BMXking's Axle Swap 1st gen. Coils/Radius Arms!!!

Well, I finally decided to start a thread on it. For those of you who don't know, I will be doing a full-width swap. High-Pinion Dana 44 front and Ford 9" rear. I am still looking for the HP D44, but I picked up the 9" Monday. I have never really done a lot of work on axles, so this will definitely be a long process, but I have already done a lot of research about this(and am still learning a TON). I plan on doing as much of it myself as I possibly can, but will have a shop do the regear for me.

FRONT AXLE
-1977 F-150 HP D44 Full-Width $200 - Moved Forward ~1.5”
-Myers Machine Coil Seats $40 shipped
-6* Pro Comp Pinion shims under coil buckets (to fix coil angle) $18
-CAGE Offroad 5.5” Coil Springs $150 shipped
-Coil Buckets Spaced Out 2.5" (3/16" x 2.5" x 6.5") $FREE
-Bronco Graveyard 78-79 Coil Spring Tower, Pair $90.80 shipped
-F250 Shock Towers $28 shipped
-Stock Axle Shafts(for now) $FREE
-Warn Premium Hubs $72
-Extended, Plated, Heimed, Wristed 1978-1979 Bronco/F-150 Radius Arms $222 shipped
-CAGE Radius Arm Mounts $FREE w/ R/A's
-Adjustable Superlift (p/n 1080) track bar (76-79 Ford f150/78-79 Bronco) w/ Energy Suspension poly bushings $125
-Skyjacker Stainless Steel Braided Lines for lifted D35 TTB's $90
-Bronco Graveyard 66-75 Early Bronco Adj. Bracket $45
-New F150 tie-rods & stock Explorer drag link (w/ red poly dust boots) $121
-Stock pitman arm $FREE
-Raybestos Professional Grade $19.95 shipped
-Powerslot slotted rotors $120
-Rebuilt Calipers $26
-Completely rebuilt (seals/bearings/ball joints/u-joints/etc.) $260.23
-Energy Suspension Red 7* C-Bushings $21
-Stock Explorer D-shaft w/ 1310 D44 pinion yoke for stock Explorer u-joints $FREE
-Rancho RS5000 shocks $20
-Bronco Graveyard Upper Coil Spring Retainers $22
-Rancho RS5000 steering stabilizer w/ custom bracket $25



REAR AXLE
-1983 Ford 9" $85
-Rubicon Express Anti-Wrap perches welded SOA $35
-Wild Horses Weld-On Shock Mounts $15
-Stock Springs w/ AAL and red rear poly bushings $10
-Stock Axle shafts w/ new bearings, seals, collars, etc $140
-94-99 Dodge Ram 1500 front rotors $58 shipped
-'76 Cadallic Eldorado Calipers w/ e-brake $155 w/ core calipers
-'78 F150 Extended Stainless Steel Braided Rear Brake Hose $45.34
-Custom Bent Brake Lines (w/ 3/8" ends) $8
-'79 Caddy Eldorado Brake Line end box thing $FREE
-7/16" Banjo Bolt for '76 calipers $5
-Bendix Brake Pads $35
-Speedway Motors GM Large Caliper bracket (7" mounting points) $40 2-day shipped
-Cut off mounting points from Ford 9" drums to use as spacers for the disc conversion (no longer a backing plate behind the shaft) $FREE
-Third Member from eBay (4.88s, mini spool) $150
-BC Broncos Disc Brake Conversion Wheel Studs $15
-Wild Horses Super Duty U-bolt Kits $60
-Extended/balanced rear driveshaft w/ stock 1310 to match the 1310 on the axle $123.63
-Skyjacker Nitro 8000 shocks for 2" lift Explorer $FREE
-Copper Third Member Washers $12.24

