The Oddball build - Isuzu solid axle 3-link, Coilovers on 37's
- Thread starter Lorenzo816
- Start date
zac attack
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2014
- Location
- Spartanburg sc
Lovin this rig ... sweet build !!!!
Lorenzo816
CTB
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2008
- Location
- Cabarrus County, NC
Last update to the build until something else major goes on the Truck.
So it turns out I didn't just break a dowel pin and a stud in the rear axle hub.
I broke Four!
Did a bunch of reading on ih8mud and learned that this tends to happen on the short side more often than the long side.
There are a only a few options: ARP, Trail gear super metal stud upgrade or drill them out and add larger cap screws and you can even add two more dowels on each flange. But that also means you have to drill out your axles too.
I decided to go with the stud upgrade for now and see how this goes.
Had a hell of time drilling and tapping them out and then had to give up on the dowel pin. Guess its hardened steel more than the studs.
I have an extra set of hubs so I bought new bearings and races and cleaned it up for the upgraded Stud install.
Did my damndest to be sure my torque ratings were dead on. They don't take much to stretch and pop when stressed. Add larger tires and lower gears....
I read the studs can only go to like 25-28 and the cone/nut on the flange end to 23-25 ft lbs.
After that, poof.
and another driveshaft update. I had a really bad wobble in 4hi and when I was pulling high RPM in 4lo when we were in Harlan.
It was pretty damn unusable in 4hi at the end of the day.
Decided Olivers did such a great job on the rear shaft so I sent them my front.
Joe told me I had a long dent in the shaft that just wouldn't balance out so he retubed the front shaft. Wasn't candy-caned or nothing.
Guess I slid over something or down and didn't feel it. Glad to not have popped any joints in the process.
Thank you Olivers!
If I can get my shit together, I'll see some of yall at the SHOP in a few weeks and beat on it some more.
So it turns out I didn't just break a dowel pin and a stud in the rear axle hub.
I broke Four!
Did a bunch of reading on ih8mud and learned that this tends to happen on the short side more often than the long side.
There are a only a few options: ARP, Trail gear super metal stud upgrade or drill them out and add larger cap screws and you can even add two more dowels on each flange. But that also means you have to drill out your axles too.
I decided to go with the stud upgrade for now and see how this goes.
Had a hell of time drilling and tapping them out and then had to give up on the dowel pin. Guess its hardened steel more than the studs.
I have an extra set of hubs so I bought new bearings and races and cleaned it up for the upgraded Stud install.
Did my damndest to be sure my torque ratings were dead on. They don't take much to stretch and pop when stressed. Add larger tires and lower gears....
I read the studs can only go to like 25-28 and the cone/nut on the flange end to 23-25 ft lbs.
After that, poof.
and another driveshaft update. I had a really bad wobble in 4hi and when I was pulling high RPM in 4lo when we were in Harlan.
It was pretty damn unusable in 4hi at the end of the day.
Decided Olivers did such a great job on the rear shaft so I sent them my front.
Joe told me I had a long dent in the shaft that just wouldn't balance out so he retubed the front shaft. Wasn't candy-caned or nothing.
Guess I slid over something or down and didn't feel it. Glad to not have popped any joints in the process.
Thank you Olivers!
If I can get my shit together, I'll see some of yall at the SHOP in a few weeks and beat on it some more.
NickMaul
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2009
- Location
- Norfolk, VA
Lorenzo how has the 44 been holding up for you? Stock shafts?
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lorenzo816
CTB
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2008
- Location
- Cabarrus County, NC
Hey Nick, its been awhile since I updated this. About a year!
Yea I upgraded to Cromoly front inner and outer with Yukon superjoints sometime after a Flats ride.
Broke the short side and utterly destroyed the spindle in the process too.
And then after my next Flats ride, I upgraded the joints in the driveshafts to a stronger greasable Dana/Spicer (can't remember the name) but they are 1310 and definitely heavier than the stock ones.
On the way home, on I-40, noticed smoke coming up from the sticks and BOOM wobble wobble shake shake, pulled off the side to swap the whole driveshaft.
Luckily I had an drop in spare made from flange to flange. So it was an easy swap.
Tore the ear a bit on the yoke so I had to rebuild my driveshaft and stock up on parts!
The last huge upgrade is underway now.
During a night run out at the Dixie Run, I tried to hop a damn ledge like a fool and ate up my rear, snapped a rear shaft and eventually just destroyed the ARB.
That one hurt my feelings and my wallet but damn it was a fun weekend.
I snapped a few of those Trail Gear studs, so I'm upgrading to ARP.
The strength should go from like 170psi strength to something like 220psi strength.
Working on drilling in two more dowels per hub too but waiting on Chris' decision this week.
Kinda set back my bumper build money once again but I really really want a bumper for the winch I got before winter hits once again.
Appreciate the interest Nick.
