Kirby's Spare Time Sucker.... 1995 Full Size Bronco Solid Axle Swap

Kirby N. · 06-23-2008, 10:59 PM

This is where I have been putting in all my time lately. It is going to be sweet when it is done. I thought I would share. It is my buddy Phils rig. He has been driving it for a few years. It has never been modded at all ( OK, we built him a bumper a couple of months ago). He has never even had a lifted truc. He is determined to build it right the first time! He is doing all the research and the grinder work, rebuild work, etc. I am just there for experience, moral support, and welding. He has done an incredible job planning it out considering he started gathering parts a year and a half ago. It has been down for about 2 months now. We did the rear first.

Specs:

Rear- Stock 8.8. 4.56 Yukons, Aussie Locker, Sky Shackle Flip, Ruff Stuff Spring perches, welded axle tubes, shock mounts cut and turned for extra clearance

Front- 1977 F150 Dana 44 (1/2" axle tubes) Fully rebuilt with all new bearings, ball joints, seals and a paint job.

6" Deaver Coils, Yukon Chomo Shafts, 4.56s, Yukon Superjoints, Warn Premiums, Ballistic fab poly/ flex joint on trackbar, Chevy TRE conversion, Threaded DOM Tie Rod, drag link, trac bar, and Tera 2.5" Johnny Joints on the Radius Arms, Stock f150 Coil Buckets. Full height. Probably stock Super Duty upper shock mounts too, but we haven't decided quited yet.

He also has a new set of 35" BFG Mudders he will be running.

Unlike explorer swaps, the Tranny crossmember has to go on these full size swaps. The front driveshaft can't move with down travel at all really with the stocker. That caused us to have to build a crossmember for the tranny, and we decided we might as well attach the radius arms there too.

The Radius arms are fully plated with 1/4" flat stock, then the threaded stud was ground smooth and a piece of small DOM was slid over it and plug welded in two spots as well as the ends. Then another piece of DOM was threaded for the Johnny Joints and bent in the bender to keep the link mounts near to the frame rail and to make the mounts paralell to the frame. It was plug welded in two spots and of course on the end. They are 15" extended over stock.

Side Shot As it sat tonight:

Now we are working on the tracbar. We are using Ruff Stuff brakets top and bottom. The tracbar will need to be bent to clear the crossmember/ steering box. We hope it will be done by the end of June. More to come...

Kirby N. · 07-01-2008, 07:00 PM

We made some more progress this weekend. Got the trac bar mounts made and attached and got the drag link/ trac bar mocked up for measuring. They are being made by a local machinist who is taking DOM and threading it for us as well as putting flats on it so we can fit a end wrench on.

On with the pics!

Some of the Radius Arms

Comparo:

Radius Arms in Crossmember

Trac Bar Upper Mount

Lower Trac Bar Mount

Finally, Truck on all 4s at ride height

zainyD · 07-01-2008, 10:16 PM

Looks good man!

*94 Crawler* · 07-01-2008, 10:28 PM

did you thread the dom with a tap or a lathe? Also are those 1 1/4 x 12 thread joints? And finaly if so is that 1 1/2 x 1/4 wall dom?

You already answered the first ?

all the pretty pictures

Kirby N. · 07-01-2008, 10:50 PM

It was threaded with a lathe. I am not sure what a 1 1/4 x 12 thread joint is...

I don't know what wall the DOM is, but it is beasty. We asked the machine shiop to use the DOM that would work well with the Tera Joints.

Kirby N. · 07-01-2008, 11:19 PM

Oh, what are the joints eh? They are teraflexes and I think they are the 3" or something. They have a 9/16" hole.

colindo94 · 07-02-2008, 01:17 AM

Ballistic joints?

**Rick** · 07-02-2008, 08:00 AM

Cool... the OJ Simpson model!!

Kirby N. · 07-02-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colindo94

Ballistic joints?

Yep. The trac bar is getting one poly and one flex from ballistic.

Kirby N. · 07-02-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Cool... the OJ Simpson model!!

RUN OJ RUN!

Oj is going to be harder to catch now that he has some suspension travel...

*94 Crawler* · 07-02-2008, 07:36 PM

Sorry I was refering to the thread pitch and size of the stud on the joint. Your set up is similer to the one I have planed for mine.

