SFA??

BowtieZR5 · Post by **BowtieZR5** » Mon May 31, 2004 9:37 pm

Where can I find a SFA for the crew? oh ya btw what is the stock tire diameter for the crew 265/75 15?

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Mon May 31, 2004 11:50 pm

stock tire is 29 inches. go to the home page and you will find conversion calculators that will answer all your tire size questions.

also, do you mean just the axel? or the whole process? sfa is a custom modification. you dont find one, you build or pay somone to do it for you.

but if you just want a usable used axel at the right width....

find a 70's or 80's waggoneer. it has a d44 front that is the right width for our trucks. also, the 72 to 78 ford 4x4 pickup will have a d44 the right width. it will also have a 9" that you would want for the rear. also, you could prolly use a toyota front from a 79 to 85 pickup. (that is the cheapest one to do) well i take that back. the cheap front axel is a 10 bolt out of a k-5...those things are give away axels...

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 4:41 am

BowtieZR5 wrote:Where can I find a SFA for the crew? oh ya btw what is the stock tire diameter for the crew 265/75 15?

It very much depends on how much you want to spend on the SFA. There is only one "kit" I found that uses a Dana 30 out of a late model Jeep Cherokee but it's very expensive. Fabritech makes it and it's about $2500 for the 9" and more for the 11.5" they are coming out with (might already have out by now). Biggest problem besides the cost is that the Dana 30 isn't exactly the strongest thing out there by a long shot. Now you could upgrade to a Dana 44 front and back but then you are really starting to get into some bucks. This is why I finally decided to just build my own and even that option ain't cheap.

Here's Fabritech's website: http://www.setstr8.com/

Bad_Ass_S10 · Post by **Bad_Ass_S10** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 10:55 am

I dont know it that kit is really suppose to use only a dana 30 basically from what I see that the kit is used with any coil sprung axle, and they used a dana 30 but I bet a dana 44 from a bronco would work the same, but thats what I think.

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 1:30 pm

Bad_Ass_S10 wrote:I dont know it that kit is really suppose to use only a dana 30 basically from what I see that the kit is used with any coil sprung axle, and they used a dana 30 but I bet a dana 44 from a bronco would work the same, but thats what I think.

yep you are right. if you get that much into fab work, just pick an axel out and make it work.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 3:34 pm

Bad_Ass_S10 wrote:I dont know it that kit is really suppose to use only a dana 30 basically from what I see that the kit is used with any coil sprung axle, and they used a dana 30 but I bet a dana 44 from a bronco would work the same, but thats what I think.

When I talked with Fabritech, they told me their kit was designed to use a Dana 30 from a Jeep XJ (Cherokee) or TJ. Now since you can get an aftermarket Dana 44 made specifically for XJ's and TJ's you could put one of those in too. You can probably modify the kit to use other diffs also. I just couldn't get past the $2300 price tag for the kit. It just seemed too steep for me so I'm doing my own thing.

quickbiker · Post by **quickbiker** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 5:17 pm

Hey Gary, you on the s10extreme forum? There is a wealth of info on there for you blazer. There are so many ways to do sfa, it boggles my mind. I still can't decide what I really want. Hopefully I will know when the time comes I am ready for it. lol

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 5:02 am

quickbiker wrote:Hey Gary, you on the s10extreme forum? There is a wealth of info on there for you blazer. There are so many ways to do sfa, it boggles my mind. I still can't decide what I really want. Hopefully I will know when the time comes I am ready for it. lol

Oh yeah, I'm there. I go by "GSK11740" on the site. I've been looking at Mark Hall's "Bad Bowtie" S-10 as a guide for how I'm doing the Blazer. I goofed and didn't research the axles well enough and bought a set from a full size '79 Bronco. I found out that because of these weird castings on the ends of the front, I have to use the Ford 3-link radius arm setup instead of the leafs I planned to use. Oh well, better flex. Now I need to learn how to weld. I bought a MIG and have been practicing but I really suck at it so far. Obviously I've got to get a lot better at it before I start welding suspension brackets! Sure don't want that front axle coming off on a trail ride, not to mention at 60mph on the highway!

quickbiker · Post by **quickbiker** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 6:33 am

What kinda name is dat? lol. Look like your have'n fun! Always nice to have a project going on, gives a nice place to hide also.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 7:55 am

quickbiker wrote:What kinda name is dat? lol. Look like your have'n fun! Always nice to have a project going on, gives a nice place to hide also.

