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Ricks Bronco: 1and 1/2

hahah thats cool!! it even looks tougher!! :thumbsup: i have some good ideas hahah :D the tube thing is just my opinion i just thin my knee would be brused up from it lol
 



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Like the idea of the tube from flat plate to the 2" tubing. Just don't have any more yet. But that will be done.
And that would still be only 3 bolts to loosen to remove the gurard.
Be my luck that is where a piece of jagged rock would hit the cover if it weren't protected.

Then it would have that cool looking spider web kinda look.

That cage just looks cramped to get into. Not even people that rode for the first time even mention it. Now if your foot was in a hard cast and was not able to turn it then that would be different. And if you were gravity challenged then it might be a little tuff.

btw i amk gravity challenged :( im only 5'7" but at least i am skinny lol :D
 












I have a couple of smaller d-rings welded to the axle tubes, outboard, for tying down to the trailer. It saves about 10 minutes when tying it down.
 






I have a couple of smaller d-rings welded to the axle tubes, outboard, for tying down to the trailer. It saves about 10 minutes when tying it down.
One of the best mods i did on my truck. :D I can load/unload in about 2 minutes now.
 






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I've got this located so that the ring can lay flat up against the plate if it needs to be as in hitting a rock or possum.
It's rated at 15,000 MBS.

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Now I can lead this bull around by it's nose.

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Where my wife works they are having their annual Co. picnic next week with all kinds of free goodies and food. Also having a car and truck show only opend to employees and their spouse...that's me.
There are plenty of trucks and jeeps there and this B2 should mix it up a little.
I've always liked going to the shows and exchanging ideas with the other gear heads like myself.
Also noticed a few trailered Fords going up to the All Ford show up at Carlise Pa this weekend. Don't think I'll make this one, but the All Truck show I may make.
Any rate all the scratches and dings will not be fixed...but did redo all the trim in ***** house red.
Hey Terrible1189, one thing about that cage...fat women can't ride.

Need to clean up the matching trailer also to tag along up to the car/truck show next week.
Really got to get going on the trailer again.

Thinking about getting 20 to 30' feet of DOM tubing for more projects on the truck. Then again maybe I ought to build an exo skeleton for my garage the way I've been tearing it up LOL
 






diggin the d ring!! :thumbsup:
 






I Just wondering how much money you have spent in paint over the years? Haha. You are painting this amazing truck all the time.
I think it would be a challenge to get around the roll cage bar at first but after a while you would probably get used to it and just be able to hop right in and go.
Lookin good on the build though.
 






I Just wondering how much money you have spent in paint over the years? Haha. You are painting this amazing truck all the time.
I think it would be a challenge to get around the roll cage bar at first but after a while you would probably get used to it and just be able to hop right in and go.
Lookin good on the build though.

Paint is a drop in the bucket compared to Cut off wheels, thousands of feet of Mig wire and no telling how many welding rods. Then throw in all the good stuff like DOM tubing for the full cage, CO hoops, engine cage, spare tire carrier, complete front bumper, heavy walled DOM tubing for rear linked and front 4 link, engine cross member. The best joints and bushings on the market. Then start throwing in the really expensive stuff...I better stop before I scare myself ;)

Now that there seems to be an interest in how do I get in and out of this thing. I thought a little tutorial would be in order :D

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It all starts with a healthy life style, lay off the booze for one thing.
Then a good work out at the gym, minimum 3 times a week getting the leg muscles in good shape.
Here I'm on the tread mill. On a side note the tent you see in the background is where their getting ready for this weeks company picnic and car/truck show.

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More leg muscle work outs.

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Most important, is a nutritional breakfast. Each morning while the due is still on the strawberries I go out and pick a few out of my strawberry patch...What you don't have one, surly you jest.

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Next is to cut up the strawberries and place on some hot oatmeal. Hmmm.
If you don't think there good, just check out the amazing benefits they have.
http://www.naturalhealthezine.com/strawberries-pretty-sweet-and-good-for-you/

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Now still pics would be just to hard to describe with my limited vocabulary, so I thought a short vid would be worth a thousand words.
It's not the cage that's the problem, It's the height.
Now take into account, I have had two major spine surgeries and both knees operated on. One was a major knee reconstructive type and both were over 20 years ago. Hence the continuous leg work outs.
Now go out and get your strawberries while their still in season. If not, any berry is good.
 






:D hahaha looks like ya have it down pat !! i guess after hittin your knee enough ya learn how to get in and out with precision lol :p: ... and btw stawberries in oat meal is the s**t :thumbsup:
 






:D hahaha looks like ya have it down pat !! i guess after hittin your knee enough ya learn how to get in and out with precision lol :p: ... and btw stawberries in oat meal is the s**t :thumbsup:

Don't you mean Richard Nixon had it down Pat, HA HA


Did a little alignment of the front suspension this morning.
Getting to learn the ins and outs of this 4link. It's just so much more fun to tune and ride then the last two TTBs.
Thought that you guys might like to tag along as I drove up I-81 with the tube doors on this morning as I check out the alignment and getting used to the new wheelbase.
Also saw some really cool Fords being driven and towed up to Carlise to the All Ford show this morning, It's just a little over an hours drive from my house. Of course all the appropriate :thumbsup: to each other also.

