5GN-H3T - My '06 SAS

[5gn-h3t]

Thanks again! A couple pictures made this super easy.

 

[5gn-h3t]

 

[5gn-h3t]

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I mounted the steering box before I had any of the other steering parts. The drag link end just grazes the bottom of the frame. Hits when the front right wheel is lower than the front left. Would rip the zerk fitting right out if I put it in. The steering box is mounted, frame is sleeved, pitman arm is reamed. Any suggestions on the simplest way I should deal with this? I guess a 1/2"-3/4" drop pitman arm would work. Hmmm...:emb:

 

[4speedfunk]

Since your box is already sleeved & mounted, your sort of stuck with its current location. I'm not aware of any Nissan dropped arms but, rumor has it that a Toyota will fit if you grind off the master spline. Not sure if this true or not. I think you got a few more options:
First, maybe you could ream the hole deeper so the DLE sits further down in the pitman arm hole?
Second, you could notch the bottom of the frame rail. Cut a sliver of 4" square tube, about 1/2" deep and weld it in place to create the notch.
Third, make a custom flat pitman arm and taper it from the bottom up...then run the DLE underneath it.

I did the latter option on mine. I made a billet blank with a large hole in one end. Then I cut the splined end off the Nissan arm, turned the OD down in a lathe and dropped it into the large hole. I oriented the splines so the arm would be centered, and TIG welded it in place. Then I drilled and reamed the tapered hole on the other end for the DLE. I essentially reused the tapered splined hole. The only downside is you now need to watch the clearance between the DLE and the TRE on the drivers side, and build your bumps stops accordingly. Making your own pitman also means you can adjust the length to match the arm on the passenger side, and get the steering geometry perfect, (which was the real reason I made my own).

 

[5gn-h3t]

A notch it is! That was my first instinct. I've already gone as far as I'm willing to with the reamer.

Today's BRAKEthrough - Brake lines actually connect from the master cylinder all the way to the rear calipers! Need to get flex lines made for the front but they are almost done too.

 

[06 H3]

Yea the framerail notch can work just reenforce it with thick plate!

 

[5gn-h3t]

Can someone give me a dimension from the front of the frame rail to their track bar mount?

 

[4speedfunk]

Mine is sitting at 25.75" from the end of the frame rail to the centerline of the bracket. Not sure that helps much, since every truck is going to vary somewhat. There are a lot of things that can affect the front suspension dimensions. I'm running stock wheelbase but, if you have moved the axle fore or aft...the track bar will probably move with it. Also there might be some slight differences in the bracketry depending on where you sourced them.

Big Red has a track bar bracket (on the axle) that locates the bar slightly further aft, and slightly lower than mine. Because of this, it was very close to contacting the top of the diff casting...so I put a bend in it. This doesn't hurt anything but, it does mean you have to use a ratchet strap to make adjustments to the track bar. Normally, you can loosen the jamb nuts and spin the bar in place to make it longer or shorter. But with a bend in it...this isn't possible, so you must take one end completely loose and spin the heim joint to the correct length. Then the ratchet strap is need to pull (or push) the body right or left until you can get the bolt back into the bracket.

By the way....here's a pic of Big Red's track bar and pitman arm. This is the custom billet pitman I described in the last post. The arm is flat and the DLE hole is tapered from the bottom up, so the drag-link is underneath it. Its also slightly longer than the Nissan arm.

 

[4speedfunk]

Although its still a 3-link...Recon's front suspension and axle are quite different. Here's a pic of his track bar (also with a dog-leg bend in it to clear the D60 pumpkin). He is running heims, high-steer, a forward-swinging inboard mounted JK steering box, and coilovers so very little of it translates to what we have. But, the track bar is very similar to Big Red's...

Here's a shot of mine during fabrication. You can see that the straight track bar is sitting very close to the pumpkin but, it does not contact it even at full-stuff or full droop...

 

[5gn-h3t]

That helps a ton. I'm honestly not sure what my wheelbase is. I stuffed the tires up into the wheel wells and centered them. My track bar is within 1/8" of that measurement and it hits pretty good on the pumpkin. I have some room to move it forward. I may still end up with a bend in it.

 

[4speedfunk]

That interference is also related to ride height. What I found is that I had to raise the ride height for the 37" tires, anyway...and as a result, I was able to extend my bumpstops down a couple inches. This results in stopping the axle's up-travel before the track bar hits the pumpkin. So, even though it looks like it will hit now (under construction)...when you actually get everything adjusted and drive it around for awhile, you may find that its okay as-is.

Also, put the axle end of the track bar in the highest hole. This will help it to clear the top of the pumpkin.