Well, I tried to use "Fe2o3" (chemical-ese for Rust) but for some reason, ezboard didn't like it. GSK11740 stands for Gary, Sharon, Kyle and our house number. At least I can remember it!

As for "hiding", I think I live in the garage now. At least that's where I spend most of my time these days.

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 10:58 am

so are you going to 4 link the rear?
surely you arent going to rear sprung with a 3 link front?
there is a write up on a 3link on the front page of pirate plus way too much info on 3links and 4links.

persoanlly i would like to build a 1 link

re: welding
i have found that welding is all about prep. if everything is grounded clean, and if you have a little notch between the 2 peieces...welds come out great.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 12:31 pm

a2b wrote:so are you going to 4 link the rear?
surely you arent going to rear sprung with a 3 link front?
there is a write up on a 3link on the front page of pirate plus way too much info on 3links and 4links.

persoanlly i would like to build a 1 link

re: welding
i have found that welding is all about prep. if everything is grounded clean, and if you have a little notch between the 2 peieces...welds come out great.

Hadn't really planned to 4 link the rear. I really didn't plan to 3 link the front and wanted to run leafs to keep it simple but it was either the 3 link or find different axles and I had enough trouble coming up with these. I don't know what it is with the D.C. area and truck parts. Either can't find anything or what I did find was horribly expensive. I think the only reason I got the ones I did for what I did was because the old guy that ran the junkyard didn't really know what I was getting! I really think he must have thought I was getting the little axles out of a Bronco II and not the Dana 44 / Ford 9" out of a full sized Bronco. Some guy in the yard pulled them and loaded them in my truck for me and he was an idiot (the Bronco II was parked 3 spaces over).

I also know what you mean about welding on clean metal. Everything I've practiced on was a little rusty. It would probably also help if I had C25 gas connected instead of just using flux core wire. My problem with welding the suspension parts is confidence more than anything else. I'm just not sure I would trust my welding with my life. It wouldn't be so bad if it was only on the trail but I'm going to have to drive this thing at highway speeds just to get to the trail and I'll probably have my kids with me on occasion too! I'll probably tack everything in place and then trailer it to a professional welder to finish it up. One less thing to worry about.

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 8:30 pm

why does it have to be 3 link? why can you just cutt off all that brackets on the housing and just weld new spring perches to the housing?

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 6:28 am

a2b wrote:why does it have to be 3 link? why can you just cutt off all that brackets on the housing and just weld new spring perches to the housing?

I thought about that and fortunately somebody on S10Extremist.com stopped me before I ruined my front axle. I have a link that explains this better than I but basically the 78-79 full sized Broncos used a slightly different axle setup than the previous years in that the end castings are also part of the "C" mounts and those "C" mounts can't be removed. The "C" mounts are right where the leaf springs need to go and they can't be ground off. Of course I found this out 2 days after I already had the axles!

http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/Dana44.htm (Pictures 11-15)

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 9:23 am

inboard the springs

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 1:59 pm

a2b wrote:inboard the springs

I thought about that too. There is almost no room between the center section and the left side end casting. I would have to weld the spring mount onto either the end casting or the center section or both and I don't think they can be welded on. Actually, the coil spring and radius arm setup is pretty good. Several people on S10Extremist have them ("Diesel Jeff" and "Bad Bowtie" use it). Tons of flex. It's just harder to setup than leafs and I was trying to take the easy way out. The back end of my Blazer flexed pretty good. Even on my Crew it seems the back is what does most of the flexing. If I could get the front to flex that good (and with this setup, it should), I should be able to get through anything I would ever drive it through. I know if I 3 or 4 linked the back it would be great but thats more work than I really want to go through.

