Balmer

FINALLY picked up a torsion bar and cross member set up the other day, one of the adjusters came off easily the other is soaking in deep creep at the moment. I'm going to attempt to strip the set up down and clean, paint and intall it tonight. Back to crummy IFS for now!

Ya, ok I feel stupid! Still, I can't see putting a leaf set-up in a rig that came stock with links... it just seems like retrobuilding to me. Not to knock the flex of SOME leaf sprung rigs out there. And that's one of the few moded Bronco2's I've ever seen and by far the most flex I've seen out of one! I guess my reason for slagging leaf suspension is that I have a near stock 'Finder that is AT LEAST as capable as my buddy's YJ that he's put like 5 grand into. Were both decent drivers and he always blames his leaves for a lack of flex when I go through something he thinks I won't be able to follow him through. They really do seem to hold him up compared to coil sprung TJ's.

Nice looking rig in your avatar! Do you have any build info?

Thanks for the help as always! My Nissan specific posts will all reside here from now on, I'll leave the local and general stuff on FIBC. Well, this whole thing is definately picking up speed! The build will hopefully be completed over this winter, but the parts collecting begins now! I'll look into those link kits for sure...good to know there's a starting point available - I figured I'd be starting with raw materials and doing it all from scratch. I'm planning on using the 205 T-case, wouldn't this allieviate the pumpkin on the wrong side issue? Origionally I wanted to do the radius arm thing for the front but now that I'm likely going Chev axles instead of Ford I figured that I may as well link it? Do you think it would be easier/cheaper to fab up radius arms (I think they're also referred to as cage arms) with Johnny Joints (or whatever those joints that allow for misalignment are called)? 180sx, far as amount of lift goes I'm looking at keeping it as low as possible while having the clearance for at least 39" boots. Pathy87, how long have you been running your linear springs? I know you have yet to decide which springs you like better but what differences have you noticed between the progressive and linear coils?

Thanks for the response! I wound up having to pull BOTH T-Bars AND the cross-member to which they are mounted as the adjusters are SERIOUSLY SIEZED on and will not come off! So now I need to replace the whole deal as a unit...including the 1 new LCA anchor. The passenger side T-bar was engaged with about 1/8" of spline showing, just as you said it should be. The grooves in BOTH adjusters were in the correct positions and the C-clip was installed, in the corect position, on both adjusters. Seems weird to me that the drivers side could have been backed out so far given that all the reference points lined up? I guess I'll just be very aware of the spline depth when replacing the bars and if there's a descrepancy I'll make up some kind of spacer that brings the anchor aft about 3/8" and install the bolts reversed as you suggested. It's only a few more months 'till it's off the road for SASing anyhow!

I'm overwhelmed by the response to this thread!

Thought I'd touch base with ya. I'm doing a SAS this winter also. I got a great deal on some pretty gnarly parts from a '79 Chev 3/4 ton so away I go! Turns out my stuff is pretty similar to yours so I'm curiuos to see how your build comes along. My stuff: SM465 4-spd (planning on trading it for a T-400 since I love autos off-road) NP 205 T-case 14 Bolt FF D60 (with Warn Gold Series hubs) I want to do a triangulated 4-link in the rear and likely radius arms and a track bar in the front (I think that's what you're refering to as "cage arms"). Initially I'll be adapting the stock trans to the 205 but eventually I want to use a T-400 with a stock, injected 350 4 bolt. Good luck with your project, I'm eager to see the results!

The torsion bar anchor on my LCA stripped out a couple of weeks ago and I need to replace it. Has anyone else had this issue? I've removed the torsion bar from the LCA anchor and this afternoon I'm going to try to remove the anchor from the LCA (three bolts n' nuts - not captive nuts either). I'm not sure that I'll be able to get new bolts through the LCA if one or more of them should break - there seems to be very little clearance between the LCA and the crossmember to which it is mounted. Do I need to remove the LCA in this case? Also I noticed that the splines of the torsion bar were only engaed about 40% of the way into the anchor (about 3/8" of a possible 1" or so). Is this normal??? It sems to me that the splines should be almost entirely engaged with just a bit of play for expansion and shrinkage as well as enevitable fore and aft movement within the chasis. Should I plate the LCA behind the anchor to bring the anchor back another 1/4"-3/8" to allow more engagement? Any input is appreciated on this one...I'm doing a SAS over this winter so the less time, effort and $$$ into the damn IFS, the better!

Oh, and I'm planning on running 37"-42" tires.

