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.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Thats weird because I can see all the pictures I posted.

huh, now it works. it didnt before

 

[Rick]

Thats weird because I can see all the pictures I posted.

I fixed the first 35 pages. Still have a lot left to go but not tonight.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I fixed the first 35 pages. Still have a lot left to go but not tonight.

holy sheesh!!! 35 pages??!?!? dang thats alot!!! 1/5 of the way there

 

[Rick]

I think it's all good now. I fixed about 60 pages. The pages after 60 don't seem to have been affected. If you find any more let me know.

 

[BKennedy]

I took the Explorer for a drive around town. I think adjusting the park brake cable back to where it was before I messed with it got rid of the slow speed bump, bump, bump I was feeling. Thanks @410Fortune for the suggestion about binding brakes as it got me thinking in a different direction. Something simple is always nice.

The PS pump is completely silent. It also seems more consistent and smoother than the OEM pumps. I can turn the wheels from lock to lock on dry asphalt no problem. I haven't been in the dirt yet, but that will have to wait until I go back to Arizona next week. I think when I get back, I'll flush it again and refill with Lucas or Royal Purple PS fluid.

It's nice not having to worry about the seal between the reservoir and pump blowing when it's under stress like happened to me with the OEM style pumps twice. That big O-ring would go and blow all the fluid out in about 30 seconds (note to self to get the rebuild kit out of my on-board parts storage). Then its tow truck time.

 

[BKennedy]

Got to go off roading today. I am staying at a RV Park because it's too hot to dry camp on my property. Moss Wash trailhead is about 15 minutes from the park. It's a long, challenging technical trail, but not what I would consider difficult. Just about as difficult as its prudent to do solo on a 95* day. Its also a few thousand feet higher in elevation so it gets cooler as you progress up the trail. I've been as far as the mansion a few times, but this time I went through lower and upper Moss Wash trails. With breaks it took about 7 hours, so a nice full-day trail. Lower trail is in the wash and is mostly rocks with a few spots where you really need to pay attention. Upper trail is a tight twisty mountain trail that undulates through the forest for about 10 miles. It's amazing how the mountains around here have the same flora as San Diego County back country.
I only got a few pictures when I stopped at a flexy spot on the upper trail.

Edit: The power steering pump swap works outstanding in the dirt. I can turn the wheels with ease, even with the front locker engaged. It's completely silent, and I get more feedback through the steering wheel than before. Mercon V has a distinct smell when it gets warm though. I'm going to flush the system and use a dedicated PS fluid when I get back front this trip.

 

[410Fortune]

Nice!! Thanks for the report about the power steering, you are selling kits for them I am sure! That old pump gets so…. Well, old.

So cal is a desert as soon as you leave the beach

 

[BKennedy]

Power steering fluid: Hardly ever will it need to be changed, so Royal Purple, or Lucas, or?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Power steering fluid: Hardly ever will it need to be changed, so Royal Purple, or Lucas, or?

i used valvoline merc in mine, but thats a stock pump, youve got a saginaw, not sure if takes other stuff. i like RP fluids though in general. youre much more experienced that i though

 

[gmanpaint]

I think that's going to take some comparison testing research to replace the MV. Check into AmSoil as well.

 

[Rick]

I've ran Prestone PS fluid in mine since the pump was upgraded.

 

[BKennedy]

I'm still out in Kingman. I was looking at BLM maps and saw what looked like a trail a few miles down Stockton Hill Rd. When I got there, a older guy in a Rubicon was coming through the gate so I asked him about the trail. He looked at the Explorer, said "well, it looks like you could make it, but your by yourself and it's pretty rough." He said he wouldn't try even with another rig. I drove up this beautiful valley to the beginning of the rough part. No way. I could see how I might get over the first obstacle, but then.... I don't think anyone has been up that trail in years.
This is maybe a mile off the main road.

One way. That ledge is 3' tall and at the top of 4-5' of soft dirt. It's more like a ridge than a ledge as it drops down a few feet on the other side.

The other way. I could see that I could straddle the first gap in the rocks, but then it got worse.

It was nice doing a little exploring, and it was interesting that the guy in the Rubicon could see that I have a very capable rig.

I'm still getting that clunk that feels like it's coming from the body. Still trying to figure out what it is.

 

[BKennedy]

Still out driving around. On the way back to the property, I went up to a old dig site that is full if white and opaque quartz. Walked around in the shade of the mountain and picked up some nice pieces. What can I say, I like rocks.
It's also got a nice view of the city. The area below is filling up with million dollar houses. Seems like a new one is going in every time I come out here.

Trying to figure out how to get one of these real big white quartz pieces back to the property. Would make a nice address rock.

The guy I bought the backhoe from lives maybe a half a mile from here and he has a big loader. Hmmmm...

These rocks are about 6' each and beautiful. Pictures don't do them justice.

 

[Stic-o]

Looks like some fun trails nobody is running.

 

[BKennedy]

Back to the power steering pump swap. I've been driving the Explorer for the past few weeks. Highways, interstates, graded dirt, forest roads, technical rocky off road trails, etc. Pretty much every type of terrain. It was definitely worth the time and money. It's a obvious and subtle difference.

Obvious because I haven't found a surface where I can't steer those 35" Maxxis Razrs. Can even turn the wheel with the front elocker on, and both tires on rocks. And, completely silent.

