410Fortune 1988 Ford Bronco II Eddie Bauer 4x4

[410Fortune]

Just what you people want to see! More of my truck, hahahaha

This is a great idea, a Bronco II registry for the best Ranger based vehicle forum on the intraweb, the Explorer4x4.com forum.

I need a place to keep track of all my modifications, trails I visit, bugs I work out, and idea's I have so this thread will be just that!

I hope to see more Bronco II owners taking the time to share pictures and modifications in here with their own threads as well. Many of the BII projects on this site are still under major construction, so in time I am sure this sub forum will grow. I know I like to see every BII that is still out there, these trucks have alot of potential and have always been considered "an underdog" but in my eyes its a legendary Ford Bronco and the best, most fun vehicle I have ever owned. People who doubt them just don't really understand them.

So here is my truck:

Started life:
1988 Ford Bronco II Eddie Bauer 4x4
2.9L EFI, Mitsubishi 5 speed, BW 1350 "touch drive" e shift transfer case, dana 28 ttb front suspension, corporate 7.5" rear axle, 3.55 gears, 10" rear drum brakes, cardigan style driveshafts front and rear.
A/C, power windows, cruise control, tire carrier, auto hubs, rear wiper/washer

the only two options my 88 BII did not have from the factory were glass sunroof and center console with message center.


When i got the truck it had faded paint, worn out "orange eddie bauer" interior and some serious driveability issues

Then:

Now-ish:

Drive train:
-1997 Ford small block 5.0L GT-40p engine (60K miles)
L&L solid engine mounts, Ford dual sump oil pan, Canton billet oil filter re-location adapter, Torque Monster Bronco II conversion headers, KKM intake with cold air induction. Ford 97 Mercury Mountaineer EEC-V computer (complete OBD-II conversion), 96 Mustang floor shifter with OD button.
-1997 4R70W automatic transmission
Modified Autofab urethane transmission mount
AOD output shaft and Advance Adapter AOD to BW1350 T case 5" adapter installed
-1993 BW 1354 E shift transfer case
-Custom explorer based drive shafts

Conversion thread on Explorerforum.com:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124626

Front:
-Dana 35 TTB (Ford I beam) 4x4 front axle. Beams modified for 3" cut and turn, approx 1" track width increase per side. 4.10 Precision Gear ring and pinion with ARB air locker. Custom length outer axle shaft on passenger side, passenger beam modified for high clearance. Pass side axle shaft slip yoke is welded and fitted with a custom steel coil spring, C clip eliminated.
-James Duff early style 2" axle pivot drop brackets
-Skyjacker 6" lift coils
-Skyjacker extended radius arms (bushings) and transmission X member
-Superlift Superrunner steering system
-Timken wheel bearings, Moog ball joints, PF carbon metallic brake pads
-Warn manual hubs
-Rancho 9000 shocks
-Superlift 4" rubber brake lines
-Custom Ford sway bar and quick disconnect

Rear:
-Ford 8.8 31 spline disc brake explorer rear axle. Converted to spring over using weld on spring perches, custom shock mounts
-4.10 Yukon ring and pinion, ARB RD-81 air locker
-PF carbon metallic pads
-Skyjacker 4" Ranger leaf springs
-Superlift cast 2" tapered lift block
-Rancho 9000 shocks
-Custom Ford sway bar and quick disconnect

Chasis:
-95 explorer brake master cylinder
-97 Explorer V8 Down pipes with factory catalytic converters w/ 4ea 02 sensors (OBD-II). Dual inlet single 3" outlet high flow muffler w/ 3" pipe over rear axle and straight out the back.
-Ron Davis custom "Nascar" aluminum 2 core radiator with fluid/fluid trans cooler (rad support modified for mounting)
-B&M transmission cooler
-1988 Bronco II fan shroud
-Modified BII gas tank and dual fuel pump system (OBD-II)
-BII transfer case and fuel tank skid plates, custom D35 diff skid plate
-James Duff receiver tube bumpers front and rear, PIAA driving light up front, billet license plate lights in back. Custom reverse light in rear bumper
-Hella H4 headlights
-Clear front parking lamps
-AutoFab fiberglass fenders
-Metallic blue paint

Interior (Ford "mocha"):
-90 Eddie Bauer (BII) door panels and headliner
-99 Eddie Bauer power/heated leather seats
-Husky front floor mats
-Painted dash, arm rests, trim, handles, etc to match mocha
-Custom white face BII gages,Autometer oil pressure, water temp, & trans temp 2-5/8" gages
-Garmin GPS, Radio shack CB, Tiger CB antennae
-Custom carpet, custom cargo liner and hold downs, custom center console, no back seat, custom racks for tools and supplies.
-97 explorer 2 way visors with lighted mirrors

Other:
-35x12.5 Mickey Thompson MTZ tires mounted on 15x10 black mods (wheeling)
-Dura Last gold battery

Stereo:
Kenwood Excelon Mp3 head unit, Music Keg, Alpine 5 channel, 13 speakers.
UNGO alarm

Custom modifications:
-Custom front fender liners
-LED side marker/parking lamps
-Many wiring modifications front to rear, integrated 94 power distribution)

Now instead of listing everything I have replaced/rebuilt or customized (sometimes more than once!!) I will list the things that are still OEM:
-Pass side power window motor
-Rear tailgate wiper motor
-Rear spare tire carrier
-Side mirrors
-"Touch Drive" pushbutton 4x4 console and computer
-Most of the body and glass
That’s it

next project:
body diet and full cage

 

[Turdle]

It looked ok before--what happened???
Kidding!!

