issues with welding relo brackets on a NEW rear!!! Please help!
03-22-2008, 07:28 PM
#1
issues with welding relo brackets on a NEW rear!!! Please help! So, Im trying to get the new Dana 60 in my 95 bird. I have UMI weld in relo brackets for the control arms. The directions assume that you only unbolt one control arm at a time, but my problem is the whole rear end is new. So, its not lined up right. I have aftermarket control arms and a spohn adjustable torque arm.. So, here is my thoughts:
I put the stock control arms back on, and I measured from the front rim to the back rim( I put the rear tires on and let the car down to load the suspension) and tried to get it to be the same dimention. I had to pull the drivers side rearward and the pass side forward. Anywho, while I pulled the rear back I tightened the body mount of the stock control arm to take the slack out of it. Then I tightened the axle side of the control arm while still holding the rear back.
For the pass side, I pushed it forward and tightened the body mount of the control arm, and left the back one loose while I set up the relo bracket in there.
By measuring from rim to rim I have it about 1/16 of an inch within both sides... its as good as its gonna get.
I also put my stock torque arm back on to ensure the zero pinion angle... I have this on so that I get the brackets welded on straight.
Is this a good idea?? I want to see how you all have done it before I go and weld mine on.
I have the suspension sitting on the tires, so the rear is loaded as normal. I now am wondering if I can take the control arm down, one side at a time, and line it up with the relo bracket? The instructions say to unload the rear all the way, which seems counter productive to me. Is it bad to weld them on with the suspension actually loaded? I will just tack them on with it loaded, and then pull the tires off and fully weld them.
It just seems to make more sense to do it this way, but am I missing something here?
Like I said, the instructions say to only unbolt one side at a time, but since I am putting a whole new rear in along with the brackets, I dont have that luxury.
Any insight would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!
Thanks
Cody
I put the stock control arms back on, and I measured from the front rim to the back rim( I put the rear tires on and let the car down to load the suspension) and tried to get it to be the same dimention. I had to pull the drivers side rearward and the pass side forward. Anywho, while I pulled the rear back I tightened the body mount of the stock control arm to take the slack out of it. Then I tightened the axle side of the control arm while still holding the rear back.
For the pass side, I pushed it forward and tightened the body mount of the control arm, and left the back one loose while I set up the relo bracket in there.
By measuring from rim to rim I have it about 1/16 of an inch within both sides... its as good as its gonna get.
I also put my stock torque arm back on to ensure the zero pinion angle... I have this on so that I get the brackets welded on straight.
Is this a good idea?? I want to see how you all have done it before I go and weld mine on.
I have the suspension sitting on the tires, so the rear is loaded as normal. I now am wondering if I can take the control arm down, one side at a time, and line it up with the relo bracket? The instructions say to unload the rear all the way, which seems counter productive to me. Is it bad to weld them on with the suspension actually loaded? I will just tack them on with it loaded, and then pull the tires off and fully weld them.
It just seems to make more sense to do it this way, but am I missing something here?
Like I said, the instructions say to only unbolt one side at a time, but since I am putting a whole new rear in along with the brackets, I dont have that luxury.
Any insight would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!
Thanks
Cody
03-22-2008, 10:53 PM
#2
I bolted in the stock control arms to make certain the dana was in the correct position from the factory. I bolted in the dana assembly. By using the stock control arms, bolted to the stock location as designed by dana (lol its far from a stock OEM peice) The relo brackets are the weld in variety, and they move around alot. By this I mean that I put the bolt through the stock location with the relo brackets too. So, the relo bracket goes around the welded on dana bracket, and I also have the control arm bolted at this point. I hope this helps the visual.
Now, with all three in this position, the rear is aligned properly for and aft in the hole, and it is actually dead on for up and down in the fender opening. This is not the dilema. When measured, the rear only has 1/16 of an inch difference from side to side measurement, I can live with this.
What I am concerned about is the pinion angle of the dana for one. I bolted the stock torque arm to it to maintain the stock angle here. Is this a good idea or bad? After I get everything fabbed up it will come out for paint, and then go back in using the spohn adjustable torque arm, and I will probably adjust the pinion angle difference to the negative 2 for street use like I had on the stocker... it worked well for me.
Number two, the relo bracket has lots of movement. By this I mean: With the bolt going through the bracket, the dana, and the control arm, untightened, I can move the relo bracket all around. So, it has play to wiggle it up and down, as well as back and forth. I can also rotate it about the axis of the bolt. So, once I have the axle positioned by the control arm, and take the control arm out and replace with their "spacer bolt", and rotate the control arm down to the 2" and 3" drop hole, how do I gurentee the bracket hasn't moved up on the stock location? Get what I am saying now? If I weld the bracket and it has moved some, I would try to use the bottom hole and the rear would not be centered properly as it should.
The design of the bracket doesn't give it a bump stop to push it against and weld, its all abstract and seems like you need to guess where it goes.
In the process of moving the control arm down something might be bumped and be out of whack.
Again, if something isn't clear, just ask and I will try to clarriffy.
also, how do I keep the rear from moving forward or back just a hair? I will have a hard time noticing if it did move forward or back until I get it all tacked up and then put the control arm back on and see it moved on me... there must be some kind of science to this whole ordeal... lol
Now, with all three in this position, the rear is aligned properly for and aft in the hole, and it is actually dead on for up and down in the fender opening. This is not the dilema. When measured, the rear only has 1/16 of an inch difference from side to side measurement, I can live with this.
What I am concerned about is the pinion angle of the dana for one. I bolted the stock torque arm to it to maintain the stock angle here. Is this a good idea or bad? After I get everything fabbed up it will come out for paint, and then go back in using the spohn adjustable torque arm, and I will probably adjust the pinion angle difference to the negative 2 for street use like I had on the stocker... it worked well for me.
Number two, the relo bracket has lots of movement. By this I mean: With the bolt going through the bracket, the dana, and the control arm, untightened, I can move the relo bracket all around. So, it has play to wiggle it up and down, as well as back and forth. I can also rotate it about the axis of the bolt. So, once I have the axle positioned by the control arm, and take the control arm out and replace with their "spacer bolt", and rotate the control arm down to the 2" and 3" drop hole, how do I gurentee the bracket hasn't moved up on the stock location? Get what I am saying now? If I weld the bracket and it has moved some, I would try to use the bottom hole and the rear would not be centered properly as it should.
The design of the bracket doesn't give it a bump stop to push it against and weld, its all abstract and seems like you need to guess where it goes.
In the process of moving the control arm down something might be bumped and be out of whack.
Again, if something isn't clear, just ask and I will try to clarriffy.
also, how do I keep the rear from moving forward or back just a hair? I will have a hard time noticing if it did move forward or back until I get it all tacked up and then put the control arm back on and see it moved on me... there must be some kind of science to this whole ordeal... lol
03-23-2008, 11:04 AM
#3
I know this probably won't help at all, but if you buy some bolt in relocation brackets you won't have any problems. I don't know if you want sell them or not but its just a suggestion. Then you could weld them on after you get them bolted up. My bolt in ones from BMR worked just like if it was a 10 bolt.
03-23-2008, 11:10 AM
#4
Really? I thought you had to buy the weld in ones for the aftermarket rears... damnit. Well, that would create longer downtime and such, but that is interesting that you got the bolt in ones to fit the S60. Crap I wish I would have read up on that part of it... Oh well. Anyone with suggestions on welding these weld in ones I have on?