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99 Explorer SAS D30

Well I'm taking an early night off tonight from my SAS on my 99 explorer so I figure I'll start my write up on it...
My ride is a Cheery 99 Ex XLT leather interior all the bells and whistles

First off I'm doing a D30 for a few reasons...
1- Wanting to keep the ABS
2- Stock(ish) width
3- Wheel bolt pattern same
4- CHEEPER...


I know, "why not just do a 44 and get it done. Your gona wheel the thing"
Well Ya I'm gona wheel it but not that hard besides I like breaking stuff...lol...

Out back it's getting SOA, AAL, and a lincoln locker...
Gears will be (eventually) 4.56 or 4.10's will deside when the tires are bought, which will be desided on when the lift is in and I see what will look best 33's or 35's???
Springs are originally out of a YJ but thanks to Mike at Abby spring they are not stock;)
Steering is the box out of my old 91 Ex
Front drive shaft will be built at Abby spring (thanks again Mike)
All the work is being done by me with help from My good buddy Pete at Pete's little shop;) (Man I love plazma cutters and Hoists) Keep in mind that the shop is not a pro auto shop but rather a back yard shop. My buddy is a computor geek and I'm a licenced auto tech for 20+ years 12 of those with Ford
T case will be out of a 96 ranger electric shift (and yes you can control it with the 99 system if you have the neutral tow option installed) I know WHY???

Pix's will follow soon (I'm taking lots)

Monday Dec 3
Did some running around and gathered some more parts. Fabbed up the front spring hanger coppying Section's design but using 2x6 3/16 steel (little lighter and plenty strong... Springs dropped off at Abby Spring. Measured up stock hights of my Ex (damn I left the #'s at Petes I'll post later). Called the dude with the D30 "Oh man it's snowing and the powers out can't get it out, call me tomorrow." Mounted the spring hanger/front cross member Put the bumper back on and calles it a night.
10 am to 9 pm

Tuesday Dec 4
More running around picked up the springs and u bolts. Called the dude with the D30 again "Oh ya I'll be at the shop later call me in the afternoon" Fab up the front shackles. Calles Dude back, now the axle I was trying to get was a D30 out of a 95 ZJ with the better steering nuckles and all. "Ya man that D30 out of the 88 XJ is out and ready for you." Um no we agreed on an axle out of a 95 ZJ I need the ABS! "Oh my boss dosn't want to part that one out yet."
Ok plan "B" get a line on one out of a 96 XJ with ABS, but a 2 hr drive away Oh well,
Back to the shop I go and start cutting. Man that first cut is a killer on a very cherry 99 Ex, but I'm either crazy or stupid cuz I think it's fun...lol...
Man I love Plazma cutters and hoists
Long day 9 am to 1 am

Wed Dec 5
Run around getting Insurance on my pimp ride 2000 Malibu so I don't have to thumb around (it's 1/2 hr drive to Petes from my place) Head out to pick up the D30 Sweet shape came with front drive shaft and purdy new brakes $100 Sweet deal...
Back to shop and did a bit mor plazma cutting and grinding bit of painting.
Called it quits early looking after the kids tonight while the wife had an epicure party (oh joy)
10 am to 4:30 pm

Tomorrow we will see I'll post more later...

Cost list:
D30 $100
Braded flex lines $30 for the 3 of them new (sweet score)
Steel $100
T-case -$450 (sold a dude my 91 case and installed it he gave me his 96 ranger case, he needed a cable speedo auto shift case I didn't)
Springs and U-bolts, (worked at Abby spring for a year and Mike is a great guy) $30
Gear oil and brake fluid Free (don't ask)...
Paint, primer, grinding disk's $25
48 Kokanee's $*&^ (price restricted by Canadian Government)...lol...:ca:

So far I'm still in the red Cool

*Side note My 2000 Malibu is for sale if any one is interested This will be my Gear and tire money $4500 OBO*

Did I mention I want this driving by next Monday...lol...

