Bkennedy's SAS and Rebuild Thread

As some of you know, I am working on building a parts list for a shortened Dana 44, long radius arm with coil overs SAS. 5:13 gears to match my rear axle and an ARB, maybe an electric locker. I have a pretty good list so far. At the same time, I am going to swap out the rear drum brakes for discs off of a 99 Explorer.

Please note: The plan is to keep this project as simple as possible with mostly off the shelf parts. I am not a fabricator, just a decent welder with a what I would consider the minimum required tools (chop saw, cut off wheels, air tools, welder, etc.), who likes doing his own work. Your opinions are welcome, but what I really need is technical advice. I have been thinking about this for several years and now have the time and cash to make it happen. Please keep on topic with your advice and don't go off on a side track about how you would do it as a four-link, or caged arms, or leave the axle full-width because that is not what I want. I want a simple-ish set up that works.

 

[BKennedy]

why not just invest in an aluminum link for the bottom. a 1 time investment.

I have been doing the press fix for mine for a long time now, but will be upgrading to an aluminum link across the bottom since it will bend back to original location. Ruff Stuff sells them

Main reason is its expensive, and mine is set up with a saddle type mount tig welded on for the drag link.

I will try the way I was thinking first, then if it bends again, replacing.

I was going to use my winch and a tree saver to try to straighten it, but it is so mildly bowed that it didn't change the toe, so decided to wait until I got home. Give it a better chance of success.

 

[josh40601]

Main reason is its expensive.

that's why I still have a bent one. lol

 

[FR-425]

Have it heat treated.

A case hardening will make it into spring steel.

 

[DB_1]

Have it heat treated.

A case hardening will make it into spring steel.

It's just 1020 DOM and heat treating would have no affect on it. It needs to be cro-moly to be heat treatable. That tie rod is too small imo, I'd go 1.5 x .250 wall...but still anything can be bent. I think Matt bent his tie rod once and it was 1.5 x .250 wall cro mo. Ideally having heat treated cro mo would be as strong as you can get.

 

[BKennedy]

Thanks for the tie rod info. I will have to deal with it next month, as this month I am actually busy.

While I was cleaning up the Explorer from its dirt bath last weekend, I took the time to replace the door panel clips. They were all worn out and the only thing keeping the panel's on was the handles. $5 on eBay got me 30 new clips. Said they for 81 and up Mustangs, but are also for Explorers.
Old

New

Was 4 clips short, but the panel's are holding. Just for reference, 94 Explorer door panels have 8 clips on front, 9 on rear.

 

[FR-425]

It's just 1020 DOM and heat treating would have no affect on it. It needs to be cro-moly to be heat treatable. That tie rod is too small imo, I'd go 1.5 x .250 wall...but still anything can be bent. I think Matt bent his tie rod once and it was 1.5 x .250 wall cro mo. Ideally having heat treated cro mo would be as strong as you can get.

http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=6114

Just FYI

 

[DB_1]

http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=6114

Just FYI

That will only get you case hardening which only hardens the surface. Chro mo can be through hardened or normalized which is what's needed in the off road world to resist those pesky rocks.
Given a choice, I'd go with heat treated Cro-mo

 

[gmanpaint]

What about using cryo freezing treatment for pipe? It's pretty cheap to do. Bend it back, freeze it, and then use it.

 

[BKennedy]

My idea of finding some thick wall tube to press inside the tie rod is a fail. I thought it was 1-1/4 OD x 1/4" wall, but it's a funky sized 1-1/8 OD. No standard tube or hardened rod will fit. Can't sleeve the outside because of the saddle for the drag link and can't match the OD with the ID of a heavy enough wall tube to make it worth while.

Going to get it to the machine shop tomorrow and see what they can do with it. He can press it straight, but that's a temporary fix. Maybe he can come up with something else.

 

[josh40601]

what's the ID of the funky tube?

 

[RockRanger]

I'd go 1.5 x .250 wall...but still anything can be bent. I think Matt bent his tie rod once and it was 1.5 x .250 wall cro mo. Ideally having heat treated cro mo would be as strong as you can get.

Mine is 1.5x.250 cro mo. I have a sliggt bend in it. Maybe 1/32 of an inch. You cant see it unless you hold a strait edge to it. I am still running it as is.

 

[Stic-o]

Mine is 1.5x.250 cro mo. I have a sliggt bend in it. Maybe 1/32 of an inch. You cant see it unless you hold a strait edge to it. I am still running it as is.

Mine is the same size. But mine is DOM. I try not to run into things with the front axle after ditching the IFS

 

[BKennedy]

Mine is the same size. But mine is DOM. I try not to run into things with the front axle after ditching the IFS

We all try, but stuff happens

 

[james t]

Mine is the same size. But mine is DOM. I try not to run into things with the front axle after ditching the IFS

Mine is the same size Dom, but looks more like Jack Nicholson smiling. Still drives great at highway speeds, so I just leave it be.

 

[BKennedy]

what's the ID of the funky tube?

Can't get a proper measurement because the ends are threaded and my calipers are not that deep (3+ inches). It seems to be thicker walled than 1/4" which is what BC Broncos says it is. 1-1/8", minus 1/2" should be 5/8". No where that I could find is there 5/8" OD thick walled tubing or cro-mo solid rod.

Can't leave it along, because its more like a Jack Nicholson as the Joker smile and it rubs on the drag link at full passenger side compression. And, it bugs me.

 

[RockRanger]

Did you try mcmaster carr? I looked real quick and it looks like they have some that might work.

 

[19Ranger94]

I have to say the details in this thread are awesome! I have really used this as an outline for my own build. my one question though is did you end up trying the 94 f150 mc? did it work just fine with the stock booster?

 

[Rick]

While still on the subject of brakes. Do you have a photo of how you bypassed your ABS pump? I still have mine in there and would like to free up the space.

 

[BKennedy]

Did you try mcmaster carr? I looked real quick and it looks like they have some that might work.

Didn't try that, the machine shop guy says he will find some proper material to sleeve it with. I will post up when I get it back.

I have to say the details in this thread are awesome! I have really used this as an outline for my own build. my one question though is did you end up trying the 94 f150 mc? did it work just fine with the stock booster?

Kept the 99' MC in place. Adjusted the proportioning valve some more and removed the shims in the front calipers. Seems to have much more braking power now, but still not perfect. I am satisfied with it for now. What I am experiencing now is brake fade. Brakes work good at speed, fade quickly while slow crawling. Still work, but pedal gets soft.

While still on the subject of brakes. Do you have a photo of how you bypassed your ABS pump? I still have mine in there and would like to free up the space.

There is really nothing there to take a picture of as I removed the entire ABS pump, wiring, etc.. I used the OEM passenger side brake line since it was longer. One end to the MC, the other end I ran to the engine cross member and centered over the differential. Cut it down to length and installed the proper fittings. Used a 12-14" extended SS brake line from the hard line at the cross member to the hard line "T" manifold on the axle at the differential.

 

[josh40601]

I have the same brake fade problem on D. Based on what you said above, my brake hydraulics are pretty similar to yours as well. Completely bypassed the ABS pump by running hardline. ABS light of course is on in the cab, but the whole pump and everything is gone.