Cheap Lift -from full size bronco and SPOA rear

[Exploder32]

I need input on an idea i have on how to lift my explorer about 6 in for under $100. I found a Full Size Bronco at the local junk yard. I was going to buy the radius arms, brackets, and front springs. This would give me about 6in of lift. Then do a SPOA conversion in the rear and 1 inch blocks, with custom spring perchs and shock mounts. Please leave input with any ideas, comments, or concerns relating to this.

- Dave

 

[CoryL]

A SOA in the rear is easy to do. I think you have that covered.

However....

Swapping the stuff (if it is a TTB) in the front from a fullsize Bronco isn't going to work unless you plan on doing some cutting and welding. The D44 won't fit in there as it is bigger and you will have engine crossmember issues. Plus you would then have two different wheel bolt patterns and would need two different wheels for the front.

 

[Randall]

I may have misinterpreted his post, but I think that all he is trying to do is mate the D44 TTB radius arms to the Dana 35, and adding the stock coils from the D44 TTB in an attempt to get a lift. I am not sure if the Dana 44 TTB arms would fit on the D35, which I doubt. The problem with this setup if the radius arms bolted up is that you would really only be getting about 2.5" of lift using the stock coils from the Bronco, the Bronco coils are 5" in diameter, where the Explorer buckets are 4.75", so something would have to be fabbed there as well. Also, if you try to do this lift or anything larger without using TTB drop brackets you are going to have some major toe / castor problems.

 

[Exploder32]

well the coils that are on the bronco are lift springs, however i see what you mean about the radius arms not mathcing up and needing the drop brackets if i lifted too high. Do you think i would be better off swapping the D44 from the Bronco into my explorer?

-dave

 

[Exploder32]

What i was initially thinking on doing was taking the radius arms off of the bronco and the coils because the radius arms are longer amd the coils are from a lift kit that the bronco originally had. But now i am thinking about swaping the whole D44 under my explorer the whole D44 set up i can get for $85 and it needs new rotors, calipers and one new axle. You think that is a good deal for the D44?

 

[Exploder32]

One other thing i think i read that you were talking about a D44 TTB, the axle on the Bronco is a solid front axle not a TTB set up.

:redexp:

 

[Randall]

well in that case you can use the radius arms and drop brackets if you use the whole axle. You could use the coils too, but the 79 Bronco c wedges are cast into the arm, and are not movable, so unless you are going to cut down the axle to the same width as the explorer, you will need to build the coil buckets away from the frame. Also, this is in no way shape or form going to be a 'cheap' lift. It's a lot more involved than it first appears. That's the exact setup I used for mine, but I cut the axle down 6 inches to match the rear a little closer, and so I would not have to build the coil buckets outboard of the frame.