What front end to run ?

Gittinit · Feb 13, 2015

I can tell you first hand what doesn't work with the 4.3/400/203/205 drivetrain. Torlyota mini truck axles are to puny in every respect. Even crushed a knuckle ball coming off a ledge partly because of the added weight of the drivetrains.

I'm still in progress of a one ton swap. Broke every time I tried to wheel with the Toyota axles after swaoing in the previously mentioned power train

TBItoy · Feb 13, 2015

Re: Re: What front end to run ?

Gittinit said:
I can tell you first hand what doesn't work with the 4.3/400/203/205 drivetrain. Torlyota mini truck axles are to puny in every respect. Even crushed a knuckle ball coming off a ledge partly because of the added weight of the drivetrains.

I'm still in progress of a one ton swap. Broke every time I tried to wheel with the Toyota axles after swaoing in the previously mentioned power train

That's what would concern me about the fj axle (same outers as mini truck).

You can get a 99-04 Dana 60 for $250-400 at pretty much any junkyard. Look on car-part.com

Markrobinson · Feb 13, 2015

Jess Haines builds some nice **** for those SD knuckles

Neal3000 · Feb 13, 2015

you could even use the outers off of a dana 50, that should be cheap as dirt

RustyC · Feb 13, 2015

Build a balljoint Dana 50 / 9" . Dana 50 outers and a 9" housing. I have done this with the same drivetrain but used a TH350 and love it. The lower and still strong gearset for the 9" help a ton with the 205's low range. The weak spot is the stub shafts and lockouts. The stub breaks and takes out the lockout.
I will say 5.13 gear and 38"s still need a bit lower gearing.

(http://www.hardlinecrawlers.com/forums/index.php?topic=38279.0)

RustyC · Feb 13, 2015

If you want to keep the cost down even more when building a 50/9" here is another option. Reusing the Dana 50 30 spline shafts till you find their limit.
9" two piece carrier.
Dana 44 side gears 30 spline.
Dana 50 shafts 30 spline

Take the Dana 44 side gears and cut about .250 off their height on the trust washer side. Replace the side gears in the 9' with the Dana 44 cut side gears. Weld into a spool.
Reassemble the 9" , add gears. Finish out with Dana 50 shafts.

Then when/if you break a 50 shaft. You can upgrade the 30 spline welded spool to a 35 spline 9" locker or spool and Dana 60 shafts from the same era Dana 50. OEM or aftermarket.

Markrobinson · Feb 13, 2015

The 35 spline unit bearing stubs aren't too expensive, something like $150 each, and the unit bearings can take a standard dana 60 drive flange.

You still have to have the bearing bored to accept 35 spline shafts though.