front 9" talk

MarcW · May 24, 2006

i know jobless has one from when i briefly met him at reiter, and im sure other people have them on here, what centersection did you use? tubes? and end forgings both inner c and knuckle? i am thinking about skipping building the dana 44 and go strait to a 9" with 50 or 60 outers since im planning on running atleast 38's. im looking for budget here also, im not rich and cant drop 5 g's on a axle. i am going to do all the welding on this thing also, the only tool i lack to build one is a press large enough to put the axle tubes in.

Thanks in advance

Marc

Not Jobless · May 24, 2006

Standard run of the mill 1/2 ton old Ford 9" center/housing...pull-a-part or Arrow metals.

Nodular 3rd member, big bearing, detroit, 1310 yoke, 35 spline...this can get kinda spendy.

Dana 50 inner/outer knuckles off the older Ford SuperDuty including the one piece unit bearing, 31 spline stock stub shafts. The complete front end was $1000 and I was able to re-use the long side inner axle as the short side 35 spline. Had to buy a stock Dana shaft and have it cut and splined for the long side. You can get Chromo 31 spline stubs from Superior for about $225 ea.

Warn premium hubs - $180set

Fabbed my own disc brake mounting brackets to use 1975 Chevy 1/2 - 3/4 ton front calipers (just like the rears) Calipers are about $45ea loaded.

Had the outer knuckles machined, drilled and tapped by Currie for a hysteer setup - $65 per knuckle, included the hysteer arms and hardware.

MarcW · May 24, 2006

what year was the donor dana 50? i already have an extra 79 bronco 9" housings, but what did you do with the axle tubes? i am wanting about 67" wms~wms. thanks a ton for responding also, jobless.

Not Jobless · May 24, 2006

MarcW said:
what year was the donor dana 50? i already have an extra 79 bronco 9" housings, but what did you do with the axle tubes? i am wanting about 67" wms~wms. thanks a ton for responding also, jobless.

The Dana 50 was from a '99.

The stock axle tubes were replaced with something thicker. I essentially shipped Currie all the parts, except the tubes, and they assembled it...I didn't have the resources then that I have now.

67"...what's it going in? Mine is about 61" or 62"

benw1 · May 24, 2006

You can buy a complete housing with inner knuckles from currie for $750.

Or you can retube your own housing and buy some Tera inner knuckles @ $190 a pair.

Superduty outer knuckles can be had for less than $100 per side.

I haven't messed with 9", but are the tubes a press fit like a Dana axle? I thought the 9" relied on more weld surface.

If you are crafty you could probably get the tubes in without a big press. Pack the tubes with dry ice so they contract and heat the housing a bit so it expands.

MarcW · May 24, 2006

Jobless said:
The Dana 50 was from a '99.

The stock axle tubes were replaced with something thicker. I essentially shipped Currie all the parts, except the tubes, and they assembled it...I didn't have the resources then that I have now.

67"...what's it going in? Mine is about 61" or 62"

its going in my 96 2dr cherokee with big plans, atleast 38's, leaf's in the front, double triangulated 4 link in back with coilovers or coils, i already have fullwidths for it, a f-150 d44 and a 79 fullwidth 9", 65" iirc, and the front ford is around 67" iirc. the currie route doesnt sound bad at all, something to definitly look into, i was thinging about using a factory fullwidth inner like a SRW ford hpd60 long and short side. and the big money will be spent on a hi 9third i hope. i decided the other night i didnt want to polish the d44 with its 297x joints, i want d 60 outers for my pig, the rest of the plans are stretched mj cab chop, full exo, low lift (like 5") fabricated inner fenderwells in front and rear, and a better t case.this thing is gonna be low and wide. :clappy:

PORTER · May 25, 2006

I was going to do this exact setup in my buggy. But after I added up the costs, it was cheaper to do a 60 and upgrade the outers to 35 spline. A little more weight, and a little less clearence but pretty bulletproof. Brad, what do you have into your hybrid 9, and is it 35 spline outers?

MarcW · May 25, 2006

its gettin harder to find hp 60's around here for under 1,000 and i like the whole setup of a third member and the thick sheetmetal housing better than a cast housing and dana style gear setup. way easier to weld brackets on and shave.

PORTER · May 25, 2006

So how much money do you plan on spending on this hybrid setup?

