4 Wheel Disc and Rear D44 Full Float Conversion Writeup

Nice progress ! I think you are going to have to cut that torque arm off the front axle on the right side to make clearance for the caliper as it turns to the right.

 

I'm swapping in the D30 ... scavaging the D27 for parts, prolly take the housing to the scrap yard when I'm done, unless anybody wants to come by and pick it up?

 

Got the D27 shocks off, driveshaft out, tie rods off, and unbolted ... ready to slide out. D30 has been begging to get under there for weeks.

Got the steering gear unbolted and ready to drop down. Discovered the steering box I have does not match the pitman arm Herm sent me (splined hole on the new pitman arm is larger than the splined shaft on the steering box) ... waiting to talk with Herm to see if he has another arm, or do I need to get another box.



Started taking all of the brake lines out. Gonna replace all of them and the fuel lines while I am at it.

Also ordered the AA chain clutch linkage kit.

 

Splined shaft will either be 3/4"-26 or 13/16"-31 (I think I got the spline count right). You must have got a 13-16" one from Herm. I think the 3/4" will work a manual box.

 

Any updates?

 

looks good very interested to hear how this works.

 

OK - after a loooooong hiatus, I am back on this thing to try to get 'er done. Pesky job took up 120% of my time since last April, but I may not have a job much longer so I didn't complain.

I don't think I ever said, but Herm did send me the right pitman arm for the steering box right away. Will have pics of that soon.

Got the garage re-wired over the Christmas holidays (only had one outlet in there!) with a new panel and 5 new 115/20A outlets and 2 new 230/20A outlets ... one of the latter for the present I got last year that I had not yet installed (Still needs to be plumbed):



Anyhow, back to the Jeep. I had discovered what a PITA it was going to be to get clearance with the AR alloy wheels, so I ordered some new wheels and will sell the AR allow ones. Here's the new flat black steel wheels:



Finally got the old axle out and the springs taken off:



Now I am waiting on a nice/warm enough day to paint the D30 before I put her in.

Wife is going to be happy when I get out of her parking spot in the garage!

 

Got the cover onto the D30 today and partly cleaned up. Gotta finish cleaning that up tomorrow after church and maybe get a coat of primer on it.

Received these from Oconee Offroad (Big Daddy tie rod kit):


http://www.oconeeoffroad.com/servlet/the-20714/Big-Daddy-Tie-Rod-fdsh-Drag/Detail

Ordered the remaining TRE's from Rock Auto, but they sent me one wrong one (ES323L instead of the ES324L) so I gotta return that.

Ordering some bolts for the McRuff shackles from McMaster - 7/16x3.25 grade 8 and lock nuts.

Shackles (and wedges) look awesome - I am going to paint them at the same time I paint the D30.



Gotta drill out the TRE holes on the knuckles so I can install the Goferit tie rod flip inserts. Anybody have suggestions on the best way to drill those holes? I really don't want to take everything apart so I can put the knuckles on the drill press.

Question - looks like the center pins on the springs will need longer heads since I am using the caster wedges ... anybody know what part number I need?

I'm going to make a little jig to help with pressing studs out of hubs - I got tired of trying to keep sockets lined up under studs on my press and stuff keep falling over ...

Lost the lock washer that helps hold the pitman arm on my steering box, so gotta get a new one of those.

 

I used my cordless 1/2" drill to drill out a d30 knuckle before.. but this drill had a 350 rpm setting.. and I broke a bit doing this ! I was drilling it out to 5/8" I believe for a heim joint upgrade for a friend. So, go as slow as you can and hang on real good. I am not a big fan of the goferit inserts.. I would rather get a tapered reamer and ream out the knuckle for the tierods. This way you wont have to weld the inserts or worry about them spinning or anything.

 

Did you start from the small end or the big end of the hole?
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Also, what parts do I need to change to get my stock driveshaft to work with the D30?
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..

 

Tell us more about the shackles. Are they just heavier stock length replacements or is there some lift on them.
What about greasable shackle bolts, good idea or not?
I know McRuff was making steel caster shims but did not know he was making shackles too.

 

Will the yoke off of my old D27 fit on the D30? Or is that just too easy for Jeep work?
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Nope! Not without machine work. When I swapped my dana 30, I used the driveshaft that came with the axle and shortened it about 3".

 

Read this thread ... I think all of the details are in there:
http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83549

Hmmmm - have some noodling to do.

Thanks! I may make a jig to help me drill straight.

 

Got the D30 cleaned up and painted today ... here's an in-progress pic:



Degreased it, wire brushed it, washed it with dish-washing soap, put two coats of primer and two coats of semi-gloss black on it.

Hoping to get this thing up under the Jeep SOON! Weather like today (68F and sunny) means the Jeep needs to run!