my truss, track bar mount, and coil buckets were made by me. using rustys hd lca and uca mounts.



i built my steering first, then my track bar and brkts. made it easier to get them parallel....also made of 1.5x.25 tubing, but with ruffstuff heim joints.

 

Not sure really. I've been beating on it for over a year. When I pulled the pinion guard off the backing plate was bent, which probably contributed to it. But the bolts were plenty long, it was set up right. I guess not everything lasts forever.

 

Seen the 9" fail like that for unexplained reasons many times on the dragstrip and the trail. Was that a Ford centersection? I'm just curious of the reason also because a friend of mine runs one in his CJ.
Your rig is badass by the way.

 

TNT's truss here, also. My 3-link is all custom made by a buddy of mine.

 

When you guys installed the TNT truss, did the "simple instructions" it says it comes with work out right as far as caster/pinion angle? I ordered the steel yesterday so i can get started on my build, 3x3 angle 3/16" thick for frame stiffners and 2x5 rectangle 1/4" thick for my trans cross member and also to build bumpers out of, and some 2" .250 wall DOM Tubing for my links. Hopefully ill get to start on it this weekend. Im still not sure which rod ends im gonna use, i keep looking at Ballistic joints.

 

TNT truss won't work on your 79 model 44. You have cast wedges which can't be ground off. Unless it's an oddball axle, 78 and 79 models were ALMOST all cast. Most that use them modify the factory radius arms for a long arm. They work just like any other radius arm setup like RE or RC just look a bit different.

 

According to the guy i got the running gears from, it was a '79 F150. He was parting it out for his uncle so he would have the money to fix his van.... Here they are, no cast.

 

If they're not cast wedges, they're not 78 or 79. Also the cast wedge axles (like mine) are only 3/8" wall tubes, if yours has welded on wedges, your axles tubes should be 1/2" wall. I'd cut the wedges off and build a 3 link.

 

I would normally advise against this, i bought mine two years ago and they were clanking all over the place. They have since changed the design, last month I mentioned in a post about the problems, and Ballistic sent me two brand new joints complete for free. The newer design is much better.

 

BY looking at the pic.. seems it broke in some of the thread holes which is why I asked I asked if the bolts had backed out/not long enough.

I have never seen them fail at the dayotna bearing.. seen housing bend


The instructions as far as setting the caster angle worked out well. My issue was the truss actually failed along their weld and It ripped off my axle... I ended up fixing it.. but plating 3/8 under part that ripped, and 1/2 above it

 

Its all steel wedge on mine, and i am determined to do a 3-link on this swap. Ive done got the 2" .250 wall DOM ordered.

They flame all over Ballistic over on Pirate so i wasnt sure, What size joints did you get with which threads?

There is another guy over on Pirate that had the same problem, he had pictures of where it was a weld failure where the weld simply broke clean from the outter part of the actual truss.

 

Well you could see on mine where the metal/weld failed... Luckily I got it off the trail.. and onto my trailer. I am positive it wont fail now... Like I said I definately overkilled the repair, and welded the truss to the center section too... I can guarantee my welds wont fail

 

Type in broke 9 inch in google. Every one I've seen break is just like that. The stock cast centers are very weak. I've seen some aftermarket aluminum ones break like that too. Strange Engineering's pro iron center might be someting to look into. Super high quality strong stuff