I guess the moral of the story here is for anyone thinking about SFA, avoid the 78-79 Bronco front axles unless you really want to run the coil setup and are willing to do the extra work.

quickbiker · Post by **quickbiker** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 8:33 pm

Not only is that axle hard to set up. Isn't it too wide? Now what ya gonna use for the rear to be as wide as the front?

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 3:52 am

quickbiker wrote:Not only is that axle hard to set up. Isn't it too wide? Now what ya gonna use for the rear to be as wide as the front?

I have both the front Dana 44 and the rear Ford 9" from the Bronco and yeah, they are full width axles so the tires are gonna stick out a bit but that will be good for stability. I figure this thing will be almost 18" higher than stock. With the Bushwacker cutout flares, it won't look too bad. If you go on S10-Extremists and look up pictures of "DieselJeff's" truck, he has almost the same setup and it looks Ok. Gotta love that funky PVC plumbing snorkel he made!

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 10:48 am

so you are saying that the bronco had a 3link up front and springs in the rear?

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 11:24 am

a2b wrote:so you are saying that the bronco had a 3link up front and springs in the rear?

I may be wrong in calling it a 3 link. That's just what I've heard others call it. Basically it has 2 radius arms and a track bar with coil springs so I guess that's 3 links. That and Broncos had plain old leaf springs in the rear. Seems to work pretty well judging from the ones I've seen.

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 1:42 pm

GaryH wrote:
a2b wrote:so you are saying that the bronco had a 3link up front and springs in the rear?
I may be wrong in calling it a 3 link. That's just what I've heard others call it. Basically it has 2 radius arms and a track bar with coil springs so I guess that's 3 links. That and Broncos had plain old leaf springs in the rear. Seems to work pretty well judging from the ones I've seen.

honestly, i know springs are easier on the mind, but since you are starting from scratch, a 4 link rear will cost almost the same and it performs a hella of alot better, esp in climbing

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 4:28 pm

a2b wrote:honestly, i know springs are easier on the mind, but since you are starting from scratch, a 4 link rear will cost almost the same and it performs a hella of alot better, esp in climbing

Leaf springs are easier on the bank account too! Right now, mine is not as "unlimited" as it looked like it would be 2 months ago. Where I was planning to build the "ultimate killer trail rig", I'm now finding myself having to cut a lot of corners and not do a lot of things I really wanted to do with it. That and it's starting to look like it may take me years to finish it now. It's a long story. I may eventually be able to look at things like 4 links and a lot of other stuff, but not right now.

quickbiker · Post by **quickbiker** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 7:40 pm

I know it's kinda late for ya now, but I saw the Blazer today with the Fabritech SFA again, but this time in daylight. That kit looks sweet, very heavy duty, the pictures don't do it justice. He is selling it now, cause he is moving outa state and getting a new Harley and restoring an old 55 pickup, so he got new toys. He said he hasn't had any probs with it and rides nice. Looks like he's really used it too. He is still running the stock rear and a D30 front with 4:56 and 35's. Looks very sweet! I think I am convince to go that route when I do do it.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 3:50 am

I'm still keeping the Fabritech kit in the back of my mind. If I happen to stumble onto a couple of good Jeep sized D44's I might sell what I have and go that route. Right now, the whole mess is just kinda sitting on hold in the garage while I straighten out some other problems that have cropped up in my life. Stuff like basement waterproofing (big bucks), replacing a blown up air conditioner on the house (more big bucks), bank account now depleted (no more bucks)...

Bad_Ass_S10 · Post by **Bad_Ass_S10** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 11:55 pm

I dont know if this will help you out much but some others might find it helpful, I know i used it to verify what vehicles to look for

the web site http://patooyee.com/ from there click on technical and the scroll down to you see the dana symbol and click on that from there you will be able find any dana axle and the correct model of vehicle including yrs

S-10CREWCAB.NET

SFA??

SFA??

Re: SFA??