H3T Randy Ellis Coilover Front End Conversion

[H3TBone]

Heard back from Randy at Randy Ellis today, and things are coming together. Keeping with my original goals, here's what will be done:

1) Retain OE lower control arm. It's actually well made.
2) Build custom upper control arm with HD ball joints.
3) Use Ellis-designed custom valved coil-over shocks; not sure of the brand yet.
4) Rear shocks with matching valving for the spring-over.
5) Use Rancho front lift components (cross-members and knuckles, etc).
6) Remove torsion bar crossmember, and replace with low-profile unit.
7) Custom upper and lower mounts for coil-overs

Price is actually looking ok. Since there won't be a lower control arm-redesign, I'm wondering what travel improvement I'll get. Consider the stock is about 4" total, the bar is not set very high... Another consideration will be the transfer case. It is clocked downward to (you guessed it) clear the stupid torsion bars. A new transmission-transfer case adapter needs to be designed to clock the transfer case up.

 

[06 H3]

hmm...Interesting on the t case adapter. I have never thought of that before.

Dont quote me on this but I remember reading something along the lines that the LCA has a piece to limit the downtravel. I need to go through and find the post. After that Im sure there is a simple way to get rid of the limiting piece...:grind::hack:

 

[H3TBone]

hmm...Interesting on the t case adapter. I have never thought of that before.

Dont quote me on this but I remember reading something along the lines that the LCA has a piece to limit the downtravel. I need to go through and find the post. After that Im sure there is a simple way to get rid of the limiting piece...:grind::hack:

LCA, Liberty Christian Army? Yea, I'm sure that won't be a problem.

 

[06 H3]

lower control arm...lol looking for the damn post.

 

[Timgco]

LCA, Liberty Christian Army? Yea, I'm sure that won't be a problem.

Michael, I didn;t forget about you. The guy I need to speak with is out this week. gonna track down taht info you and I tlaked about.

 

[H3TBone]

Michael, I didn;t forget about you. The guy I need to speak with is out this week. gonna track down taht info you and I tlaked about.

Thanks, Tim. As you can see, even with this build, I will still need the parts.

 

[H3TBone]

I'm thinking something like this...but only one shock...

 

[silvrzuki77]

That would be pretty dang neat! Are you having them incorporate a air bump also into the design? Just need a better rack and pinon option and it would be really cool. Might want to ask them about FOA shocks here in vegas. Keep cost down and they work pretty damn good.

 

[H3TBone]

That would be pretty dang neat! Are you having them incorporate a air bump also into the design? Just need a better rack and pinon option and it would be really cool. Might want to ask them about FOA shocks here in vegas. Keep cost down and they work pretty damn good.

Yes, I will be installing a hydro-ram after it's lifted, and hydro or air bumps. The drop-down brackets create a lot space under the skids up front, so there will be more room to move...and install the eventual D44

 

[silvrzuki77]

Full hydro? Im looking at possibly a toyota axle in the near future might end up being a easier swap. But i really like the ifs upgrade specially here in the desert.

 

[4speedfunk]

This is very cool but, I can't imagine doing such costly work while keeping a stock AAM-7" diff. After-all...you'll still be stuck with 4.56 gearing and tinker-toy durability, even with all the outboard improvements. I think you need to "flip" your original idea inside-out, and focus on the real short-coming of the stock IFS...the center section. All of these outboard improvements will no doubt improve the travel and articulation, and that sounds like a great plan...but the stock diff is already questionable right off the showroom floor. 35" tires, and the improvements you're considering will certainly push way beyond the AAM's soccer-mom safety threshold.

The bad part is...I doubt if any of these initial outboard improvements will be transferable to your Phase II idea of upgrading to a Dana 44 diff. Bebe went down this same path, and pulled off a killer build but, she started in the middle and worked her way out to the wheels. It was worth the effort to design & build custom A-arms, half-shafts, and improved r&p because the core of her IFS (a Dana 44) was proven, and rock solid. Considering the time and money involved...I wouldn't screw around with improving anything on the stock IFS until you got a definite plan for the axle itself.

