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!

 

[supergildo]

that track bar is totally gonna break. you need to add bracing to it.

 

[bmxking5]

Thanks Supergildo. About time someone let me know that before something bad happened!

 

[jasonb]

not sure if it's been mentioned.. but you may want to beef up that trac bar mount.

 

[GaSouthern1]

not sure if it's been mentioned.. but you may want to beef up that trac bar mount.

I agree.

 

[JS91X]

is it a stock bronco trac bar or after market ? btw

 

[jasonb]

good edit James.. I was about to start refering to you as mr. gullible.

 

[JS91X]

yea i just caught it right after i read it again

 

[bmxking5]

Stock 77 F150 trac bar. The one I had before was too short (planned on moving in the c-wedges, but decided against it cause the r/a's would be too far in the frame)

 

[bmxking5]

Well, did a little bit more work on the truck since we finished up the f150 body lift (fully loaded 04 f150, 6" Pro Comp Suspension lift, 3" PA body lift, gap guards, 35" M/T Baja Claws [soon to be 38s], system, etc = badass truck) Only bad thing is he's taller than me now even with 35s. I finally checked my TRE's in the f150 tie-rod and they were a bit worn as I expected. I didn't want to replace them before cause I wanted to get all new steering w/ heims or Chevy TRE's, but have since decided to just upgrade the current setup. I put new tie rods on both ends of the F150 tie rod and then had a bad vibrations. Turned out the trac bar bolt was 1/6th of a turn loose (it's got a castle nut and cotter pin) and the worn TRE's were absorbing that looseness. Tightened it up and drove it for about 1hr and the steering is definitely tighter than it ever has been, including stock. Going to finally get an alignment on Monday morning.

I still want to go to hi-steer soon, so I'll order one of these when I do so.... http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-23502_superlift_adjustable_trac_bar.htm

 

[DB_1]

Didn't you have a BC Bronco's trac-bar earlier in your thread? If so what happened to it?

 

[bmxking5]

Read up 2 posts. I had it when I had planned on cutting off the c-wedges and moving them in. It would have been long enough then since my lower trac bar mount is built into the passenger side c-wedge. After I had it all setup, the radius arms would've been inboard of the frame if I moved them in (they are currently directly under the frame). I sold the BC Broncos trac bar and found my old stock one that was bent, got some heat to it, bent it back, added poly bushings, and it fit perfectly with my upper trac bar mount and the drag link angle.

 

[DB_1]

Thanks

 

[bmxking5]

Well, yesterday afternoon I tried to set up a dual steering stabilizer on the steering. I was planning on putting one on each side of the axle (left and right instead of one on top of the other). I wasn't able to make that work with the steel I had laying around and decided to just put on a single stabilizer. I used the existing hole in the draglink from the stock Explorer tierod and then built a bracket for the other side. The only place I was able to connect it to was the trac bar (every thing else was too far away), so I drilled some holes and mounted the bracket on the trac bar with 3 u-bolts. It worked out just like I wanted it to and the steering is even tighter now. The total cost was only 25 bucks for the whole setup (had it laying around at work = $10, u-bolts/grade 8 hardware/steel = $15) Still gotta clean up/cut-down the bracket now that I know it works and it'll be done. Pics to come later

 

[Burns]

Man everyone is doing something to there x all i can do now is break it fix it and fuss about how to make it better

 

[bmxking5]

Trust me man, I'm finding out what doesn't work, what's worn out, and what makes noises and I'm fixing it all as I have the money. Since I've done the new steering, stabilizer, etc, my truck has been much easier to control on the street (wasn't too bad before tho). A guy that I work with taught me how to do an alignment, so we got my truck lined up perfectly. (toe was 1/2 inch off). He also showed me how to find out if the axle is centered under the truck (measuring for track bar length). I always knew my front end was slightly to the pass. side cause I haven't gotten an adjustable track bar yet, but it's more than I thought (coils are just slightly off center, but the axle itself is 1 1/8" off center) I ordered a Superlift 76-79 F150 adjustable track bar today with new bushings. I'll most likely need to cut it down (from what I've heard it's about 36" all the way in....my current one is 36.5"....I need 34.75") After I get it all centered up, new Dedenbear knuckles will be on the way soon, so I can raise the steering up a bit more.

 

[bmxking5]

Sorry for the typo...it's actually 1 1/8" off center. Anyways, I got the trac bar yesterday. I cut out the sleeve for the threads, and I'll be cutting it down tonight. My neighbor or someone at work will reweld it and we'll probably put in some plug welds too. Also, I'm pulling out the rear axle shafts tonight, dropping them off at a nearby shop and will be getting new seals and bearings installed on them. The front will be regeared either next weekend or the following week.

 

[Burns]

man u will love 4wlo i love mine lol

 

[bmxking5]

I like 2lo right now. It'll be nice to have a front wheel pulling finally.

I got the shafts back today. Getting ready to get out the old race in the housing and install the new stuff. It was 140 even for new bearings, seals, collars, races, and install. Not bad compared to the other shops I talked to. Since I can't get the front end regeared next week, I'm getting my headliner redone. Still waiting on the prices for materials but I might be going w/ grey suede.

 

[JS91X]

so why cant you get your front regeared now ??? oh btw that hill with the steps and stuff where we went that day...i did it in my toyota first day i got my 35s and then almost flipped on the way down when i hit the 3 ft step wrong

 

[bmxking5]

Cool. I can't get it regeared yet because I'm having Todd from 4wdpc do it. His press is broken right now and he said he probably won't have a new one in by next weekend.