2001 XLT D44-SAS

Ok, I'm going to start this thread since I'm hoping to be done with this by the end of September.

Ok, those were the pretty pics...then I cracked the cover off the pumpkin-

The thing had a ton of water inside...no gear oil came out, only water...

Now the questions for all you axle Gurus...

I can rebuild this no problem right?

Are the axle tubes sealed from the pumpkin, or did the water travel down the tubes?

I'd appreciate any opinions on this cause when the water came pouring out I got disgusted and put the cover back on...I'll have at it again tomorrow and start stripping it down.

From what can be seen- any ideas on what would have to be changed right off the bat?

Or am I looking at a total rebuild?

I want to swap out the knuckles and spindles for 5-on-5.5, they're hard to get here...any body know anyplace in Jersey or PA that I could contact and secure some F150 knuckles and spindles?

Opinions would be greatly appreciated!!

Particularly since I'm hoping to pick up the springs this weekend.

 

[CoryL]

Originally posted by cdsl227
Can the AWD T-Case run without a front driveshaft??

Yes. You shouldn't screw anything up either.

There is a shop here that'll do the SAS work, they won't touch a leaf setup, they'll do coil, for about $9,000 just for the swap!

Leafs are a bigger PITA in my opinion. I'd much rather do a coil sprung SAS than a leaf sprung one. That $9k makes my $3500-$4500 price seem cheap.

 

[JoshC]

Maybe you should move to NY and up your price Cory, lol!

 

[410Fortune]

You are in way over your head!

I love being in that situation....good luck, should be a great learning experience. Doing this to a 2001 is balls-ey.

Skip the leafs, go with coils or even straight to coil overs..

Check out GrapeApe's D60'ed Ranger.......thats how you do a solid axle/fabrication....

Good luck! Also hope you have a big ass savings account, it gets expensive fast..........

 

[cdsl227]

American Express! Buy now, pay later!!

I like a challenge too...I don't know why, but I'm feeling the leaf is going to be an easier setup...too many variable with the Coil.

I figure if I find the sweet spot to mount the hangers...get'em up there solid, that's half the battle.

setup the pinion angle, check the caster- then have the perches welded to the axle tubes...some steering, now that's where I'm screwed, but I'll manage.

The major expense I see is the Atlas, but...you gotta do what you gotta do! Although the gearing, locker and all are catching up quick...

It'll definitetly be fun!

 

[JoshC]

Originally posted by cdsl227
American Express! Buy now, pay later!!

I like a challenge too...I don't know why, but I'm feeling the leaf is going to be an easier setup...too many variable with the Coil.

I'm not trying to dis you or anything, but seriously talk to Cory about this one. He has done 2 Second gens now, mine is coil and Robb has leafs.

I know it's personal, but if you're wanting something to go together eaiser the talk with Cory.

So you're going Atlas also?? Man, you can't be married! My wife would shoot me if i would have bought an Atlas along with the SAS.

 

[NOTAJP]

I'm with you on the leaf springs. Leaf springs can flex just as much as coil-overs with a fraction of the cost. I'll confirm as soon as mine's on the ground. I believe the leafs are straight fwd with much less engineering as coils or coil-over systems take. Maybe I've built to many JPs.

I think I have figured out the whole steering bit so when you get there, let me know. I should have a thread done when my Exploder is on the ground.

 

[GaSouthern1]

Originally posted by JoshC
So you're going Atlas also?? Man, you can't be married! My wife would shoot me if i would have bought an Atlas along with the SAS.

It is easier to ask for forgiveness then it is to ask for permission haha.

 

[Nick26]

Originally posted by CoryL
Leafs are a bigger PITA in my opinion. I'd much rather do a coil sprung SAS than a leaf sprung one.

Cory, out of curiousity why? besides the advantages the coil design may have as far as capability goes I would have thought it would be much more complicated and time consuming to created a well-balanced coil over setup in comparison to a leaf sprung?

and to cdsl227 good luck! Your and inspiration to all of us youngens who dream about doing it but have neither funds nor immediate know-how but like doing things the hard way for self-reassurance and education. you live and learn!

 

[cdsl227]

I'm not married, but my old lady (girlfriend) speaks up from time to time...I just tell her it's what I want! And I want what I want and I want it NOW! Now back-off woman!

She's cool with it besides it's not her money.

I'm just following in the footsteps of the greats that came before.

I read the hell out of Rick writeup, watched Robbs get built, lurked around and read all the SAS threads/writeups I could find, Mudd***** and all the other SASs that were taking place...Gabes and Lizards were the defining votes.

Lizards is montrous...that's where I want mine to be.

Oh, and the picture of Gabes nose to nose with his wifes car!

Everyplace I read it seemed to come up the leaf would be less variables...maybe I'm stuck on stupid, but I think the durability of leafs is better than that of the coil setup.

I could be wrong though...wouldn't be the first time.

 

[wilson_nick]

I'm w/you man, i don't know much about 4wd systems or anything for that matter but if you do it yourself you feel so much better and its cheeper. It's always nice to know if something is done by you it's done right and even if something goes wrong you don't have to take to somebody to get if fixed, by then you can fix it yourself because you know you parts inside and out!!!

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by cdsl227
I'm just following in the footsteps of the greats that came before.

