Turnin' Tube
Question: I have just installed a Dana 70 front end in my '85 Chevy. It has 8-inch lift springs and heavy-duty front shackles and I put 6-degree shims in it too. Now my front driveshaft will not bolt onto the pinion yoke. After some brainstorming we decided that the best way to correct this problem (and still retain the proper caster) is to have the housing turned up to meet the driveshaft at the best possible angle. I have access to an axle shop that will do this for a reasonable fee ($400-$500). But they say they will cut and sleeve the axletube instead of removing the plug welds on the housing. I am worried that this will not be as strong as stock.
Other know-it-alls say that's a lot of money to spend and I should just build extensions on my front spring perches to achieve the same results.
Alex
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: Cutting and sleeving the tube is not the best way to do this. It may work. It has worked in the past, but it is, in my opinion, pretty butch, ghetto, sloppy, and so on. And that is coming from a guy who did it before and isn't proud of it. Also dropping the spring mounts is goofy and unsafe. Those know-it-alls don't. The best way do this is to get it retubed completely. The plug welds should be machined or carefully cut out and the tube pressed out. This is easily done with proper equipment. Then the inner "C" should be removed from the tube and new tubes machined, realigned, and reinstalled. This also requires proper equipment. Now if the shop does a good job machining the plug welds out without going too deep, then the tubes may be reused, possibly by just turning the tubes within the housing, but this requires that nothing is bent to start with. Having a big press and mill with proper jigs will be helpful. Another acceptable method is to remove the "C" by grinding down the factory welds and then turning just the Cs, though you will most likely need to heat them a bit to allow them to move and even then this requires an immense amount of leverage.
There are shops that will do these different mods for you, but expect the costs to increase from $500. I have heard of just rotating the stock tubes to cost between $800 and $1,000, where all new tubes will run from $1,200 to $1,600. That is here on the West Coast so prices may be different in your neck of the woods. I know all these costs are steep, but this is the best way to do this. Dropping the spring mounts and sleeving the axles is just not right, it looks bad, and isn't really safe. If you do the disassembly, clean the housing, and find the right shop, you may be able to work these prices down a bit.
Confused
Question: I have purchased my first set of aluminum wheels. My problem is care. Other than just soap and water, I am not sure what to put on them for cleaning and protecting my investment.
Mr. O.
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: I don't seem to understand your question. I use my wheels for four wheeling, and I hose them off when I'm done if I'm lucky and that's it. My investment pays off every time I get to hit the dirt. I am worried that you are fussing about the looks of your truck more than the performance. Yes, that first scratch will be hard to swallow, but you'll get past that, and then when you are grinding over a rock or throttling through a mud hole with your aluminum wheels and smiling from ear to ear, your investment will be paying you back tenfold. Don't worry about the cleaning, just hose them off well and scrub 'em with a brush until the mud falls off so they aren't out of balance. Wear your scratches and dirt stains like a badge of honor that shows you are a guy with an adventure lifestyle, not someone solely concerned with appearances.
Fun Flatty Recipe
Question: I have a flatfender Jeep project that I am working on that I can't wait to take four-wheeling. Actually, I don't have a complete flatfender, just bits and pieces that I have collected from different vehicles. I currently have a SM465 transmission with a Dana 20 behind it and my question is what engine would work well with this setup? I plan on running some 35- to 36-inch tires. Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated.
Elle Jaye
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: I think you are on track to build a sweet little off-road machine. As for engine, I would look for something light and hearty. If money were no object I would go with an LS1 aluminum V-8 ($8,000+) for lots of power in a light package or the Diesel out of a Jeep Liberty (expensive if you can even find one), which would be unique, fuel efficient, and still a Jeep engine. If you like the diesel idea also look at a Volkswagen diesel, though you would have to have a custom adapter built, and it may not be the tire-smoker you're looking for. If money doesn't grow on trees at your house, I'd consider a Range Rover V-8 as a unique powerplant. Plus it's all aluminum (thus light) and very torquey, and the design is based off the old Buick 215 so parts shouldn't be hard to find. Not to mention that late-'80s Rovers are dirt-cheap these days, and you could get a whole donor truck for a song, thus making the fuel-injection swap a bit easier.
You'll need to look for a Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac "Mickey Mouse" bellhousing for a 215 in order to adapt the SM465 behind it and even then it may need some surface machining to get perfect clutch and input-shaft engagement. A great source for power parts and adapters for this engine is D&D Fabrication (810.798.2491, www.aluminumv8.com)