AZexploere4by's "Beast" Going Solid

AZexplorer4by's "Beast" Going Solid

Well Folks!!

I'm biting the bullet and going SAS..

This will be my setup..

Front axle is a 1973 F-150 dana 44 full width, with disc brake conversion and 4.09 gears w/ aussie locker

Rear axle is a 1973 F 150 9" full width. 4.11 gears and a track-loc rear posi

In the rear I'm going axle under and I'm going to use a set of 4" superlift springs and custom rockin' spring mounts and custom shock mounts.

In the front I'm going to use 1972 f 150 2wd spring buckets, Stock radius arms, 1979 F150 R/A mounts
7 degree wedge bushings. 5 1/2" wildhorses early bronco springs. If I need to leval the front I'll add factory ford coil spring spacers.

Wheels I'm still debating on, but will be 16X8 in size and the tires are going to be 285/75 R 16 (33.4"X11") BFG Mudders.

I'll keep ya up dated and post pics as this progesses..

Thanks, Kevin

 

[jimbo74]

cool... and full width means not having to do all that narrowing stuff.....

 

[azexplorer4by]

RE:

Yeppers,

It does, and I like full width because it makes the rig more stable, and we all know explorer reputation for roll-overs. I also don't like real wide tires so it shouldn't look to crazy, I hope..lol

 

[NOTAJP]

If you only want 4" of lift you might want to reconsider the front springs. 5 1/2" WH springs will net you a huge lift. I'm thinkin a 2" spring might still be a little high but should work well. Good luck on the swap. Sounds like it'll look good.

 

[azexplorer4by]

RE:

Thanks for the concern.

But with spring over axle and 4" springs that nets me 9 to 9 1/2" of lift in the rear. I'm not even sure if the wild horse 5 1/5" springs will give me enough front lift.

Kevin

 

[NOTAJP]

Oh, I'm so sorry. You wrote axle under and for some reason I was reading spring under. That makes much more since now. Now my concern is that is a very small tire for that much of lift. I'm running a spring over with an AAL (so around 7" of lift) and I can stuff the 35s. And that's a true 35" tire (315/70R17).

This is going to be one heck of a beast.

 

[azexplorer4by]

RE:

LOL... ya, thought you miss read!!

1st off I already own the tires, and second since I'm full width I'mnot sure where that will put me. As long as I can stuff these then I'll go taller later when I have more $$$$.. I'm not sure what, but I'l figure it out when I get there. Many of my Jeepster buddies have cherokee's with 8+" of lift and 33's and there rigs don't look weird, So I think I'll be good 4 a while..

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Sounds neat, great to see a slightly different setup than a lot of the SASs recently. Amazing how many different approaches there are to the same challenge. Also to see an SAS not going for tires taller than my brother is nice to see

Spring under for the back should be very good for controling axle wrap.

 

[azexplorer4by]

RE:

I's not going to be spring under.. but spring over axle Also called an SOA.. with 4" lift springs.

This will be a very tall Explorer.. But just not with Huge tires.

Kevin

 

[Hotweels]

8" lift with a 30" goodyear MTR

8" of lift with 35" grabber MT

a 33" wont look that bad

 

[brnbomr]

one thing i am doing the same thing but with 37s. how do you plan on mounting the front coil bucketsto the frame. what are you going to use. i have 73 f150 buckets my consern is the hump on the frame wont make it work. i have 4" springs and a add a leaf in the back and it has all the room it needs with some cuting.

 

[azexplorer4by]

RE buckets

I've looked at this extensively .. I'm gonna just notch the bucket out as far back as needed to to clear the hump (3 inches or so), then I'm gonna weld some angle to the back of the bucket and then mount that angle to the top of the frame. Thus making the mount strong and factory looking.

 

[brnbomr]

that sound like it will work but ther has to be a better way maybe narrower buckets (costom made) so all that cutting is not an issue. fab works in santa rosa ca will do it but not shure how much. im going up there tomarow ill let you know how much and explain how they do it.

 

[Dannyboy]

Well between reading this and seeing your emails it appears we are pretty close to the same point in the swap.

Do you plan on pushing the front axle forward? Lots of guys do it. I'm not sure if I am yet. I've got a great approach angle with my bumpers and that confuses me as to how to mount the track bar.

 

[azexplorer4by]

I'm gonna move the axle about 2" forward. I'm going to put the R/A brackets just in front of the tranny X-member and from there adjust where the coil buckets will end up. I'm waiting for my plasma cutter to make things easy and faster..