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I'm installing a 2001 Jag XJR drivetrain (engine, trans and read end) into a '65 Jag Mark 2. I need to narrow the rear approx. 6" overall, and I notice a lot of you are doing this on the older units with tubular lower control arms by cutting and sleeving. The later units have steel or iron castings with a flattened oval cross section. I tried to attach a pic but can't do on my first post. Does anyone know if these can be shortened or if the older style lower control arms are compatible with the later diff and hub carrier? Finally, can a good machine shop fabricate something from scratch, and if so any recommendations in New England? I'll appreciate any and all advice.
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Welcome to the forum. That picture you spoke of would really help. I believe you can post a pic after the third post.
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picture coming
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Here's what the lower control arm looks like. I'm not certain if it's cast steel or cast iron. Thanks.
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It would be cast steel. Cast iron is to brittle. Being cast I don't think I would attemp to narrow it. The hub end on the newer and older units is the same with the exception of the pin size. I am not sure about the differential end. I believe their different. If it were me I would make a tubular lca from scratch. If you do not have tools or skills to do that any competent fab shop should be able to do it for you.
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Before I start from scratch with a fabricator, I learned that the first series Jaguar to use the later style diff and hub carrier used what look like stamped steel lower control arms. I'm wondering if these could be shortened (not being a cast material), or would their strength be too compromised? The motor I'm transplanting is rated at 370hp, which these stamped units never saw. Thanks so much for you time and advice.
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The stamped one looks like it would be a bear to shorten. Cast steel can be welded and with the right added support may be a way to do it. but it requires preheating and all the special touches to do it right. I would talk to a pro- welder or someone in a tool and die shop before trying it.
JM2C
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Digz wrote:
The stamped one looks like it would be a bear to shorten.
I agree. You said 6" over all, but I don't see a good spot to even get 3" out of that. Even with a pro I don't think I would want to mess with cast. I still think something from scratch is your best option.
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Daze and Digz - I found a chassis fabricator (modifieds) who thinks the cast steel units can be shortened with preheating and stress relieving. He's going to weld the 3" (removed) pieces together and do some destructive testing to check for strength. If there's any doubt at that point we'll fabricate something from scratch. These control arms have a fairly complex geometry - the hub and diff pins are not parallel, plus they are in different planes (the diff end angles up from rear to front while the hub is level). The plan is also to add an internal vertical gusset down the center by drilling and spot welding. The thought here is that should the welded joint ever fail there would be some structure to keep things together (more or less). My thought was to plate over the joint to reinforce things but the fabricator thought this would induce stresses and increase the chance of cracking - I guess the idea is for these things to flex torsionally. I'll post a picture when I get them back. Unfortunately it will be a couple of years before I get the beast on the road to know if this works. Thanks again for your help.
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Seems you may be able to cut a section out and pin it back together without any heat. Add to that maybe somehow reinforcing with tubing etc... making a more A arm design.
Check out this block repair.
Ralphy
Last edited by Ralphy (3/30/2013 5:48 am)
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An internal gusset sounds like a good addition and will keep a clean look. I would imagine the inside of a casting of this sort may be to uneven to get a solid inner sleeve in place. I have welded cast steel and have watched pros who know what they are actually doing pull it off ok. I have just never tried it in a place where the abuse factor is this high !
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