Approaching a crossroad, need some advice

[Limited Ex]

Definitely not quite there, but I know it is coming. At some point in the near future, I am going to want to start redoing the front suspension on my Explorer. The stock beam setup is no longer holding any love for me, or I for it.

Over the past few weeks now I have been looking into either a long travel TTB kit, or going solid. Here are the catches however:

1. I know nothing about welding. If I decided to go solid, I'd have to have help on that front, unless I buy a welder and learn how to use it.

2. Which is why I am considering a LT TTB setup (Autofab) because I am 90% confident I could do that install myself. And I am thinking in the long run it may be cheaper.

3. I use my Explorer for camping trips and hauling gear and friends so it needs to be roadworthy, and it seems like (based purely on my assumption) that a solid axle would be better. I know a couple guys on here have LT TTB kits, so questions are going to get asked

4. I know there are a ton of parts needed for a SAS, it overwhelms me a tad, but I saw this fella in the B/S/T forum with all this for sale, and that looks like the majority of what would be needed. What are some thoughts on that stuff?

Just looking for input right now. And a little direction

 

[CopyKat]

Keep the TTB and go with a LT kit for sorts.

 

[94 Crawler]

The ttb would probably be the best bolt on option. AS it takes a lot of fab to do a sas. Unless you go d44 from an Early Bronco. Remember the week point in the 44 is the axles. Uses the same U-joint as the ttb 35. The low pinion in the EB drives on the coast side of the ring gear which gives you no advantage over the 35. I've grown to like the cut and turned beams, with a good locker, in stock form you should be good as long as you dont hit a lot of realy rough stuff and push it. In my opiniopn if you are going solid for searious trails go all out 60's front and rear or hybrids. If not stick with the ttb stay off the gas so much, concider a doubler to creep through the bad stuff. In the verry end however it is going to come down to what makes you happy. Good luck and keep us posted.

Also I've been concidering a trip to URE some time later in the summer. Maby we can arrange a meet and greet.

 

[Limited Ex]

Meet and greet would be awesome. Especially at URE, I have not been there in a long while. Its the reason my truck has been down so much the last couple months

Its funny to me that I have received responses from you two, because I have looked hard at both your guys suspension setups. Hows the drivability? I want to keep my Explorer as flexible, use wise, as possible and not make it solely my offroad vehicle.

 

[94 Crawler]

Mine flexes well abought 16" front and rear. I havent worked out all of the bugs from the 5.0 swap yet. Lots of little things and it needs an alignment. What little I have driven it it seams mild mannered even with the sway bar disconected. I do have 4 5000 seres Rancho's in the back (big help) and two in front. It drives better than my work van 07' E-250. Also concider the superunner stearing, it is suposed to help corect tire wear issues. I think streetability can only be improved by good suspension components.

 

[canyoncritter]

The autofab kits are pretty straight forward installs. You do need to weld in the crossmeber(1.5 tube) to the plates that bolt between the radius arm mounts.
Other than that it's pretty much bolt on and clearance the axle port window in the passenger side beam.and cutt the radius arm/coilspring mounting bolts/studs that go in the beam for axle clerance.
I also had to remount my fuel filter,and I re routed my brake hardlines a little diffrent so the lines came out behind the coil buckets to get the soft lines out of the springs way.

33 x 12.50's are about the biggest you can go with the 6inch d35 kit with out tubing the firewall or bumping the bump travel early. I know my 33's just clear under full bump and full lock(right left) after cleaning up the firewall pinch seams.and just clear the coil buckets(I also have the autofab adj. coil buckets).I also run 7inch rims like john recomends.
My kit is on rubber bushing's all the way around also, and swings more than the springs can handle.

one thing I would suggest also is if you do alot of rock/trail climbing and loceked up I would have the passenger side beam plated on the back to prevent it from ripping in the seams whre the beams go's from fully boxed to open

orrr were you thinking the d44 kit?

Email john and tell him what you want out of your truck overall.He is the only shop owner I have ever dealt with that will say, my products not for you,rather than taking your money for just a sale if thats the case.


Just a tip if you call the shop, and you get one of the luvly female voices anwsering the phone,ask if John is busy before asking for john.Darrin is anouther good guy to ask questions with too. And even the ladies know alittle bit too in general.

 

[Limited Ex]

Great information guys

Thats all the wheeling I do is trail/climbing. And I had been eyeballing the D44 kit pretty hard....I am going to give him a call in the next couple weeks and see what he suggests. Maybe he'll tell me just to keep my money: That would be a shame...

 

[CodePoet]

1. I know nothing about welding. If I decided to go solid, I'd have to have help on that front, unless I buy a welder and learn how to use it.

