[YETI]

Awesome.

Again, Great stance.

What do you run as far as your triple stick is concerned in the snow?

(Case in high.....doubler in low etc..)

In most of that snow, I was running the NP205 transfercase in High and the doubler in low (2.72:1 ratio). It worked well for the high wheel speed playing haha. In a few soft spots and when I was trying to get myself out of a hole, I had both in low range in an attempt to not dig deeper.

 

[NUFSAIDnh]

How in the hell are you on 38s and not wrecking the front wheel bearings? I have gone through a new set every 20k miles with 35s. I am assuming you dont really care if the wheel bearings go

 

[YETI]

How in the hell are you on 38s and not wrecking the front wheel bearings? I have gone through a new set every 20k miles with 35s. I am assuming you dont really care if the wheel bearings go

I only plan on running these wheel bearings for a couple months. I will hopefully be able to get the front end upgrade done in the near future.

 

[WV NATIVE]

I only plan on running these wheel bearings for a couple months. I will hopefully be able to get the front end upgrade done in the near future.

Looking forward to seeing the upgraded version. I wish I had your fabrication skills so I could build my own.

 

[YETI]

Progress has slowed down a little bit since school started back up. I have been working on the front end design a little bit. In the model, the new setup is on the left, the stock Colorado stuff is on the right. And the Dana 44 IFS sitting in the middle. I think I'm going to order a 33 spline Dana 44 OX locker to use stock AAM 9.25 Stub shafts.

I have the extra frame section I got mocked up on the bench with the new Lower A-arm and the lift 2500 spindle, hub, rotor, and CV axle. The differential end of the CV axle is not sitting up at the correct height in the picture. I don't think I will use the lift spindles. I'm hoping to be able to use stock 2500 spindles for part availability and I discovered one of the lower ball joint holes in the lift spindle was destroyed from either a wreck or the balljoint coming loose.

 

[WV NATIVE]

WOW!

Just when I think your build is awesome you totally up the stakes to another level of badass!

 

[YETI]

My dana 44 33 spline OX locker showed up today. The 33 spline Chevy 1 ton IFS stub shaft from the AAM 9.25 slipped right in. Now I need to get a stub shaft for the long side.



Also here is a 2500 CV shaft next a Colorado CV. Hopefully it will be a decent upgrade until I can afford RCV's.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/24AMNMX]

 

[WV NATIVE]

When you go to do your OX locker install I have a tip. Find some all thread with the same thread pattern and make a few mounting studs to help slide on the diff cover. The studs help hold the cover so you can make sure the shift collar goes into the appropriate groove in the carrier. Then just unscrew your mounting studs and thread in your cover bolts.

Of course I'm assuming you haven't installed an OX locker before. If you have please forgive my unsolicited advice.

I used a Lubelocker gasket because I got covered in RTV gasket maker trying to align everything by myself the first time I installed the OX Locker cover.

What shift system are you going to use on your OX?

I went with the electric actuator with good results after a few years. I kinda wish I went with the manual (lever) setup to match my t-case now.

BTW: I really like the OX Locker design. The 4 pinion strength and overall design are awesome. Mine has been flawless except a burned cable due to exhaust.

 

[YETI]

When you go to do your OX locker install I have a tip. Find some all thread with the same thread pattern and make a few mounting studs to help slide on the diff cover. The studs help hold the cover so you can make sure the shift collar goes into the appropriate groove in the carrier. Then just unscrew your mounting studs and thread in your cover bolts.

Of course I'm assuming you haven't installed an OX locker before. If you have please forgive my unsolicited advice.

I used a Lubelocker gasket because I got covered in RTV gasket maker trying to align everything by myself the first time I installed the OX Locker cover.

What shift system are you going to use on your OX?

I went with the electric actuator with good results after a few years. I kinda wish I went with the manual (lever) setup to match my t-case now.

BTW: I really like the OX Locker design. The 4 pinion strength and overall design are awesome. Mine has been flawless except a burned cable due to exhaust.

Thanks for the tip! I might order one of those gaskets then to make things even easier if they offer it for a dana 44. I will be running the Air actuator. All the issues I have seen people have with the OX locker usually have to do with the actuator cable. I have an air compressor already and a switch will be the easiest to mount in the interior.

 

[WV NATIVE]

How is the stub shaft retained in the ox locker carrier?

Obviously, my 8.6" rear end uses c-clips to keep it secure. I'm guessing the stub shaft will kinda act like a full floater axle? I'm not familiar with the splined end of the stub shaft and how it's made.

I'm just wondering what keeps the stub shaft in place if you grenade a cv axle pretty bad?

 

[YETI]

How is the stub shaft retained in the ox locker carrier?

