Soon i can play with the big boys

[makovai]

Originally Posted by Southedisto

So whats with the picture of the 4 small tires? Congrats on the upgrade, are you converting to disc in the rear?

still contemplating the rear disc idea, but i am pretty sure i'm gonna do the high steer setup. The little tires are so i could put my blazer back on the ground after i sold my 36" swampers lastnight. I'm going to the 40" MTR goodyear now, obviously with 8 lug wheels.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Man I would have luv'd to have had those 36's, but alas you are
there, I'm here, & I'm bloody broke to, keep us updated w/ pic's.

[IGOR]

Don't even think about it - you are going rear disc - it is SOO much cleaner and SOO easy to do - I have the DXFs for the brackets laying around here somewhere - get em cut - and get er done! Or you can just buy them off ColoradoK5 - if you are a member there - there is a vendor selling them for $40 for a pair.

[makovai]

Originally Posted by IGOR

Don't even think about it - you are going rear disc - it is SOO much cleaner and SOO easy to do - I have the DXFs for the brackets laying around here somewhere - get em cut - and get er done! Or you can just buy them off ColoradoK5 - if you are a member there - there is a vendor selling them for $40 for a pair.

why your truck look so funny you should at least jump up to some 31x10.50 tires

Hey ben, send me that cad file and i take a peek at it. DXF or IGS would be good.

another thing, do you guys upgrade the powerbrake booster, and master cylinder for these bigger brakes? proportioning valve would obviously get changed if i go disc in the rear.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Originally Posted by makovai

another thing, do you guys upgrade the powerbrake booster for these bigger brakes?

I have heard alot of people here say to put a 3/4 ton booster on, I
have yet to do this, but with my 35's it's not as tight as I like it

[vtblazer]

Hey blazers with tiny tires, I'm so there!

While working on the TPI install my 39.5's were a biatch to get to the engine bay, so I threw on some tiny tires.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by LUV2XCLR8

I have heard alot of people here say to put a 3/4 ton booster on, I
have yet to do this, but with my 35's it's not as tight as I like it

Yep, running a 1 ton booster on mine. (same-same)

So LUV, why would you need a set of 36's?

[IGOR]

Jim-

I bolted mine right up - and it worked fine - I had a prop valve but didn't end up using it - I think I will eventually do the 1 ton booster swap - simply because everyone has had such really good luck with it.

[MNorby]

I have disks on my 14ff in my 83 truggy and they work fine but I also have a 60 in the front so the fluid capacity in eash side increased from the stock pair of 10 bolts. Some people also go to a covette MC when swapping on disks. I built my own brackets off some blueprints I got off ebay for $5, its pretty easy.

[makovai]

Well, I'm 1 step closer. I hate swapers but i picked up these 38x15.5's for chump change so this is where I'll start until i can afford the 40" MTR's these are TSL radials too.

[2wdBlazer]

Those will look perfect with your lift. I need another 2 inches myself.

[Ochre]

I highly recommend the 8-lug swap...here's my truck before (6 lug axles, sans tires):
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=2795599
not so sexy

After the 8-lug swap in front and rear, AR 8-lug mags, 31" tires:
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=2795658
supar sexy

[makovai]

Originally Posted by Ochre

I highly recommend the 8-lug swap...here's my truck before (6 lug axles, sans tires):
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=2795599
not so sexy

After the 8-lug swap in front and rear, AR 8-lug mags, 31" tires:
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=2795658
supar sexy

How smooth was the conversion for you?

Well i hope it's worth it. I've already run into my first issue with the setup i bought. It has 2 different backing plates on the front end. 1 is thick (prolly 3/16" thick) the other is a 2 piece plate that was thin, like 1/16" I'm not sure which one is the original. but they are going to work tommorow so i can throw them in the sandblaster.