This is what I did Picked up a 60 dollar tombstone from craigslist and started burning through some rods. Not that hard...it's ARC so it's abit messier but learn it and you're golden for nicer machines

3. I use my Explorer for camping trips and hauling gear and friends so it needs to be roadworthy, and it seems like (based purely on my assumption) that a solid axle would be better. I know a couple guys on here have LT TTB kits, so questions are going to get asked

I know that with better steering the ttb will perform nicer on road. But even the long travel ttb will have the same inherent issues as the stock setup. That being said, i'd love to build another 1st gen with a LT TTB

4. I know there are a ton of parts needed for a SAS, it overwhelms me a tad, but I saw this fella in the B/S/T forum with all this for sale, and that looks like the majority of what would be needed. What are some thoughts on that stuff?

Curious what other parts you believe an sas will require. Thinking back on my sas here's what I can come up...

Axle (both the LT TTB and SAS)
Coils (both the LT TTB and SAS)
Shocks (both the LT TTB and SAS)
Gears (both the LT TTB and SAS)
Trac bar/drag link (both the LT TTB and SAS)
Swing set steering to get a really sweet setup (LT TTB)
Radius Arms (both the LT TTB and SAS)
Crossmemeber **i would think** (both the LT TTB and SAS)
Coil Buckets (possibly both the LT TTB and SAS)
Trac Bar (SAS)
Trac Bar Mount (SAS)

Solid may be overkill for what you plan on doing. I don't know...thought your thread needed a pro SAS post haha. Good deal of work for either one. Don't know which would be cheaper...either one could get outa hand quick. I have less than 2k in my sas though...and I don't think i've hacked anything together

 

[Limited Ex]

Rock on, I was hoping to get a SAS'er in here

If I knew how to weld, then I don't believe I would have any issue going solid. Here lately I have been seeing some pretty decent deals on sas stuff in the BST forum.

Another thing for me is I know very very little about axles, other than what I have. Obviously I could learn, but I could also just stick to what I know : However, I am not expecting this to happen soon. I actually have the opportunity to start working with a welder to learn the trade, but I am not sure if thats a direction I want to go career wise.

Until then, I am enjoying reading thoughts from both parties

 

[CodePoet]

Rock on, I was hoping to get a SAS'er in here

If I knew how to weld, then I don't believe I would have any issue going solid. Here lately I have been seeing some pretty decent deals on sas stuff in the BST forum.

Another thing for me is I know very very little about axles, other than what I have. Obviously I could learn, but I could also just stick to what I know : However, I am not expecting this to happen soon. I actually have the opportunity to start working with a welder to learn the trade, but I am not sure if thats a direction I want to go career wise.

Until then, I am enjoying reading thoughts from both parties

I was worried about the welding as well. I'm by no means an expert but I can lay a pretty decent bead...all it takes is some practice. If you have a buddy who knows how to weld have him teach you while you do the SAS. That way you can do the work and learn from a pro. I have actually made most of my parts bolt on. But, quite abit of welding is still required.

I'm sure that you already have the basic knowledge about axles. What axle will probably be based on your desired tire size and weather or not you want to swap out the rear. All of that information can be gleaned from this site in a couple nights worth of reading.

Big job no doubt. The TTB may be easier as it's more of a bolt in kit. However alot of the complexity of an SAS will be determined by how you plan on doing it.

 

[4x4junkie]

You didn't mention exactly what it was on the TTB that wasn't loving you anymore...

If it's the flex (or lack of it), then you may just need to get away from the stiff TTB lift coils (you wouldn't want those coils on a SAS either, they suck), then throw some longer shocks and radius arms on it if you don't already have them.

However the biggest thing by far that's going to affect your street handling will definitely be the steering.
Swingsets no doubt are the s#!t, although stuff like the Superrunner K-link (and even the stock Y-crap if it's kept perfectly flat) can give some very acceptable performance if the geometry on it is done properly (specifically the matching of the centerlink height on the K-link to the beam pivot axis).

I just have stock beams on my BII, and am pulling right about 20" flex. The only things I did beam-wise were widen the window on the pass. side beam for the axleshaft, and plate up the back of it like canyoncritter mentions. I also had to trim the length of the p-side RA bolts to keep them from hitting the axleshaft when flexed.
Currently I don't think I've got much over $700 or so tied up into the front suspension (which includes a Superlift K-link steering. I did bend a tierod on a rock the other day though so I may start looking into some beefier replacements for it).

WTF's with Cardomain??

ok I give up anyone else having a problem?. I can't get pics to link from there anymore when I do it, but it still works for others? :thumbdwn: