Author Topic: Solid axle swap info (Read 18067 times)

Scout12 bravo · « **on:** March 08, 2015, 08:56:13 AM »

So I see the topic of sas comes up pretty regularly, but not with much specific information on a build. I understand that each build can be different and tailored to a builders needs. In general, what is the consensus on the most strait forward axle to use, and its suspension set up? I see in most pictures that it's a leaf spring set up, but with what axle? Any thoughts or info would be awesome

eaglefreek · « **Reply #1 on:** March 08, 2015, 12:11:08 PM »

Let me preface this with I haven't done this myself. I took the easy way out and bought one already done, sold it though. There was more info, but a lot was lost in what we call the "big delete" a while back. We used to have a member Mick who has done several SAS Eagles, but much of his info is gone. The front axle you choose will depend on how hard core you want to wheel your Eagle. A Dana 30 from a Wrangler(YJ) for leaf spring or Cherokee for coil springs are a good match for a mild build. Leaf springs will be the easiest for a novice. Coil springs requires some knowledge of proper set up of a linked suspension. It's not a simple undertaking and I've seen a couple Eagles that have had the SAS done that shouldn't be allowed on the road for safety reasons.

carnuck · « **Reply #2 on:** March 08, 2015, 07:36:52 PM »

If you plan a serious offroader, then Grand Wagoneer axles may be what you want.

rollguy · « **Reply #3 on:** March 08, 2015, 08:14:46 PM »

I have done several, and still may have a thread here. I have a fixture for making the sub-frame for free if you are willing to come pick it up in CA.

huggyb1972 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2015, 04:02:08 AM »

Hey guys,

This looks like a great place to drop some questions. I am back at working on Harry once again. It seams that since the weather has changed and changed back and I managed to overcome the chassis rot that almost sent him to the big parking lot in the sky Harry now is scrubbing the inside tread off the tires.

I have a full list of thing that need replaced and parts alone would put me at $600 to repair something that is destined to probably last a little while and come back potentially worse.

I have performed a 2 SAS swaps on my Bronco and have a good understanding of the things that need to happen for it to be safe to drive and fun to drive. I would like to ask if we could find some links to a (successful) leaf spring swap. I have been looking the interwebs over and have found some pictures that get you all hot and bothered but don't let you get in and see what the chassis looks like underneath.

I have been looking at YJ front leaf springs since the weight of the 2 are going to be somewhat similar. The Fabricator parts are out there to be purchased and so far I am leaning towards a leaf over the link suspension. Harry is still able to pull off a daily drive but I'm not sure how much longer the tires are going to make it and I think the wheel bearings are reaching the end of their usable life and with the combination of poor alignment things just snow ball out from there.

I am looking for things such as springs that have been proven to work well and overall expectations of lift height. We would like to run 31x10.50x15. I believe we will be shooting for a 3.55 ratio axle set.

YJ axles are pretty scarce from where I'm at but ZJ and XJ axles are plentiful I think that the bracketry for the link can be stripped off to allow spring perches to be installed. I say think because the while the passenger side has a 2 1/2 long tube to place the perch the Drivers side has far less options.

Will it work out okay with the springs directly under the chassis rails?

Is the steering draglink going to be a problem or is that a easy one?

Is there a combination of springs that that work well height wise? "like 1.5" over front YJ's up front and 3" over XJ's in the rear"

This is what Harry looks like We've had him for going on 1yr. now.

This my Bronco it's been on leafs for now 6 months and it drives and rides so much better everywhere on the interstate you have to keep an eye on it otherwise you'll be doing 80 and not realize it.

It's abused regularly I have yet to see anyone in my group traverse this pit.

carnuck · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2015, 11:13:41 AM »

If I was going to lift my Eagle, I would go long arm with coils.

huggyb1972 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 13, 2015, 07:41:06 PM »

It's not that I'm against a link style suspension but leaf is just so easy to set up. I saw the thread again of the person who fabricated a whole sub chassis and I really like that idea. I am just thinking time wise and stuff leafs would be far cheaper all around except for the fact i had purchased some heim joints to build a long travel rear suspension for my ranger that I have lost interest in. I could build a very nice long arm system for this thing. So at this point I dont know what direction to head with the thing.

rollguy · « **Reply #7 on:** April 13, 2015, 08:27:15 PM »

I have a fixture for fabricating a front sub-frame, and it is yours for the taking if you come and get it here in So. Cal. I have done several conversions, and my first one was on an '83 wagon the same color as yours (signature photo).......Rich

huggyb1972 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 13, 2015, 11:28:11 PM »

It was yours I was talking about then. Maybe if things work out and I go to the Baja1000 again like the plan is I can pick it up.

Just how big is the fixture out of curiosity.

rollguy · « **Reply #9 on:** April 13, 2015, 11:53:35 PM »

Quote from: huggyb1972 on April 13, 2015, 11:28:11 PM

It was yours I was talking about then. Maybe if things work out and I go to the Baja1000 again like the plan is I can pick it up.

Just how big is the fixture out of curiosity.

It is about 5 feet long, as wide as an Eagle at the spring pockets, and about 3 feet tall. I have a photo somewhere, I will look for it....Rich

huggyb1972 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 14, 2015, 12:31:58 AM »

do you have any pictures or maybe a thread of your work. I could see a link suspension going together quite easy.

Nightpath · « **Reply #11 on:** April 14, 2015, 08:11:51 AM »

I'm with Carnuck on this, long arm/coils setup would be the best. Better on road manners than the leaf spring setup. I've seen someone put the leaf springs on their Eagle and it looks pretty aweful.

eaglefreek · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2015, 10:10:06 AM »

Quote from: Nightpath on April 14, 2015, 08:11:51 AM

I'm with Carnuck on this, long arm/coils setup would be the best. Better on road manners than the leaf spring setup. I've seen someone put the leaf springs on their Eagle and it looks pretty aweful.

Yes, there's been a couple leaf spring attempts that look awfully unsafe, but Rich's setup looked really good.

huggyb1972 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2015, 06:45:03 PM »

I've had better success with leafs than links. I am leaning toward the raduis arm or long arm as Jeep people say.

huggyb1972 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 15, 2015, 11:59:22 PM »

I located a XJ axle today from a 93' High pinion 3.55 gears non disconnect. I can build anything i need but the less fab i need to do the faster old harry runs once more.

Does anyone know if a hornet engine cross member will bolt into the eagle chassis and locate the engine properly without getting in the way of the axle? I'm fairly certain the the eagle cross member is not going to work out with new axle.

carnuck · « **Reply #15 on:** April 16, 2015, 12:34:08 AM »

If anyone is close to Spokane, WA and looking for axles, a friend of mine is parting a newer XJ with non-vac front and 8.25 rear with probably 3.55 gears (3.73 is the other option, but this didn't have the tow package)

mudkicker715 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 16, 2015, 05:34:26 AM »

With an xj axle you will probobly end up buying a jeep hi steer kit for it. You might also want a dropped pitman arm.

the histeer locates the passenger side above the leaf spring if the axle is below the spring. The dropped pit arm is just an idea for once it is done to try and lay the linkage flat again.

huggyb1972 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 16, 2015, 10:28:15 AM »

Does the steering drag link from the XJ work in the Eagle. I see a couple problems right off the bat. The chassis width on the eagle is 33" the inside width between the springs on the xj axle is 31".

mudkicker715 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 16, 2015, 03:13:19 PM »

Drag link works since the axle stays the same size. Spring pads/perch can move in. However than your on the pumpkin housing.

rollguy · « **Reply #19 on:** April 17, 2015, 06:14:45 PM »

Quote from: huggyb1972 on April 15, 2015, 11:59:22 PM

I located a XJ axle today from a 93' High pinion 3.55 gears non disconnect. I can build anything i need but the less fab i need to do the faster old harry runs once more.

Does anyone know if a hornet engine cross member will bolt into the eagle chassis and locate the engine properly without getting in the way of the axle? I'm fairly certain the the eagle cross member is not going to work out with new axle.

You may still have to modify a Hornet crossmember. Having the fixture made it easy for me to do the conversions I did. Everything is at workbench height, and no welding upside-down. On one I fabbed a completely new crossmember out of square tube, the other I just cut down the stock crossmember to miss all the suspension/steering parts.

carnuck · « **Reply #20 on:** April 17, 2015, 07:12:32 PM »

It's easier to mod the Eagle crossbar to take the V8. oil pan needs modding too. Motor is offset to RH side a few inches to clear driveshaft on LH side. You could use a 6 cyl Hornet crossbar and get the aftermarket weld in mounts from Bulltear.

eaglefreek · « **Reply #21 on:** April 17, 2015, 08:11:15 PM »

Sorry Jim, but I don't see any mention of a V8 swap in this thread. I know Paul, aka Strike Eagle, kept the stock crossmember when he did his SAS. But he may have used a low pinion D30.

carnuck · « **Reply #22 on:** April 17, 2015, 10:38:44 PM »

I wonder where that thought came from? Guess I confused the OP with someone else (I even checked the other posts)

I think (we know how much trouble THAT can cause!) I would just remove the OEM front diff, lower control arms and all other non-needed front suspension parts from the frame and engine crossbar. If you move the engine to center, there probably won't be enough room for a driveshaft in front. You will likely (not saying 100% without trying it) be able to use a regular Jeep 6 oil pan which holds 1 more quart. Grand Cherokee steering arm is like a drop arm to the Eagle (we used one when we put a 2" spacer between engine crossbar and frame in my first Eagle lift attempt back in @'92)

huggyb1972 · « **Reply #23 on:** April 27, 2015, 03:03:39 AM »

When I had looked at the cross member that is there it looked as if the axle wouldn't clear it very well, but if it's been done before I guess I can probably make it work. If nothing else a sturdy piece of 2" pipe with a dip in it to clear the oil pan and keep the side to side location could be designed into the cradle for the motor with a little creativity. So far the truck hoist we made out of the stuff is doing a phenomenal job and has allowed us (Dad and I) to make short work of things that we would have struggled with or passed on in the past.

I'm still working on the Bronco for my youngest daughter currently so once it gets to drive itself around I can focus on the
Eagle SAS.

huggyb1972 · « **Reply #24 on:** May 30, 2015, 09:12:49 PM »

okay I finally stumbled upon the build thread from rollguy and mick I think it was. If my eyes don't deceive me the engine crossmember is gone completely on micks and rollguy just made a totally new crossmember to support the engine.

I really am leaning towards leafs at this point although I have a set of radius arms from a Bronco that would make this work pretty well. If the guys who have done the leaf swap don't me asking, what is the leaf spring specs you used for the front? I have been looking at a stock YJ (87' wrangler) front leaf spring to start with my problem is I don't have one near so I really can't know very well the ride height before this stuff is all together and sitting on it.

So right now the Eagle just sits in the driveway waiting for its axle to be installed