Cheers Randy...
:exp::salute::thumbsup::ca::bdrunk::ttiwwp:
 



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I was looking at the shocks too.......that some angle to em tho

other than that it looks good:thumbsup:

ready to do another one?.......like mine:D
 



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Sure you want me to come down there or you want to head way north...lol...
 






The shock angle dosn't seem to be a problem at this point no binding and there plenty supressive enough...
I ended up with purdy much at -10* for caster so I'll be headding to my buddies after work tomorrow to fix that up and then going to wheel it see how it works...:salute:


My buddy wants to do his 94 limmited next prolly going to do coils and radius arms on that one, and he's looking at a 9" and D44 setup like his 69 Bronco (which is for sale if anyone is in the market:eek:)...

(Bad pix's...)
 

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Hey I am in the Langley area! I just got a D30 today and am planing on swaping it in my 94 ex. What leafs should I be looking for? I know you used YJ but are built up. Did you need to extend your rear drive shaft?
 






Rear drive shaft is fine you will need to get or make longer rear shackles or do an AAL
On a 94 I would go radius arms and coils because you already have the upper coil buckets in place...
You can make radius arms in the jeep styling lots of options and you can make them very ajustable for fine tuning your camber or use early bronco radius arms (I might have a set if my buddy dosn't want them)...
and get ranger or explorer 6" lift coils...
Just my thoughts tho...
I used very modified YJ springs as a start, if your set on going that way...
Check out some of the other SAS's here Lots of good info...
Nice to here of another Canadian here and wow so close PM me your location and I'll come by and check it out
Cheers Randy...
 






Updates?
 






Ya it's been a long while...



So I got it on 35" truxus MT's mounted on American Racing Equipment aluminum wheels (nice combo but a ***** to get ballanced).
Put in a manual shift T-case out of a 93 Explorer I bent the front output flange on the old one wheeling (had the front shaft too long...lol...:rolleyes:)
Put in a set of Waggy springs and had the rears re-arced to match...
Still running 3.55 gears and on the highway it's ok and off road it's good in low for the moderate wheeling I've been doing...
I did develop a bit of a death wobble after about 2 months of driving and found I had used the wrong bolts in the front shackles allowing the front end to shift side to side... First time it happened I had just gone over a railway crossing and I thought the front end was comming off:eek: ... Not a good feeling...lol...


So I do have some pix's before the waggy springs and with the 35's...
Just emagine an inch higher...
Still to do are gears... I'm thinking 4.56's or so???
front and rear bumpers with a tire carrier on the rear...
 

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Great job on your SAS! Do you have any pics of the mounted steering box and drag link?
 






I'll take some soon.
Been busy lately, Started teachin highschool Automotive shop and just setting up my course.
Big change but very cool...

:exp:Randy...
 






looks real good thumbs up
 












I finnally got the springs re-done front and rear and clocked the t-case, and belly panned it... It's holding up very nice. The tires are starting to show some wear but not bad I drive it to work once in a while 200KM / day not the best commuter vehicle...lol...
We just got our first big dump of snow of the year and it works very well in that...
Cheers Randy...:thumbsup:
 












A plate in between the t-case and the tranny so I could turn the t-case and lower the front drive shaft angle. Work's really good no binding when drooped and no vibration at highway speed...
 






Styx, how thick is the plate?
 






built the ring out of 1/2 inch steel on the milling machine at work I copied a design I saw at an off road expo up here...
Why do you say it's so hard???
 












built the ring out of 1/2 inch steel on the milling machine at work I copied a design I saw at an off road expo up here...
Why do you say it's so hard???




Really easy to do. tho the shifter was binding a little at first but I fixed that...;)
 









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Nice build!

Im just wondering if you have anymore pictures/info on your steering setup. From what I can tell you're not running high steer with the spring over so do you have a z bend draglink with an inverted y setup? Any bumpsteer?

Thanks!
 






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