Building a 4x4 t-bucket.

[RatRodKehl]

So I love T-buckets... Not sure why, I suppose it offers all the noise and wind of a Harley without the beat up kindenys. I have built a few cars in the past but I have always wanted to build up a mean 4x4. I will be building the frame out of 3x3x14 wall tubing, it will have a Dana44 front and a heavy half GM 12 bolt rear.
Powerplant: Built SBC, Camed, ported, highrise intake with Holley carb and a stainless velocity stack
Tranny: TH400 on a cast Iron 203 transfir
Bench seats, hand made wood dash
Bells and whistles: Powersteering/breaks, heat and AC.

The skinny: I need some suggestions for the chassis, I need to have room in the front for the front drive shaft to pass by, I will post a sketch of my idea in a few.
Thanks

 

[GT63]

I build it like a truggy with a 4 link front and rear. Or like one of those 4x4 mud altered dragster cars.

 

[RatRodKehl]

Here is my Idea, please forgive the sketch, Im no Piccaso.

 

[estesken]

Can't wait to see Pictures.

 

[Dirt-T]

Go for it. Keep posting your progress.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Looks like it'd work. In the transfer case scenario, the driveshaft I believe will be close to the framerail. Now, if your gonna be sitting up high, no problem. I have several Mud Customers that do the drags.....and have essentially what you have.
Only issues I can see is that attachment of the springs onto the front Hairpins or 4 link rods.
The springs need to be attached to the front axle.
Theres alot of torque applied to that front axle even in moderate usage, just the 4 links won't contain it safely, you need that that spring up there.

UNLESS, you have square DOM tubing and instead of heim joints, you use full fledged automotive type ball joints. Between the upper and lower link bars you'd have to run some 3/16 mild steel tie-in plates to attach your spring, the way you have it drawn. And if I were to build this, it all would have to be TIG welded, to hold up to the stress....

As you hit a bump, and your front suspension trys to travel, the spring will try to force the link bars outwards, adding stress and a possible failure to the joints. Spring attached to the front drive until would alleviate several problems.

Good luck on your build....

 

[Wild Mango]

There was one here quite like RatRodKehl's sketch except a jag centre (Dana 44) and Landcruiser stubs/carriers outboard on 4 bars at the front. It all seemed to work Ok but I don't know the finer points.