12" lift caster fix

[extremeblazer]

12\" lift caster fix

i put the superlift 12" lift in my 79 blazer and i'm going to swap the 10 bolt for a dana 60. i have a turbo 350 w/ a np 203. i have six degree shims and need to angle the axle more so that the driveshaft will fit. can i get bigger shims or stack them and also how much will i have to get the knucles turned? should it be the same amount as the shims or should it be a little more positive? i'm going to run 44" boggers if that helps. i know that i'm going to need a custom shaft. i don't want to put the 60 in first, then have to take it back out to get turned.

 

[CK5]

Re: 12\" lift caster fix

I think the best thing to do in your situation (going extreme) and the fact that the 60 is not installed yet, is to get the tubes cut and rotated, this way you can angle the pinion up a bit and keep close to the same caster, maybe even without running any shims. Call around to axle shops and they can give you better info on your setup.

Steve

1990 K5 with stuff

 

[Chris Demartini]

Re: 12\" lift caster fix

<font color=blue>Take the degree shims out of the springs, and DO NOT stack them! Thats just as bad as stacking blocks. I dont know exactly how many degrees you will have to turn the knuckle, the only way to know for sure is to put it in and measure. I remember they did this in one of the Fulsize Fourwheeler magazines a few years ago, same 12" lift and frontend. Theres a guy on here named Jesse Hanyes (drivelineman), he ownes a driveshaft shop that specializes in sky-high trucks. He can easily answer all your questions. Heres his email [email protected] . </font color=blue>

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Re: 12\" lift caster fix

That is definately your best bet, but usually expensive. Most shops do'nt have a clue what you are talking about when you ask them. If you shim it too much you will lose your caster angle and shake and shimmy to death. I use one shim(not sure of the degree)3 or 4 I think and I extended my shaft and it works. I watch it closely when I flex so i don't hit anywhere. I also ground off the corners on everything from the yoke to the CV to give me more clearance too. Not to say anything bad about Jesse Jaynes High Angle shafts, but common sense tells me that a High Angle CV will fix the angle on the top, but you would still be running the stock 1350 joint on the bottom with all that angle still on it. If I am wrong Jesse please correct me. We talked about this once before when I was talking about a shaft with Jesse and it came down to me having to get my tubes turned.

<font color=red>BigBurb

<font color=purple>IF YOU'RE SCARED, SAY YOU'RE SCARED !!

 

[ken]

Re: 12\" lift caster fix

I've been running a 10" Superlift on my one ton crewcab for 11 years. I do not have shims, but did have to grind the CV for clearance, but nothing on the axle yoke end. The Dana 60 fronts ALL use 1310 series u joints. I have never had a problem with them, even though I run 42" Swampers, 5.13 gears and a Detroit Locker up front. Course I'm not rock crawling this thing, only sand stuff.

Also, on my 12-13" lifted one ton Sub, I also used ORDs extended shackles, so my angle is real bad, and I don't really wanna spend $750 for a super high angle driveshaft...I'm thinking about throwing in that spare divorced 205 and TH400 2WD tranny that I've got and quit worrying about front driveshafts!!!

In terms of cutting tubes on a 60, you still have the problem of the cast into the pumpkin passenger side spring perch, which will need to be shimmed ANYWAY to get your yoke tilted up towards the transfer case to relieve the angularity on the front d/shaft. If you shim a 60, you throw off the angle for the 2 5/8" bolts (used instead of u bolts) on the passenger side. Now, say if you install a 4 degree shim, the bolt is now trying to thread into the housing at a 4 degree angle, NOT GOOD!!! Can you say stripped threads?? Not to mention the seating of the bolt head in relation to the spring plate will be off by 4 degrees, not allowing a good clamp. I have thought that you could install a corresponding shim ontop of the spring so that the spring plate would be parallel to the spring pad, thus allowing an even clamping force for the bolts, but then you'll be off a few degrees for the single u bolt on that side. Does anyone understand this??? Its kinda hard to explain...but gives me fits thinking about and trying to figure out!!! Like I said, that 2WD TH400 and divorced 205 is looking better and better!!!

ken

 

[1HIHUM]

Re: 12\" lift caster fix

I follow ya Ken. I'm hoping to score a D60 soon, and will be looking at how to fix this problem myself. I think a custom spring plate on top of the spring which accounts for all of the corrections could be the answer. using the shim set up ken mentioned, with the holes offset for the bolts going into the pumpkin, and standard positions for the u bolt. Follow me guys?

 

[ken]

Re: 12\" lift caster fix

Gotcha! On that custom spring plate, the side with the bolts would have to have the same corresponding degree of taper built into it as whatever degree shim you placed under the spring...then the side with the u bolt would have to be flat to allow an even clamping force, because if you did have the entire spring plate at the same degreed angle to compensate for the bolts, the u bolt would not clamp squarely, thus you need a "dual taper" spring plate!!

ken

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Re: 12\" lift caster fix

Somebody needs to post a picture of a Dana 60 punkin so I can picture this spring perch thingy you are all talking about. Could a person have it milled back to the original angle(level I guess) and drill new holes and tap them out?

<font color=red>BigBurb

<font color=purple>IF YOU'RE SCARED, SAY YOU'RE SCARED !!

 

[riz]

Re: 12\" lift caster fix

<font color=purple> Yo extremeblazer,

Can you please post some pics of this beast, I want to see it. It sounds sweet. There aren't too many Blazers out there with that much lift. Thanks.</font color=purple>

<font color=purple>L8r,

.Riz.<font color=purple>