Like everyone else here who swapped axles, I felt the need to get rid of my TTB after running 35?s for a couple years and breaking everything (shafts, spindles, hubs, joints, bent beams, cracked brackets, even cracked the diff in half upon snapping inner u-joint on pass side). I also wanted to get more flex. I followed the lead of several members here, but READ ON because I also have done some things that no one here has yet to have done or at least openly shared with everyone. Most of this custom work was modeled after my good friend Matt?s Cherokee who swapped 44s front and rear and his setup has worked very well for the past couple years.
I?m also including a parts list as well as the vendor that I located the part if anyone wants to do something similar.
Parts
1978-79 F150 high pinion Dana 44 chopped 6? (I?ll explain this later) w/ welded c-wedges and stock radius arms
1978-79 F150 coil buckets
1978-79 F150 trac bar (shortened) and mount
Wild Horses 5.5? rockcrawler springs (www.wildhorses.com)
Wild Horses long travel shock towers (www.wildhorses.com)
10? 1 5/8? round stock extensions welded over stock radius arms (Capital Metals in Phoenix)
1? DOM tubing for steering (Tube Services in Phoenix)
7 degree C-wedge bushings to adjust angle of axle (www.wildhorses.com)
6 qty ?? heim joints for steering, radius arm mounts (www.4wheelers.com)
2 qty 28? stainless steel brake hoses custom made at All tube and hose in Phoenix
Custom built crossmember that
bolts in the same holes as factory transfer case skid plate with tabs for heim?d radius arms
2.5? rear wheel spacers adapting from 4.5?-5.5? wheel pattern
15x8 Rockcrawler wheels w/ 3.75? backspacing
37x12.5x15 Swamper SSRs or 35x12.50x15 MTRs both available for bolt up and go.
Detroit Locker, heavy duty shafts and 5.13s up front
EZ locker (currently there) and 5.13s going in the rear.
Custom work done by Jerry @ Fluid Concepts www.fluidconcepts.com call him if you ever need a wakeboard tower, board racks, speakers or ballast! It?s the best out there. I'd also recommend John at Hunter Offroad (www.hunteroffroad.com) since he's my neighborhood shop and got me in the right direction on some stuff. He's talented, give him a call if there's something you need.
The first step was to cut down the full width axle. The reason I used the full width and chopped it down was because you get a high pinion (reverse rotation) with this style opposed to the low pinion found on early broncos. This gives you better clearance over obstacles as well as a better driveline angle. One must be precise and have a good idea of what this entails but I felt that I was up for the challenge. I found that the EB (early bronco) axle was just about 6? narrower on the passenger side and have had various 4 wheel shops give me conflicting stories about whether the drivers side is the same on F150 and EB or different. I will always order shafts for ?79 F150 drivers side, ?77 Bronco pass side and be sure I?ve got it right.
The process wasn?t that difficult with the right attitude. The first thing I did was ground off the c-wedge radius arm mounts on the passenger side. MOST of this section gets cut off anyhow, but you must be careful with grinding not to gouge too far into the tube. After the c-wedges are off (which I was able to retain and re-weld) came time to grind the knuckle off. The weld is pretty thick around this but you want to cut more into the axle than the knuckle since that part of the axle will be history, but again using the same knuckle. I made a few precision markings to make sure that I would get the knuckle back on in the same spot, then beat that sucker off with a big hammer and more grinding. It is sleeved over the radius arm, so it takes a while to get it off. This is good though because the strength is in the sleeve, not the weld when it comes time to remount it. After the knuckle was off, we were left with a bare tube. That got 6? cut off with a chop saw and we were on to welding. I relied pretty heavily on a buddy that fabricates wakeboard towers and racks (www.fluidconcepts.com) for his knowledge and shop in exchange for beer and ordered pizza. At the rate we were drinking I got worried that it may have been cheaper to go to an offroad shop, but then realized that I was learning and taking part in the festivities. We made sure the knuckle was lined up just as it was, then welded that back on, followed by the c-wedges making certain that these were at the same angle as the drivers side.
