99 Explorer SAS D30

[jims99]

I know its an old thread, but i was wondering, if i dont have the money right now but i have a dana 30 sitting around, is it possible to swap the solid axle in with a spring under axle setup and not lift it to much.... just a thought
Thanks

 

[Styx]

Wait till you can do it right... Keep saving up the parts and stuff till you can afford to do it all...
Way safer and prolly cheeper than doing it 2 or 3 times...

 

[grant00]

I have a '00 XLT and I'm really thinking about doing this, hopefully not too long in the future. Just don't have the money right now I already have a 3" BL and shackles and 32x11.5x15 BFG All terrains. just want to go a little bigger But I do a good amount of freeway driving do you have any problems at higher speeds? say like oh 65+ or so? I like the way you went with the D30 to keep close to the same width as stock.

 

[Styx]

I have no real problems at all with it... I drive it to work every once in a while (when my students bug me enough...lol...) 100 km's each way at 120kms on the freeway... getting a little noise from the front bearings so I'll do them in the near future...
I have gone faster but I hate tickets so I tend to keep it within 10%...lol...
The 30 is plenty strong enough for what I do with it and hell it's the way I think Ford should have made it...


Cheers Randy...

 

[grant00]

I couldn't agree more that our 2nd gens should have had a straight axel. What other kind of springs would be good to get for the front since i dont have the kind of access you do to a spring shop. and also, front and rear drive drive shafts?

 

[Styx]

Jeep Wagoneer springs will work for you. I changed the t-case to a manual shift out of a 92 explorer. You can have that one modified to work. Rear was ok...

 

[Styx]

Some newer pix's (poser shots...lol...)

 

[grant00]

dang I really want to do an SAS haha. what would you recommend to avoid axle breakages with a D30?

 

[lifeguard379]

some bobby long dirty 30's

 

[Styx]

They are strong enough for 35's just don't drive like an ass hat...

 

[Styx]

Well it's been a while since I posted on here...
I sold the 99 I just wasn't using it and my driveway is too small...
The young dude I sold it to is loving it last I heard...


The good news is I just picked up a 93 for far too cheap to pass up....Here we go again...lol...This one is in great shape but it's old enough that I can do some real cool stuff to it...
Pictures and a new posting will follow...

Cheers...

 

[section525]

How much did you let it go for?? It sure was a nice lookin ride.

 

[Styx]

Got just under $10g for it...
Young kid first vehicle...
Was sad to see it go but at least it will get used and I don't have to scratch the ship out of it...lol...
The new one will probably be a class project for my race program kids...
That will keep them interested in school...

 

[Styx]

That is Canadian $$$$ so like $500 us...lol...

 

[SBJ420]

I am looking to do the same project on my 95 XLT
What was the reason for the transfer case swap?
are you able to send me some specs on the shackles and the crossmember where the front springs mount to the front of the truck and also the frame?
Truck looks awesome!

 

[Styx]

I am looking to do the same project on my 95 XLT
What was the reason for the transfer case swap?
are you able to send me some specs on the shackles and the crossmember where the front springs mount to the front of the truck and also the frame?
Truck looks awesome!

The 95 is the same as my old 99 so the build can be similar.
The t-case swap was done to get rid of the weak front drive shaft and to put a manual shift case in. I had done the brown wire change on my original but I wasn't happy with the weak front CV style shaft. So I got a t-case out of a 92 (I think it was) Explorer. Made a new x-member and it worked awesome.
If you read back to the start of the posting you can find out more about the front spring mounts and shackles I used / made. There are also a lot of other people on here that did the same set up so do some looking...
Cheers Randy

 

[Bird76Mojo]

An adapter plate can be machined pretty easily to change that electric shift transfer case to a standard u-joint style front driveshaft.. Or, if my memory serves me, you can change the output shaft on the case to one from an older case with the u-joint driveshaft, making it (front shaft) a bolt on, other than the length.


GB

 

[Styx]

Yes that is true but for the price I figured cut the hole in the floor and go standard shift???

 

[mrbird09]

nice truck

 

[Spudhut]

I know this thread is dated but great info and glad the photos are still attached!