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Full Float Ford 9" Build

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by jonah, Nov 11, 2019.

  1. Jun 15, 2020
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
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    Sep 20, 2009
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    192
    Here we go again! After a fun weekend of jeepin' I was fired up to work on the axle some more. Clamped and tacked.

    A new project followed me home, dividing my attention. Been sitting for 15 years or so, Mercury 25hp has compression and spark, waiting for a carb kit to show up, we will see.
     
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  2. Jun 18, 2020
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
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    192
    Finished welding the top truss, the steel table I was clamped to couldn't hold the axle straight, i had started with .125 preload, when I finished welding the axle was straight while clamped, and .125 out when unclamped.

    But, I am shaving the bottom so that welding might pull it back down, I hope. I did the bucket of water with a film of paint method. Axle set at the 21 degrees which should be pretty close, then lifted the bucket to dip the housing. Should gain an inch of clearance.
     
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  3. Jun 21, 2020
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
    Joined:
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    Finished the shave. Made the cut and fit a chunk of 3/8 plate. Will add a drain plug tomorrow. I was hoping the welding on the bottom would pull it straight again, but it only got it about half way (at least 0.060" to go). I am going to try shrinking the bottom tomorrow, I am hoping I don't have to cut the top truss loose to get it straight.



     
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  4. Jun 21, 2020
    Dphillip

    Dphillip Member

    Omaha NE
    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2008
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    322
    That’s a very nice modification, I regret not shaving mine.

    Will you be adding an additional fill plug other that the one on the third member?
     
  5. Jun 22, 2020
    BadGoat

    BadGoat How High Can You Climb?

    Northern Virginia
    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2017
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    326
    I'm using the pre-80 El Dorado calipers on my rear Dana 44 and they seem to work fine. One of the issues seems to be with people that only use their e-brake on rare occasions.

    Another option I've been looking at is rear disc calipers from a late 80's Lincoln Mark VII. The Mustang guys use them to upgrade the rear drums on their Ford 8.8 axles. They do have an integrated parking brake as well, but I've never seen them used by any of the off road crowd.

    Disc Brakes

    Mike
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2020
  6. Jun 22, 2020
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
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    Sep 20, 2009
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    Thanks! It was a pretty simple modification so even though it doesn't buy that much clearance it seemed worthwhile.

    I only planned on adding a drain plug and using the stock fill. I suppose a fill on the back would be more convenient.
     
  7. Jun 22, 2020
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2009
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    I read up on the procedure to adjust them and it didn't seem like a big deal. I had a VW passat with a similar system and it did take an extra few minutes when changing pads but it was no big deal.

    I use my parking brake every time I get out of my jeep, so that shouldn't be a problem.

    Thanks for the link, I had started to read up on those but since I had brackets for the el Dorado calipers i went that direction. But I do want to learn more about that system. I will give it a read!
     
  8. Jun 22, 2020
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2009
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    192

    Machined the pockets for the studs on the flanges. Unfortunately my endmill got dull about halfway through, i was probably pushing it too hard. I got through it but the surface finish wasn't perfect.

    The flanges are set, next step is welding them on!

    I did get the housing straight, we will see if it holds when I weld on the spring mounts, traction bar mounts and flanges. Fingers crossed!
     
  9. Jun 22, 2020
    Dphillip

    Dphillip Member

    Omaha NE
    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2008
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    322

    I put an additional fill plug on the back of my 9 inch housing about two thirds up on the ring gear hump. The new plug and bung only protruded out from the housing about a quarter of an inch but that was enough to rub against my gas tank skid plate on full stuff. That had to come out and be welded up. I should have put the plug on the flat portion on the housing or on top.
     
  10. Jun 23, 2020
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2009
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    I see. My gas tank will be very close too. I will probably just run with the stock filler. Not much water around here, so I don't have to change diff fluid too often. Back in Michigan I was always getting water in the axles.
     
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  11. Jun 23, 2020
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2009
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    So close..

    Welded the flanges on, housing perfectly straight. One out of two flanges perfectly square, #@$!%&.

    Second flange moved on me about .030". Kept me up all night. So now I will have to grind out a groove, square it up and reweld. Not too bad but a bit frustrating.
     
