D30 SAS progress

[IZwack]

I think your welds would make most off us cry or at least ashamed.

Going 4130 on the tubes is excellent btw. may i ask where you got your tubes from?

 

[91Sploder]

special ordered to Steel Co. in Albany, OR. I get a special discount through the welding program

 

[IZwack]

:fire: ahahah okay thanks!

 

[91Sploder]

I've finished the lower links and now I'm focusing on finishing up the upper links this weekend. Heres a picture of one of the finished lower links with a "semi" tacked upper link bolted on:

 

[bmxking5]

Those welds are awesome. The links are looking good too.

 

[91Sploder]

Thanks The upper links mounted fine so tomorrow I'll weld them up and begin working on the trac bar and trac bar mount and she should be done!

 

[91Sploder]

Update:
One of the lower links has warped threads on it, and the heim joint is stuck on it so the link is no longer usable.... soooo Jeremy and I will have to make another which is going to slow down working on the Trac bar. BUT, we've decided to help speed up the process I'm going to order a Rusty's adjustable trac bar to save time and will leave us with fabbing up a trac bar mount next week. Also, we're re-enforing the lower link mounts on the axle and moving the mount an inch back using 1/4" flat bar to brace the front of the mount to allow rocks and what not to slide over with out damaging the heim. Our due date is still next Friday, so keep your fingers crossed cause I'm really tired of driving a Jetta around. I MISS MY EXPLORER!

 

[mynameisaric]

awesome... end of story

 

[91Sploder]

Well, I got the project almost done. I was able to drive her over to my parents house where I can do more work but it overheated and died half way up the drive way so I'm going to have to figure out what caused it to over heat :sad: The ride is soooo freakin' smooth! I love it, but the coils are so soft its actually lower in the front so maybe added some coil spacers? Not sure yet, I still need to get things cleaned up, welded more, and then everything will be powder coated black. It needs an alignment, new shocks installed, a steering stabilizer, the trac bar mount needs to be trimmer a little bit to allow the pitman arm to turn more. Lots of problems, eh? Enjoy the pictures!

 

[dreamr]

Looking good!!!!

All this time I have been figuring on laying the suspension out 3-link style with c wedges, But now you got me seeing just how easy this could be using jeep parts

That is one year when I actually get around to installing the axle

 

[91Sploder]

The long arm / radius arm suspension design is pretty easy to fab up and it allows for plenty of flex Only thing is, I can't even flex it out yet since it keeps over heating, plus shes got death wobble when I go 45 mph so I need to get some shocks on and get an alignment soon!

 

[91Sploder]

An update on my Explorer:
I've since added the shocks to the axle and a steering stabilzer and I can now drive normal without any death wobble As for the car overheating, I've changed the water pump, replaced the heater core, and today I plan on getting a new thermostat and then work on getting the trac bar / trac bar mount figured out more. Give me a few more days before I get any flex pictures up!

 

[Josh]

Just curious why you didnt do the t-stat first? Don't forget to put the vent hole on top when you install the t-stat. BTW, where is Shedd Oregon? I grew up in Molalla just South of Oregon City. I wish I could come home

 

[91Sploder]

The idiots at Napa said it was probably the water pump, and since I'm pretty easy going I figured they know more than me and that they were right. I put the t-stat in the exact same way the old one was with the vent hole on the top, and installing a new t-stat is a pain in the ass if you have large hands Shedd Oregon is north of Eugene, if you know where Brownsville is then you've been close to Shedd. Very very tiny town, mostly grass fields... I've been to Molalla before, you should move back to Oregon!

 

[Josh]

I actualy grew up in Colton which makes Molalla look like New York city we just had a Molalla address. I hate Virginia. I've been here since 90. Im trying to talk the wife into moving back.

 

[91Sploder]

Alright, so I've modified a stock Jeep Cherokee trac bar mount and welded to my frame on the driver side to give it the utmost strength and it worked. Only problem was that the Rusty's trac bar I ordered is to be used on an 6" lift application and mine is only around a 4.5" - 5" so the angles are all off. I do how ever have 2 spair stock trac bars for a Cherokee and they work just fine with the amount of lift. Now the only problem with my Explorer is that theres a giant hole in the radiator so I'm gonna get that fixed today and she'll be done. I've flexed on a stack of 3 spair tires outside using a 8' piece of square tubing to drive up them, I didn't even max out the front or the rear yet and I was completely on top of the 3 tires I think my next project will be to fab up a RTI ramp!

 

[Tony H]

Ahhhhh, a real solid axle up front.
Ford shoulda done that from the begining.

Looks great so far.

 

[91Sploder]

Heres a quick picture I took with a camera phone of my Explorer flexing on a loading ramp, I plan on going back to the ramp tomorrow with a digital camera when I have more time to actually take a picture.

 

[91Sploder]

Here's a few more up to date pics of the SAS:

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

now that is a good looking SAS. So does it still have the "death woble"?