*Joe93* · 07-29-2008, 07:25 PM

Wow looks good. So this is what my reamer was needed for?

Kirby N. · 07-29-2008, 09:39 PM

Yep! Thanks for the loan joe! We need to hang out sometime. Lets go wheeling!

The OJ bronc is on the road now and it is sweet. It sits about a foot taller than the Navajo at the roof/ hood, but it looks pretty proportional. Wheel travel is exceptional! I will post up some pics when I get some.

We are really pleased with how it turned out.

I guess the progress we made since the last update is: f250 shock towers and crazyedsperformance.com shock tabs, Rancho big bodied shocks in the 9012 style so they are 13" travel ones, and the rear leaves were redone with 3 leafs added for a stiffer spring and more height.

I should also add that everything for this build was purchased at http://crazyedsperformance.com/ at a great price!

*Joe93* · 08-02-2008, 10:14 PM

I saw the bronco today and I must say turned out great. Everything looks really beefy.

Kirby N. · 08-03-2008, 11:19 PM

Thanks Joe! I think it is ready for a shake down run this weekend! You want to wheel this weekend?

**IZwack** · 08-03-2008, 11:48 PM

Looking great Kirby N.!

I can not forget and thank you enough for all the tips you gave me on my first SAS thread.

*Joe93* · 08-04-2008, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirby N.

Thanks Joe! I think it is ready for a shake down run this weekend! You want to wheel this weekend?

Cant make it this weekend. I need to get out sometime though its been way to long.

Kirby N. · 08-08-2008, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe93

Cant make it this weekend. I need to get out sometime though its been way to long.

OK... give me a call sometime! I will post up pics of wheeler lake on Sunday for everyone to see. I am driving my Sisters TJ because my rig is down. Phil is installing some street truck drop shackles and he hacked the rear quarter for clearance. We moved his axle back about 5". The rear driveshaft had to be seriously lengthened! As soon as we get the rear height nailed we will weld on some shock mounts and order some shocks for the rear.

Kirby N. · 08-11-2008, 06:38 PM

Shakedown run Pics From Wheeler Lake. It did AWESOME. No breakage. Rear shocks need to be added asap soon

.
Wheeler Lake Trail:

Kirby N. · 08-11-2008, 06:52 PM

The rest of the pics are here:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...94#post1996994

06-23-2008, 10:59 PM	#1
Kirby N. Wannabe Elite Explorer Ogden, UT 1993 Sploder Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,723 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Kirby's Spare Time Sucker.... 1995 Full Size Bronco Solid Axle Swap !!PICS!! This is where I have been putting in all my time lately. It is going to be sweet when it is done. I thought I would share. It is my buddy Phils rig. He has been driving it for a few years. It has never been modded at all ( OK, we built him a bumper a couple of months ago). He has never even had a lifted truc. He is determined to build it right the first time! He is doing all the research and the grinder work, rebuild work, etc. I am just there for experience, moral support, and welding. He has done an incredible job planning it out considering he started gathering parts a year and a half ago. It has been down for about 2 months now. We did the rear first. Specs: Rear- Stock 8.8. 4.56 Yukons, Aussie Locker, Sky Shackle Flip, Ruff Stuff Spring perches, welded axle tubes, shock mounts cut and turned for extra clearance Front- 1977 F150 Dana 44 (1/2" axle tubes) Fully rebuilt with all new bearings, ball joints, seals and a paint job. 6" Deaver Coils, Yukon Chomo Shafts, 4.56s, Yukon Superjoints, Warn Premiums, Ballistic fab poly/ flex joint on trackbar, Chevy TRE conversion, Threaded DOM Tie Rod, drag link, trac bar, and Tera 2.5" Johnny Joints on the Radius Arms, Stock f150 Coil Buckets. Full height. Probably stock Super Duty upper shock mounts too, but we haven't decided quited yet. He also has a new set of 35" BFG Mudders he will be running. Unlike explorer swaps, the Tranny crossmember has to go on these full size swaps. The front driveshaft can't move with down travel at all really with the stocker. That caused us to have to build a crossmember for the tranny, and we decided we might as well attach the radius arms there too. The Radius arms are fully plated with 1/4" flat stock, then the threaded stud was ground smooth and a piece of small DOM was slid over it and plug welded in two spots as well as the ends. Then another piece of DOM was threaded for the Johnny Joints and bent in the bender to keep the link mounts near to the frame rail and to make the mounts paralell to the frame. It was plug welded in two spots and of course on the end. They are 15" extended over stock. Side Shot As it sat tonight: Now we are working on the tracbar. We are using Ruff Stuff brakets top and bottom. The tracbar will need to be bent to clear the crossmember/ steering box. We hope it will be done by the end of June. More to come... __________________ SOLD 93 Sploder- HP Dana 44 Front, 37" MTRs, 4.56s, 1354 doubler, ARB, Detroit, Winch, Kirby Built Armor, etc... 05 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited LJ 4" Lift, 33s, 94 F150 Last edited by Kirby N.; 07-01-2008 at 06:16 PM.