I read the hell out of Rick writeup, watched Robbs get built, lurked around and read all the SAS threads/writeups I could find, Mudd***** and all the other SASs that were taking place...Gabes and Lizards were the defining votes.

Lizards is montrous...that's where I want mine to be.

Everyplace I read it seemed to come up the leaf would be less variables...maybe I'm stuck on stupid, but I think the durability of leafs is better than that of the coil setup.

I could be wrong though...wouldn't be the first time.

I'm with ya! I see the biggest issue is the track bar. There seems to be a ton of issues with breakage and bump steer. Leafs have neither.

I've talked to Cory on the phone a few times. He still thinks I'm crazy and leafs are a PITA. I've had fun building mine, and I think it'll turn our great. Taxxman has 12" of flex with coils so that's what I'm shooting to beat.

 

[Robb]

Originally posted by NOTAJP
I'm with ya! I see the biggest issue is the track bar. There seems to be a ton of issues with breakage and bump steer. Leafs have neither.

Even with a leaf setup, if the rig is going to see the road, I would go with some sort of track bar. With that much weight, that high in the air, leafs by themselves aren't enough lateral suppot IMO.

 

[Trckmagik]

Okay. I am running leafs on both my Explorers (front) I am very happy with the leaf setup I am running.
You will be happy whether you choose the coils or the leafs. I just wanted something diff than the explorer came with and wanted something I feel more comfortable working on which was leafs.
As far as the Track Bar issue, I am not running one. My daily driven explorer is very large (37's look tiny under it) and I have no issues with the truck swaying at all. It actually is tighter than it was stock w/ sway bars. You will not need the Trac Bar with the leafs. Hope this helps. I am still learning all the ins and outs but I am fixing to start the Trail Explorer SAS w/ leafs. Good Luck to all of you starting this project.

 

[NOTAJP]

Cheif34 doesn't have any issues without his trackbar either. He broke his and didn't even know it running 37s either. I still plan on running a swaybar and RS9000 shocks. After I did a shackle reversal on a JP, there wasn't any road issues. We'll just have to see. I still have the brackets ready if worse case comes true and I'll need a trackbar but I'll put my money on not.

Just my own little opinion.

 

[cdsl227]

I'm going to get it setup without the trac-bar first and then add it before it actually sees use.

I definitely see the benefit of the trac-bar...now what I'm going to do to limit the sway is another story altogether.

I saw a sway bar(?) setup that allowed the suspension to drop if needed for articulation, but also held tight to control sway...I think it was a folding sway bar setup. I have it bookmarked, just can't think of the exact brand name...

I'm also planning on dual shocks on all four corners...staggered front to rear on the axles, I read somewhere that helps with axle wrap, is that so? I know it'll also help a little with controlling sway.

I was planning on doing a shackle reversal right off the top....

 

[NOTAJP]

I run a single RS9000 on each corner. I can control as much sway as I want to without swaybars front and rear. You shouldn't have to worry about axle wrap in the front.

 

[cdsl227]

Originally posted by NOTAJP
I run a single RS9000 on each corner. I can control as much sway as I want to without swaybars front and rear. You shouldn't have to worry about axle wrap in the front.

I'm worried about the back. I know they've got some oversized perches that help control that too...and again bookmarked somewhere.

But I'd like to do the dual shocks...I have to say it'd also look sweet...

Functionality and looks!

When I'm finally done with this and start cleaning up some of the bookmarks, my Laptop will have a 4" lift just from deleting them.

 

[NOTAJP]

I have a little wrap in the back if I burn the tires on the street. I'd like to figure a way to work one of Sam's Offroad traction bars.

Duals look sweet and work as good, I'm just poor at the moment. That'll be next years project.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Cdsl - Awesome project, mad props to someone tackling something this big in an urban area. It's a lot harder! No custom fab shops, no 4wd shops, not many other people doing projects like this or who understand projects like this. When I walk into an autoparts place around Boston, unless I'm looking for a direct replacement part for my exact model and year, everyone gives me a puzzled look.

I do have a question: what kind of welder are you planning on using? I'm thinking of buying one, and want to find out what casual users (Can't afford a rig as nice as Cory's!) are using for suspention work.

Also, your truck will be the first factory V8 SAS X!! (V8 Pride)

Good luck!!

 

[CoryL]

Originally posted by Nick26
Cory, out of curiousity why? besides the advantages the coil design may have as far as capability goes I would have thought it would be much more complicated and time consuming to created a well-balanced coil over setup in comparison to a leaf sprung?

A leaf spring setup has four frame mounted brackets of which two must be perfectly aligned and positioned for the flex of the leaf based on the weight placed on them. Too far back and you can't get the leaf in the shackle. Too far forward and the shackle will fold up against the frame.

A coil spring setup which mimics the RE Long Arm kit has two frame mounted brackets and there is no "sweet spot" that you need to find with the leafs. Simply make your links to the length you want and put them in.

After doing both Robbs and Josh's setup, I believe that coils are much easier to setup and in the end, would be cheaper. I mean, Robb is going to coils now. I also know that the issues Josh had with the trac-bar are because he is using a D30 and there was no good way to weld on a bracket to the axle because of the vaccuum disco part of the axle tube.

Leaf can flex well, but a well build link system with the proper coils/coilovers will spank it any day. Plus there is no such thing as axlewrap.