I've smashed my oil pan twice now with the front axle truss. I have a high pinion Dana 30 with an Artec truss, and my bumpstops were set incorrectly to allow the truss to hit the oil pan under full compression. Full compression only seemed to happen when I'd go to fast and hit a rut hard with both sides at the same time. When it happened the first time I planned on fixing it, then I got busy and a year passed and it was time to go on the trip again. I told myself I'd just go slow and everything would be fine. Not the case.
The second time I came back from the trip with a smashed oil pan I knew it was time to address the problem so that I can go fast with less stress.
I cycled the suspension and set the bump stops to around 3.5". I trimmed the face and a fin of the diff cover. Also the truss, taking about an inch and a half off of the height in the area that could interfere with the oil pan. A local welder made me a skid plate for the oil pan that bolts over the pan and protects the upper AND lower portions with 1/8" steel.
Hopefully this is an overkill solution that will allow me to get more flex in the future by changing a few more things, like the track bar that was hitting the diff cover. I probably could've just set the bumpstops correctly and gone on with life but I needed to fix the oil pan anyway, so I figured it would be easier with the axle removed.
Next project is the rear bumpstops and moving the rear spring perch. I'll move the gas tank skid plate up an inch while the rear is out
There's usually more to do while you're in there, right?
The second time I came back from the trip with a smashed oil pan I knew it was time to address the problem so that I can go fast with less stress.
I cycled the suspension and set the bump stops to around 3.5". I trimmed the face and a fin of the diff cover. Also the truss, taking about an inch and a half off of the height in the area that could interfere with the oil pan. A local welder made me a skid plate for the oil pan that bolts over the pan and protects the upper AND lower portions with 1/8" steel.
Hopefully this is an overkill solution that will allow me to get more flex in the future by changing a few more things, like the track bar that was hitting the diff cover. I probably could've just set the bumpstops correctly and gone on with life but I needed to fix the oil pan anyway, so I figured it would be easier with the axle removed.
Next project is the rear bumpstops and moving the rear spring perch. I'll move the gas tank skid plate up an inch while the rear is out
There's usually more to do while you're in there, right?
