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knuckle cut-and-turn, caster questions...

scouthead

scouthead

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I'm leaving my stock 10-bolt in my 88 Blazer.

I need to put in 12-degree shims to point my pinion at my transfer case, for drive shaft alignment.

I don't know what the stock caster is until I strip the axle down and measure it.

Would is be better to have more or less caster for larger that stock tires, or should I just reset it to where it is stock?

I'm running 35 BFG Muds..
 
my transfer case is clocked way up, 4" plus.

I'm running a 4" lift.

Front drive shaft angles are bad, the equivalent of running 8 to 10 inches of lift.
 
I'm not much help, but cutting and turning seems like a lot of time/money to invest in a 10B.

With larger than stock tires you may be able to get away with slightly less, but I'd shoot for stock caster.
 
cutting and turning seems like a lot of time/money to invest in a 10B.
Click to expand...

x2. The front shaft being at an angle generally isn't a problem since it's not used except in 4wd at slow speeds(unless you have full time 4wd). You'd be into it for way less money to re-clock the transfer case, switch to part-time hubs, or even buy a better axle than to spend a ton of money on turning the knuckles on a 10 bolt.
 
cutting and turning the axle can be done by yourself, cheap if you have a welder and a grinder.

I have done several cut the welds and a BFH and two or three poeple (takes alot to get them turn ususally). Stop often measure, I have done several this way. Its way easier if you take it out of the truck and build some sort of stand.
 
i have seen a fixture built to bolt to the place on the knuckles were the spindle would be. then you cut and grind the welds.

next it has a bottle jack to push up on the diff end to clock it up.

and lots of checking and measuring. and it helps keep both sides close if not the same.
 
Im in the process of building a fixture that will pretty much do the same thing but it will have a couple of places on it that are meant to measure from. Should be pretty accurate.

It seems like am doing this alot lately
 
bp71k5 said:
x2. The front shaft being at an angle generally isn't a problem since it's not used except in 4wd at slow speeds(unless you have full time 4wd). You'd be into it for way less money to re-clock the transfer case, switch to part-time hubs, or even buy a better axle than to spend a ton of money on turning the knuckles on a 10 bolt.
Click to expand...


:haha::haha::haha::haha:
You guys crack me up. I DO have part time hubs, and without the case in it's current up-clocked position I managed to wear out the splines on my front shaft's slip yoke. I don't get the whole money issue? Turning the knuckles on my axle is FREE. Time?... Couple hours to disassemle/pull the axle out without making a mess... 10 minutes to carve out the welds with my plasma... a little finish grinding and the thing is sitting on my garage floor Waiting to get the knuckles turned. We'll see how that goes.

You can argue the whole Turd polishing theory, but It's FREE (dana 60s are NOT FREE! they also weigh more and don't turn as sharp, and none of my many many spare FREE 10 bolt parts would fit on a Dana 60)
 
One thing to keep in mind, is the fact that the TC is clocked is most likely not the cause of the splines wearing out. I trashed the slip yoke splines on my front shaft last winter, with no lift in the truck, so the cause and effect you are thinking of isn't necessarily the cause and effect you think it is. These drivelines tend to wear the splines out pretty easily, especially with any failure in the double cardan joint.

Edit: And I have a pile of 10b parts as well, and no justification for going to a 60. All I am saying is make sure you rule out all other causes of the spline failure before you do all the work to reset everything. In my case, a small flat spot on the ball in the double cardan caused enough of an issue to eat the splines in the slip yoke.
 
I DO have part time hubs,
Click to expand...

If you've got part time hubs, why are you worried about driveshaft angle in the front?

And what possible cause could the driveshaft angle have on the slip yoke splines other than very minor wear?

You can do whatever you want to the axle, but I think it's going to be a waste of two hours and ten minutes if you are doing it to prevent driveshaft spline wear.
 
no, the worn splines on my driveshaft is not the only reason I'm doing this... they were worn before I ever got the truck...just got worse after the lift, and much worse after the T.C. clocking...

Yes, I have lockout hubs... and Yes I'm tired of jumping in and out of the truck every time I want to drive over 20mph to unlock them again (bad vibes)...

Yes, the c.v. had to be clearanced to operate at such angles...

Yes, the lower joint makes contact with the yoke when the truck bounces and the axle drops out, and I don't wish to grind much of this one away...

No, I'm not that worried about the lower driveshaft joint grenading out on the trail somewhere, because stock parts are cheap and everywhere, and I have spares...

And, YES I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE LOWER DRIVESHAFT JOINT GRENADING SOMEWHERE OUT ON THE TRAIL - BECAUSE I DON"T WANT THE DAMN CHEAP STOCK DRIVESHAFT WIPING OUT MY BELOVED 32SPLINE NP241!

just because I choose to leave something like a stock 10 bolt front end under my blazer does not mean I want to half ass everything in the truck. The front driveline angles are horrible. I have run it this way once or twice, and now it's time to fix it the right way. That is why the cut and turn. If I start braking driveshafts and other related parts, then so be it, but leaving something improperly set up is stupid and asking for trouble. That is why the cut and turn.



scouthead said:
Would it be better to have more or less caster for larger than stock tires, or should I just reset it to where it is stock?
Click to expand...


O.k. Thanks for all of the off topic replies, but I would really like to get back to my point:
I want to know if (IN THEORY), there should be more or less caster on my axle when jumping from factory tire size to 35".
I have everything apart anyways, so it will make no difference how I reset the caster - same amount of work.
I know the kingpin inclination will be wrong, but that is beyond my means to alter.
 
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scouthead said:
no, the worn splines on my driveshaft is not the only reason I'm doing this... they were worn before I ever got the truck...just got worse after the lift, and much worse after the T.C. clocking...

Yes, I have lockout hubs... and Yes I'm tired of jumping in and out of the truck every time I want to drive over 20mph to unlock them again (bad vibes)...

Yes, the c.v. had to be clearanced to operate at such angles...

Yes, the lower joint makes contact with the yoke when the truck bounces and the axle drops out, and I don't wish to grind much of this one away...

No, I'm not that worried about the lower driveshaft joint grenading out on the trail somewhere, because stock parts are cheap and everywhere, and I have spares...

And, YES I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE LOWER DRIVESHAFT JOINT GRENADING SOMEWHERE OUT ON THE TRAIL - BECAUSE I DON"T WANT THE DAMN CHEAP STOCK DRIVESHAFT WIPING OUT MY BELOVED 32SPLINE NP241!

just because I choose to leave something like a stock 10 bolt front end under my blazer does not mean I want to half ass everything in the truck. The front driveline angles are horrible. I have run it this way once or twice, and now it's time to fix it the right way. That is why the cut and turn. If






O.k. Thanks for all of the off topic replies, but I would really like to get back to my point:
I want to know if (IN THEORY), there should be more or less caster on my axle when jumping from factory tire size to 35".
I have everything apart anyways, so it will make no difference how I reset the caster - same amount of work.
Click to expand...

Factrory specs seem to work well for most everyone. A little more positive caster can create a better return to center/ stability but will increase steering effort (at the wheel and on the frame... make sure your braced!)

If you dont have any death wobble, stick to fac. specs :thumbsup:
 
x2, the "pneumatic trail" effect should be greater with larger tires, which may reduce the required caster a little, but I'd stick with stock specs.
 
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