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Solid Axel Swap


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I want to do a solid axel swap on the 98 pathy. I've already thrown on the OME lift, and some A/T, but after doing almost everything i can with that i want to throw in a solid axel up front, how would you all approach this?

 

BTW i'll have some pics ups in the next couple of days..

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nothing is impossible, its a case of just how much money do you want to throw at it.

 

i think the impossible thing would be finding someone who will do a 'drive in - drive out' job for you. then once its in do fine tuning and adjusting of the set up.

 

the main question here is can you fabricate? generally someone who asks a question as above, cant.

coils or leafs? coils, nuff said

what sort of setup do you want? 5 link would be fantastic - great flex while retaining some stability.

what sort of axle? flipped gq axle..... mmmmmm all nissan

r50's being unibody would take some serious bracing up front while incorporating your axle mounts

setting up the front with 5 link would mean more lift than you all ready have, which means the back will need attention as well. shocks, springs, arms....

 

& the list goes on.

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Your main problem is your choice of base vehicle. You have a unibody with an IFS front end. There's essentially nothing to cut and weld to in order to fab solid axle parts TO. You also have rack and pinion steering, which will have to be changed to something a little more useable on a solid axle if and when you ever get one under there.

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by going online and looking at how jeep liberty people setup their front ends with solid axles... They use their coilover tower as the spring perch. Just take out your entire stock IFS subframe and build some bolt on engine mounts. Reinforce the center section of the unibody where the links would attach etc... Find a steering box that'll bolt to the inside of the frame rail and what not.

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by going online and looking at how jeep liberty people setup their front ends with solid axles... They use their coilover tower as the spring perch. Just take out your entire stock IFS subframe and build some bolt on engine mounts. Reinforce the center section of the unibody where the links would attach etc... Find a steering box that'll bolt to the inside of the frame rail and what not.

 

Thanks, thought there was a sound reason for the comment.

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I want the solid axel so that i can have more height, more flex and more strength, and also because nobody has an lifted R50 with a solid front axel! I can do my own fabing, and money is not really an issue, so i know i can get what i need to do this job, but i just didn't know how i was going to approach it, i've been reading up on 4runner solid axels swaps, but those are BOFs..

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There's a guy donig a front axel swap to an Xterra over at nicoclub.com. It looks pretty badass

 

Xterra is body on frame, much easier to work with.

If I were to do this, I would build a subframe into a set of rock sliders and attach this subframe to the stock running board mounts with braces going to the front subframe mounts. Ditch the front subframe and build a support for the engine mount. Use this "frame" to support a wristed radius arm front suspension. You'd have to run a fair amount of lift to clear the oil pan, but it looks like you want more lift so that would not be a problem. Use the strut towers to mount your springs/coilovers. Steering would be the hardest part. Full hydraulic would be the easiest solution, but it's not street legal.

 

Anyway, That is what I would do.

 

Bigmatt

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With the amount of money you will have put in to a SAS you could go buy a 2 seeter rock bugy on pirate4x4.com. I did a SAS on my old tacoma and it was a pita and that had a frame. Now that people do SAS's on tacomas all the time there are hangers and what not you can buy. Without a few prefab parts like hangers and braces it will take you

 

1)over a year

2)atleast $5K just for the front and about another $3K-6K for the rear, if your going to do it buy 2 custom toyota 8"housings or go big with some D60's.

 

Go buy a 85 toyota and lift it so you can wheel and have something to drive everyday. I learned the hard way to get a daily driver then a wheeler because you can't have both unless you have $10k plus to drop in your pathy.

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