I like the idea of grafting on an entire IFS from some other vehicle. Of all the ideas thrown around on here...this one is the most intriguing to me. It saves a bunch of engineering time, testing & mock-up, etc. Plus, depending on the donor vehicle...you still have the ability to maintain the suspension with over-the-counter parts. The real question is: What IFS do you use? Its gotta be pass-side drop. Its gotta be close to the same width. Its gotta have some aftermarket support for lockers and gearing.

Toyota Tundra? Nissan Armada? Mercedes? Rover?

Hmmm.... :huh:

 

[Mr_Rich]

This is an interesting thread. I admire the engineering that it takes to bring some of these ideas to reality. It seems like a GM IFS would be a logical choice. Only problem is that on the big trucks they're on the driver's side. That's no choice at all.

 

[06 H3]

Seeing your rancho lifting yours I am sure you can squeeze a chopped up bolt in axle housing to strengthen the middle.

 

[H3TBone]

This is very cool but, I can't imagine doing such costly work while keeping a stock AAM-7" diff. After-all...you'll still be stuck with 4.56 gearing and tinker-toy durability, even with all the outboard improvements. I think you need to "flip" your original idea inside-out, and focus on the real short-coming of the stock IFS...the center section. All of these outboard improvements will no doubt improve the travel and articulation, and that sounds like a great plan...but the stock diff is already questionable right off the showroom floor. 35" tires, and the improvements you're considering will certainly push way beyond the AAM's soccer-mom safety threshold.

The bad part is...I doubt if any of these initial outboard improvements will be transferable to your Phase II idea of upgrading to a Dana 44 diff. Bebe went down this same path, and pulled off a killer build but, she started in the middle and worked her way out to the wheels. It was worth the effort to design & build custom A-arms, half-shafts, and improved r&p because the core of her IFS (a Dana 44) was proven, and rock solid. Considering the time and money involved...I wouldn't screw around with improving anything on the stock IFS until you got a definite plan for the axle itself.

I like the idea of grafting on an entire IFS from some other vehicle. Of all the ideas thrown around on here...this one is the most intriguing to me. It saves a bunch of engineering time, testing & mock-up, etc. Plus, depending on the donor vehicle...you still have the ability to maintain the suspension with over-the-counter parts. The real question is: What IFS do you use? Its gotta be pass-side drop. Its gotta be close to the same width. Its gotta have some aftermarket support for lockers and gearing.

Toyota Tundra? Nissan Armada? Mercedes? Rover?

Hmmm.... :huh:

The D44 swap has been done several time without issue. A kit was once available for $2K (I can't recalled the SN..). Not sure if you can still get it. I have no intention of going to the lengths Bebe did. This is meant to be something one can do with almost all bolt on. That is a goal, along with clearance, lift and articulation. Sticking in the D44 later should be a snitch.

 

[06 H3]

that was 4diggr. I have contacted him on HXC and he never got back to me...If I recall correctly his last log in was years ago.

 

[H3TBone]

that was 4diggr. I have contacted him on HXC and he never got back to me...If I recall correctly his last log in was years ago.

Ok, thanks. I just PM'd him as well. We'll see. In reality, this part is not hard. You just need an old D44, cut it down, machine axles, and fit flanges. This is all really common in the 4x4 world, just shorter than usual The hard part is making it fit and making it fit properly. I may ask Randy about doing this at the same time. I know they have done this before in the UA F150 with a D60.

 

[H3TBone]

Full hydro? Im looking at possibly a toyota axle in the near future might end up being a easier swap. But i really like the ifs upgrade specially here in the desert.

Hydro-assist for likely PSC. Kits run ~$900. I just need to figure out how to mount it and adapt to factory pump, if possible.

 

[silvrzuki77]

Any update for this? Pics?

 

[06 H3]

I think this project is being dropped...he's selling his T

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[silvrzuki77]

Ahh I thats right.