I have a disease where I can’t leave my truck alone and I always want to modify it.. it’s an expensive curse, but I’m a broke man. The long run plan for my 2005 Sport Trac is to do the 4x4 long travel suspension with a 5.0L swap prerunner. But until I can afford all that business, I do mods that will eventually need to be done but also I can afford to do.
I know I’m sticking with a Ford 8.8 rear axle so I decided to truss it. I did research for a couple weeks on “to buy or to build”. I found a prerunner Sport Trac with a “boxed in” rear axle truss that I liked and can only be built. The options to purchase, I didn’t like. So my decision landed on buying a sheet of steel, some metal shears, (I already owned the grinder and welder), and plenty of time to dedicate to the build.
I mocked up the truss sides in cardboard, traced them onto the steel sheet, cut them out, cleaned the cuts and curves with the grinder, tack welded them into place, boxed them in by adding the tops and outer sides. Took lots and lots and lots of time to weld to the axle (to avoid heat warping my axle, welds must be done little by little to keep the axle from catching too much heat, plus welding to the differential, it’s recomended to preheat the diff, weld, then heat to slowly bring the temp down). Trussed the top and bottom and covered the axle in paint and a new diff cover. I also replaced the outer bearings and seal while I had it apart, and new fluid of corse.
Enough chat, here are some photos...
I know I’m sticking with a Ford 8.8 rear axle so I decided to truss it. I did research for a couple weeks on “to buy or to build”. I found a prerunner Sport Trac with a “boxed in” rear axle truss that I liked and can only be built. The options to purchase, I didn’t like. So my decision landed on buying a sheet of steel, some metal shears, (I already owned the grinder and welder), and plenty of time to dedicate to the build.
I mocked up the truss sides in cardboard, traced them onto the steel sheet, cut them out, cleaned the cuts and curves with the grinder, tack welded them into place, boxed them in by adding the tops and outer sides. Took lots and lots and lots of time to weld to the axle (to avoid heat warping my axle, welds must be done little by little to keep the axle from catching too much heat, plus welding to the differential, it’s recomended to preheat the diff, weld, then heat to slowly bring the temp down). Trussed the top and bottom and covered the axle in paint and a new diff cover. I also replaced the outer bearings and seal while I had it apart, and new fluid of corse.
Enough chat, here are some photos...