Subtle because it's smoother in every way. Little more feedback through the wheel. Takes a little more effort on loose surface turns and cruising down the highway, and a lot less effort on hard surface turns. Works very well with tight steering gear boxes, like my Redhead. The way the reservoir is designed, there is plenty of head space to keep the fluid from contacting the cap even at extreme angles, so no more fluid loss through the cap.

In a previous post, I mentioned a smell when the fluid gets hot. The smell was actually synthetic brake fluid that had leaked out of the reservoir because I overfilled it. This pump seems to run hotter than the OEM, or get hotter faster, but there is no frothing or loss in power.

Related, but difference subject: My transmission cooler lines bypass the radiator, so the radiator trans fluid cooler is empty. I was tossing around the idea of using that for the power steering. I need to find out how the PS operating temp. range and see if it's compatible with the engine. Since I installed an all aluminum 3 core radiator, the engine hardly ever gets above the "O" in NORMAL and then only if I am running the AC. Not sure I want to jeopardize that, because I like the low temps. It would add almost a quart of PS steering fluid. I kept the tube and fittings when I bypassed the trans cooler lines so it would be a fairly easy job.

Currently, all of my systems are separate. Not sure I want to compromise that either. I might be making a issue where there is none, since the PS pump doesn't seem to get all that hot and I already have a in-line cooler and filter that add about a quart.

I just about have myself talked out of doing this.

So, is there anything I could do with that empty cooler space?

 

[410Fortune]

The size of the internal oil cooler in the radiator is silly, it is a tiny heat exchanger. In the past on this forum we have determined it is more of a transmission pre heater then it is an actual cooler, it does a better job of warming up the trans fluid then it does cooling anything,
My water temps are 190-215 while my trans runs at 140-160 I don’t want to bring my trans temps up!! Same goes for the power steering fluid.
I vote keep ‘em separated

by having the cooler lines open you also risk moisture in there and moisture in the cooler has caused the cooler to fail and the fluids to
Mix. Nothing worse then seeing red fluid in your coolant because now you know your trans (or ps in your case) has water in it

You would be better off adding a larger ps cooler in place of the factory unit. The 05+ rangers use a large aluminum tube that snakes around the front of the engine, I bet these late Model factory coolers work really well

 

[BKennedy]

I have a plate and fin cooler for the PS. 1994's didn't come with one. I'll just leave it alone for now. I'm not having any issues, the opposite in fact.

I drove across I40 from the RV park I'm staying at near Kingman. Into the mountains 10 minutes later. Did some exploring and metal detecting. Went past where I was last week, found some workings. There was metal everywhere, so no good for detecting, but the view was outstanding.

Went to the Enterprise Mine, which has a large quartz tailings pile. Got hits on a bunch little quartz rocks. I'll take them home and see what's inside. That mine produced a lot of different minerals.

Took another trail and found the lower adit. Don't go into mines when by myself, but I need to come back here with someone because it looks interesting. The upper adit is closed off.

On the way out, I took a different forest trail that went east for a few miles, then a wash that went back north towards I40. Eventually ran into another trail that connected back with the main road. 10 minutes later, back at the RV. The trails I took today are all fairly easy, just steep and overgrown. Just have to not mind a few Arizona pinstripes to do them.

 

[Kirby N.]

this sag pump is super interesting. I hate the whine and I noticed the new pump I installed seems to be leaking. It was pretty quiet until my dad was helping me bleed it and watching the reservoir and he let it go dry once in the process. Then it became loud like all the other ford units. Do you have a link to a more in depth write up?

 

[BKennedy]

Towards the bottom of this page. Gmanpaint did a good write up.

Pugly

The Good, The Bad, & the Pugly :D 1994 Purple Explorer XLT 4wd I decided to have a registry for my "Other" rig so I can post things done and have a reference for it. Pretty much stock drive train. 4.0 OHV-A4ld-1354e. D35 front 4:56 Yukon gears, Aussie Locker. 2nd gen disc 8.8 rear 4:56...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[BKennedy]

I went for a epic drive today in the mountains near Williams. I haven't been up here in at least 20 years and forgot how beautiful it is here. 100's of miles of forest roads and trails. I've been using Avensa GPS mapping with my phone, and there are lots of forest maps downloadable, so I had a good idea where I wanted to go. I left about 5PM, knowing it might get dark before I got back. Went out 4th from Williams, then went up Bill Williams Peak, which is over 9,000' in elevation.

Coming down the mountain I almost ran over a side-by-side who was coming towards me in the middle of the road around a blind curve. He never even slowed down, but I'm sure he heard my greeting as we passed. By the time I got back to the highway it was after 7. What the heck, keep going. Went to the next forest road on the right (122). That is a easy road that meanders through a lot of forest and took about an hour with a short stop to shoot off about $30 worth of .45 ACP. Took that road to the end where it T's with road 108. I could have gone right and gone back to town, and since it was near full dark that would have been the wise choice..
Left turn. Forest road 108 is very well maintained, and mostly gravel. I hauled down it with a average speed of 35 MPH, which was pretty fast for a road I have never been on before. That took about 45 minutes to get back to pavement. Didn't come across another vehicle the entire time. Did see a bunch of campers off 108. 15 minutes later I'm back at the RV. I took a cruise through old town Williams, which is full of restaurants and tourist shops, and people, on the way back. Explorer just cruises down those forest roads.