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  12. Jun 24, 2020
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2009
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    Ok, that wasn't too bad. I ground out a groove with the 4 1/2 grinding wheel. Couple taps with a hammer squared the flange and I bolted up my cut spindle (bored out to fit the alignment bar). Welded it up, straight and square.

    The housing is done for now, i will need to weld the spring pads and traction bar mount, but it will have to go into the jeep to line it all up.
     
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  13. Nov 17, 2020
    Jay's WWII Jeeps

    Jay's WWII Jeeps Member

    Napa CA
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    Mar 14, 2018
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    166
    Any updates on this?
    Jay
     
  14. Feb 28, 2021
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
    Joined:
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    Ok, I have had a busy few months but I am back on the job.

    Set up the gears this weekend. I have two aftermarket center sections, one Strange and one Summit. The Strange was supposed to take 4.56 gears without mods and looked a little more refined overall. The Sunmit racing version was pure beef, thicker and heavier but the finish looked a little rougher. I had decided to go with the Strange but the ARB carrier wouldn't fit. By the time I ground the Strange the pinon support area would be getting thin so I switched to the Summit. After a little die grinding all was well.

    Strange Housing:
    25598.jpeg


    Summit post grinding (recommended .0625" clearance):
    25596.jpeg
     
  15. Mar 1, 2021
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2009
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    192
    Once the housing was prepped I decided to make a pin wrench that would fit on a ratchet. I used a spare carrier adjuster to make this:
    25590.jpeg

    This one worked well for the summit adjuster, but didn't fit the ARB adjuster on the opposite side of the carrier. Luckily the dana 44 spindle nut socket (with the 4 pins) fit the ARB adjuster. These adjuster nuts need a lot of torque to preload the carrier bearings (100-200 ft/lbs depending on who you believe) so having solid pin wrenches is important.

    Here is my fouth run after some minor adjustments to the pinion depth and backlash.
    25600.jpeg
    I also got the hole drilled and tapped for the air line. Still need to do final torque on the bearing caps and install the air line. Should be ready to drop in and get final axle shaft measurements in the next couple of days. Then I can order the axles.
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2021
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  16. Mar 1, 2021
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
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    Here is a shot of the Summit case where the pinion support bearing will go. Nice and thick so even after grinding to clearance for the ARB, there was plenty of material left.

    25602.jpeg

    Another thing I liked about the Summit housing was that they use a snap ring for the pinion support bearing. Easier to deal with than the star retainer like stock. Hopefully it holds up as well.
    25593.jpeg

    I ended up liking the summit housing, for a bit over $200 you get a solid nodular housing that is solid. The machining is not refined (i.e., no edges are broken, there are edges and burrs) but with a little cleanup it is fine. The Stange was 20-30 dollars more if I recall and it is a nice casting with a little more refinement on the machining. If you were running a standard carrier it would be great and honestly would have been fine for this too most likely.
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2021
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  17. Mar 1, 2021
    Joe Dokes

    Joe Dokes New Member

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    Looking good
     
  18. Mar 1, 2021
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
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    Thanks! My goal is to have it installed by April 5th! I had better pick up the pace.
     
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  19. Mar 4, 2021
    jonah

    jonah Member

    Huntington Beach, CA
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    192
    Got a few nights in the garage and made a little more progress.

    Dropped in the center section and it wouldn't drop all the way in.
    25703.jpeg

    Put som blue in the housing and found the problem
    25691.jpeg

    Broke out the torch and hammer to adjust
    25697.jpeg

    I could have ground down the bearing caps, they are huge on this summit case. But I thought making clearance on the housing was better in this case. In hindsight I wish i would have just gone with an aftermarket housing, or built my own. These stock housings seem flimsy and the work I have into reinforcing this one could have been spent on something better. But this should work for now.

    Tapped the hole for the drain
    25693.jpeg

    Next took all the measurements for the axle shafts. I decided to go with dutchman. Triple checked all the dimensions, hopefully I got everything right. Order goes in tomorrow!

    25699.jpeg

    I also ordered everything to do ford fusion brakes with electric e brakes. The thought of having push button cutting brakes I couldn't pass up!
     
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  20. Mar 5, 2021
    Joe Dokes

    Joe Dokes New Member

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    Mar 15, 2016
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    How are the caliper mount different than the Cadillac?
     
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