LSD/Disc Rear Ends

[Dnatoli]

7 minutes ago, Charlie69 said:

I have a freind that purchased a bunch of stuff from Beebani and before the sale of the parts Beebani was good at answering his questions after the sale Beebani was not much help.

 

Did he reach him via email or..?

[thisismatt]

I wouldn't run his parts if they were free.  I have a set of arms I bought unused from another member, and while the design might be okay, the execution is pretty bad.  On most parts I've seen, design & execution appears sketchy to me, at a minimum, if not dangerous.  

[Charlie69]

He tried by email, PM and also through his ad on ebay.

 

He did the front and rear disc brakes, the upper and lower control arms, the front & rear coli over, and the 4 link setup on the rear. he got everthing placed where he wanted and my brother welded it up for him.  After it was all done he realized that the design, and craftmanship in all the custom parts was shit.  The front control arms after adjusting the coil over ride height was at a bad angle up.   The rear  4 link prevented him from installing his bed without notching the bed and he could not install his stock gas tank.

 

I found him another frame and he scrapped the frame with all the Beebani shit on it.  He wasted a lot of money and time just to start all over.

 

If you want quality custom parts by them from Mike Klotz (Blue Hands Inc) or other custom part maker on ebay and other forums.  I have worked installing other parts people have purchased from Beebani and there has always been adjustments required to install the parts.

[Dnatoli]

Thank you Charlie! I will do some digging today on Mike Klotz. I just need brackets to run rear disc and I'll be a happy camper. Seems to be a theme from everyone that BeeBani's support and products just aren't worth it.

[Dnatoli]

I have discovered another potential alternative that I would like to potentially try, if anyone that's been discussing cares to weigh in. Isuzu Rodeo rear end. Apparently has beefy axles, factory LSD and the option for disc brakes is readily available. Anyone had their hands in on this?

[datzenmike]

I know of the Rodeo as a doner of the rear disc brake parts. Never thought or heard of swapping the entire axle but...?

[Dnatoli]

If the width is right and there's more parts available, seems like a no brainer. After just a very quick search, the entire assemblies are available very readily.

[thisismatt]

What's the wms-wms?

[SLO720]

I can't chime in for all beebani products but the rear brackets for doing rear disc worked well for me. The only thing I never figured put was the parking brake cables. I have been running my rear discs on a c200 for over a year and a half now. They brake good and the only problem I've had is out of a sticking reman caliper. The one thing I will say is if you do it do it right and press the backing plate off and replace the bearing while you are there. Don't cut the backing plate off and hope metal shavings didn't get into your bearings. It did take me around 5 plus weeks to get them but was very happy when they arrived.

 

[Lockleaf]

Rodeo rear end is a Dana 44.  As good as any dana 44. Wms appears to be either 58 inch or 60.5 inch depending on year.  So yes that could be another good option, but you might want gears.  Luckily they are available.

[Dnatoli]

The further and further I get into this the more obvious a Dana 44 is the way to go. Now to source one locally. Can someone remind me the width of the factory 720 rear end? My 4-link kit is here as well so I'm just about ready to get cracking on this and measure for coilovers.

Edited April 21, 2020 by Dnatoli

[Lockleaf]

720 is around 57.5 inches wms if i recall correctly. 

[Dnatoli]

Cool, thank you! Dana 44 it is, time to start scouring craigslist.

[Charlie69]

3 hours ago, Lockleaf said:

720 is around 57.5 inches wms if i recall correctly. 

Early or late?  Later 720 diffs are wider.  This is one reason I used a 1980 720 chassis for my 1966 520.

Edited April 21, 2020 by Charlie69

[Dnatoli]

6 minutes ago, Charlie69 said:

Early or late?  Later 720 diffs are wider.  This is one reason I used a 1980 720 chassis for my 1966 520.

 

I have an 84 2WD king cab

[Charlie69]

Check the Measurement WMS (Wheel Mounting Surface)  to WMS on yours I believe 84 is wider.  I know 85/86 are wider.  

 

I need to take the time and measure my 86 King Cab 2wd, my 84 King Cab 2wd,and yhe 1980 720 chassis under my 520.

[wayno]

3 hours ago, Charlie69 said:

Early or late?  Later 720 diffs are wider.  This is one reason I used a 1980 720 chassis for my 1966 520.

 

I put my 520 on an 86 kingcab frame Charlie, but I have hardly any clearance in the back, I have to use P185/60R14 or smaller tires or it rubs on both sides in the rear, it also rubs on the front with any larger tire when I turn the wheel, and the front has been narrowed an inch when I made the drop arms, it is the reason I made the 2nd set of drop arms but I was trying to fit P195 tires, my truck is very low(dropped 7 inches), and not all P185 tires are the same, I have some that will not fit, I am using stock 78/79 Datsun 620 disc brake rims.

I am pretty sure a 520/521 will sit on an 86 720 chassis without any issues if it is not lowered and has stock type rims/tires.

[Lockleaf]

My measurement would come from an '85.  But grain of salt.  I measured that some time ago.

[Charlie69]

My 66 520 sitting on the 1980 720 chassis had plenty of clearance with stock wheels and 195 75 14s.  I have Bellteck 2" lowered spindles and the 14s were just to close to the control arm even after modding the lower control arms.  I also hve 4x4 rear leaf springs.  I have 2000 Isuzu Trooper 7" x16" and 205 45 16 tires on it wit plenty of clearance.

[wayno]

So cutting the ends off the control arm did not clear the stock rims?

[Charlie69]

It cleared but not enough for my liking.  1/8" clearance, any wheel flex and it will rub.

[wayno]

I am closer than that on my disc brake calipers and my stock 520/521 wheels/rims, after pounding the high spots on the inside of the rims(8 of them as I recall), they spin freely and I am not getting them to pound down an eighth inch, closer to a 1/16th inch and I have been running them rims for years, I like the 620 disc brake rims better as they need no modifications(pounding with a hammer), I can even use 320 rims and the calipers really hit the rivets hard, I seriously doubt I ground an eighth inch off the heads of them rivets to make them work as that rivet holds them together and I only ground off what I needed to to clear the calipers, but these points are closer to the center of the rim than where the lower ball joint is, but I would be fine with an eighth inch clearance myself.

Fact is the way I did my 520 I didn't need to use the drop spindles I have, I lowered my 521 kingcab a few inches recently and am thinking about raising it back up a little, my exhaust as high as it is still hits parking lot speed bumps and entrances/exits that have abrupt drops, I just cannot go any lower without making major mods like I did to the 520 one of which is putting the exhaust above the cross members which creates floor board heat issues, and I am not going to use coil overs to get rid of the torsion bars, they work just fine for me.

[Charlie69]

Dnatoli I appoligize for the thread jack.

 

I like the idea of using the Isuzu Rodeo Dana 44 rear end for the disc brakes.  Parts are easy to locate and Rodeo diffs are every where.