Front Diff drop help for 8" lift

[superstang460]

I need some help with lowering my front diff. How much is the max drop before front drive shaft stress is too much?...3" maybe?

I have custom upper/lower control arms with 5" of lift in them at "stock" ride height and no torsion bar cranking. Also have a 3" body lift, 919 springs(3" lift) with 2" spacers on top and bottom, custom length rear trailing arms and top link.

I am clearing 40x16-R16 super swamper LTB's on my firefox VX but my poor stock gears wont turn em too well, and as you can imagine, with the torsion bars cranked I get almost 8" suspension lift so my CV shafts wont even come close to reaching.

My front is currently torn apart and my VX is my winter vehicle, so time is of the essence. Looking to drop the diff as much as possible, change gear ratios, and maybe install BigMeat's super flexy IFS kit.

Please let me know if you have diff drop brackets, ring and pinion sets, or a super flexy IFS kit just sitting around, so I can get my rig back together within the next week or two.

Any and all helpful knowledge about the diff drop from experience is greatly appreciated

[superstang460]

P.S. I know you are all probably wanting to see pics of my VX with 40's and also the control arms....
Not to sound completely computer illiterate, but how in the heck do you upload pics on here that are saved to my computer???

[VX KAT]

P.S. I know you are all probably wanting to see pics of my VX with 40's and also the control arms....
Not to sound completely computer illiterate, but how in the heck do you upload pics on here that are saved to my computer???

Click on "Gallery" in the blue header above

Then click "Gallery Links" from the same blue header

In that drop down box you should see, second from the bottom..."Upload photos" - Click that.

Then it will let you select 5 pics (one at a time) from your computer. Click on "Choose File" and find the pic you want. If they're really big megapixels, I've found it bombs out if I do more than 2 at a time. So I'd hit "Upload/submit" after those 2, then just do a few at a time.

If they're smaller files, you can do all 5 at once.

Sometimes, after it's done uploading your pics, it will show another screen where you have to click at the bottom of screen..."Process".

[superstang460]

Here's the modified lower control arm with 5" of lift next to the stock control arm

[superstang460]

Here's the modified upper installed with the lift built in

[superstang460]

Firefox on 40's

[superstang460]

[Lizardmen3477]

May I Say Holy Sh*T Thats some Big Tires.

[superstang460]

Still not sure I'm doing the pics thing correctly, but at least now you can see what I'm dealin with. Any help with advice or having parts available for my reassembly would be awesome. Thanks in advance for the help, and thank you, VX Kat, for gettin me on the right track with uploading pics

[Mile High VX]

Man, that's awesome!

[VX KAT]

Still not sure I'm doing the pics thing correctly, but at least now you can see what I'm dealin with. Any help with advice or having parts available for my reassembly would be awesome. Thanks in advance for the help, and thank you, VX Kat, for gettin me on the right track with uploading pics

No prob!

Guess I coulda mentioned how to attach them in a post....

Start a post

On right side -> it says "My Pics"...click Open

A new window opens with your pics. At the top of the window there's a a blue header with a drop down box for selecting what size/type attachment...select "Original Image"...it will make the full size pic appear in post.

You can put up to 20 pics in a single post.

Separate each pic by a RETURN/ENTER or sometimes they'll end up just displaying left to right, instead of scrolling down....drives some of our members crazy to scroll sideways..

You can go back to your post and delete your current attached pics....
and edit it to attach the full size pics:
hit EDIT
then "Go advanced"
then "My Pics"
Make sure it's "original Image"
select your pics by clicking on them.

[superstang460]

I think I got it. Thanks again. Now you're all in big trouble!!! haha for a year now I could not figure out how to post pics, lol.

[Ldub]

Nice welds...

These here things from the main menu will help answer many of your other questions......

http://www.vehicross.info/modules.php?name=FAQ

http://www.vehicross.info/modules.ph...category&cid=7

[Marlin]

Wow, that is all I am starting with...wow.
Ok, for the technical stuff.
-What brake lines did you switch to? No way factory length will hold up to that much lift and be able to flex, especially with the IFS kit. I did + 2" on my brake lines...I would guess you need +4" or more.
-Did you put any kind of gussets in the extensions for the upper control arm drops? Thats a very tight angle to have no extra weight bearing supports.
-Did you get some super extended length shocks? Otherwise the first time it brings a tire off the ground, you may here some sickening pop as all the oil/gas comes out of your shock
-Be careful dropping your diff 3", that bracket is gonna have to be heavy duty. If you can fab that up, you can fab up the brackets. You just just cut out a rectangle, and weld in a new plate that moves the holes down the desired length:

I have to admit, it looks pretty sweet, not my cup of tea, but still pretty bad ***. As for finding these parts lying around, diff drops you will have to make yourself, as well as a new crossmember. IFS kit has to be ordered from BigmeatVX. Gears...Matt at Independent4x.

[VXorado]

Nice work superstang, I bet your CVs hate you

I've heard 3" diff drop max before the driveshaft angle is too much.

Good luck