BMXking's Axle Swap 1st gen. Coils/Radius Arms!!! | Page 47 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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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 :thumbsup: )

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!
 

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x2 - not daily driver tires
 



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i mean...they arent made with street driving in mind. They are a VERY soft compound.

Perfect! Soft tires that last 2 months on the street and they are low profile on dubs for cornering!!! Sounds like a useful combo.

Actually, I looked up those rims. They aren't as expensive as I thought. Still, I would purchase some black steelies 15s and use the extra for a winch if I built it. Either way, I dig some of the parts used in this build.
 






Perfect! Soft tires that last 2 months on the street and they are low profile on dubs for cornering!!! Sounds like a useful combo.

Nah, the SSRs (on there now) arent a soft compound. They are actually pretty hard for a swamper. The Creepy Crawlers are the comp tires that arent made to last, they are made to get you up the rock ;)
 






i was about to say..the SSR is the most road friendly tire interco makes...those old creppy crawlers were bad a$$ and had the baddest tread pattern ever !! id like to find a good set like his old ones for $400
 






i was about to say..the SSR is the most road friendly tire interco makes...
I think the TrXus STS is the most road friendly tire interco makes. Or actually, its a toss up between the STS and the Thornbird ;) The T-bird has an awful rep for off-road.
 






No, thornturds suck on road too. They ride about the same as a TSL bias and are almost as noisy.
 






I wore out my first set of swampers early last spring. That was my last set of swampers. They were too soft and too loud. I didn't think they out performed my MTRs offroad either. I am going to stick with BFGs or goodyears from now on.
 






MTRs are awesome ! sticky as shiat in the rocks, good in mud, and very road friendly..and radial
 






MTRs are awesome ! sticky as shiat in the rocks, good in mud, and very road friendly..and radial


Not sure what kind of mud you took them in...but they are AWFUL in any kind of stucky mud. They are classified as an all-terrain tire, but yes they are great on dry rock (out west) and on the road. They are a good all around tire..they arent as mean as they look though unfortunately.
 






Actually, I looked up those rims. They aren't as expensive as I thought. Still, I would purchase some black steelies 15s and use the extra for a winch if I built it. Either way, I dig some of the parts used in this build.
Like I said before, I was planning on getting the BFG Mud Terrains. They are only made in a 37 in a 17 inch wheel. I bought the wheels and tires at the same time. Wheels got here very quick and after two weeks, our distributor finally came out and told us that the tires had been on backorder for 3 months and had no idea when they'd be here. That's the only reason I got 17s. SSR's ended up being about 40 bucks cheaper per tire compared to the BFG so I am happy with them for the money and look. Also keep in mind I work at a shop too, so I got awesome deals on these parts compared to what they're selling for on the net. I already am getting a winch. I'm getting a Mile Marker 9k for 125 bucks whenever I get around to picking it up(yes it works just fine).

I would take the SSR's any day over the STS or thornturd. I think their both ugly tires and I haven't heard good things about either compared to the SSR. I've heard bad stuff about SSR sidewalls, but my boss ran 35s for a while on his offroaded Z71 and now runs 37s on his TJ which has been through Grey Rock, Tellico, etc several times. No problems after having them over 2 years on the TJ(still at ~50% tread).
 






Like I said before, I was planning on getting the BFG Mud Terrains. They are only made in a 37 in a 17 inch wheel.

I am a big fan of the bfg mts and ats. I would probably have gotten them instead of the MTRs if they came in a 37 x 15. That annoys me that they are only available in a 17. The other reason I got the MTRs was I got a sceaming deal on them mounted on my rims. Your rims aren't much more expensive than mine brand new- from what I saw;) got mine off some guys buggy used.

slravene said:
Not sure what kind of mud you took them in...but they are AWFUL in any kind of stucky mud. They are classified as an all-terrain tire, but yes they are great on dry rock (out west) and on the road. They are a good all around tire..they arent as mean as they look though unfortunately..
I don't wheel mud at all so it works out. Wheeled in chest high snow today and those MTRs did great. Way better than some no name mudders my sister had or some bfg mudders my brother had or even some BFG a/ts my other brother had of course mine were taller than all of them so that had something to do with it...
 






