Completed Project Stic-o's 2nd gen. radius arm/coil SAS

Well it's Finaly Time to Start this thread.

Intro
In April of 2006 I will be doing a Solid Axle Swap on my '99 Explorer XL. Through the entire prosess I will be takink pics and updateing when there is is new info. I've pretty much always known I was going to do a SAS in my truck all along. For this reason, I have never but a dime into my front axle. I just never saw the point if I was going to rip it out.

The Plan

I plan to run a High Pinion Dana 44 full width in the front. I will be using Early Bronco Coils, posiablly 5.5" lift coils. I am still unsure of what I will be using for Radius arms, as we are still in the works. I would like to do a 3 link in the front but I don't think it's possiable with the cast wedges. I will be running 5.13 gears and plan to use anywhere from a 35" tire to a 37" tire, depending what I find. In the rear, I will be going to a 86-96 full width 8.8 off a Bronco/F-150. This will give me the ability to keep my speedometer, as well as reuseing my current locker, BTF Cover, and Disc Brakes. This will also give me a 5x5.5 pattern, and width almost dead on with the front. I would also like to move the rear leaf springs to the outside of the frame with the FW 8.8 to get rid of the spring hangers under the back doors that we all get caught on.

There alot of things still unsure, and I will figure it out as I go. Unfortally only small things will be done, until late March. Lack of funds will keep me from doing much until then. The axle will be set to go in the truck in April sometime though. Now let get to the goods. Pictures


The Meat

A side dish of parts

I can't wait for dessert

 

[Stic-o]

Sweet! With some 14-15" travel shocks and some soft springs you'll be flexing better than me.

The RA mounts ended up at a great location on the frame

And are those 3/4 ton TRE's? Those things look huge!

I know Michael said the springs were pretty soft, but I think the arm will out travel the springs, have to wait and see.

Yeah, I'm really happy with the RA mounts, and whats even better, all I had to do was drill the skidplate holes to 1/2" They fit perfectly!

The TRE's are 1 ton, Overkill? Maybe.

 

[cybergasm]

The TRE's are 1 ton, Overkill? Maybe.

Nah not overkill you just won't end up like <cough>cg<cough> when u hit Moab next year

 

[FROADER]

Lookin Sweet Stic-o!

 

[96limitedX]

damn! looking good. thats one wiiiide truck. looks mean.

 

[bmxking5]

I'm glad I didn't put anymore back spacing on the wheels. She's getting a bit close

Same here, mine is about 1/2" or so (maybe a little more). I don't know if you already mentioned it, but how are you doing your brake lines? Soft line from the frame to the caliper? Or the way it was on the stock axle (soft line to diff and hard lines out to calipers)? If you have seperate lines straight down to the calipers, you're going to max them out real quick. I've got skyjacker SS lines for the Explorer and I'm maxing them out already. I'm going to redo them the way KirbyN said and run them like the stock f150 straight down to the diff so that will be one less thing limiting. Just thought I'd let you know before you have everything all setup.

 

[Stic-o]

Day 15: when in doubt..Fabricate!

Today, i made the other brackets for the RA mounts. looks like they're going to be really beefy, and a perfect mounting place for Stic-Cam to look down the arm Also figured out the spring mount today. Going to weld 2x6 1/4" thick to the frame, and then bolt the buckets to them. Shoud work nicely. Finally put lugs all the way around on the rear. Parking brake seems to be working. I'm going to have to redo the rear brake lines, there is nowhere enough room. Does anyone know if a factory front brake line will bolt in to the rear disc brake? Next weekend I'm 99% sure she will be on her own feet Few more weeks and she should be done. However it will be awhile till she can off-road. I need to redo the front u-joints and get a man. t-case and front driveshaft. still not sure what to do about the rear driveshaft yet either. It amy work for the street.

BMX, that was my plan all along. I will have SS brake lines running from the calipers (already on) to just inside the springs, from there hard line will go to the top of the pig. then I will run soft lines up into the engine compartment, then back to hard lines into the box.

 

[Joe93]

lookin very good. can i get some info on those TRE's. where did you get them, aplication and such. thats what im lookin for so i can get my steering setup.

 

[Stic-o]

Joe: They are just 1 ton TRE's. Partsmike has the part #'s.




I think this thing will be very stable! She is only 2" taller then she is wide.

 

[FROADER]

2 days?

 

[Stic-o]

2 days?

It will not be driveable yet, but it will emrge from the garage on it's on wheels.


I can't find DOM anywhere local or not in stock anyway IMS said they only bought and had remnants, so I'll have to go over and look.

 

[Kirby N.]

Did you try any offroad shops? That is where I got mine...

 

[BKennedy]

Stic, looking great! Not you, I mean your sister, no wait.... I mean your Explorer.

 

[Stic-o]

Day 16 & 17: Abort launch

Well it wasn't ment to be. The Monster faild to emurge from it's layer. It was a long weekend, and after smashing my hand pretty good, becoming the ground for the welder and the truck just not making it easy on us, it' finally over.

The good: Got the Ra mounts fully done and they work great!

The Bad??? However she is on the ground on her own, finally....sort of While adressing our new found problem (see the Ugly) We jack it up, and maxed out the jack, with a 4x6 on top of it

The Ugly We put in 2x6 stock behind the the buckets like everyone else does, however it didn't come ot straight at all. The driver side looks like it does not need any spaceing at all, but the passanger does. Huh? We did center the axle, but this really shows you how important the trac bar is. and they scary part is, it did look worse at first.

back to the drawing board

 

[IZwack]

I've never worked with radius-arm setups and dont know too much about them but this picture looks like the "Diamond" looking things that clamp around the axle tubing need to be moved out (away from the differential and towards the knuckle). Cauz the coil looks like it might rub against the chassis once the driver's side front wheel is stuffed.

 

[Jefe]

Wait, so you didn't measure the distance between the axle spring perches, and then mount the upper spring perches the same distance apart?

 

[Stic-o]

Wait, so you didn't measure the distance between the axle spring perches, and then mount the upper spring perches the same distance apart?

Yeah, yeah, I know At least they're only tacked in place.



The tire will never get stuffed all the way to the fender, or at least not with 35's The springs would have to compressto far. I also noticed, that the arms will out flex the springs, easily!

 

[Kirby N.]

Are yuor spring cups mounted properly? Seems like I remember that mine would mount on the R or the L, but would be spaced in one way and out the other.

I can get you the spring mount width measurement from a 77 F150. We just finished tearing it apart to get the front end for my friends SAS FS 94 Bronco. He is selling the rest and the frame is sitting in his garage. Let me know if that will help.

Kirby

 

[Stic-o]

Are yuor spring cups mounted properly? Seems like I remember that mine would mount on the R or the L, but would be spaced in one way and out the other.

I can get you the spring mount width measurement from a 77 F150. We just finished tearing it apart to get the front end for my friends SAS FS 94 Bronco. He is selling the rest and the frame is sitting in his garage. Let me know if that will help.

Kirby

Yeah, that would help. The spring mounts are kinda custom. They are welded to blocks that I think originally had mounts for TTB springs on them. that is a good point about the spacing though.

 

[bmxking5]

Also, if you remember, there were people that drilled an extra hole in the lower coil seat to pull the coils inward for full width...maybe the same could be done to move them outward (if you don't have them on the wrong sides)?

 

[Stic-o]

Also, if you remember, there were people that drilled an extra hole in the lower coil seat to pull the coils inward for full width...maybe the same could be done to move them outward (if you don't have them on the wrong sides)?

I pretty sure that is what was done on mine. being pushed in a inch. mine have the extra holes. Iwas in a hurry try'n to get it out of the garage