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SAS with hpd44


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Okay, after posting on here a while back about doing a lift and steering upgrade, I decided to go the SAS route. Since I wanted to do a SAS eventually anyway, it didn't make sense to spend the money on lifting the ifs.

 

I picked up a high pinion Dana 44 housing, kind of an impulse buy. I am leaning towards a SUA setup for simplicity sake, but keep going back to 3 link and coils. How hard is it to get the links setup? I have downloaded a link calculator but it wants info that I have no way of getting, like weight per corner. I don't have a way to measure that. Enough people have done this that I was hoping to find solid measurements, like run top link from point x to point y, but can't find anything with details.

 

I see the advantages to both suspension setups, but would want to make all four corners the same. So the extra cost of going link up front would be offset by the added cost of doing leafs in the back, if I chose leaf setup. Sorry if this is rambling, I am sick and having a hard time focusing my thoughts.

 

I guess my question is a 3 link setup that complicated to get right? All work will need to be done in my driveway, as I only have a one car garage that is stuffed with tools and materials.

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Just be aware you are going to be nickled and dimed to death doing a budget SAS build. Cost effective way is to know how to weld and make sure you have everything ready to go in one shot.

 

It would be a waste of a high pinion to go spring under.

 

Leaf springs are always the cheapest route of course and quickest to do. I know of a guy who can set you up quick and fast if you want to go spring over front and rear.

 

One day I'll go coils but until then my fine with what I have as I don't wheel much anymore.

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Thanks for the reply. It seems like most everybody that runs leafs is happy with them, but they all plan on going coils eventually. Maybe I will go coils to begin with, in the long run it would be cheaper then going leafs, then coils.

 

Am I over thinking the coil links? Is it easier to set up then I am making it out to be?

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I know you've already asked over at N4W, but I think looking up some RuggedRocks/TheKing (Kenny) builds would be beneficial. He never goes the cheap way, but I know he's 3-linked his fair share of Nissans using the HP Ford axles. You've already got the best JY axle available so you might as well build it right. As for the rear, It seems like a step back to switch to leaf sprung. Ryan Gee (GrandpaX) has done a low/no budget rear long travel setup. It was mostly just a matter of extending the rear upper arms. I'd search all of this out for you, but no time.

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I can't really contribute anything here, except maybe for this...

 

info that I have no way of getting, like weight per corner. I don't have a way to measure that.

 

I had to do a physics lab for this back in college. You can approximate weight without scales like so:

https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/tired-weight

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When I did my D21 SAS, I pulled in at a scrap metal merchant and asked him to weigh the front and rear independently. Came to 1200kg up front and 900kg on the rear. You should be half that on each wheel.

 

Had leaf packs built to carry appropriate weight on the front end with the one tonner leaf pack as a base to work from. They added one military wrap blade to the pack.

 

I could possibly have gone a bit heavier as the pack carries the weight with an exactly straight blade.

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

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  • 1 month later...

I have never done a leaf setup for a SAS but from my experience with doing a 3 link setup I know there is a bit of a learning curve and it doesn't happen over night if you haven't done one before. I had to rework my setup more than once to get the geometry right.

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I have never done a leaf setup for a SAS but from my experience with doing a 3 link setup I know there is a bit of a learning curve and it doesn't happen over night if you haven't done one before. I had to rework my setup more than once to get the geometry right.

I'm thinking more and more of going with a 3 link. Would be nice if someone had the geometry figured on a D21 that could tell me where to mount stuff and what to do.

 

Mine is mostly a daily drive and I am sure coils would .make a big difference. My big problem is that I doubt that anybody has done a D21 SAS with the diff I used, and the resulting 7" lift.

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

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My project is still in the parts purchasing phase. I spend a little each month. I hope to start hacking by mid summer.

 

Which axle did you use.

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Mine came about when I bent the D21 and I had no other way to keep it on the road. Quotes were open ended to try and fix it and nobody could say with certainty that they could get it right. Insurance wrote it off and I could not afford that. I was unemployed and had to do something to save my only ride.

 

Our 4x4 forum here got together and all kinds of donations came in. I had to work with what I got and a very limited budget. Leaf pack from the rear of a one tonner hardbody is what I had. I have since been struggling with "funny" handling issues and have even cut a welded the front diff out three times to try and change castor in the hope it sorts things out.

 

Now I find that my leaf pack that I added a military wrap blade to, could be the problem. The wrap blade has no space for movement on its eyes, and is under binding and tension. My reasoning is that I may end up with springs that can't hold up the front end when I cut off the eyes of the military wrap blade. I still can't afford much for this project and I think a new leaf pack will make for a whole new build.

 

I have a set of coils from a 4,8 Patrol that I think could come in handy on a 3 link. I have even thought of building a radius arm to replace the trailing end of the leaf pack using its original mounting points, and adding a panhard with coils.

 

Internet searches tells me its not going to be that easy. My build is very unique as I doubt anybody has used the diffs I have. I have moved the drive train to the other side of the vehicle in the front to have a right drop. Rear has to undergo the same changes.

 

So, what I really need is some info from someone that has done a D21 3 link with panhard, that can tell me where my chassis mounting points need to be and angles of the arms and things like that. Radius arms seem quick and nasty and guys say thet don't articulate very well with binding.

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

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