LD50 Full-size axle thread `93 Ex

LD50 Full-size axle thread `93 Ex SAS

Hey fellow Explorer enthusiasts!

Well I never thought I`d do it, but it`s time.
I originally thought I would go to a smaller rig one day but I`m going to beef up the Explorer instead. Since I already have a huge thread on my previous work I decided to start fresh.

If you would like to see my previous mods, you can navigate from my signature link, or click here:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=523171#post523171

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My plans are to install a D44 and 9-inch into the station wagon and run 35 inch tires. Hopefully she`ll still get in the garage, but if it don`t then oh well. During this I also have some body work to do.

Right now I have the rear end out, I took off the spare tire hanger and removed the muffler and rear most heat shield. (doors are off for body work)Next the gas tank comes out so I can prep the underside for rust protection, from the t-case back. In the meantime I am trying to sell some parts for cash.

First big decision is what gear ratio. The 4.10`s on 33s was nice, but I think I`d like a bit more torque than that so I`m thinking 4.88 or 5.13s.

 

[CodePoet]

Looks good man, i'm doing the same swap on mine. I wish i would have been able to re-use my 9" perches...the removal was quite destructive though lol. Your rockers look good too!

 

[Tony H]

Nice work on the Rockers. Where did you buy the Dog Legs? I'm ready to do mine. I found two places on the WEB. MILL and someone else.
How did you do the Top of the Dogleg? I was thinking of sliding a small piece of metal up and under to give me some Meat to weld against.

The bottom of the entire Rocker looks like you spot welded it back on. You have a Spot welder? I was thinking of drilling small holes thru the new stuff then a quick hit with the Mig to fill the holes/ weld it to the bottom. any thoughts?

 

[ld50]

I got my rockers through an outfit called Cross Canada replacement parts. I put the actual rocker piece on first, overlapping the original metal on each side of the front lower jamb and the forward part of the rear lower jamb. I drilled holes all along the rocker seams and filled them with weld, The dog leg was tricky, with an overlap rear of the jamb and the top trimmed to fit and welded flush.
If you cut your dogleg out you will notice there is metel underneath that the dogleg rests against. If you cut it nicely, you can utilize this when you mount the new one. I managed to save a half inch of it to mount to. Another thing to remember is that the body is boxed in behind the rear jamb to about 15 or 16 inches from the door latch post, you don`t want to cut your dogleg out so far that you cut into this area even though there is enough on the new one to go that high. Only cut out what you think needs to go, and when you get some off you can look in there and see what I mean.

I`ll get more pics on the other side and do a good write-up, there is some info here, but not alot.

To bust the old spot welds apart, an air chisel is a must.

 

[Tony H]

Thanks, Air chisel...no problem.

The Rear jamb info was good to know. I will cut lower and look up in there and see what I need to do.

Replacing the whole Rocker with Box beam sounds scary but came out looking pretty darn good. As you mentioned, I bet mating the thin Tin to the thick box too a little playing around. I guess if you mat it inside the door area, it looks fine when the door is closed.
I'm just doing the Doglegs, My rockers look OK, I guess as we cut away, we will see.

The more Pics the better. it takes the mystery out of it for us guys that have very limited bodywork skills under our belts.

Welded Flush on the upper dogleg. that means you didn't put any metal behind it to help. Gutsy to do a Butt weld.

 

[ld50]

AND ya gotta get the rear door back on before the final trimming of the dogleg, and have it on till it is tacked in place. You`ll never get right otherwise,

 

[Tony H]

OOPS that wasn't you that did the Box Beam Rockers. Sorry

 

[ld50]

-Oh yeah, that wasn`t me.

Other than that, I spent at least 8 hrs buffing and air dremelling with a smaller buffer attachment under the Ex. It`s not fun, and neither is painting. I used POR-15 on the central part of the floor boards/underbody and all the frame from t-case back. Two coats and I`m still finding spots I missed. Today I`ll hit the missed spots, and then start putting stuff back in. The POR-15 will not come off your skin if you get it on, and not getting it on yourself while painting upside down is very hard. I even had a drop fall in my hair, I guess after I took all my gear off and was looking at my work, and it welded some hair to my scalp for a while.