Man, I still say to keep the white fenders--they have grown on me!!!

 

[410Fortune]

what if I remove the doors and have fiberglass half door inserts and then also white bed sides? hahahaha if the white fenders have grown on you just wait

 

[410Fortune]

Somebody got new shoes

35" x 12.50" x 15" Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ

I am SO impressed with these suckers, they are 1.5" taller then my worn out goodyear MTR's and they are SO QUIET on the street for an MT!! They ride so nice!! I will be testing them in the slush tomorrow, going wheeling.....

More pics later

I am in love with MT and DC tires, I think I want to marry them

 

[MoabB2]

Those look pretty sweet!

New wheels too?

 

[410Fortune]

nope same wheels

I tried these suckers out yesterday, even in the DEEP snow (first truck since snow mobiles) they kept me moving forward, I had them at 12 psi, both lockers in low, and the BII could get right up on top of the snow and keep going...I couldnt go far because the other truck I was with was stockish and getting stuck up there means till spring.

FYI Slaughterhouse gultch and Buffalo Creek near Wellington lake = impassable still even with the last 3 weeks of sunshine

VERY impressed with these tires, on the highway, mud, snow, and water they make all the other MT's I have owned look stupid.

I have to get pics from the girl i was with on her camera

 

[CopyKat]

Any overall updated Pictures?

 

[RangerX]

any pics of the girl? :

 

[Premier]

lol

 

[410Fortune]

only pic of the truck so far, we ended up doing more shooting then driving since both trails we went to were un -passable with snow (I could have made it but being the only truck capable I didnt want to risk it, so we went a couple hundred yards through the deep snow, first truck, only snow mobiles prior and then turned around) recovery bill up there would be $1500+

thats not me thats her son with the gun, we took her 4 runner as well, but its stockish for now, I am afraid i got her hooked.....shes ready to blow $3500 on a Camburg suspension for her 99 4 runner now hahaha


Tires are amazing, at 14 psi in the pic

Girl is more amazing, a full tilt all the time, she blows me out of the water!!

 

[MoabB2]

How old is that dude?

 

[410Fortune]

new upgrade, Poison Spyder Customs 8.8 Rock ring, painted red

 

[MoabB2]

I love the red! Looks tough!

 

[Premier]

HOLY LIFT BLOCKS BATMAN! hahaha just kidding,

I like the red too, pimpin

 

[410Fortune]

yup 2" tappered blocks hahahaha until I get some custom springs or go 4 link they work fine

Thanks for the compliments, all accents on this rig are fire engine red, so shes 100% American

 

[MoabB2]

Is that 'fire engine red' the same color that skyjacker uses?

I like the skyjacker color, and I may use that color on my next suspension.

 

[410Fortune]

I dunno but I painted my Skyjacker arms too because the factory paint got all buggered up on rocks

This is Ace harware safety red spray paint to be exact

 

[rookieshooter]

Nice pics. Is your transfer case leaking? HA HA
Like you said, I'd like to see all these B11s once completed listed here. As slow as my build is, it will be last.

 

[410Fortune]

Na thats from the explorer dripping water and just shop fluids
no leaks either truck (been a battle)

I spent Fri evening doing some work on the BII
I re-packed the front wheel bearings and torqued the spindle nuts
I also installed my F-150 spring seats to get 1-1/4" of lift
After a year with the V8 the Skyjacker coils have sagged about an 1" and the TTB was sitting a bit negative. The camber shims have plenty of adjustment in them to bring the now + camber back to 0
So in the morning I will be aligning the front TTB myself, toe and camber.

truck sits so much better now, before it had a slight rake back taller then the front. This was not good for wheeling at all, the rear springs would unload too easy, so now with the spacers it sits much much better. band aid until I go coilovers, new extended beams, dana 44 knuckles and long travel with the rear.

 

[410Fortune]

Saturday I attempted my own alignment on the truck, Tuesday I took it to Midwest Frame and Alignment, my friend Larry who has been aligning all my vehicles for years now

I got it so close!! My camber was off by 1 degree on both sides and the toe was really close aside from not centering the wheel.
Now its dead on, again $25 later (only charges me $20)
I learned a few things this time around so I think I can adjust my own caster, camber and toe myself from now on, at least on the BII

the truck is setup with 1/4 degree + camber on both sides
the toe is 1/8" in
drives perfect like this

I need new camber shims though, currently I am running the max correction shims 2.75 degree and I dont need them
With these shims its fine, but it could be better. I installed the 2.75 shims before I built ccustom beams which corrected my TTB geometry
I am going to try 1.5 correction shims, this will give me better caster and a better angle on the upper ball joint stud.
Currently I am wearing out ball joints because the angle on them is extreme, apparently you want them as straight up and down as possible, while retaining caster and camber

Next project is to rebuild my Superrunner steering, in the next coupld of weeks.
I am also building a new dashpot for the BII with a newer speedo (mine hops, 293K miles) and a V8 tachometer from an older BII (the earlier models had a V8 option on the back of the tach)

I also ordered copper header gaskets, I have exhaust leaks on both trucks, which means 4 gaskets = remove and repair 4 headers....should make for a fun weekend

The rush is on to make Moab 07

plan is to fix this stuff, make some sliders and repair my leaking radiator minimum before the trip

Approx 16,500 miles have gone by since the V8 conversion