2005 sport trac Dana 30 sas (Version 2.0)

Some may have followed my previous build on my sport trac. Here is a pic and a link to the build

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=400109.

Well im at it again with version 2.0.

specs are:
2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac XLT
Full load with heated leather seats and moonroof

Front Suspension and Diff:
1996 Jeep cherokee High Pinion dana 30
30 spline ARB air locker (often called a super 30)
30 spline Predator Chromoly axle shaft set (equivalant in size to Dana 44)
G2 4:88 gears
3 link custom front suspension design
2" x .25" DOM links with 1.25" heim joints
Rubicon Express 7" coil springs
12" Bilstein 5125 shocks using f250 shock tower
.25" axle sleeves
Custom c knuckle gussets
Factory sport trac wheel bearing assembly (keeping factory ABS operational)
Factory sport trac brake rotors, pads, and calipers. (larger than Jeep)

Rear Suspension and Diff
Factory 8.8" disc brake rear diff
Spring over conversion keeping factory springs (for now)
11" Bilstein 5125 shocks using custom mounts
G2 4:88 Gears
ARB 31 Spline AirLocker

Steering
Toyota 4x4 steering box with 2wd pitman arm
chevy 1 ton drag link ends threaded into 1" x .25" DOM
offset chevy 1 ton tie rod ends threaded into 1" x .25" DOM
custom Freddi Link for draglink to bolt to tie rod
tie rod has been flipped ontop of steering knuckle for highsteer
modified factory steering shaft and steering lines
tracbar is 1" x .25" DOM with heim on one end and bushing on other
Draglink and tracbar are on same angle and same length for 0 bumpsteer

Transmission Crossmember
1" square tubing (eventually getting full aluminium belly skidplate)

Front Bumper
custom fabbed 1.75" tube bumper with built in winch mount
Warn VR 8000 Winch

Tires/Wheels and other goodies
35x12.5x15 BFG KM2 Tires
15x7 Ultra aluminium wheels
ARB CKMA12 air compressor
ARB tire inflation kit
JVC Double din headunit with Android App Control

Much more to come.

I have done some things slightly odd for some peoples eyes but i have done this for a reason. I plan to make this a production kit for Rangers, Explorers, and Sport tracs.

I also plan to offer a kit to use a 70`s Ford Dana 44.

I co-own an offroad shop with my Brother so this is well within our realm of things possible.

We are well known for our 4wd Van Conversions in Canada on Chevy and Ford Vans and our business has been doing this stuff since the 70`s.

 

[atvfred]

This is where it all began: the factory tires were just to small for me

cutting the front suspension out and the front bumper

Parts are piling up:

 

[atvfred]

Rear springover and shocks placement complete. Ready for G2 4:88 gears and ARB Locker

 

[atvfred]

Front bumper mostly built and mocked into place

Rear driveshaft spacer built and installed

 

[atvfred]

time to start building the front diff:

Control arm skidplates and the underside of my new tracbar mount

Tracbar mount

axle sleeve kit 2" x .25" DOM that i turned down on the lathe

full housing assembled with c knuckle gussets, G2 4:88 gears and ARB air locker

 

[atvfred]

Here is a template that i use to cut the jeep steering knuckle apart and redrill to accept the Ford Wheel bearing, brake rotor, pads and caliper. This allows me to retain the factory ABS if i choose. it also gives me larger brakes compared to the standard jeep cherokee dana 30

 

[atvfred]

time to build the heart of the system. The tansmission crossmember and 3 link mounts. This crossmember is 80% bolt on after the factory crossmember is cut out. Also allows for a skid plate to protect the transfercase. This design allows the transmission and transfercase to be removed without touching the mounts for the 3 link bars.

 

[atvfred]

Here are some shots of the front diff installed and cycling without the steering.
The 3 link bars bolt directly to the factory dana 30 housing

 

[atvfred]

steering box and linkage pics.
this is a toyota 4x4 steering box with a 2wd pitman arm installed
tie rod, drag link and tracbar are all 1" x .25" dom tubing that has been drilled and tapped for the chevy 1 ton tie rods and drag links.
i also reverse drilled the knuckles to get the tie rod up higher.

steering linkage at ride height

steering linkage at full bump

 

[RockRanger]

I like it. Clean job.

 

[atvfred]

Thanks. I should be able to post some more pics tonight

 

[RangerX]

I like it too!
But could you in a nutshell describe what the differences between versions 1 and 2 are?

 

[atvfred]

Main differences are the steering box and how the drag link connects to the tie rod.
Also my last build used radius arms and i founf it to have to many serviceable bushings that create opportunities for slight play and clunking
Version 2 uses a 3 link design. one lower arm on each side and one long upper link on the drivers side. This creates less opportunity for bushing failure, a more simple design, and in theory will flex better because of less binding.
Radius arm trucks are also known for unloading the frontend while making steep climbs. Correct 3 link design keeps more weight on the front axle during these steep climbs for better traction.
I also paid more attention to tracbar and draglink angles and lengths on this build. this results in 0 bumpsteer which is nice. my other one had a slight amount.
My last build had a nice transmission crossmember but if i wanted to remove the transmission i had to unbolt the radius arms. This truck has a seperate crossmember that can be unbolted withough touching the 3 link bars.
Another major difference is the amount of work that i put into the last dana 30 as far as the radius arm mounts, and coil spring mounts. Version 2.0 only needs one simple bracket welded on to bolt the tracbar too.
I still ended up with 6" of uptravel, which is the same as version 1 but in a much simpler manner

 

[atvfred]

this is a pic of preassembly checking ride height. Nailed it.

 

[atvfred]

So here are some completed pictures. The coil spring buckets are adjustable for ride height, while leaving the shocks in one location. the bumpstops are also udjustable in length to allow ride height changes.

Notice the bend in the lower arms to allow lock to lock turn with 35" tires

Full Droop. Also notice the new engine crossmember to tie the frame rails together

Flex test

I believe those 45 gallon drums are 36" tall. The front is still capable of more flex but the back end cannot keep up. Time to rework my rear leaf springs abit.

 

[atvfred]

here is how i mounted my ARB Air Compressor. In the last truck i had it behind the back seat but that meant i lost some storage so i got a little more creative this time.

And here is were i located the switches with enough room for a transmission temp guage beside them

 

[atvfred]

Here is a pic of my front driveshaft that bolts directly to the factory transfercase with no flange changes or mods.

 

[reapereviltwin]

Awesome, saw you link on FB, had to get over here and check it out, lurking.

 

[crankyjew]

This is phenomenal. Can't wait to see how the kit turns out. That'll make a lot of ST owners happy, I think. Will the kit have options, for different steering boxes, axles, or even suspension setups?

 

[atvfred]

I don't think there will be options for steering, but I do have a couple ride height option ideas, and also a coilover version, and also plan to offer a dana 44 ford version. The Dana 44 jeep tj axle can use the current kit. I don't have anything to sell yet as I'm still working on cnc plasma patterns and frame jigs