07-01-2008, 07:00 PM	#2
Kirby N. Wannabe Elite Explorer Ogden, UT 1993 Sploder Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,723 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	We made some more progress this weekend. Got the trac bar mounts made and attached and got the drag link/ trac bar mocked up for measuring. They are being made by a local machinist who is taking DOM and threading it for us as well as putting flats on it so we can fit a end wrench on. On with the pics! Some of the Radius Arms Comparo: Radius Arms in Crossmember Trac Bar Upper Mount Lower Trac Bar Mount Finally, Truck on all 4s at ride height __________________ SOLD 93 Sploder- HP Dana 44 Front, 37" MTRs, 4.56s, 1354 doubler, ARB, Detroit, Winch, Kirby Built Armor, etc... 05 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited LJ 4" Lift, 33s, 94 F150

07-01-2008, 10:16 PM	#3
zainyD Wannabe Elite Explorer Lakeland, FL '96 Ranger 4x4 XLT Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 577 Vehicle Specs	Looks good man! __________________ '96 Ranger 4x4 XLT with some stuff....and more to come when I actually have some money

07-01-2008, 10:28 PM	#4
94 Crawler Elite Explorer Stantonsburg,NC '94 Ranger SuperCab Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 324 Vehicle Specs	did you thread the dom with a tap or a lathe? Also are those 1 1/4 x 12 thread joints? And finaly if so is that 1 1/2 x 1/4 wall dom? You already answered the first ? all the pretty pictures __________________ http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=200101Michael Howell 94 Supercab Ranger 63 Chevy C-10 (Lowered and on the bottle) 86 Ranger, 90 Montero, 03 Protege' 5 (Wifes) 74 VW Bug "Ilsa The Volksrod" http://www.volksrods.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30689

07-01-2008, 10:50 PM	#5
Kirby N. Wannabe Elite Explorer Ogden, UT 1993 Sploder Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,723 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	It was threaded with a lathe. I am not sure what a 1 1/4 x 12 thread joint is... I don't know what wall the DOM is, but it is beasty. We asked the machine shiop to use the DOM that would work well with the Tera Joints. __________________ SOLD 93 Sploder- HP Dana 44 Front, 37" MTRs, 4.56s, 1354 doubler, ARB, Detroit, Winch, Kirby Built Armor, etc... 05 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited LJ 4" Lift, 33s, 94 F150

07-01-2008, 11:19 PM	#6
Kirby N. Wannabe Elite Explorer Ogden, UT 1993 Sploder Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,723 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Oh, what are the joints eh? They are teraflexes and I think they are the 3" or something. They have a 9/16" hole. __________________ SOLD 93 Sploder- HP Dana 44 Front, 37" MTRs, 4.56s, 1354 doubler, ARB, Detroit, Winch, Kirby Built Armor, etc... 05 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited LJ 4" Lift, 33s, 94 F150

07-02-2008, 01:17 AM	#7
colindo94 Wannabe Elite Explorer Cameron Park, CA 94' XLT Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,108 Vehicle Specs	Ballistic joints? __________________ Full width Dana 44/8.8, 36x12.5 TSL radials Ostman Bros. Fab Shop