TIRES
-37x12.50-16 Maxxis Creepy Crawlers $400.00

WHEELS (5 on 5.5)
-16x8 Black Rock Crawlers $293

Grade 8 Hardware: $200

Tig Welding: $200

Parts Sold
-Stock Third Member w/ 3.50s and open diff -$50
-Lower Coil Mounts -$25
-Stock Radius Arms -$25
-31x10.50 Dunlop Mud Rovers, 15x8 black rock crawler wheels, Skyjacker 2” lift coils, drop-in K&N, front Skyjacker Nitro 8k shocks, Dual CB Antenna Mounts/Coax, and 235/75r15 spare tire, APC Ultra-White Bulbs, Radius Arm Bushings, Sway Bar Bushings -$415
-Ford 8.8 - 3.27 gears, 31 spline, stock limited slip, drum brakes, SUA, great condition. -$70
-Front Axle Shafts -$60

TOTAL: $3156.24





Future Upgrades:
Dana 44 -
-30 spline ARB
-Yukon 4.88s
-Warn Chromoly Inner and Outer Shafts, Moser Max 44 shafts, or Superior Axles
-Dedenbear flat top knuckles
-Blue Torch Fabworks Hi-Steer Arms
-Rancho RS9000X adj. shocks
-Late 70s T-Bird calipers (1/4" bigger piston, and still use Bronco pads )

Ford 9" -
-New Strange Nodular Iron Case w/ 3.250 carrier bearing (STR-N1906) $359 Summit Racing
-Moser Spool and Axle Package Number 1 (ASP1) - 35 spline full steel spool for 3.250 case, 35 spline custom alloy axles, Axle bearings, 5 on 5.5, 1/2" studs $590 Moser Engineering
-Yukon 4.88s (F9-486) $139 PORC
-Daytona Pinion Support 3.250 case (STR-N1914) $115 Summit Racing
-R&P Master Install Kit for 9" Ford-3.250 Case, Daytona Pinion Support(R9FDD) $100 Moser Engineering
-Pinion Yoke 1310 - 28spline pinion (may upgrade to 1350 if I get a new t-case) (PY210) $90 Moser Engineering
-Axle Breather Vent $12 Bronco Graveyard
-Axle Truss
-Rancho RS9000X adj. shocks
-94-02 Dodge Ram 4x4 Powerslot Slotted Rotors

Now on to the pics!

 

[ohe_boy]

I got them from Bill Myers on RRORC. Last set he made. I did not rotate the spring retainer in. It'll be set up with the 2.5" box steel to space it out. I'll need to pull the front end in a couple of months for the regear/ARB/Warn chromos, so if the springs are a bit "bowed" in, I'll drill another hole to turn them in the needed amount.

Dang, thats some nice retainers. Wouldn't mind picking up a set like those. Ok, I had the same idea with the coils. But I was wondering if you turn the retainers in, the "molding" of the retainers will be facing in a different position instead of facing straight out. I guess we'll see!!

So does this mean that you won't be finishing up your swap til another month or so???

Oh and what did you do to your rear shock mounts on the axle? Did you move them?

 

[bmxking5]

Dang, thats some nice retainers. Wouldn't mind picking up a set like those. Ok, I had the same idea with the coils. But I was wondering if you turn the retainers in, the "molding" of the retainers will be facing in a different position instead of facing straight out. I guess we'll see!!

So does this mean that you won't be finishing up your swap til another month or so???

Oh and what did you do to your rear shock mounts on the axle? Did you move them?

Not really sure what you mean about the "molding" of the retainers. My retainers are the same all around except for the two holes tapped in the side for the angle iron.

I'm trying to finish it all up for Friday. I'll be out of school, so it will be a nice test day. I'll pull the axle out later when I get it regeared.

For the shock mounts, I got some from Wild Horses that are curved to fit the rear axle. They're gonna be welded on there once I get the rest of it all welded this week. I'm putting them on the axle, similar to how Svande did his.

 

[TheRookie]

seems like some threads everyone knows and some threads no one knows.

