4.88

Is anybody gonna do an axle flip in back to match the front lift?

It seems like a good idea; I just don't know if its possible....

What happen if it has vacuum disconnect? it will work?

It could be made to work, but I would keep looking for one without it.

-Doug

There is actually a way that the vacuum disconnect would be great.

If you spool the front end, then use the cable actuated disconnect (instead of the vacuum unit), then you could run it in 3 wheel drive (which works great actually!) and then just pop the disconnect to lock up the other front tire when needed. Much like an ARB, but you'll always have the left front tire moving when in 4x4, and will have the option to lock up the fourth at will.

If I run across a killer deal on a vaccy, then I'll use it. Spools are cheap as well. A lot cheaper than a locker in the front.

Have fun with that "steering thing"...

Been there, done that. With the vaccy actuated side disengaged, it's not a problem.

I have several friends welded front and rear. Not a problem, just an annoyance.

So how many people are planning on doing this SAS before goneMOAB?

Carlton, are you planning?

MMMMM Tax return!

I thought the vacuum disco axles used a different carrier? You could still weld it, but aftermarket spools, lockers, etc would likely not work.

How about changing R&P gears to something an Xterra could actually use? The problem I see with that is that most waggys came with 3.07 or shorter gears...you need to replace the carrier to run 4.10 and lower. Seems to me that's where you'd run into the problem.

I just placed my pre-order! No word on when it will actually be available though. Now I just need to find the axle. Anybody know of a good place to find one in the San Francisco area?

www.car-part.com

Axle

Yes... yes I am.

3 questions
1. What is a vacuum disconnect?
2. How can you recognise you while at a junk yard?
3. Anyone got photos, dimensions?

Thanks

Some info I found regarding the disconnect.

its pretty hard to miss a vacuum disconnect axle.

The pumpkin should look just ike this one (this is my early bronco axle from my Pathfinder, but the pumpkins look the same):




The angled fitting on the top is for my ARB locker.. the one you are looking for will only have the vertical vent tube.

For those of you wondering, any 80-91 non vaccum waggy axle will work. I just picked up an '88 last night and am picking up an '87 tonight. They're identical in width and steering as the '82 waggy front on my Frontier. From surfing full size jeep boards, it appears the vaccuum disco was an option on '82-86 models only. Any '87+ axle is going to be a good find for this kit.

For those of you questioning gearing. You have to swap more than the R&P; you also have to swap in a carrier designed for 3.92 and lower gears. The stock 2.73's and 3.07's in waggy's use a different carrier. That's not an issue for those of you dropping in an ARB locker....that replaces the carrier all together.

Well, I guess it's time to get down to building my second D44. Might it find a home in my Xterra? We'll see.

What size tires can the kit handle?

When will the first batch be delivered?

Will there be subsequent batches (my X won't be ready for something like this until '06)?

33" are choice. As I understand it with a BL or trimming 35" will work.

Steve should answer that one. But as I understand it they will be available in time for those of us going to goneMOAB.

I am sure that once the kits are out that they will start keeping them in stock for people who are not wanting to do it right now.

Here's a manual disconnect kit for a vaccum disconnect axle.

http://www.collinsbrosjeep.com/main.htm