Widening a semi float rear???

[Hunt]

I have a Mark Williams cast low pinion Dana 60 semi float rear. It is already setup with 5.13 gears, one of Tech Tim's original custom 40 spline ARBs and my suspension link tabs/truss. Its just to damn narrow. The original plan was to make a streetable TJ and thus keep the axles narrow-ish. Wasn't really an issue with some Cragar solf 8 with crazy back spacing but with TrailReady dual beadlocks that are just about centered I have to run spacers.


I could re-tube it and make it a full float. Tabs, truss, axles, outers, etc would all have to be re-bought. So at that point I might as well sell the axle complete and start from scratch. But we all know we never recoup the money we have into things once they are used.


My other thought was to make it a rear steer axle. Cut off the flanges, weld on inner Cs, new axles etc. The only thing I would be loosing would be the current axle shafts. Of course everything that goes with adding rear steer would add up pretty quickly too. The ram, tierod, hoses, valve etc. but with the added costs come added benefits.


Just thinking out load.

How much width would adding steering components add? Thoughts?

 

[I Lean]

Did you truss the whole width of the axle, or is it still just the middle part? Unless your truss goes all the way end-to-end, you shouldn't have to mess with any link tabs, truss, or anything else to make it a full-float axle. There are a couple ways to do it:

If you have the "normal" 9" style set20 bearing ends, you can get full-float spindles that will bolt right onto that. I don't know if they'd add any width though.

You can also cut a spindle off of some donor axle and weld it on, either in place of, or directly to your bearing end.

You can use the weld-on ends that Ruffstuff has, and bolt on a front spindle to get your full-floater.

In any case, all you should need to replace is the axleshafts and maybe brakes. You shouldn't have to retube.

Same deal goes for adding knuckles for rear-steer--those add enough width that you'd probably end up shortening your axle tubes first. They also would add a LOT of weight, especially when combined with the other stuff that goes along with steering. (ram, links, different truss, etc)

 

[UFAB]

UFAB can weld on some unit bearing cups, line bore it and slap in some full float unit bearings with any choice bolt pattern and 13.5" rotors. That would widen you about 10-12"..