MarcW · May 25, 2006

its gonna be more of a time thing, it might take me four months to save up the money for this front axle, my target date for my jeep is snow season next year, like 8 -10 months. so i got some time. but i was hopeing to keep it under 3,000

PORTER · May 25, 2006

MarcW said:
its gonna be more of a time thing, it might take me four months to save up the money for this front axle, my target date for my jeep is snow season next year, like 8 -10 months. so i got some time. but i was hopeing to keep it under 3,000

To do this setup the right way you will need a Kingpin 60 to start with(1000.00) so you will be able to upgrade to 35 spline outers and get all your brakes,knuckles etc, then you said a Hi-9 center(2100.00), a 9inch housing(100.00),35 spline outer upgrade(200.00), 35 spline Drive flanges(185.00), hopefully use the exhisting inner axles(00.00), high steer arms(200.00), housing work, as well as have some inner axle seal retainers made, etc,etc. The cost will add up and you will probably end up at 4 grand by the time you are done. I am into my 60 completely done, for less than 3 grand and I didnt even build it(S&N Fab). Again I am not trying to talk you out of it, as in the end you should have a pretty stout setup, just giving you something to think about.

Paulie · May 25, 2006

Talk to megatoy (Odie) he sells alot of 60s and seen him with a few ferds. OR go through Doug (highonda over on pirate) he gets alot of 60s and sells them for under $1000 shipped

Not Jobless · May 25, 2006

benw said:
I haven't messed with 9", but are the tubes a press fit like a Dana axle? I thought the 9" relied on more weld surface.

There welded, not pressed.

Not Jobless · May 25, 2006

PORTER said:
To do this setup the right way you will need a Kingpin 60 to start with(1000.00) so you will be able to upgrade to 35 spline outers and get all your brakes,knuckles etc, then you said a Hi-9 center(2100.00), a 9inch housing(100.00),35 spline outer upgrade(200.00), 35 spline Drive flanges(185.00), hopefully use the exhisting inner axles(00.00), high steer arms(200.00), housing work, as well as have some inner axle seal retainers made, etc,etc. The cost will add up and you will probably end up at 4 grand by the time you are done.

Not entirely true on the 35 spline outer comment Mike...Superior makes a chromo 35 spline stub shaft for the Dana 50 front end. All you do is bore out the stock one piece unit bearing hub to fit the larger stub. Tom & Mauler pioneered this years ago with Maulers 1st buggy.

As for High Pinion anything (Dana 60, hi-9)...completely useless unless you are a pro at the comps. I've yet to find myself in a position where my low pinion 9" has held me back from making an obstacle. The only time I would consider Hi-pinion was if the wheelbase or suspension setup required it due to other mechanical challenges.

From your previous post...I'm running stock 31 spline outers

MarcW · May 25, 2006

im gonna be at atleast 110" of wheelbase, and i thought spidertrackes was selling inner and outer knuckles for d60's for like 800 bucks complete?
http://www.spidertrax.com/s.nl/sc.7/category.192/.f they use f450 unit bearing's but can accept drive slugs or hubs.

Not Jobless · May 25, 2006

MarcW said:
im gonna be at atleast 110" of wheelbase, and i thought spidertrackes was selling inner and outer knuckles for d60's for like 800 bucks complete?
http://www.spidertrax.com/s.nl/sc.7/category.192/.f they use F450 unit bearing's but can accept drive slugs or hubs.

F450 unit bearings are the same as as the F250 and F350...they just say F450 for BS marketing reasons.

The setup in the pictures on their site do not look like Ford unit bearings...look more like the Dodge. Ford unit bearings and stub shafts do not have a nut on the ned of the stub shaft as shown in the photos.

crash2 · May 25, 2006

jUST out of curiosity how more clearance does a 9" have over a dana44?

Roger · May 25, 2006

If you shave the 9" I'm pretty sure it's more ground clearance than a stock 44.

MarcW · May 25, 2006

Jobless said:
F450 unit bearings are the same as as the F250 and F350...they just say F450 for BS marketing reasons.

The setup in the pictures on their site do not look like Ford unit bearings...look more like the Dodge. Ford unit bearings and stub shafts do not have a nut on the ned of the stub shaft as shown in the photos.

i know, the spidertracks guy was on pirate a week or so ago saying there switching from the dodge 33 spline unit bearing, to the f-450 35 spline stuff.

Not Jobless · May 25, 2006

MarcW said:
i know, the spidertracks guy was on pirate a week or so ago saying there switching from the dodge 33 spline unit bearing, to the f-450 35 spline stuff.

If it's 35 spline F450 then it has to be the newer ones...Ford decided to go back to 35 spline up front a few years back.