Hello all!!

Has anyone here put fullsize axles on a sidekick?  I sorta found this set of axles under a Dodge ramcharger that are in good shape, and they just came right off and are now in my garage.  The front is a D44 w/ the axle disconect setup and just needs a new set of joints.  The rear is a Chrysler 9.25.  The axles are already torn down and going to be sandblasted next week.  The hog head is on the correct side for my Sidekick, and fabbing up a multi-link setup will not take too long-

Here is my problem:
Will my transfer case be WAY to short to allow a usable Ujoint angle to the D44 front, or am I going to have to get a bigger case? If I have to get another case (or the 231 outta that dodge) then I will probably need another tranny..... you get the idea.  If the angle of the driveshaft goes sideways a little, how bad will this cause my shaft to vibrate?

Problem 2:
The steepest gears I can get are going to be 4.56 because of the rear axle.  Will 33' or even 35'  tires be to tall, or do I need to go find a D44 rear to go with the front.  By the way, the axles were FREE, I wanna use them.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Not only are your finding that the gear ratio is not in the best choice realm, but they may have a different lug pattern, so you'll need new wheels. Now, you have to come up with a suspension to bring the axles under control. Simplest and easiest would be leafs. Measure the spring pad distance, then compare this to the width of the frame about where the end of the leafs would be. Figure 50-56" long leafs (GM style). Next if you want to keep the vehicle low, then you'll have to spring under axle (SUA) rather than the stock config of spring over axle (SOA). Going with SUA, you'll need to weld on the spring perches onto the axles, after getting the axles setup and centered under the truck with the leafs. You may have to use a custom front crossmember to mount the front of the springs. Next, you'll need to configure which end the shackles will be, front or rear of the front leafs. For a small vehicle, better riding is where the shackle works with the reaction of the suspension from the bump. However, with a front shackle, climbing obstacles, the nature of the front shackle is to pull the front axle/tire forward while climbing. But its a rough ride on the street. However, if you want to go coil, you'll have to design a link system to control the axle and this takes lots of design calculations. Lastly comes the brake lines, steering arms, and ds, and shocks.

Thanks, but I am going to go with a coil sping/multilink setup.

Here is why:

Unless you run a considerable sized tire, approach angle will suffer with the use of a large leaf spring.  I can run a quarter eliptical setup, but I don't like the way they look and don't trust the strength and axle locating ablity.

I know that I will need longer brake lines and the lug patterns of these axles matches the sidekick(not that it matters, as I am going to use a different rim now.)

My question still remains:

Will the deflection (if there is any, I will measure to see how much) cause me a big problem with the front U-joints.  And if so, what are my options with the transfer case.  (I don't want to narrow the axle.)

Thanks,
Harley Richardson

ok, so you have a sidekick. the rear already has a 3 link set up, why not keep this set up, as there is a base starting point. upper Y link will control lateral movement, and also pinion angle.  lowers will control fore aft movement. maybe make some custom extended lower arms to allow for more travel in a bigger radius.

i'm not familiar with Dana diffs, i'm in Australia. but i figure rear has centre pumpkin.

with front, if going coils, maybe try an easy 3 link set up also. 2 lower arms like the rear, and a panhard bar front top of diff to chassis. maybe you could even use one of the original lower A arm mounts for the panhard, and just beef it.

front should have a right hand off set pumpkin, right? even if the front DS is at a bit of an angle to the side, i dont think it should matter a whole head, and i only use 4wd off road when i really need it. it doesnt even come close to snowing here. i can live with slight vibrations if the trade off is full size solids under a sidekick.

you might have to look at the sump clearance also, when the front diff is moving through its full travel motion, will the front DS touch the sump?

and with full size diffs, and maybe 33"s, some form of power steer may be on the cards, such as a yota power steer set up. or similar.

ok, i've rambled on a bit about nothing really, so havent yet answered your questions. with the deflection of the DS or U Joints, i have no idea, and as with transfer cases, just get some crawler gears, or a kicker set up, or dual cases with a sammy case. but i suppose theres not much room for a dual case set up on a SWB.

anyhow, good luck, and make sure you post up pics and tech if you do decide to go ahead, and also when you figure things out.

Cheers.

Unless you get some 5.83 (good luck)
you are going to need a second T-case,
a Kicker3 or some other setup, you will
be hard pressed to have any fun on 33s
with those stock gears.

I had 4.62s and even with the turbo it was
just too tall, can't get the power, even in low
range to climb hills, roll over rocks and stuff

You need to think this one out some more

You will also need  a DC front u-joint on the
front T-case output, more $$ as these are not
cheep to have made

Wild

Ok, I didn't think about power steering. Hmmmmmm.  Maybe get a manual gear box out of a fullsize truck, fab up a bracket to mount that.  I think I will try it with the stock box, and see it that works, but I will probably get broken.

A quick glance at drivetrain direct shows me that I can get a set of 5.89 gears for the D44, but the rear is gonna screw me.  I will look for a D44 rear, or something that can accept the same gearing.

As for the double cardan on the front, doesn't my 89 kick have one already?  I thought it did, but I will take a look when I get home.

I am also going to do a crossover steering setup to try to cut back on bumpsteer, but I am not fully decided that this is NEEDED as I am not going to have a monster lift.

Other than that I will get to work, take plenty of pics, and let ya know how it is going as I progress. 

Thanks,

Harley Richardson

Consider this, no matter what axle you have, the gearing will be mostly the same requirement with the engine, tranny, and tires you want to run. So figure, if you have 4.62's in the ends now, on 28" tires, then you are wanting to run 33's, the ratio you'll need will be ~5.45s. Therefore, the rear axle is going to hold you back some as it's limited in gear ratios. THe D44 in the front has ratios, like you stated all the way up to 5.89! Now consider even though you got these axles real cheap (given to you), you'll require more work and money in other areas to mod to accept them in the drivetrain. Weigh these options out. To add, and it's probably not a bad thing but still notable, the front axle inner long side is a 2-pce shaft with the vacuum slider. Due to the weight differences between the Dodge and Suzuki, I wouldn't worry about it, but still have to locate a vacuum source and hook up a switch, or swap in a cable mechanism.

As for the double cardan on the front, doesn't my 89 kick have one already?  I thought it did, but I will take a look when I get home.

Nope, the front diff hardly moves,I wonder why
it has a slip yoke as well as U-joints on both ends