Originally Posted by
Marc sierra
If you want to go 4x4 in the future I would already start with the full 4x4 setup, as mixing 2wd and 4x4 parts is not going to work. The arb is a different length and I think that should also be combined with the correct crossmember and correct hubs. There is more to worry about than just the roll center, the caster and position of the wheel in the arch is not going to be correct when you combine 2wd and 4x4 parts. So you should already use the 4x4 crossmember, steering rack and hubs from the start. Besides that I would use the Cosworth 4x4 hubs. They have a better roll center than the XR ones and don't push the wheel out of the arch like the XR ones do. I would also use the 28 mm Cosworth arb instead of the 26 mm XR one, although later XR's might have had the 28 mm one as well.
In your situation, where you don't want to alter anything with the TCAs, I would just buy a good set of TCAs and not be messing around with the ball joint.
But why do you want to go 4x4 anyway? In my opinion the V6 doesn't have that much power that it benefits from 4x4.
To come back on the rear driveshafts. I've just had mine apart and the splines are exactly the same length on both ends of the driveshaft. It also doesn't matter if they aren't as there is lots of movement available in the CV joints to compensate for the small difference you have on the splines.
RE THE 4X4 SUSPENSION SETUP.
Importing big component WRT weight length height etc out of the UK is very expensive so I'm looking at alternatives I can do in our country that is affordable.
I have the 4x4 x-member and 4x4 steering components. I have xr4x4 hubs and not cossy 4x4 ones. this is what I have and going to use later
The Xr4x4 ARB and TCA I purchased recently were going for 40 pounds on ebay and so I offered 35 pounds. Shipping and import duties together around 80 pounds that surmounted around 2600 ZAR for me which makes a dent.
What I have now is a standard 2wd 28mm sapph ARB. But this cannot be used with the 4x4 X-member. Hence the purchases of the above
Note 1time powder coating requiments and poly bushes following for ARB and TCA's. Not going to fork out cash again for this
RE ABS CONVERSION FROM STANDARD SAPPH DRUM BRAKES
I bought a complete rear end that has the ABS setup to swap over from the drum brake setup.
I also bought a set of standard 2wd abs hub knuckles That uses the castle nut ball joint to complete the abs drive train brake setup. I have all the abs components besides a set of new sensors that need to be replaced. Cossy 2wd or 4x4 parts are not available to buy in our country so I have to mix and match a bit to try and make it work.
RE THE V6 engine OPTION
I have a 2.9 v6 cossy BOB, 2.9 xr 4x4 sump, front diff also off 2.9 v6 as well as the front drive shafts. This connected to a 2.9 v6 5 speed 4x4 NTYPE gearbox . So I've kept everything from one model together. I just dont have the ARB and TCAS. Also i have the correct oil filter arm and internal pickup for this setup .This engine is only coming later after a complete teardown and rebuild
Still needing an appropriate flywheel for 2.9 v6 BOB but I'm not concerned.
Once I've completed my build. Plan is to run the stock 2.0 pinto carby mounted on the 4x4 X-member with another 2wd NType gearbox. Don't worry I already have the 4x4 steering component's and the 4x4 2.0 engine mounts to put the pinto ontop of the X-member.
RE THE 4x4 TCA 2WD BALL JOINT CONVERSION.
I'm going to give this a bash and see how this works. So once I've recieved the Xr4x4 ARB and TCA. Going to press out the old ball joint and look for something replaceable and swappable just on the ball joint part. There has to be something I can find like this that can fit.