 

[4speedfunk]

Here's a sketch I did a year ago when 06H3 had the same pitman arm clearance issue with Squeaky....

 

[5gn-h3t]

I'm also sitting at 29" hub-fender in the front and 30" hub-fender in the rear. I'm guessing that this is about 1" - 1-1/2" higher than you guys. I have a lot of clearance between the pitman arm and tie rod. I may end up moving the drag link so that it is mounted to the bottom of a stock Xterra arm.

 

[06 H3]

I'm at 28 front hub to fender front and rear. Which is 5.5 in of lift stock is 22.5 front 24 rear. I've got some ideas to lower it a tad more. If I can get it to 27 hub to fender that's only 4.5 in over stock.

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

If I remember CJ correctly he was wanting to keep his as low down also? With the rancho being 4" and a few guys doing the 1" body lift = 5" overall whats the big deal being 5.5" over stock with 37" tires? I would think it would site nice without looking like a stupid monster truck. Just wondering...

 

[06 H3]

Out west we have off camber obstacles lower=better...

I'm pretty much as low as you can go without getting crazy. I plan to eventually get a bit crazier and lower it more.

 

[4speedfunk]

Same here...lower is better. I'm at 5" to 5.5" over stock.

 

[5gn-h3t]

Honestly, I ended up at that height out of a little bit of laziness. I did the spring-over in the rear first, then matched the height of the front to that. I really don't want to re-do the spring hangers, so 30" is as low as I can get it. I made my perches as low profile as possible. The center pins in the springs just clear the axle tube.

 

[4speedfunk]

So you kept the stock forward leaf spring hangers?

40"s!!!

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

Could you actually wheel 40" tires successfully on a D44 front end without breaking a bunch of stuff? Would the H3 even turn them even with 5:13 gears or even 5:38 for that matter?

 

[5gn-h3t]

So you kept the stock forward leaf spring hangers?

40"s!!!

Lol, yes I did. 37's are more than adequate and I may end up lowering it in the future. Right now, I'm not worried about it.

As far as 40's on a d44, I don't really know.

 

[4speedfunk]

Could you actually wheel 40" tires successfully on a D44 front end without breaking a bunch of stuff?

Yes. Anything can be broke. There are people that need overbuilt rigs...and people that don't. Squeaky for example is pushing the limits nearly every time he goes out. But your urban commuting and occasional weekend wheeling trips do not require anything more. 40"s are certainly beyond the limit for hardcore wheeling with a Dana 44. Chromo shafts would be a must. Ninety percent of the time, the shafts are the first thing to go on a D44 front axle.

Would the H3 even turn them even with 5:13 gears or even 5:38 for that matter?

Yes...5.13s would probably work well. Mine 3.7L is surprisingly quick off the line with 5.13s and 37"s. Cruises at 70mph at 2200...very stockish on the highway.

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

I just picked up the 4"x4" poles today and footing for building my new 9' tall garage. SAS is coming soon! Can't wait, so excited moving into this new place.

 

[4speedfunk]

GDH, Your timing is perfect. I'm getting ready to install my ultra-bada$$, custom-built, Ford high-pinion D44 that's been sitting here for two years. Its loaded with all the killer stuff...4-gear E-locker, Yukon 5.13R gears, Yukon shafts, Super joints, large-bearing hubs, .500" thick-wall axle tubes, Warn lock-outs, blah blah blah.

Anyway...my old axle will be for sale. It pains me to get rid of it...been a great axle. Its a 73 GM low-pinion, small-tube housing. Its got a 2-gear E-locker, Yukon 5.13 gears, GM 3/4-ton shafts, Spicer joints, small-bearing hubs, and Warn lockouts. Its got all the SAS brackets and such already welded on it (including ram-assist tabs). I will probably sell most of the suspension with it (drag-link, tie-rod, track-bar, and control arms) because my new axle will most likely require slightly different ones. Its a true "drop-out" assembly and needs nothing. Of course I will check it all out, and make sure its good to go before selling. I'm sure it will need a good scrubbing and a coat of paint. I can also hook you up with the rest of the bracketry for the frame, if interested.

Honestly...the truck is so good right now, I hate to tear it apart to do the upgrade. It simply works great as-is, and I know after I swap axles...I will have to spend a week tweeking the steering, alignment, ride height, and such. Guess I'm just getting lazy. If you're interested, we can go for a drive in it before I tear it apart. I will show you some stuff you should never try with an IFS!

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

lol I love the sound of that Ford high pinion... That sounds like an absolute bad ass axle! Will you do a truss on top of it for even more strength? Chromoly shafts etc? This is turning into a show quality axle you built haha