[MNorby]

I got my 14FF in the rear last weekend. Plasma cut the welds on the perches and shock hangers and ground down the housing then moved the perches in to 40.5" spread and also rotated the perches 5* to compensate for my shackle flip I built at the same time. Its easy to get under there, I didn't even use the lift, just floor jack and jackstands

[makovai]

Originally Posted by MNorby

I got my 14FF in the rear last weekend. Plasma cut the welds on the perches and shock hangers and ground down the housing then moved the perches in to 40.5" spread and also rotated the perches 5* to compensate for my shackle flip I built at the same time. Its easy to get under there, I didn't even use the lift, just floor jack and jackstands

can you post a clearer pic?

[makovai]

Swampers are out...........Mickeys are in.
Lastnight i picked up a set of 39x18 mickeys on 14" wide wheels.





This is a concept drawing of my final look (thanks to IGOR)

[IGOR]

Wow - that's a crappy photoshop job - who did that?

[Ochre]

Originally Posted by makovai

How smooth was the conversion for you?

Well i hope it's worth it. I've already run into my first issue with the setup i bought. It has 2 different backing plates on the front end. 1 is thick (prolly 3/16" thick) the other is a 2 piece plate that was thin, like 1/16" I'm not sure which one is the original. but they are going to work tommorow so i can throw them in the sandblaster.

Mine could have been smoother, some good info and some misinformation on CK5 that helped and hurt me.

My axles came from a buddy who parted out a '77 4x4 3/4T chevy. The front was pretty much a bolt-in affair (and btw it does have the thick front backing plates, disks up front). Had a little bit of difficulty getting the old steering arm off of the old diff but some torch action got that taken care of.

Come to find out that there were 2 different axle tube widths for the D44, and my old one was smaller than the new one that went in so I had to get all new U-bolts. Had I measured before I probably would have known that and finished up the swap in one night, instead I had to buy spring plates that were the correct width for the new u-bolts which took a few days, other than that the front was a bolt-in affair.

on the rear, I had to move my spring perches and shock mounts, haven't finished up moving the shock mounts cause I bent the old ones all to hell getting them off and was going to (but haven't yet) fabbed up new ones. I used a plasma cutter to cut the welds, did some grinding and used an air hammer to break the welds, then I cleaned up the diff sides of the spring perches and the locations that they were going onto and welded them in place, pretty smooth just measure twice and cut once.

I haven't got any driveability info cause after I did the swap I tore into mine determined to do some rust repair and its not back together yet...oh well.

[makovai]

Originally Posted by Ochre

Mine could have been smoother, some good info and some misinformation on CK5 that helped and hurt me.

My axles came from a buddy who parted out a '77 4x4 3/4T chevy. The front was pretty much a bolt-in affair (and btw it does have the thick front backing plates, disks up front). Had a little bit of difficulty getting the old steering arm off of the old diff but some torch action got that taken care of.

Come to find out that there were 2 different axle tube widths for the D44, and my old one was smaller than the new one that went in so I had to get all new U-bolts. Had I measured before I probably would have known that and finished up the swap in one night, instead I had to buy spring plates that were the correct width for the new u-bolts which took a few days, other than that the front was a bolt-in affair.

on the rear, I had to move my spring perches and shock mounts, haven't finished up moving the shock mounts cause I bent the old ones all to hell getting them off and was going to (but haven't yet) fabbed up new ones. I used a plasma cutter to cut the welds, did some grinding and used an air hammer to break the welds, then I cleaned up the diff sides of the spring perches and the locations that they were going onto and welded them in place, pretty smooth just measure twice and cut once.

I haven't got any driveability info cause after I did the swap I tore into mine determined to do some rust repair and its not back together yet...oh well.

i'll watch for the tips you gave.
So far i'm looking to just replace the front end from backing plates out, i may even have that done today. the rear is gonna be a while.

[2wdBlazer]

Hope you don't go muddin. Those Mickey's will suck for that.

[mtm_seven]

You're going to love the new axles! Though you might regret selling your old tires when I tell you that I'm running 15" wheels with a corp 14 FF and dana 44 8-lug. It can be done - if you use steel wheels.

Also, I'm running 4:11 with 35's and the highway RPM is just about right. You may consider as the board says a little more for your 40's

Good luck!

[makovai]

these 39x18 mickeys may not work so good.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Looks good, offset may be the issue, maybe different rims?