Bkennedy's SAS and Rebuild Thread | Page 54 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Bkennedy's SAS and Rebuild Thread

As some of you know, I am working on building a parts list for a shortened Dana 44, long radius arm with coil overs SAS. 5:13 gears to match my rear axle and an ARB, maybe an electric locker. I have a pretty good list so far. At the same time, I am going to swap out the rear drum brakes for discs off of a 99 Explorer.

Please note: The plan is to keep this project as simple as possible with mostly off the shelf parts. I am not a fabricator, just a decent welder with a what I would consider the minimum required tools (chop saw, cut off wheels, air tools, welder, etc.), who likes doing his own work. Your opinions are welcome, but what I really need is technical advice. I have been thinking about this for several years and now have the time and cash to make it happen. Please keep on topic with your advice and don't go off on a side track about how you would do it as a four-link, or caged arms, or leave the axle full-width because that is not what I want. I want a simple-ish set up that works.
 



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Stock set up:
All lines go thru the HCU, the prop valve for the rear is inside the HCU. Two lines from the MC in, three lines from the HCU out. 2 front, 1 rear.

ABS delete:
Two lines out of the MC. Front MC line into a 3 way Tee, then the two lines to the front calipers. Rear MC line to the prop valve, then to the rear axle. I would think this is how you have it set up now. :dunno:
 



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He passed quietly about 45 minutes ago.

Sorry to hear of this Brian, I only met him a couple times at Truckhaven and seemed like a real nice guy. You told some good stories about him around the campfire.

I just got back from working at a friends house in OC and my friends wife lost her brother and an uncle within a week...so sad.
 






Thanks Dave.

Gman, I had it set up like that, but it never worked very well and the new MC has the fittings reversed. Both the old and new MC's are supposed to be for the same year Explorer so I got mixed up on what goes where. I will switch the fittings out.
 






I am still looking for a 91-94 intermediate steering shaft with blown rag joints. I want to see if I can make a frankenshaft from a Cherokee double U-joint shaft, and the stock Ford shaft. Mine looks like its new and I don't want to cut it up so see if it will work. I will pay shipping.
 






I'd give you my spare 1st Gen shaft... but I keep it as, well a spare. :D

I'm using my 2nd Gen shaft with a first gen adapter welded on the end.
 






Got the new master cylinder in today. No chance to drive it, but after bleeding, the pedal was very firm. Will drive this weekend and report back.

Steve, thanks for letting me know you have a steering shaft that I can't have. Geeeeeeze
 






Hey Brian, I can source you a shaft next time I hit the bone yard.

Plan to go this weekend. I'll pull one while I'm out there.

I'll PM you the Paypal...:thumbsup:?

Are you going to need another ZJ shaft?
 






Hey Brian, I can source you a shaft next time I hit the bone yard.

Plan to go this weekend. I'll pull one while I'm out there.

I'll PM you the Paypal...:thumbsup:?

Are you going to need another ZJ shaft?

If you find one, get the most roached out rag joints you can find, and then if its only a few bucks.

I still have the ZJ shaft you sent me sitting on a shelf at home. I am going to see if its doable to make a hybrid of the two shafts.
 






I'm really interested to hear the report on the MC...my brakes have been soft since the 95 rear axle upgrade and 2nd gen MC swap, no matter how many times or how long I bled the brakes...
 






Just for information, I have;

1976 Thunderbird front brakes
1999 Explorer rear brakes
1999 Explorer master cylinder
Summit Racing in-line proportioning valve
No ABS
 






I didn't drive it around today as planned, I got sidetracked. I haven't had a front license plate on the Explorer for at least ten years, but somehow decided I needed one now. I designed and fab'd up a flip-up license plate holder out of 3/4x1/8" flat bar that attached to the upper winch support. It takes a little pressure to rotate it up, but I wanted to make sure the support was tight. If it becomes annoying, I will pick up a couple of bronze washers so it will move a little easier and still be tight.

IMG_20150328_164804810_Large_.jpg


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Now I just need to decide which vehicle to remove the "Explorerforum.com" license plate frame from.

Edit: Realized the RV has/had both license plates graced with the "Explorerforum.com" frames. Behold..........
IMG_20150328_173604818_Large_.jpg
 












That is both simple and awesome at the same time! :thumbsup:

I know, right....:D I was inspired by a friend's Jeep at TDS. He bought a Rubicon 4 door that the previous owner had bolted on every bolt on accessory in the history of bolt on accessories. It had a flip up plate that was attached to the fairlead rollers.
 






I'm really interested to hear the report on the MC...my brakes have been soft since the 95 rear axle upgrade and 2nd gen MC swap, no matter how many times or how long I bled the brakes...

I was trying to figure out why your town sounded familiar so I looked it up on Google Earth. I drove through there on a roundabout drive from the Grand Canyon to Moab in 2006. Took a detour to see Canyon De Chelly and Four Corners. Canyon De Chelly is one of the places I want to go back and spend about a week exploring. Was only there for a few hours and it was raining so did not see much.
 






Ground off all the galvanized coating around the weld areas. Not much different than prepping plain tube for welding. Only problem welding is I have to move fast even with the welder in the lowest setting or I start burning holes.

The pain is prepping it for paint. I need to sand the entire rack to etch the coating, otherwise it won't stick.

Resurrecting an old post here, but what size wire were you using? Think stock you should use thin wire. 0.025 is probably as low as you can go on many welder.
 












Took the Explorer for a drive today. The brakes are much better. Good pedal pressure. Need to keep adjusting the proportioning valve to get it dialed in, but a vast improvement. I must have had a bad MC from the start.
 






Took the Explorer for a drive today. The brakes are much better. Good pedal pressure. Need to keep adjusting the proportioning valve to get it dialed in, but a vast improvement. I must have had a bad MC from the start.

:thumbsup: stopping is good :D
 






I can still feel the MC struggling to push those big T-Bird calipers, but it stops well. Can't push the pedal to the floor with the engine running like I could before.
 



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I don't think I ever could push mine to the floor. ...or maybe I just never needed to..;)
 






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