Admins/Mods-if you want to move this thread to the Ole Yellar build after some time that would be OK.I just wanted to illustrate by pictures the one of a kind offset showing the difference in the axles side by side.I think it clearly shows that in the pictures.
The rear is the completion of stripping it and storing it until I am ready to send it out to a rear end shop to have the mounts copied for a Ford 9".I will clean it up some in respect of the rear end shop so they can somewhat handle it without getting dirty.
1979 Malibu drag race only car
1999 Sonoma 4.3 5 speed-Rufus
1989 Astro-Ole Yellar cancelled-still selling off parts
1985 Astro-shop van R.I.P. my friend
1994 Astro LT RWD W4.3 rod knock RIP
1982 Winnebago single rear wheel-Chevy 350 Scraped 1/28/13-broken dreams......
Gary;
Are you going to try using the stock astro mounting bracket system to hold the 9" to the astro springs?
Before you have a shop "copy" the Astro spring pads, have a look at them and see if your are like mine...
My pads have a dimple instead of a nice regular hole, for the centre pin of the leaf pack to rest in.
I was always concerned that the "Dimple" gave lots of leeway as to where exactly the centre pin would sit once bolted to the axle.
This could cause alignment problems or 'dog walk' if your not carefill.
Most regular trucks use a proper hole that fits close to the centre pin to keep it all in line.
Astro's have a big rubber wrap around the springs, that sits in that dimple.
If you plan to change the mounting setup, consider improving on the dimple idea by having the pads made with a nice regular hole that fits the centre pin of the leafpack.
doyoulikeithere wrote:Gary;
Are you going to try using the stock astro mounting bracket system to hold the 9" to the astro springs?
Before you have a shop "copy" the Astro spring pads, have a look at them and see if your are like mine...
My pads have a dimple instead of a nice regular hole, for the centre pin of the leaf pack to rest in.
I was always concerned that the "Dimple" gave lots of leeway as to where exactly the centre pin would sit once bolted to the axle.
This could cause alignment problems or 'dog walk' if your not carefill.
Most regular trucks use a proper hole that fits close to the centre pin to keep it all in line.
Astro's have a big rubber wrap around the springs, that sits in that dimple.
If you plan to change the mounting setup, consider improving on the dimple idea by having the pads made with a nice regular hole that fits the centre pin of the leafpack.
That is a good tip.I am a little confused about that.I had asked about the rubber pad while I was taking the rear end out because I couldn't get it off the spring and wondered in the steel leaf upgrade what you guys did.I mean can you order those etc.Dean told me he just left them out.I don't know in general if the lift blocks have a different set-up or what.Or if when you do a add a leaf pack the center bolt is different so it seats better.Kind of wonder what Peter did on his 9".Or for that matter what Mr_Roboto did on his.
1979 Malibu drag race only car
1999 Sonoma 4.3 5 speed-Rufus
1989 Astro-Ole Yellar cancelled-still selling off parts
1985 Astro-shop van R.I.P. my friend
1994 Astro LT RWD W4.3 rod knock RIP
1982 Winnebago single rear wheel-Chevy 350 Scraped 1/28/13-broken dreams......
I just put mine back together as well, but thought at the time that it would be nice to have pads that "fit" the centre bolts, like all of the 4x4s I've ever seen.
Since you are having some made anyways, just thought it was worth keeping in mind and deciding how to do it beforehand, when asking someone to "copy" the stock ones...
OK now I am really confused.I never got off the rubber on the shop van springs.So:
Does the single leaf have a center bolt or just the molded rubber??.
Why did the GM engineers put that rubber in??.Dean when you took out yours did it squeak?
Or is it just another M body design mystery??.Gezzz with the spring on top everything is upside-down.
Doyoulikeitthere-I took a look at the top of the clam shell and it does have a hole for a center bolt.I am not trying to question you suggestion.But if I have enough of a center bolt to fit into the top of the clan shell,wouldn't that be OK??.Take a look at the pictures and please give me your opinion.
1979 Malibu drag race only car
1999 Sonoma 4.3 5 speed-Rufus
1989 Astro-Ole Yellar cancelled-still selling off parts
1985 Astro-shop van R.I.P. my friend
1994 Astro LT RWD W4.3 rod knock RIP
1982 Winnebago single rear wheel-Chevy 350 Scraped 1/28/13-broken dreams......
1Gary wrote:OK now I am really confused.I never got off the rubber on the shop van springs.So:
Does the single leaf have a center bolt or just the molded rubber??.
There is a single center bolt in the steel leafs.
1Gary wrote:Why did the GM engineers put that rubber in??.Dean when you took out yours did it squeak?
Or is it just another M body design mystery??.Gezzz with the spring on top everything is upside-down.
I have to believe the rubber was put there to minimize road vibration and noise. I noticed no difference in the way the van handled or rode when I took the rubbers out.
1Gary wrote:Doyoulikeitthere-I took a look at the top of the clam shell and it does have a hole for a center bolt.I am not trying to question you suggestion.But if I have enough of a center bolt to fit into the top of the clan shell,wouldn't that be OK??.Take a look at the pictures and please give me your opinion.
What he is saying that when you get the mounts made for the new 9" axle, don't have the hole for the center bolt drilled to the same size as the stock axle. Have the hole mad so that it is just big enough for the center bolt head to fit in. This will eliminate any possibility of the axle to run skewed.
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition
Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
Hey Gary, Dean is right.
I'm not talkin bout the brackets.
I am talking about the perches you will weld to the axle. "copied" from the astro axle.
Stock Astro Perch has a big dimple that the centre pin can slide around in.
Real truck axles have no dimple, instead, a hole just the right size to lock the centre pin in position.
