Wildman1
Well-Known Member
Hey all,
Well I asked if there was any interest in this and a few said yes so here goes.
I started this project with a bare housing from a 1976 Ford F150, or at least that is what I was told it was off of. I picked it up off Ebay for $100 and then had to hav eit shipped from PA to WA.
I cut the ends off as close to the inner knuckles/inner C's as I could.
Then ground down the welds on the inner C so that I could get the tube that was in them out.
Tube thickness isn't in issue.
I had done a search on Pirate before I started this project and was able to get some measurements. 1980-84 Waggy shafts are 15.8" short side and 32.12" long side. To make this housing fit those measurements I need to cut tubes down.
I took the short side down to a length of 8" and the long side to 24 3/8" from the center of the casting hole on the pumkin to the outside edge of the tube.
We then heated the inner C up in 400 degrees in my buddies oven. (His wife was gone)
It slipped onto the tube no problem.
We set the pinion angle to 13 degrees and the caster at 7 degrees.
Checked 5 times and welded ONCE.
Then it was time to install the Rubicon Express bracket kit.
Now this is more for a TJ/XJ/ZJ at this point but I figure I should add it.
First is the bridge over the pumkin.
Next is the coil spring brackets/shock mounts.
Next is the pass side upper control bracket. We trussed it too just for.
Then it was time for the lower control arm brackets.
Okay here it is all done.
Well I asked if there was any interest in this and a few said yes so here goes.
I started this project with a bare housing from a 1976 Ford F150, or at least that is what I was told it was off of. I picked it up off Ebay for $100 and then had to hav eit shipped from PA to WA.
I cut the ends off as close to the inner knuckles/inner C's as I could.
Then ground down the welds on the inner C so that I could get the tube that was in them out.
Tube thickness isn't in issue.
I had done a search on Pirate before I started this project and was able to get some measurements. 1980-84 Waggy shafts are 15.8" short side and 32.12" long side. To make this housing fit those measurements I need to cut tubes down.
I took the short side down to a length of 8" and the long side to 24 3/8" from the center of the casting hole on the pumkin to the outside edge of the tube.
We then heated the inner C up in 400 degrees in my buddies oven. (His wife was gone)
It slipped onto the tube no problem.
We set the pinion angle to 13 degrees and the caster at 7 degrees.
Checked 5 times and welded ONCE.
Then it was time to install the Rubicon Express bracket kit.
Now this is more for a TJ/XJ/ZJ at this point but I figure I should add it.
First is the bridge over the pumkin.
Next is the coil spring brackets/shock mounts.
Next is the pass side upper control bracket. We trussed it too just for.
Then it was time for the lower control arm brackets.
Okay here it is all done.
