a spool in the rear, I'd love to make mine more comfortable to drive on the street. I had a Detroit in the 8.8" of my F150 and there was some learning curve, but it was significantly involved in street driving. Something I didn't care for in a lot of circumstances. Which is why I'd rather have a selectable in the rear, but I don't see myself ever getting an ARB. The spool, while annoying, is ultra-reliable and predictable. An Auto locker isn't as predictable.

Additionally, I see very little difference in my turning radius in 2WD with the hubs locked or not. Since you can easily pull the front axle into N at the Atlas, you can regain your turning radius. That is not as easy as pushing a button, but it's far more reliable than what I see from ARB. Not trying to sway you one way or another, but just trying to pass along my experience.

Your front suspension logic is solid. If it works, don't fix it! Especially if you are building new axles where you can set your pinion angle and caster separately.

Hopefully CC finds the time to weigh-in here!

[Gunnibronco]

Thanks. I appreciate all the input.

Jason's been talking with me over on FB. He's given me some of the nitty gritty details over there. I'll post up my own thread or over on my build thread when I get started on this.

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