Narrowed Jag XJ6 front end.

[enjenjo]

I have a 61 Studebaker Champ pickup. I am building a new chassis for it and I am using a Jag XJ6 front end and a 1999 Jag model S rear end. On the champ pickup the front tread width is 9" narrower than the rear tread width. The model S rear is going to work out great, but I would like to narrow the front end 3" to 4" to accommodate the wheels and tires I want to use. Have any of you narrower a Jag front end ? If yes, what steering rack did you use? I don't think the Jag rack can be easily narrowed. If I have to I can use a manual rack and install EPS in the steering column.

[zuffen]

The likely hood of any of us knowing of a Jag front end narrowed3-4 inches is remote.

I would think the best bet would be work out exactly how much narrower you need to go then work out how much narrower the rack would have to be.

Once you know what you need let us know and we'll se what we have down here that would work.

Swapping right to left hand drive is a matter of using a rear steer rack in front steer or vice versa.

There are some fairly narrow Japanese cars around that will have power steering.

That's how I would approach it.

[enjenjo]

I'm aware of that, but it never hurts to ask. We have a lot of front drive cars that are rear steer, one of those might be suitable, but finding information on inner tie rod end width is difficult. I have one lower control arm pivot bolt froze in place, not the first time I had one. I would like to save it, the price for a replacement has gotten very dear. It is being soaked with penetrating oil right now. Wish me luck.

[chris spokes]

I'm aware of that, but it never hurts to ask. We have a lot of front drive cars that are rear steer, one of those might be suitable, but finding information on inner tie rod end width is difficult. I have one lower control arm pivot bolt froze in place, not the first time I had one. I would like to save it, the price for a replacement has gotten very dear. It is being soaked with penetrating oil right now. Wish me luck.

hi Frank. the best person to ask would be Pete at Toprodz on here as he does his own version of a mustang 11 front end using jag parts.i think it was you who bought the upper shock mounts off him before. shoot him a pm

[enjenjo]

I sent him a message. thanks for the guidance

[toprodz]

Hi Frank I just sent you a message, then I saw this post, to remove the pin get your self a couple of long white candles about 10" or 12", hold the front end so the pin is vertical, heat up the up the pin with an oxy torch, I use the cutting one but don't push the cut lever, as the bolt gets hot melt the whole candle down the side of the bolt so it goes into the tube the bolts in, the rubber bush's will catch fire so best to do outside, I have not needed to do it for a while, but I think I did both sides, let it all cool down and the bolt should just tap out easily with no damage Let me know how you go

[Sudsy]

There is a remanufactured crossmember available to take jag suspension components. http://www.barryslc.com.au/gallery.asp? ... on=display

Not sure how they handle as the control arms are mounted straight i think whereas the Jag are mounted at an angle. You would need a different rack

[toprodz]

I am not sure if the K&K crossmembers are still available, I would be very careful if they are, a few years back a mate paid for one and never got it, there was shit fight for a while over trying to get his money back, I was going to make a crossmember for him but he ended up selling the project

[FRANK BASILE]

Have you looked at the "E" type Jag Frank? Pretty sure the track on those is narrower than the XJ series. Thanks for the tip on the frozen bolts Pete. I had a S1 with frozen bolts and spent literally weeks soaking with WD40 and then Auto Trans fluid/Acetone mix. I was getting to the stage of cutting a strip out under the crossmember parallel to each bolt tube ,playing an oxy onto the tubes and then re welding the cutouts back. Luckily at the time our son was working for an independent Jag repairer and they had a S111 body ready to go off to another dealer,and I was welcome to swap front ends,simply to keep it as a roller. Good deal,I got better brakes,and the f/e and rack had not long been reconditioned. Kept it in storage for some time and it now sits under our imported from USA F1 PICK UP. Interesting for the mention of a rack swap. I left the vehicle LHD and tried to get a bare LHD rack housing from a California dismantler and got the reply that they only sell complete. Would have ended up around $1100 AUD. I thought it odd, as I am used to plenty of wreckers here in OZ over the years who part out such items on racks or anything similar that are damaged or needing total refurb. Found a front steer Toyota Hi Ace ,forgetting the model year now, at "Pick A Part" Flicked around to rear steer and it is a LHD rack. Power assisted and the tie rod ends have the same thread as the Jag. Only mod required is to shorten the rod ends or extend threads from memory. The important bit was the pivot points were only some 4mm different to the Jag. I shelved it when someone popped up on the forum with a reco LHD Jag rack for sale for $350 still in the shipping box,as an un used item he had in his shed for a decade. Got lucky, the ad had just appeared and he was 30 minutes away.

[enjenjo]

I have an E type front end here. I did not think about it, I'll check that rack for width but it's a manual rack. But it will need to be rebuilt I see there are power racks available but the sellers are very proud of them When the weather gets a little warmer I will hit the junk yard and see what I can find.

I'll try the candle trick. If that doesn't work when I cut the crossmember to narrow it, I will reach inside with the torch the heat the tube from the inside.

[FRANK BASILE]

All that trouble is cause when the lazy do not coat the bolts with anti seize when doing a bush replacement