Anyone running high pinion front?

[tortuga]

Going to build or rebuild/regear front and back, seems like a good time to evaluate all the options. I need to do a disc brake upgrade in the front, tempted to buy a 78/79 front end complete and shorten it.

Going to have 3.5 suspension/ 1" body lift, is that enough to run a high pinion?

[Familyman]

I think the pinion would be fine but alot of those front ends had cast on "C's" vs. the weld on types found on EB front ends. If it is not the weld on type then there is a bit more to shorted it. I belive you leave the short side alone and then cut the weld on the cast section "c" on the psg side, either press it off or press it down the tube till you have it shortened to specific leangth and then weld the cast section back on. I know this is possible since FFMDX has one of these shortened cast front ends on his. Hope that helps,

FM <><

[tortuga]

Talked to a shop today, they told me that taking the length out of the long side between the c and the pumpkin made it a bolt in proposition.

[Delta 4 Wheel]

Yes, they are correct. All they do is take 6 inches out of the long side. You will be high enough for the HP.

[SonicDonkey]

Im running a HP44 but the earlier but the earlier year (71-75 I think?) It was relatively easy to shorten the long side. Just cut off the C (carefully, and prep for reuse) measure cut the remainder of tube for new length put C back on tube with the correct castor (this is the hard part, I didnt have any heat and it is definatly a press on part) and WELD. Before I had the HP I could barely run 4WD high range, over 30MPH and the front DS was really unhappy.

[PhantomEB]

Sweet, I do have both a shortened but not welded due to dont trust my welding Cast wedged 78 HP44 as well the modifiable 77 with the welded one C mounts but that one is staying stock as I never know if I want full width later. See how I kill 44s first before I end up going 60?

[Mike]

Ideally your going to want to get the castor adjusted and the pinion pointed up at your tcase. If all that gives you sticker shock you could just run it stock, maybe shorten it later. There are many pluses to this especially when you use the matching rear axle. It's not really that wide imo. I could probably dig up some pictures of mine when it had that setup.

[Dusty]

Ditto what Mike says on adjusting the castor/pinion geometry while you're doing the housing mods. This will add some cost since they'll have to work on the short side too. But since they'll already be working on the driver side to shorten it, the cost to adjust castor/pinion will effectively be half price vs doing it by itself. I ran a HP D44 in my trail rig for years and loved it, but replaced it with an HP D60. I'm getting ready to put a full width HP D44 in my wife's rig. Its a great mod since you get SO many benefits from one mod--bigger axles and u-joints, disk brakes, better pinion angle, bigger hole in the knuckle for extracting exploded axles etc.

BTW, we can get you all the gears/axles/etc you'll need to set up the 44. I know our crappy old website doesn't list those parts (a problem which will soon be remedied) but we indeed do. Drop me an email or give us a call with whatever you need and we'll get you some prices.

Dusty