Shorter torque tube

RobotMan · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:36 am Post subject: Shorter torque tube

I'm toying with the idea of shortening the wheelbase of my 404.
Probably a crazy notion I know but is it possible to either shorten the torque tube or swap it out for one from another model. I guess this could end up costing more than selling it and buying say a 406 but I'm as much curious as anything else. Laughing

shaggy · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 3:53 pm Post subject:

Put a front one on the back - that'd lose you 18 inches or so.

I've thought of swapping them round to get a mid engined buggy.

take it easy,

jim

minimog · Off-Road Guru Joined: 25 Nov 2004 Odometer: 1700

jim swapping the fronts to the rears you would loose a lotmore and 18" i cut mine down two foot to fit the 404 axels on the lwb 411 and the rear tube off that is stiil a good 20" longer than the front
so yes it can be done if you have a lathe you can turn down the axel end so it slips inside the torque tube and be rewelded the prop will have to be cut welded then be ballenced
as the 404 tubes and props are different to any of the later axel types mabee if you could find a early axel lwb411 they might be the same torque tube

RobotMan · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:16 pm Post subject:

My first thought was "fit a front on the back" until I had a proper look. The front is about 20" the back about 5 foot!

I suspect that taking a chunk out of the centre of the shaft and sleeve is the best bet.

steve p · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:20 am Post subject:

minimog · Off-Road Guru Joined: 25 Nov 2004 Odometer: 1700

steve its not completed by a long way got to swap the front but thats a lot easyer because im not shortening it as for the little diesel yep at the moment its stoping till i can get a 5cyl turbo lump but atleast i can see if the suspension works better with the wider axels

RobotMan · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:57 pm Post subject:

Thanks MiniMog I'm sure I can do that.
I'm liking the dislocation set-up you've got going there. You're going to need some mega long shocks.

minimog · Off-Road Guru Joined: 25 Nov 2004 Odometer: 1700

i dont think they are stoping on because you have to watch the drop on the torque tube (if it goes past 30 degrees) it could cause the prop to smash the ball housing to bits so im putting a limiting strap on the tube the springs and dislocation cone was just put on to see if it would work but them springs sit the chassis way too high for my liking (might be ok if the thing was going to be loaded all the time but its not so i guess it back to the scrappys for a lighter wieght spring

RobotMan · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:19 pm Post subject:

Interesting, especially at the front with the very short torque tube of the 404.

I really need to get some enthusiasm going and make a start doing something with it.

minimog · Off-Road Guru Joined: 25 Nov 2004 Odometer: 1700

on the 411 its even shorter(because the diff is shorter so when the 404 go on it should move if forward about 5") it doesnt sound like much but it should be just enough to push the axel in front of the engine and make it less tippy and the extra widths will give it a lot more side slope stability
Rolling Eyes

well thats the plan
and your mog on the ramp Laughing

if your not planning on carrying loads you could swap out the hevey coils for something lighter then fit longer travel shocks( mine only had 8" travel shocks on and they were sat nearly fully exstended on flat ground) so i fitted a set of 9000 procomps and removed the secondary springs in side the rears

ok it dont look like much but on 67"wheelbase it enough

RobotMan · Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 2:23 pm Post subject:

The first Mog I saw, or at least noticed properly, was a 411 at Top Farm back in 1988. Still think they are fabulous.
I just drove the Unimog straight on to the ramp, I was intending to chuck a big round bale on the back corner to hold it down but all the 'little 4x4's' had parked around the tractor so it was too much hassle.

I fully intend removing the inner coils and even going lighter on the regulars. Any idea what the corner sprung weights are for a 404?
Interesting about the pro-comps, as the stock ones on a 404 are big buggers as it is!

I was even looking at some Fox gas shocks, would be cool but maybe a little too heavy for them. £160 for a 35" long unit with 14" of travel. Well I did say looking, second hand coils more likely to go under lol.

If yours is tippy you could try the trick the American rock crawlers do with a small winch to cinch the axle in to make it both lower and less bouncy, it is yet another thing to think about whilst driving though.

minimog · Off-Road Guru Joined: 25 Nov 2004 Odometer: 1700

the winch on the front to pull the axel upwards will not work on the minimog because the engine is infront of the axel all it does is cause the mog to pivot over the axel its got a good center of gravity its just on the climbs and deccents where the very short wheel base is a big disadvantage but the mud and tight sections its a different story