Okee - well I placed the BIG call yesterday. A friend of mine picked up an axle (in great condition) for me a few weeks ago and has been going through it.

I've got *almost* all the parts necessary for the axle buildup and they said the SAS kit should be here in 7-11 business days. I expect/hope to have this sucker done in about a month

The only thing I skimped on was the sway bar (I'll probably get it... but later) and the locker (I'm going to go open diff for the moment and get an ARB in a few months when I've got the Calmini bill paid down a little).

Pics will continue to appear HERE as I go through this process. There are a few in there already of my gears etc.

awesome... keep us updated, and more pics please.

what was the shipping charge from calmini?

$200 - truck freight

cool, that was everything but the swar bar right???

i gotta know how much i need before i call them soon.

Yeah, $3654 shipped for:
1) the SAS kit
2) 2 shocks w/travel resivoirs
3) 2 8" springs
4) 2 12" springs
5) front driveshaft
6) rear replacement system

'course shipping will likely vary based on where you are.

Since we're talking costs, here are some more:
1) Rusty POS axle I ended up deciding not to use - $125
2) A bunch of flapper discs, grinding discs and other random stuff from harbor freight - ~$100
3) Extra D44 hub from Ebay that I don't need since I got a better axle - $30 shipped
4) Good axle - $350
5) H233B 5.142 gears - $450 shipped
6) Warn premium hubs, open carrier, gear install kit, and Yukon 5.125 gears from Complete Offroad, $406 shipped
7) U joints, ball joints, brake calipers, rotors, and a bunch of other random axle parts at Auto Zone - ~$360
8) Purple Cranium D44 diff guard ~$120 shipped

Future:
1) D44 ARB air locker, $700
2) Calmini SAS sway bar system $400

...And as long as I can keep my brain from adding those numbers up I will be able to retain my sanity.

$5595

Good luck with the process!

i was figuring right around the same in $$$$ amount.

I don't want to know what it would cost to ship that out to me..

Theo I will bring it out to you when I move there!! If I ever can

Welcome to the dark side once you go SA you'll never go back!

Couple of things to watch for…

Radius arm bracket placement…level to the lower spring pad…tack weld…verify there good (take a picture, show CALMINI or whatever) before the finish weld

Rear springs…make sure you install the double military wrap in front, single in the rear on the shackle end… some people mistakenly installed them the other way around because the bushing sleeves which are wire-tied on where shipped on the wrong ends; bushing are the same but the smaller sleeve goes on the shackle end with the corresponding smaller bolt. If yours come wrong just switch the sleeves, press out easily my hand.

Consider a gusset or double sheer bracket for the track bar mount on the passenger side. Use misalignment spacers on that bolt before & after it goes through the track bar hiem.

When everything is done cycle the suspension/turn the steering back/forth and make sure nothing binds or rubs.

At full drop on a lift, tires in the air check the front driveshaft and hand rotated 360 degrees to check for any binding.

Seriously think about the front sway bar…much better highway handling at speed especially on the turns and helps stability offroad also.

Good luck
Brian

thats some good advice there. thanx.

one question ive had, seems i cant find an answer to. the calmini kit doesnt replace the tie rod and drag link does it? or does it replace one and not the other?

I believe it replaces the drag link but not the tie rod. A standard Waggy 44 tie rod can be used...

.....

Wow, Kaiser. Congrats!

thanx, thats the conclusion i had come to, just wanted some confirmation.

I'm fairly sure from looking at pics that you keep both the stock tierod AND draglink - and Calmini just gives you a little extender/adapter that lets you hook up the draglink to the factory Nissan pitman arm (Note: I do know that the kit HAS to connect to a factory Nissan pitman arm. If you have the pitman from the Calmini steering system you have to switch it back out for the stock one).

I'll probably buy/make a heavy duty tierod/draglink at some point - but for starters I'll stay Jeep stock.

Thanks for the tips, Brian! Someone pointed me at the N4W thread about the trackbar and it sounds like Calmini is putting misalignment spacers in the kits now - but I'll double check.

I had some spacers in mine but we went and bought some from Spider Trax.

Also be sure to put some locktite on the track bar bolt on the P Side.

Make sure the Drag link and Tie rod are in good shape because you DO reuse them. Calmini ships the drag link adapter/extender.

Oh and I did finally break down for the front sway bar and it is a HUGE difference. Its like driving on rails.

there should be a new thread started about the calmini sas called "all the shit you need to know about the SAS and calmini doesnt tell you" then when you "search" its all in one place.

sorry for hi jacking your thread kaiser.

Well this'll be that thread

fair enough.

Glenn,

I'd take the SL off your hands but I just realized you've only done a PML. Too bad cause I would have paid....

brantley

Yeah - the only thing that's coming off the truck that is really worth anything is the front locker - but there are already a couple people lined up who want it.

Congrats on the big purchase Glenn Is the plan to finish the SAS before making it up to Disney OK xcursion on October 20-22nd?

I'm going to try to, yeah. If it doesn't work out in time then I'll have to ride along with someone because I just put the 5.14's in the rear - so I'm effectively 2WD until the swap is done.

I plan to be there, though, even if I have to drive my Honda

Here is our schedule (I guess I should add I am the other half of doing this SAS).

This weekend our goal was to get the 5.14s in and start on rebuilding the front axle. So far I have put in the new bearing races in the Dana 44, built up the new open carrier, and started the pinion bearing preload pack. I might get off my lazy ass and go back in the garage and get the pinion bearing preload setup proper and maybe even get to where I can run a pattern.

So our schedule:

This weekend get rear gears setup and in X (done)
Start on Dana 44 build (started)

Next weekend Kasier installs the rear of the kit (assuming the kit arrives) and when I get back from my business trip I will try to get the front axle completed and the mounts welded on.

The weekend of the 13th, 14th and 15th install and finish the SAS ready for Disney.

All of this hinges on the kit arriving before next weekend or shortly after and Kasier getting the rear springs installed before the truck arrives at my house on the 13th.

Pics











5.14 gear setup

looks good.. please post lots of pics.. I will prob. be doing this in the future and the more pics the better.. Best of luck with this.