For the rear shock mount simply use the upper bolt location for the sway bar. You can do this keeping or removing your sway bar. All that is needed is longer bolts

 

[bmxking5]

That would work.....if I still had an 8.8.

 

[TheRookie]

.. sometimes I am a moron, sorry. I forgot you were using the 9 inch. For mine I kinda cheated. I took an angle grinder and cut the old shock mounts off the stock spring plates. Then ground them down to match the curve of the axle tube a little better. Finaly I just welded them where I wanted to the tube. Total cost = FREE.

 

[bmxking5]

That's what I was planning, but when I needed to order from WH anyways, and the shock mounts were 15 bucks, I decided I would just save the time and get new, thicker ones.

 

[bmxking5]

Rewired my Hellas and CB today. When I wired those I didn't work at a shop where I was wiring everyday. Now that I look at it, it looked like a hack job, so I rewired it all yesterday and today. I'm trying to have it ready to go by Friday since we're out of school. I've already found the testing grounds for it.

 

[RockRanger]

looking good. Howabout some non fuzzy daylight pictures next time.

 

[jasonb]

I've already found the testing grounds for it.

and where would that be? Pour a pile rocks in your yard?

 

[034x4]

Bring that to tellico march 24-26!

 

[bmxking5]

and where would that be? Pour a pile rocks in your yard?

No need to pour them in my yard, I can drive over the pile of rocks out in front of 4 Wheel Drive Parts Center whenever I want to.

I was on Southern Jeeps, and a guy with a TJ on 35s broke a bunch of stuff at FS79 (tray mountain....~1 hour from me). So I had to find out where it was. Found some pics of a Land Rover club down there and it showed a few v-ditches, etc. There was even some winching because the Rover got high centered on one of the hills. So I'll probably go there since it's the closest legal & free trail that I haven't conquered on 31s.

well, we decided to go to tray mountain FS 79. Has some decent trails for a novice offroader. Had a good time. I broke a few things..Upper rear control arm, rear trac bar, front sway bar endlink lost its bolt and bushing, passenger side coil spring twisted alittle.now it sits about 1" lower on the passenger side. I know what i'll be doing sunday afternoon.

Sounds like it'll be fun.

 

[Stic-o]

Arn't you done yet? I'm about to start mine already

 

[wheelin42001]

Help me get mine rollin and we can take both our truck for a maiden voyage!! Still need to replace some seals on mine, and get a ebrake and get it aligned, goooood aweful death wobble.... i don't like ditches anymore!

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

so whats left to do? Sterering, tires and brakes?

 

[bmxking5]

The steering is ready, just needs to be bolted up (and I need to find two castle nuts that will fit the tie rod). The buckets, radius arm mounts, and trac bar bracket all need to be drilled and bolted up to the frame. The caliper brackets for the back need to be built as well, and then bolted up. I'll probably get a good amount done tomorrow after work. Then the tires and wheels need to be bolted up and I need to get it aligned. That's it!

EDIT: Brian (breel) just said he'd mail me some castle nuts for the tie rod. So I've got that taken care of now.

 

[ohe_boy]

Cool bmxking, you got it done!

Waiting for pics....

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

wating on pic's as well

 

[bmxking5]

Well, it's dark again and I didn't get any pics today. Worked late then had to ship the old hubs to 034x4. The earliest date for finishing it is Monday. I was trying to put in new races into the hub and it wobbles around a lot in there (only in one. Both inner races are the same). The hubs has been wollowed out and so I need to order a new one for the other side. The hub housing is 87 bucks, and I won't get to go to the bank til Friday, and it'll take 1 day to get here. So the earliest it'll be driving is Monday-Tuesday.

 

[21robbie21]

sorry you wont get to take it out this weekend, but atleast now i have a shot at tagging along when your axles loose their virginity even though those others pics are fuzzy, its lookin realllllllllll goood, i cant wait to see it finished and in person.

 

[Bruces expo]

hey at least its getting done tho. im gettin my new trans for my el camino so i can have somethin to play hard with