Damarble's 01 Sport, coil sprung HP D30 SAS, SOA, 33s, 4.56s, lockers

Just finished the rear axle today, SOA with Aussie locker and 4.56 gears. Rear springs are shot from towing and still need to be replaced. Also I need to weld shock mounts on the axle. This will all be done after the front axle is installed. It is a HP Dana 30 with gears and a locker to be added in a few months. Front suspension will be a Y-link with XJ coils and Ballistic brackets. Steering and panhard will be stock XJ for now. Tires are 33/12.5/15 Interco Truxus M/Ts on Soft 8 wheels with stock Ford center caps.

 

[damarble]

how much do you think you spent total on the swap? im so jealous

Approximate breakdown for just the swap:


Axle $40 (friend)

Steering linkage $30 (stock ZJ from junkyard with draglink end from a FSJ)

Trackbar/bracket $40 (built myself from ballistic parts and local steel)

Front springs/spacers $30 (JY and homemade spacers)

Steering box/shaft $40 (JY)

Long arms $200 (ballistic, suicidedoors, and local steel)

Misc brackets $100 (some bought some made)

Misc oddball stuff $200

_________________
$680


That gets you the basic swap up to this point, minus gears, tires, and lockers.


Rear Aussie locker $250 (already had from my F150)

Gears $700

Tires/wheels $700 ($850 - $150 for selling old tires/wheels)

________________
$1650


I still need (or need to get installed):

Driveshaft $400 (from Tom Woods)
or $120 (to build myself with a stock XJ or Explorer shaft with the Tom Woods adapter)

Longer front springs $190 (bought RE 7.5" springs but they look too long)

Front locker $250 (Aussie)

Good rear springs $20 (JY, have)

Front and rear bumpers and frame sliders $??? (made entirely by myself of course)

Also I did buy a lot of tools to do this, including a $600 welder TWICE because some scumbag stole my first one. Other big purchases include a pipe bender, TRE reamer and 7" angle grinder.


I was able to do this pretty cheaply by doing a lot of research and shopping around. Plus I did every bit of fabrication myself. I only had to pay somebody else $200 in labor to install the gears.

 

[damarble]

So What the plan for the vacuum dissconnect? or are you planning on leaving it locked all the time in the front?

I converted it to cable actuated disconnect and will use to unlock the shafts when I put a auto locker in. I'll probably convert to a D44 with lockouts in 6 months or so, so I don't want to put too much into this axle.

 

[damarble]

Ah feels good to have a swaybar! I ended up with a XJ swaybar, fits like it could be factory (after I fabbed and welded new mounts, the XJ frame mounts are 2" wider than ours and cannot move). Even has a bend that wraps around the radiator bottom and gives a little more protection. Drives pretty good through corners now, need to get the shocks on and it will be even better.

 

[damarble]

Built and installed the "upper" control arms today. I had been using a single temporary upper. Will try to get the shocks mounted tomorrow then it's "done".

 

[zjrog]

Since I'm getting a D30 just like that, a friend steered me to this thread. Nice work, laid some of the best groundwork for this swap I've seen. Look forward to pics of the upper arms. And just about any other pics you want to throw online. Nice work.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

keep up the good work

 

[damarble]

Got the shocks on today. Snapped a bunch of pics of the front end to upload later.

Took it to 90 on the highway and it drives really nice, but my rear driveshaft does vibrate a bit. Also towed a trailer, my gross weight was 8000 lbs and it felt comfortable the whole time. With the 4.56 gears it pulls as well as stock.

 

[damarble]

 

[damarble]

I used pins in the passenger side upper to make it easily removable for more flex but I don't think it's needed and I'm going to bolt it. Ordered some greasable bolts today since my poly bushings and superflex joints need o be lubed often and they have inaccessible zerks or none at all.

Been driving it around and so far pretty pleased, still need a few finishing touches.

 

[zjrog]

Nice work. I'm glad to see you switching those pins for bolts. Can't wait to see you wheel it. And can't wait to start my own version soon.

Again, nice work!

 

[94 Crawler]

Looking good. Looks like I need to get on the ball.

 

[damarble]

I pulled a manual shift BW1354 at the junkyard today with 55K on it. With all linkage it was only $80. Was about to install it when I discovered my tranny does not have the bosses on the tail housing to bolt the manual shift linkage to. Ugh.

Tomorrow I will be designing a bracket that will bolt to the tail housing that I can bolt the shift linkage to. It doesn't look that difficult just a pain. Also I have to figure out what to do with my interior shifter console, it has the cup holders on the side right where the transfer case shifter needs to go.

 

[damarble]

I got the bracket made, t-case installed. Shifts perfect.

Tomorrow I need to put the interior back together, change the fluid in the t-case, tighten the rear driveshaft output bolts, and pray a stock front driveshaft fits.

 

[damarble]

Got it all back together today. Took it for a test run at the rockpile by my house and it crawled right up everything without protest. Then I got on top of a rock about 3ft tall and I lifted a rear tire. Checked out what was going on and realized I still had my swaybar on!

The manual BW1354 works like a charm. I had to hack my shift console a bit to get both shifters in there. Supposedly Explorers and Rangers that came with manual trans and tcase have a console that will work but I have yet to see one. Might swing by my local Ford wrecker and see if they have anything.

 

[lifeguard379]

any pics?

 

[damarble]

None from tonight, it was too dark by the time I had it together and tested. I may get some tomorrow after the new springs are in and at least on Sunday when I run over my Neon parts car....

 

[Premier]

the center console in mine only comes to the edge of the seat, and it has an armrest and storage. i could get more pics if you need

 

[damarble]

Thanks. This is what I have now. Unfortunately my carpet is cutout under my shifter console so I can't switch to just boots like you have. Are the tranny and tcase boots all one piece?

 

[Premier]

yes, i got them out of a bII. they dont fit the best, but its all i could find.. i got it for way cheap where as an explorer tranny/t-case boot was like 90$!! i have a big piece of diamond plate that i was going to cut and bend over the transmission hump, then attach the boot to that.. but i have been to lazy to make it

 

[damarble]

Thanks, there's tons of B2s in the JY here I should be able to find something.