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My explorer sport build

Well I've got alot of work ahead of me, have been collecting parts for a while now. I will be building my 1995 explorer sport 5 speed. I will be swapping in a Dana 60 front( converted to 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern and also possible narrowed use a 79 Dana 60 axle shaft on the passenger side)and a 9" axle rear and will be running 513 gearing. I will be using radius arm set up with 5.5 deaver early bronco coils. I have a 78-79 bronco/f150 steering box which will do the trick to stear 37-39" tire also run hydro assist posibly.

Any ways here are some pics



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This is what it looked like right after I put 33 12.5 tires under it stock with a little bit of torsion twist.

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I have been in the offroading scene since I was an ankle biter so attempting different obsticals were no fear for me.

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In about 8 months I had 4 slave cylinders fail on me due to getting packed full of mud and chewing the seal. Takes me an hour to take the transmission out

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1989 king pin Dana 60 and a 1983 bronco 9"

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One last picture sitting on the 33s

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Back axle gone

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Back axle in and a 39" swamper bolted up to get an idea what it should look like

And that's a wrap. More pics to come next weekend when I got some gas for the fire axe to chop the ifs stuff out.
 



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Looking like a good project!

One question: Why a 9" for the rear? That front 60 is an 8 lug, 1 ton, and you've got yourself a rear that is a 5 lug, 1/2 ton. You can find rear 60's or even Sterling axles that are a perfect match for that front 60 for peanuts next to what people want for the front Dana 60. With either of those, you'd have matching bolt pattern wheels, and comparable strength to the front. Don't get my wrong the 9" is a brilliant axle that is very strong and has a ton of aftermarket, but I feel like you could find a better matched rear for that front 60.

Would be cheaper than converting the front to a weaker 5x5.5.

Either way that's going to be one nasty looking Sport when you're done with it!
 






I will be turning the Dama 60 hubs on a lathe to convert to 5 lug bolt patern. I want to shave off weight and have it Easyer to maintain. I am still going to run the one ton 9/16 studs so I can still torque the tires on at 140 fpt
 






Got a bit of an update I picked up a 9" third member with a Detroit locker and 513 gears for less than half price of a Detroit locker alone
 






Im along for the ride. Mine just got back onto its own weight on a LP44 and I'm happy to learn a little bit more. Lookin good so far!
 






Thanx for the interest man. I'm hopping I can have it done before snow flies again next winter. I haven't got the money at the moment to buy material to build my front suspention. I'm goin to take all the brake line out and abs than run new lines this weekend. Maybe experament what stuff I can cut out with an angle grinder for the front suspention
 






Well started some chopping, for you low budget guys I found a sawsal works great for cutting brackets off the frame. It's nicer than a torche of a plasma cutter because it doesn't tamper the metal and make it hard to grind.

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Frame is cleaned up and almost ready to start burning material on(need to go
Buy still) centered the axle and found where it should be. Drive shaft is questionable but I should beable to work it out. I'm wishing a 78-79 d60 housing wasn't so hard to find orelse driveshaft would be dead nuts and I could extend bronco radius arms.

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Well guys I've been gettin antsy to get wheelin so been working on the explorer.

79d60 fits perfect , ride height will allow 38" tire and will have around 7-9" up travel for nice cuison trail rider.

I got my johny joints, Dom tubing and couple other odds and ends last week to build my radius arms. I am hopping to have the front suspention sitting on its own weight this weekend to determin ride height. Anyways here are some pictures :)

Axle at full compression is 2" away from oil pan, driveshaft is 2 1/2" away from running into exhaust, it is like the 79 snow fighter 60 was meant to be

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79 snow fighter Dana 60 also alows me to run earl bronco radius arms with c wedges and such.
C wedge all notched out to fit d 60 axle tube

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Radius arms all cut up and ready for the Dom to be sleaved over to extend to 43" long which seems to do the trick for length.

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Dom sleaved over radius arms and ready to weld.

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Just figuring out where everything has to be

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Radius arms are welded together and also put a bend in them for tire clearance. Because the stock radius arms are cast steal We made sure to heat them up till they were blue before bonding to the dom.

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hey guys, i have been slow with my build >.< but here is a bit of an update and some pictures.

I have welded my coil buckets onto the frame and mounted my spring seats onto the radius arms so i can jack it onto its own weight (kinda).
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ive got the steering box mocked up where it should be, i used a chunk of 1/2" plate which is drilled and tapped with the bolt pattern of the steering box. it will be welded all around and the bottom will be gusseted and tied into the future engine crossmember.

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so here is kinda how things should look lol

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made up radius arm brackets and build a trany crossmember to go inbetween them

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the start of the engine crossmember, its made out of 2x2 1/4 wall square tubing and i have the inside of the frame plated for it to be weld in. i should have it in the frame next weekend

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So when all this stuff is done i will be onto figuring out steering and panhard bar (track bar) im still deciding how i will have my steering set up. most likely stock f350 tie rod and what ever drag link works lol.

For the track bar i want it as long as it can be and obviously on the same paralel angle as the drag link so i will be building a bracket that will be on the side of the steering knuckle C (once i build it it will be under stood more)

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I will have something kinduve like this but i will have the look improved.

so anyways i will be updating my build thread a little bit more often... :chug:

and sry for lack of good pictures its hard to remember to grab a couple pics when in the middle of building lol
 






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