So the link below now has the updated front 4 link and with the higher ride height and don't forget the rear has the linked radius arms also.
The ride is just so sweet, check out the lack of vibration or shimmy in the steering wheel and these are the same tires that have ever been on this truck.
I used the old string trick to adjust the alignment in the front tires.
You can see that the tack reads 2500 @ 60 mph. And this tach is Dead Drop accurate. It's one of those Auto meter digital ones that adjust to any axle or tire change. The tires are 33s with 3:73 gears.
I also thought that it might be nice to start categorizing this build, like have a chapter on all the modifications that were done in just lowering the Center of Gravity and just plain old weight reduction tricks like the skinned hood.
A chapter on the rear suspension then one one the front suspension. One on the way I have the air flowing in the engine compartment by altering the cowl vents and utilizing a working hood scoop.
How about one on making it so much easier to maintain, like being able to change fuel pump with in a minute or the light weight removable fenders which really has been a plus.
A chapter on the outboard rear shocks and front hoop mounted coilovers.
The list could just go on for a long time LOL
This would be so much easier then to try to go back and thumb thru everything. So many times I need to go back and check on just how in the Hell did I do that anyway HA HA.
Not that the way I did things are any better then all the ideas others have on their rigs, but I really need to document on how this truck was built over the years.

One could be done on how I have the engine and tranny running so cool. One could be done on the electronic ignition system.
One on stretching the wheel base front and rear.
One on fuel delivery and pressure system.
Maybe this would be done in the Registry thread? :rolleyes:
Then even print it out and keep in shop...My memory is not what it used to be:(

And yes I need to turn the steering wheel 180 deg.
You can also relate to the new height by how high the B2 is to the pickup as it passes.

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steerin wheel is upside down haha :p: but it looks like it drives better the my exploder :thumbsup:
 






steerin wheel is upside down haha :p: but it looks like it drives better the my exploder :thumbsup:

You must have not read the next to last sentence Grasshopper.
Just haven't gotten around to centering it since all the steering modifications.
I know it drives better then my used to have exploder. And not one electrical glitch like the exploder used to have, and no auto locking pain in the ars doors and none of those never ending chimes going off.
When taking the exploder hunting I would have to park a mile away just so the game did not hear all that racket.
The only thing they hear now is the melodious sound of that V8 and it sounds like a monster buck snorting. In fact during the rut I'll purposely rev it up just to calm the deer down.
Not mentioning no more Brown wire mods.
But those 4 coilovers sitting directly over the axles, not mentioning how the rear ones are outboard the frame and the front ones are at a 10% lean from vertical gives it tremendous handling capabilities. Also no need for any sway bars.
And I should mention that I have nothing but praise for those Fox COs.
They perform the same way today as they did the day I put them on, and that was years ago. And I have yet done any rebuilding of them.
Now combine all that with a tremendous weight reduction program with such a Low COG and you have something that is not even remotely close to an Ex or stock configuration trailed out B2.
The one main thing I notice when city driving is the lack of hitting brakes going into a turn. It's more sports car then truck in that aspect.
In fact I may release a little nitrogen out of the back.
If your ever up around these parts, just drop by and I'll let you wheel it.

Shakespeare himself could not adequately describe the way it hugs the roads, especially the turns. OK, got a little carried away with that last sentence.
 






hahaha well i may have to take that ride one day to test this beast out ... now my question is , ya really trust some driving this? hahaha ... but perhaps once and if i ever finish my b2 may ill drive out we can doo some wheelin together!! :salute:
 






hahaha well i may have to take that ride one day to test this beast out ... now my question is , ya really trust some driving this? hahaha ... but perhaps once and if i ever finish my b2 may ill drive out we can doo some wheelin together!! :salute:

Sure you can drive it, I'll just have one hand on the "Oh my God handle and the other on the kill switch"

I used to work at the Quantico Marine base, are you near that?

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Thought I'd better index the steering wheel or terrible1189 will hound me to death about it HA HA. Especially if he ever drives it...now he'll know which way is up, just kidding.
 






Some day if we have to come towards martinsburg im gonna get ahold of you rookie so me and my dad can come see this beast. If you dont mind. I bet its even cooler in person then in the pictures!!
 






Some day if we have to come towards martinsburg im gonna get ahold of you rookie so me and my dad can come see this beast. If you dont mind. I bet its even cooler in person then in the pictures!!

No problem, come on up. Just give me a few days notice if you can. Hate to have it up on jack stands doing some more mods.
 






Sure you can drive it, I'll just have one hand on the "Oh my God handle and the other on the kill switch"

I used to work at the Quantico Marine base, are you near that?

DSC04563.jpg


Thought I'd better index the steering wheel or terrible1189 will hound me to death about it HA HA. Especially if he ever drives it...now he'll know which way is up, just kidding.

:thumbsup: thanks i wouldnt know what to do with an upside down wheel lol :p: ... no im right here at ft lee army base if ya know where that is
 






No problem, come on up. Just give me a few days notice if you can. Hate to have it up on jack stands doing some more mods.

Ok thats what I thought I would do anyhow. I dont know when it will be but maybe some day we will be coming that way.
 



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Since I no longer have my roof cage, that means that I no longer have my rear mounted work light...and that's not good.
It is a Hella work light with twin 55 Halogens. I love the way it disburses the light into a large field of view.
So I thought a relocated mounting spot should be found.
First I found a spot on the roll cage that was low enough and to one side that I could stand on the ground and be able to swing around. This was a problem with the roof cage mount...just to high to reach.

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I found an old laser cut tab that had the right radius for the roll cage. Even though it was hacked off at one end, it would work. Just drilled appropriate hole.

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Then grinded paint off cage and welded in the right spot.

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Cleaned up a little and found this oil pan drain gasket. This should make swiveling the light a breeze.

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Had to modify the rear mounting bracket so it would swing and not interfere with the cage.
Next will be to mount and wire light. Post pics when that is done.
A rear mounted work light is just plain nice. If you've never had one and have a spot to mount it, I highly recommend one.
 






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