Off-Road: 101

[Gmanpaint]

Thanks for the info! I know both companies. I will be using the Artec truss on the 8.8. BF has great products as well. I forgot the Ruff Stuff trac kit comes with a axle mount. Derp!! I was thinking of the placement, and the use of it on my application and got side tracked writing my own post. LOL!

[KF5ZXT]

What are you doing to the front to either add those three inches back onto a standard width axle, or removing from a full width axle, to match the 3" widened rear?

[Gmanpaint]

Cutting down the full width D-44. It is a 77 HP with weld on wedges. I can live with the rear a little wider than the front. I had thought about cutting the front to match, but the custom axles will kill me. I will just use the EB axles from James Duff.

[KF5ZXT]

[MrQ]

To add to Randall's earlier post about lockers...

The lunchbox lockers are actually very durable units and its more often that the axles will snap before the locker. Another thing is be careful about what locker you put in your front diff. If you do not have selectable lockouts, an automatic or lunchbox locker is not a good idea as when you are turning there is more force but on the inner tire than on the rear and if locked will make it very hard to turn.

Lockers are not always necessary to off road. Generally if your vehicle is more 2wd than 4wd you will be fine with what you have. These units are traction adders, but won't necessarily increase your off road capability without a lift or a decent set of tires. They are also a pretty hefty investment.

Be also aware of what you are locking together. If you are running a Dana 30 in the front and put a locker in it and 35's on it, the chance of breakage skyrockets, but if run without the locker and the same size tires, breakage is greatly reduced. For example, I am running a CV shaft front axle Dana 35 with 33's. If I put any type of locker in there, the amount of force it would require to turn those tires locked together would grenade my half shafts, however the same situation on my rear 8.8 axle wouldn't even stress it as it is designed to hold more power.

[KF5ZXT]

[MrQ]

[KF5ZXT]

[MrQ]

Tomato, tomahto. :p

[TxPlates]

[TexasArmadillo]

Thoughts on wheel spacers?

Juggling more fur balls than a constipated cat.

[KF5ZXT]

Wheel spacers are round objects with holes that are used inbetween your wheels and your wheel mounting surface (Usually a disc brake or drum) to widen your track width. They are typically 1/8" to 3/8" thick. I have seen them used on only one side to adjust for an improperly centered axle.

Wheel adapters are often referred to as wheel spacers as well, but have the benefit of being able to space your wheels out even further than a wheel spacer, typically from 1" to 3" per side. They are also able to adapt your bolt pattern to a diiferent one, useful for matching up different axles. The farther you space out your wheels, the more added stress to put on the wheel bearings.

Opinions vary on wheel adapters. Some people swear by them. They serve their purpose, but in my opinion, the added wheel bearing stress and the fact that you can't put your eyes on the inner set of lug nuts make them a less than ideal solution, and a temporary band-aid at best. Add to that the fact that wheel adapters and their lugs are typically constructed of soft aluminum to keep the weight down, which means that they will quickly become marred through regular use. I am not a fan of them at all.

Again, in my opinion, wheel adapters do not belong on any serious off-road vehicle.

One of the first things I did to my explorer when I got it was put 1.5" thick, 5 on 4.5" wheel adapters front and rear to allow me to run 17" Cobra R wheels (which have a much deeper backspacing than the stock explorer wheels). I broke several of the aluminum studs simply by tightening down the lug nuts. I also lost a wheel on at least two different occassions due to the inner set of lug nuts loosening. I was 16 then, so probably they weren't torqued correctly, but the danger was still there.

[TexasArmadillo]

Good to hear. I am wary of them as well. However, the 4th generation guys are using them after lifting their Explorers. It off sets the camber.

Juggling more fur balls than a constipated cat.