Diff Drop Brackets

[ZEUS]

Here is what I did to drop my front diff to alleviate the sharp CV angles after a lift:

I cut out the lower portion of each bracket by making two 90* straight cuts on each. I then cut off two 2" wide strips from a Jeep bumper I had laying around. The bend at the bottom of the bumper matched the roll in the stock brackets. I hammered on the strips a little to perfect the shape and to fill the hole I made in the stock brackets. Then I welded the strips to the lower part of the bracket. Here is what I got:
561562

After welding the 2"-extended lower portion of the brackets to the upper portion, I had to grind the welds down on the backside of the brackets in certain spots to allow a tight fit against the axle housing. I was also able to mark the two additional holes needed for the mounting bolts to go through. After a test fit, I painted everything up:
563564565

I have seen another approach where a C-shape was cut out of the brackets to achieve nearly the same result. A piece of plate must have been used, and then all five holes were drilled into it. This was BigMeatVX's approach:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/thumbs/81mvc-044f.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/2229)

I think mine were easier to create, but BigMeatVX's might have more strength. However, I don't think mine will fail either. I will post my solution to the crossmember drop after I figure it out!

[tom4bren]

Good stuff. Thanks Zeus.

[CrnCnn]

So, uh, you wanna make me a pair? :o

[ZEUS]

Clint, I'm sure Beau would help you out with yours - but man is it a pain to get that axle in and out of there... soooooo.... you might as well locate some 4.56 gears before you get started and hook those puppies up! And Tom, same to you man, try to find some 4.77's for those steamrollers of yours. You'll love 'em!

[tom4bren]

Yeah, and I was thinking about some over tire tracks as well. Shouldn't be any fender clearance prob. Nyuk. Nyuk. Nyuk.

[ZEUS]

Mr. Harris... BUMP!

[JHarris1385]

Nice.....
I have a mech. waiting to mod my VX.
Just want to make sure the welder/machinist can do this work.

Side note: where do you score some 4.56? I will roll nothing less than lets say 31's and nothing more than 33's in my lifetime. So would 4.56 be best?

[ZEUS]

I'd say 4.56's would be best for your goals. Call some junk yards for the 3rd's or check Indy4x or Pirate as sometimes they have them for sale.

[JHarris1385]

Im finally getting my diff brackets dropped hopefully they are done and installed this weekend. The welder/fab guy wanted some acutal measurements though, Zeus you got any? I told him drop them two inches.....

...Would you suggest dropping more than 2 inches and is there anything else I may run into that I would need fabbed up? Thanks

[ZEUS]

I think 2" is an ideal compromise between ground clearance, CV angle, and drive shaft angle. I know for a fact you can reinstall the axle housing with 2" longer brackets and 3rd member already mounted and sealed. Anything more than 2" and things would get tight when trying to put the assembly back in. Plus the angle at the drive shaft would maybe be too steep if you drop more than 2". The stock crossmember needs to be dropped as well though. Check Ascinder's gallery for some good pics of his solution. I am going to fab up skid plate mounts and a skid plate some time instead of using the OEM crossmember. Sadly, I have been driving around without any crossmember in place since I did this!

[CrnCnn]

Im finally getting my diff brackets dropped hopefully they are done and installed this weekend. The welder/fab guy wanted some acutal measurements though, Zeus you got any? I told him drop them two inches.....

...Would you suggest dropping more than 2 inches and is there anything else I may run into that I would need fabbed up? Thanks

Did you find a spare set or just doing your current ones?

[JHarris1385]

Bought a spare from that glenn guy that made a post here with a wrecked VX. If I remember correctly it was the one eric=etl went and visited.

Im still in the runnings for getting kpsake's too, considering I was first to request them.

[CrnCnn]

Bought a spare from that glenn guy that made a post here with a wrecked VX. If I remember correctly it was the one eric=etl went and visited.

Im still in the runnings for getting kpsake's too, considering I was first to request them.

Nice, he never responded to me about them. (Glenn). If you get yours done can I be in the running to get a set from you?

[ZEUS]

OK, I finally posted these pics. I only lowered one side of the crossmember (CM) - the diff side. The other side does not need to be lowered. I used 2x3 square tubing and cut one side off. I ground down the end of the CM to attach the tubing to to it. I put one bolt in the CM on the driver side and put the tube in place and used a jack to bring the CM up against it (in its new mounted location). I tack welded the tube to the CM and removed the assembly for welding. When that was done I mounted the CM again and eyeballed where the new mounting hole would be then drilled it in place. As you can see, my pinion seal needs to be replaced... again!
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DropBracket.jpg
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DropBracket2.jpg

[tom4bren]

Thanks ZEUS,

That's sorta what I had in mind but was hoping to come up with something 'bolt on' that I could send out with the drop brackets. I'll let you know if I come up with anything simple/cheap/strong (pick any 2:)).