07-02-2008, 08:00 AM	#8
Rick Admin Pumpkin Pilot Wayoutin, Aridzona '93 XL Join Date: Feb 1999 Posts: 27,228 Vehicle Specs	Cool... the OJ Simpson model!! __________________ Rick Horwitz, AB7FH "Serious Exploration's" Admin Rick's '93/'98 Explorer "The Great Pumpkin" Dodge Dart 512 Resto/Race 10.29 @ 129 2004 Mustang Mach 1 2003 Dodge Ram/Cummins Dually

07-02-2008, 07:36 PM	#11
94 Crawler Elite Explorer Stantonsburg,NC '94 Ranger SuperCab Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 324 Vehicle Specs	Sorry I was refering to the thread pitch and size of the stud on the joint. Your set up is similer to the one I have planed for mine. __________________ http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=200101Michael Howell 94 Supercab Ranger 63 Chevy C-10 (Lowered and on the bottle) 86 Ranger, 90 Montero, 03 Protege' 5 (Wifes) 74 VW Bug "Ilsa The Volksrod" http://www.volksrods.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30689

07-29-2008, 07:25 PM	#12
Joe93 Elite Dakota Colorado Springs, CO Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,616 Vehicle Specs	Wow looks good. So this is what my reamer was needed for?

07-29-2008, 09:39 PM	#13
Kirby N. Wannabe Elite Explorer Ogden, UT 1993 Sploder Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,723 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Yep! Thanks for the loan joe! We need to hang out sometime. Lets go wheeling! The OJ bronc is on the road now and it is sweet. It sits about a foot taller than the Navajo at the roof/ hood, but it looks pretty proportional. Wheel travel is exceptional! I will post up some pics when I get some. We are really pleased with how it turned out. I guess the progress we made since the last update is: f250 shock towers and crazyedsperformance.com shock tabs, Rancho big bodied shocks in the 9012 style so they are 13" travel ones, and the rear leaves were redone with 3 leafs added for a stiffer spring and more height. I should also add that everything for this build was purchased at http://crazyedsperformance.com/ at a great price! __________________ SOLD 93 Sploder- HP Dana 44 Front, 37" MTRs, 4.56s, 1354 doubler, ARB, Detroit, Winch, Kirby Built Armor, etc... 05 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited LJ 4" Lift, 33s, 94 F150

08-02-2008, 10:14 PM	#14
Joe93 Elite Dakota Colorado Springs, CO Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,616 Vehicle Specs	I saw the bronco today and I must say turned out great. Everything looks really beefy.

08-03-2008, 11:19 PM	#15
Kirby N. Wannabe Elite Explorer Ogden, UT 1993 Sploder Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,723 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Thanks Joe! I think it is ready for a shake down run this weekend! You want to wheel this weekend? __________________ SOLD 93 Sploder- HP Dana 44 Front, 37" MTRs, 4.56s, 1354 doubler, ARB, Detroit, Winch, Kirby Built Armor, etc... 05 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited LJ 4" Lift, 33s, 94 F150

08-03-2008, 11:48 PM	#16
IZwack Germantown, MD Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 22,390 Vehicle Specs	Looking great Kirby N.! I can not forget and thank you enough for all the tips you gave me on my first SAS thread. __________________ »»»»»...how'd the moon get there, how'd the moon get there?

08-11-2008, 06:38 PM	#19
Kirby N. Wannabe Elite Explorer Ogden, UT 1993 Sploder Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,723 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Shakedown run Pics From Wheeler Lake. It did AWESOME. No breakage. Rear shocks need to be added asap soon. Wheeler Lake Trail: __________________ SOLD 93 Sploder- HP Dana 44 Front, 37" MTRs, 4.56s, 1354 doubler, ARB, Detroit, Winch, Kirby Built Armor, etc... 05 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited LJ 4" Lift, 33s, 94 F150 Last edited by Kirby N.; 11-19-2008 at 11:01 PM.

08-11-2008, 06:52 PM	#20
Kirby N. Wannabe Elite Explorer Ogden, UT 1993 Sploder Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,723 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	The rest of the pics are here: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...94#post1996994 __________________ SOLD 93 Sploder- HP Dana 44 Front, 37" MTRs, 4.56s, 1354 doubler, ARB, Detroit, Winch, Kirby Built Armor, etc... 05 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited LJ 4" Lift, 33s, 94 F150