So I've got a line on a great deal on a full drivetrain minus the engine from a '79 Chev 3/4 ton. I have yet to see the parts myself so I can't confirm anything yet but this is what I'm told is waiting for me: SM465 4-sp Trans. 205 T-case 14B FF D60 (gearing unknown at this point) 87Pathy (Jeremy) has and is helping me out with a ton of info. THANKS MAN!!!!! But I thought I'd list my junk and see what kind of ideas everyone comes up with in terms of links and other cusom fab stuff that's required. I'm NOT going with leaf packs so please leave that suggestion out! I'm hoping to go full-width and flare the hell out of it to keep it semi-legal, I can't afford spring over coils, hydro steer is a probability (or at least hydro assist), I want to go disks on the rear if possible. For now I'm thinking I'll keep the stock trans. and eventually trade it for a turbo 400 and do a stock, injected 350. Let's hear your ideas!

The Pathfinder already has a link/coil rear end. Most, if not all of the platforms that might work are leaf sprung front and rear. Pathfinders benefit most from the flex that link suspension offers. Do a SAS and link the front - DON'T DO A LEAF SPRING CONVERSION!!! If you want a leaf sprung rig just forget the pathfinder all together and drive a less capable rig.

So you have a rig that has a front axle with suspension that will work AND a rear end that will work plus other stuff I can use AND some stuff I could sell for $2000.00 USD? If that's the case then we should talk. I don't have all the cash right away but I could pay you in installments and grab the gear once it's all paid up if you're interested.

Good to know. I found a 79 F-150 for $2500.00 CAD. It has a HD D60 and a HD D44 with hydraulic stering as well as 205 t-case and a 4 spd std trans without numbers to identify it. It's got a 390 that the seller is claiming 400hp from. Do you think this is worth considering? Would I be able to use the D60 also? What about the 205? I'm thinking I could sell the engine and trans. Also that guy from Texas with the swap that you don't really care for is selling his on ebay for 3800.00 CAD. What about buying it and modding it to get better angles and such? He used a D44 hp from a full-size bronco...do they totally suck?

It helps a lot. When I first planned my swap I was hoping to find a donor vehicle that would supply me with the vast majority of the parts I needed to complete my SAS. The more reaserch I do, the more I become convinced that I'm better off just collecting individual parts from several different vehicles to furnish my SAS. I thought there might be a bronco front end that I could swap right in, radius arms and all, but I guess not eh? So your front axle is wider than your rear? And this is the best set-up? I'm learning more about suspension geometry but I'm not familiar with acerman angle. How much difference in width is there? So it's an EXTENDED cab not a CREW cab for the 78/79 F-150 right? I've seen so many guys running 35"+ boots on their cherokees with stock D30s tha t I was almost considering that axle but I guess that's just silly. I want to do my SAS as gradually as possible to keep the costs down and still be able to take my rig out even on a limited basis. For instance, I'd like to keep the stock rear axle for as long as possible but I guess it would be a lot skinnier than a Ford front end. Although I have crazy backspacing on my wheels so they stick out 3" past the body as is. I'm wanting to wind up with a rig very similar to yours as gradually and cheaply as possible. It's much easier for me to come up with a little money often than a lot of money seldom. A build thread on your's would be wicked.

I'm thinking so...how much wider is full width than stock?

What are the best years of F-150's and Broncos for donor choices? Do either have a usable rear axle so that it would be worth buying a full parts vehicle? I know there's a ton of other bronco stuff I can use too so that's what I'm hoping for.

Just curious, why run a 14B in the rear when you could run a 9" and have a matching lug pattern? The 9" offers a banjo housing and far more clearance and the 9" can be built strong enough to easily handle 500 HP (I can't imagine you're planning on more juice than that). You don't get the full floater axle but that's hardly a benefit when you're running light loads anyway. The 9" is also cheaper and easier to convert to disk I believe.

I really like that new design! it would be great to keep the hitachi axle in the rear and just add another to the front! Like most of the people commenting on your site though, I'm thinking the R+P prices would have to drop a lot before it made it a better chioce than a 9" or a rear D44 though.

Just wanted to see what axles everyone is using for solid axle swaps. I know that wagoneer D44's and Bronco D44's are the most popular but I've seen swaps with F-150 D44's also. Any other options out there that don't need to be too heavilly modded? I'm also inteseted in knowing what years of the affore mentioned axles are best? Do they have to be narrowed? what about hub swaps?

What about a longer, adjustable, track bar?

Interesting thought, thanks for the advice. I'm learning a lot about simple suspension geometry as I go but man, there's a lot to it!

I'm trying to figure exactly the same thing out... I'll keep posting on it.

Ya, that's basically the type of set up I'm talking about only I was thinking of going with a hydraulic set-up with a locking lever off of an atv.... When, as 87Pathy mentioned, I get a D300 T-case...one day.

Also a driveshaft park brake is WAY more reliable and solid than stock park brake set-ups. It locks all of the wheels (as long as your in 4x4) and relies on the strength of the drivetrian rather than that of the rear brakes, to hold the vehicle.

Anyone ever done a driveshaft parking brake to a WD21? You know, with a motorcycle rotor and caliper...