FWD, AWD, Hubs and Brakes
This page might take a while to open. Here are tech drawings of various parts of the vans. Specific info for specific questions... I thought I had a pic of the AWD rear axle with halfshafts and rear carrier, but then I realized the image I was thinking about was in the Shelby AWD Daytona info I gave to Brad Miller at Midwest Shelby Dodge...
This is the better single pin Kelsey-Hayes caliper found in most 84-90 vans. Some early vans had dual pin ATE calipers, which is why I said the better single pins...
Dates for the dual pin Kelsey-Hayes calipers is sketchy. But they are on the newer two piece hubs. Some of which became available in 87 probably as part of a Heavy Duty brake package...
Hub setup to the left is shared by most early K based cars. Wheel bearing is pressed into steering knuckle, hub is pressed into bearing. Note also, 4 and 5 lug variations exist. Steering knuckle is shared with L bodies.
This style steering knuckle became available with better dual pin calipers, hub and bearing bolt on to knuckle for easier replacement. Dual pivot K frames had stamped and/or cast lower control arms.
K frame on the left is from later model vans. Notice the dual pivots of the lower control arms. Much smoother action and smoother ride. K frame to the right is basically the same, except for the bobble strut mount for the Power Transfer Unit and the bridge mount for the rack and pinion. This design was needed to allow the Torgue Tube to pass to the rear of the All Wheel Drive models...
K frame shared through all platforms, commonly referred to as "Stub Strut"...
Photos left and right show the way the Power Transfer Unit is installed
in the chassis. Not a bad fit...
The three photos
below solved the mystery of how the mount to the transaxle. The
photo below left shows the piece that replaces the right extension
housing. Below and below right show the PTU and how it matches the
new extension...
Two more views of the PTU
Above is the torque tube abd overruning clutch. I'll write more later on...
Above are two views of the rear end or Drive Line Module. The carrier bolts to the frame of the van and is rubber isolated. Halfshafts bolt to the output flanges of the carrier and then slip through the rear hubs much like on the front hubs. I do not yet know what sort of power output this setup can handle. But the AWD system in the vans is active all the time.