MTR's are an "out west" tire. Actually, they work awesome around here as long as its dry. The problem is in places like Hot Springs, Clayton, Gilmer etc. is that when it rains you get rocks covered in mud, and mud between the rocks. Then they go from being an awesome tire to not that great.
 






I second the MTRs being crappy in mud, but They still are better than, say the ATKO.

Anyway, it looks nice, It`s amazing that those tires don`t rub. No probs with that?
 






They actually do rub a little now when at full lock w/ a bit of uptravel. I trimmed enough before to clear the old tires (only measured about 36.2" when they were brand new, while these measure a true 37). I'm gonna do a little extra trimming on it this week, but I don't wanna cut out too much more. When I 4 link it, I won't rub as much (axle is gonna be pushed forward some more), and I can do the final trimming for my new wheelbase.
 












I already have a wristed arm.
-I want to push the front axle up some more
-I hate that the coils mount on top of the r/a's (needing shims under them to sit level)
-My coils rub on the bolts for my coil bucket, so they make a lot of squeeking noises.
I need to go to hi-steer no matter what suspension setup I go with. I figured if I had to redo the coil buckets (push them forward, etc), then I've got issues with the radius arms being too short (the mount is already at the trans crossmember, so I'd need to build a whole new x-member), among a lot of other things. It isn't that much more work/cost to build custom links and go to a 4-link. All the steel tubing is free, tapping them is free, and I get a discount through all our distributors (BTF, poison spyder...)
 












Not sure when I'll actually start the 4-link. Tomorrow, my D44 Rancho steering stabilizer kit will be coming in to replace the stabilizer and bracket that I half-ass built in my driveway lol. I'm also measuring for some RS9000x adjustables for the front end and will get those ordered tomorrow. I've got a 3/4" tube adapter on the way so I can finally fix my adjustable trac bar and install that. I'm getting some 1 ton Chevy TREs and DOM tubing this week as well and going TRE over knuckle (til I get the Reid Racing/Dedenbear knuckles and BTF arms). Double cardan rear driveshaft will be going in soon too. After I install all of those, and see the affects on my truck, I'll decide how soon I'm going 4-link. Whenever I do 4-link it, I plan to build my own links using Evo joints and DOM...bling.
 






I shortened my Superlift adjustable trac bar finally and put it on. Finally, for the first time since I did my axle swap, the axle is centered up under the truck. I put on the Rancho steering stabilizer a couple of weeks ago too. My Rancho RS9000x adjustable shocks are coming in Wednesday for the rear. Getting the fronts later next week probably.

I also rewired my system this weekend. I finally installed some speakers in the kick panels. Put in my rebuilt MTX Road Thunder 400w amp (got it for free), some Kenwoods in the kick panels (got em for free), and put my Panasonic Headunit back in (already had it). So now, I've got two headunits in there. Got the Pyle in there, running to the Panasonic, and then to the amp and all 6 speakers running off that. Sounds great, but I'll still eventually upgrade them all to Rockford Fosgate speakers. I'll post some pics of where I'm mounting the Pyle and Panasonic headunits at.

Here's some pics I got of my truck flexed out on the forklift.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1609794&posted=1#post1609794
 



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Looking good BMXKing,...Flex looks pretty good...somewhat like mine.

I measured 36" up front and 35" in the rear when I had a forklift on mine. I think I could of gotten more out of both ends but I stopped when I saw that the leaf springs were in a negative arch. How did your leafs look when you flexed it?

I'm not sure how much of a negative arch can the leafs handle but none of the tires showed any signs of lifting up.
 






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