Its a beast but getting beat up without the Winch and I can definitely feel the pain of only being 3:1.
Would be great to get 4:1 or better but that's a whole nother drivetrain swap and money conversation I can't have with myself right now.
LOL
Yea I upgraded to Cromoly front inner and outer with Yukon superjoints sometime after a Flats ride.
Broke the short side and utterly destroyed the spindle in the process too.
And then after my next Flats ride, I upgraded the joints in the driveshafts to a stronger greasable Dana/Spicer (can't remember the name) but they are 1310 and definitely heavier than the stock ones.
On the way home, on I-40, noticed smoke coming up from the sticks and BOOM wobble wobble shake shake, pulled off the side to swap the whole driveshaft.
Luckily I had an drop in spare made from flange to flange. So it was an easy swap.
Tore the ear a bit on the yoke so I had to rebuild my driveshaft and stock up on parts!
The last huge upgrade is underway now.
During a night run out at the Dixie Run, I tried to hop a damn ledge like a fool and ate up my rear, snapped a rear shaft and eventually just destroyed the ARB.
That one hurt my feelings and my wallet but damn it was a fun weekend.
I snapped a few of those Trail Gear studs, so I'm upgrading to ARP.
The strength should go from like 170psi strength to something like 220psi strength.
Working on drilling in two more dowels per hub too but waiting on Chris' decision this week.
Kinda set back my bumper build money once again but I really really want a bumper for the winch I got before winter hits once again.
Appreciate the interest Nick.
Its a beast but getting beat up without the Winch and I can definitely feel the pain of only being 3:1.
Would be great to get 4:1 or better but that's a whole nother drivetrain swap and money conversation I can't have with myself right now.
LOL
NickMaul
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2009
- Location
- Norfolk, VA
Dude you are carnage creator with the Isuzu! I am impressed!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lorenzo816
CTB
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2008
- Location
- Cabarrus County, NC
I don't know if there is an 'end' in sight. We'll see how long this ol rodeo can last and then onto something else. I've had it for 20 years now.
Lorenzo816
CTB
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2008
- Location
- Cabarrus County, NC
Figured I'd add some stuff I've done since 2017.
Sometime in 2017 or 18, I upgraded to ARP studs on the rear hubs.
Lots stronger than the TrailGear studs but now the Fuse is most definitely the Short Shaft in the rear.
I want to center up the Axle but not right now. I've heard there are housings for it but just don't have the time or money to think about it right now.
And also sometime last year in the Spring, I got a bumper finally done. #IDon'tBuildBumpers @MarsFab
The badass bumper Chris built just fits so nicely. We both agreed tube would look stupid and the jagged edges of the newer style Jeep bumpers just wouldn't match the era of the truck.
Then sometime between last winter and the Spring, I twisted the axle tube in the front housing and decided it was time for a huge upgrade.
And yes "after all that, it's still a 44" - Andy
True but this is thicker tube, welded to the housing not just the plug welds. Chris had the brackets' files so remaking them was an "quick" job.
ECGS made the custom axle with a HP housing I dropped off, torched the tube out and mod'd it to fit my current Cromo Axle shafts. New beefy C's and new Balljoints.
I fixed up a 2wd truck and sold it to cover the costs of all the work so was nice to not have to dip into my wallet too far for all this.
I'm hoping the pinion isn't too high. There ain't a lot of room up there. May have to put in a bump stop. We'll see.
I just got finished putting everything together this weekend. Haven't even had time to do a backyard shadetree alignment on it yet.
Sometime in 2017 or 18, I upgraded to ARP studs on the rear hubs.
Lots stronger than the TrailGear studs but now the Fuse is most definitely the Short Shaft in the rear.
I want to center up the Axle but not right now. I've heard there are housings for it but just don't have the time or money to think about it right now.
And also sometime last year in the Spring, I got a bumper finally done. #IDon'tBuildBumpers @MarsFab
The badass bumper Chris built just fits so nicely. We both agreed tube would look stupid and the jagged edges of the newer style Jeep bumpers just wouldn't match the era of the truck.
Then sometime between last winter and the Spring, I twisted the axle tube in the front housing and decided it was time for a huge upgrade.
And yes "after all that, it's still a 44" - Andy
True but this is thicker tube, welded to the housing not just the plug welds. Chris had the brackets' files so remaking them was an "quick" job.
ECGS made the custom axle with a HP housing I dropped off, torched the tube out and mod'd it to fit my current Cromo Axle shafts. New beefy C's and new Balljoints.
I fixed up a 2wd truck and sold it to cover the costs of all the work so was nice to not have to dip into my wallet too far for all this.
I'm hoping the pinion isn't too high. There ain't a lot of room up there. May have to put in a bump stop. We'll see.
I just got finished putting everything together this weekend. Haven't even had time to do a backyard shadetree alignment on it yet.
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