 

[ld50]

I took my rear bumper apart, buffed the inside, and painted rust converter on, covered with black primer and black paint (as told by rust converter instructions)

-the gas tank skid got a coat of POR 15.

 

[ld50]

Welded Flush on the upper dogleg. that means you didn't put any metal behind it to help. Gutsy to do a Butt weld.

No, there is an inner layer of metal there, you missed that, the tricky thing is trimming the leg off while leaving some. If I remember right it is actually closer to the outside skin in the viscinity of the wheel well, and it`s pretty solid. I trimmed it flush, then took another half inch of original leg off. I used a zip-cut wheel and air-chisel. Inevitably some of the backing metal got cut because of the angles involved, but it was easy to patch with the welder.

The weld needs to be done very slowly, one tack at a time.

-sorry I didn`t take a pic of that, i was on a roll that day and couldn`t stop to get the camera...

 

[99stocksport]

all this work looks awsome, i cant wait to see how great/clean this truck is gonna be

 

[sn0border88]

talk about time on th under carriage looks great but id never be able to sit under there for that long. When I get around to my SAS im gonna just sand blast everything and use spray on bedliner.

 

[DeRocha]

Everything is looking great Preparing the frame and undercarriage for painting is a long hard job... Have you used Por-15 before, and how do you like it?

 

[ld50]

Never used it before. I hope it does what it claims, I tried to prep everything as best I could, we`ll see. As long as it arrests the rust and gives me a few more years I `ll be happy.

I got the gas tank all back in, and the springs on, just got to get all my brake hardware together for the 9 inch, then I want to mount it and figure out my shock placement. Still haven`t gotten gears or anything. Oh, And I cant` seem to get the third member loose. Any ideas/ tricks? I tried banging on it with a big rubber mallet.

 

[bmxking5]

When I pulled mine this weekend (only been back in for about 6 months) I just put a jack under the yoke and it popped it loose. The axle was installed in the truck at the time tho. I think the first time I used a screwdriver and hammer to get under the edge and pry up. Have a few pry bars/screwdrivers handy to pull it off the studs. It can be a pain to pull it out because it has to come straight out and it's an ackward shape.

 

[james t]

Oh, And I cant` seem to get the third member loose. Any ideas/ tricks? I tried banging on it with a big rubber mallet.

Putty knife and a hammer. Gently work around it to break the seal.

 

[ld50]

Well I got the 3rd member off, I used a putty knife and then screwdrivers to pry it up. Thanks guys.

PS the POR 15 went on smooth mostly, but it did create some pinhole bubbling here and there, like tons of "fish-eye" especially when it ran..

 

[sn0border88]

I have heard a few bad things, not many tho.

 

[ld50]

Got some more pics.
Painted my axle, it was originally sandblasted clean, I tried a paint called Rust Not, which is supposedly good $tuff.

I put the springs on last week. The shackles are Warrior shackles from my previous mods. They were lift shackles but now are shortened to 6 & 1/4 from bolt center to bolt center. Since my OME leaf springs already provide 2" lift over stock I didn`t want anymore.

-the other thing you might notice in the shackle pic is part of my home made hidden hitch I built previously.

 

[ld50]

I got all new brake components, so I decided set the 9 inch axle in place, while I started on replacing everything.
*NOTE, I left all the drum brake components on the passenger side during my tear down as a reference for replacement, (it is a mirror image of how the side I took apart should look when I re-assemble). Once I put the new stuff on the driver`s side, I will tear out the other side and then the new side will be my reference, no need to be a brake expert here.
-that`s also how the axle stands on its side quite well as in the pic, the drum shoes are on the bottom.

I realized that the nuts on my springs, [Old Man Emu rear 2 inch lift springs (OME-36)] Did not fit the ford 9 inch replacement perch holes as I`d hoped.
I used my U-joint tool to hold the leaf pack, loosened the nut, THEN loosened the u-joint tool a little and banged the crap out of the leafs with a rubber mallet until the pin was loose enough to pull out.
The pin end was also too large to fit the perch hole so I just took a little off with a grinder until they fit.

Then I jacked it in place with the springs under tension and put jackstands under it to hold it there. -Of course it is still held by the other jackstands..

 

[sn0border88]

how much did it cost to rebuild the brakes and bearings on that 9