Obviously, my 8.6" rear end uses c-clips to keep it secure. I'm guessing the stub shaft will kinda act like a full floater axle? I'm not familiar with the splined end of the stub shaft and how it's made.

I'm just wondering what keeps the stub shaft in place if you grenade a cv axle pretty bad?

The stub shafts will have the springy retainer clip similar to the stock Colorado CV axles so they will just pop into the diff and the spring clip expands once it's past the side gears. The 1 ton stub shaft and clips tend to be a little more difficult to pop back out than a Colorado CV so sometimes a slide hammer is necessary to remove them.

 

[YETI]

I narrowed up the Dana 44 housing enough to mock things up yesterday after the long side stub shaft showed up. I still need to machine some bearing and seal pockets in the housing and make mounting brackets. I'm happy with the way it is looking though.









I also went wheeling last weekend and broke another CV

 

[YETI]

This last weekend was the Puyallup Washington 4x4 swap meet. I found just a couple things for the Colorado. I picked up this Jeep JK Rubicon electric disconnect sway bar in hopes that it would fit, and I think it will. I have it bolted up to 2 of the 4 factory Colorado sway bar mounting holes. I’ve read the electric actuator can be temperamental, so I made a block off plate with a small air cylinder and extension to actuate it. It is much more simple and compact now.













I got a set of lightly used Fox 2.0 remote res shocks to put in the back since I’m still using the shocks that came on the Colorado haha! I think they need charged so I have ordered the nitrogen needle fill tool. I have never seen that before. I can’t believe they don’t have a shrader valve.



I also did a little more CAD work to make sure a positive offset wheel would clear and to make sure the upper A-arm will clear the coilover.

 

[WV NATIVE]

When you get a chance can you post a pic of the factory sway bar and the Jeep sway bar side by side for a comparison?

 

[YETI]

When you get a chance can you post a pic of the factory sway bar and the Jeep sway bar side by side for a comparison?

Yeah, it might be a little bit until I take the stock one off.

 

[WV NATIVE]

Yeah, it might be a little bit until I take the stock one off.

Take your time. I tinkered with the idea of adapting the Jeep design to fit my truck, but couldn't find a used sway bar in a realistic price range.

My style of camping would benefit greatly from a "on the fly" sway bar disconnect that could be attained using the Smart Bar design.

It would be nice to see them side by side and overlaid in a photo.

I'm interested to see your solution to the bushing mount holes as well.

Keep up the good work. Lots of cool stuff keep popping up in this build.

 

[YETI]

Take your time. I tinkered with the idea of adapting the Jeep design to fit my truck, but couldn't find a used sway bar in a realistic price range.

My style of camping would benefit greatly from a "on the fly" sway bar disconnect that could be attained using the Smart Bar design.

It would be nice to see them side by side and overlaid in a photo.

I'm interested to see your solution to the bushing mount holes as well.

Keep up the good work. Lots of cool stuff keep popping up in this build.

Yeah they are ridiculously expensive online. I lucked out and got mine for $50 at the swap meet. for the bushing mount holes, I currently have it bolted up to 2 of the stock holes. I just need to re-drill and tap 1 more hole on each side about 1/2" forward

 

[YETI]

I got a bunch of lathe work done over the last couple weekends.

Trimming the end of the short stub axles. so the circlip will reach past the side gear. I had to do the same thing to the long side axle as well.





Turned down taper lock pucks to fit the Dana 44 Carrier bearing diameter.



Drilled holes in an extra set of caps so I could bolt the cap to the taper lock to make sure it doesn't try to spin.



Added a spot for the live center for the alignment bar



Cleaned up alignment bar



The housing mounted on the bar to machine the axle tube



There was about 1/8" clearance to the lathe



Using the steady rest, I was able to re-position the alignment bar out of my way so I could bore the tube. I bored it to 2.410" to fit a 1990's AAM 9.25" front axle seal.



I flipped the housing around and faced the other side flat to the distance I needed for the stub axle. I ran into the 3 plug welds on the housing which made it a pain to machine. I ended up grinding as much of the welds as I could to make it easier to machine.

 

[YETI]

I bored the ID of the short side as well to the 2.410" also.



The seal should end up a good snug fit.



Next, I had to machine some 2.410" sleeves that would press into the housing and step down for the 2" OD axle bearings.



Bearing/Axle side



Inside is tapered for oil flow haha



And Then I had to do the same for the other side except much shorter. This one also has an extra step on it since it will be pressed in from the inside of the housing.





Both of them done



And Both of them pressed in. I put them in the freezer for a while to make it a little easier.

 

[YETI]

Woops, I forgot to include the test fitting picture of the short side. The diff got really narrow on that side!



Also, my Strange Engineering 3.25" bearing third member showed up so I can run my 35 spline 9" ARB