Upgrade plans for the Beast

[Roadkill]

I had planned to do a SAS on the Beast after this deployment, but I went on a trip with a bunch of friends from Fullsizebronco.com and busted my rig real good. Read about the trip here <=Clicky!. There are shitload of photos. Scroll down to post #4 for pictures of my carnage.

Also got a bunch of trip photos on my Supermotors Page <=Clicky!

This photo was taken while we were hooking up to tow a rockcrawler up hill after he broke one of his driveshafts:


Should have been an easy pull, but I took a bad bounce and everything went to hell. Manged to spin the pumpkin around the axle tubes on the rear axle. Had no idea that 13 year old 351 with over 200,000 miles could make enough torque to do that, but aparently, it did. When the pinion pointed itself upwards, the severe angle on the driveshaft snaped the mounting ears off the flange and broke the rear U-joint. All that new found torqe was then transfered the front end (ARB's engaged) where it found the next weakest link in the chain, the right front axle shaft. And that, boys and girls is how turn your awsome Beast into a 1 wheel drive (thanks to the locker) full sized SUV. (Suddenly Useless Vehicle)

Photo is blury, but if you look closely, you can see the dark spots on the drivers side of the diff where the plugwelds on the axle broke and allowed the pumkin to rotate on the tube. You can also see a bearing cap from u-joint next to the tire:


A clearer photo taken after puting it on the trailer:


Right front axle carnage:


We winched it onto the trailer, and when I got home I was able to just pull the broken parts out of the front axle and with the ARB engaged, drive it off the trailer in "one wheel drive". Before deploying, I was able to fix front axle, so with rear driveshaft removed, I can drive it around in front wheel drive.

[Roadkill]

Well, with all that damage, the SAS has now been pushed to back burner and the "SAS fund" will have to be re-alocated to a rear axle upgrade.

Thought about going to a 3/4 or 1 ton axle, but there are several factors against that idea (at least for the time being).

1) Being a Ford, that would present issues with the vehicle speed sensor located in the rear axle. Without it, the E4OD transmission will not function properly along with a host of other computer issues.

2) Also I have over a $1000 in the ARB locker and 4.56 gears and less than 5000 miles on them.

3) All of those parts held up, it was the axle housing itself that failed.

So, I've decide to stick with an 8.8 axle and re-use all those expensive (and nearly new) parts. My first option was to get a junkyard axle and beef it up by welding the tubes all the way around (as opposed to the factory plug welds) and perhaps have it trussed as well. This has the added benifit of spring perches and shock mounts already being in the right spot and all I have to do is get someone qualified to set up my gears and locker in the new improved housing for me.

However, I discovered this axle from Currie <=Clicky! so I'm back in undecided mode again.

Downside to the Currie axle is that it will cost more than junkyard axle and I will have to buy and set up more parts (brakes, new axle shafts, ect.). But it has the added benifit of using the 9" axle shafts and retaining plates so the "C" clamps would be eliminated (a big plus in my book) and there are a lot more options out there should I decide to switch to disc brakes and I would still be able to use the guts out of my Ford 8.8 along with the speed sensor.

Well that's where I stand right now with the Beast, looks like the SAS will be on hold for another year.

[DsZR2]

why not upgrade to a 9"? the 8.8 is a good axle but it has its limits. if you still with the 8.8 i would say get a truss for it. what axle r u going to use on the front? if u are goin to run a dana 44 get a 8 lug dana 44 and use the 5 lug outers on it. the 8 lug dana 44 is stronger.

[Roadkill]

Two reasons to stay with 8.8,

1) The big reason is the Vehicle Speed Sensor is located in the differential. The transmission uses the signal from VSS for shifting and the computer uses it for fuel delivery calculations. Without it the truck will run, but it wont shift right, run right, and of course the speedometer will not work. There are kits available to relocate it to other locatons but they are very pricey and performance is questionable.

2)I paid over $1000 for the ARB locker and 4.56 gears in there and it will not fit a non-8.8 axle. If I stick with an 8.8 I can re-use those expensive parts. If I go with anything else, have to buy new locker and gears. I could recoup some of the money by selling the 8.8 parts, but won't get very much because most people are like me and would not trust those parts if they are "used".

Hey wanna buy my ARB locker and 4.56 gears? Only 5000 miles on them.
Yeah, RIGHT, let me get my check book!

[Roadkill]

Agree on the 8 lug Dana 44. I will likely stay with D44 for the same reason I'm going to try to stay with 8.8 (re-use locker and gears). But that project is probably at least a year down the road now. Gotta do the unplanned restoration on the rear end first.

[DsZR2]

well since u are going to stay will the 8.8 i would weld the axle tubes and get a truss for it.

[Monty]

you must of been out of duct tape

[Mudmut]

Hey Dale,

If you need me to do anything to help you while you are gone let me know. Also does Currie make an 8.8. I know that I love my Currie rearend. Stay safe and let me know when you get home.

[Roadkill]

Hey Dale,

If you need me to do anything to help you while you are gone let me know. Also does Currie make an 8.8. I know that I love my Currie rearend. Stay safe and let me know when you get home.

Thanks for the offer, but everythings taken care of back home.

Currie does make an 8.8, they even make hybrid axle that uses the 8.8 center section with tubes from a 9 inch that will allow you to use the "big bearing" 31 spline 9 inch axle shafts with your 8.8 center (see link in post #2 above). That would allow me to re-use all those expensive parts from my broken axle; ARB locker, 4.56 gears, etc.

I also just discovered a company called Mitchell Differential <=Clicky! that makes a conversion kit to turn the 8.8 into a full floating axle. It is pricey kit, but combined with a junkyard axle and my still good locker and gears, it would cost the same as the 8.8/9inch hybrid from Currie. The best thing about the Mitchell kit is that with it's alloy shafts, it turns your axle into a full floating setup. You could snap both rear axles and and still drive it with the front axle or flat-tow it back to the trail head if you had to. No way you could do that if regular 8.8 C-clipped axle breaks. You would have to fix it right there or bring the trailer to the truck. Not an idea that I appeals to me with my pretty boy GMC tow-rig.

[stumblefoot]

Yeah find a good junkyard axle, tear it apart, clean it up weld and truss it put the stronger axles and your gears & lockers in it and bolt it in. Easiest fastest and leaves you with some spare brake drums and stuff.