The next step was painting the axle and putting on the radius arms. Luckily with the brand new c-wedge bushings the axle sat level and all welding was accurate. I did read some good articles at www.wildhorses.com about guys who have problems with their trucks sitting level. This is a result of the wedge bushings not setting up right when you tighten down the radius arms and therefore the axle sits funny like a bent pair of sunglasses. I haven?t seen this problem yet, but haven?t had the truck sitting totally on it?s own weight. When I remounted the lower coil mounts on the axle I flipped them outward getting the coil spring to sit a bit further to the outside since I have seen a few other members coils look like \ / on some rigs on this board.
Now came time to strip the TTB completely off the truck. I took one last wheeling escapade even though a u-joint was on it?s way out and jumped it several times for the fame and glory of using the TTB for what it?s built for. There?s something about the combination of having a trailer waiting not a mile away and a tow rig that is built as well to go up most trails matched with an axle that you have no respect for that made me really beat that thing.
After that I stripped everything down to the frame with the exception of the steering box and pitman arm and started with a bare frame. Several TTB bolts were loose (imagine that) and then a grinder took care of the rivets on the coil buckets. The next project was to make a slight modification to the drivers side coil bucket since the frame notches out for the steering gear. I basically cut the bucket down so it would sit level to the frame. Using two existing holes from the rivets I mounted the coil buckets and then drilled two holes in my frame. The extend shock towers went just behind. Many people push the axle forward, mine might be forward ? to 1? but I?m not certain. It doesn?t really matter since my radius arms are being mounted back 25? from where they used to mount, the range of travel will push the axle forward rather than back with uptravel (or at least this is what my buddy?s XJ is doing and I can?t see how mine will be any different). On a side note, several people cut down the F150 buckets and then use a 3.5? coil, however I left mine 2? taller and opted for a 5.5? EB coil to get greater travel. We?ll see how that works out. IT?S A DANG TALL SPRING!!! But with my 3? body lift I had room in the wheel well for longer shock tower and coil buckets so why not?
Next the axle got hung by the coils and we size up where the crossmember will go. I planned on tubing the end of the F150 radius arms and running a male heim joint, and with further looking I decided that I would add about 6? of length to the radius arm. I cut a 10? section of tubing and hollowed out 7/8? on one end to sleeve the radius arm where it is welded up and then drilled out 11/32? hole on the other where I tapped in for the heim joint. This is what is new to the Explorer crew, but my buddy has done similar problem free for about a year and a half. Next we built a crossmember that is about 34? wide out of 2x4 tubing located 2? down from the frame that mounts up to the holes where the t-case skid plate used to be.
The steering is constructed of 1? DOM tubing that has ?? sidewall and ?? heim joints for the tie rod and drag link. I have plans of a high steer setup and since I had to purchase 23 feet of DOM tubing at $6 a foot and only needed about 8 feet I?ll just start with a tie rod over knuckle setup and sell that to someone else doing a similar setup when I get my hi-steer fabbed up. This should be fairly easy and will raise tie-rod about 5? by putting a spacer above the knuckle and machining a piece to support from the top of the knuckle. The track bar from the F150 and mount are modified and shares the bolt from the steering box as well as some welding to the frame to reinforce it.
I know some people here may frown upon how I?ve done it and others will be impressed. I got as creative as I could on a budget but still made my mind up to build it strong. I?m following the lead of a setup that works and overbuilding a few parts, specifically on the extensions of the radius arms that have yet to have failed my buddy. I?ll be running a Detroit locker in hopes that I will have no issues and heavy-duty shafts but am not ready to shell out for the CTMs or OX joints but probably will in the future when I start breaking the current stuff. I will update as it gets flexed up and what additional mods I may need to make. I?m thinking something will need to be done to the engine crossmember but haven?t flexed it out yet to see specifically where I will run into it.
I'm going home to take more photos at Lunch but here's a coupel of the XJ and mine from a few days ago.
I?m also including a parts list as well as the vendor that I located the part if anyone wants to do something similar.
Parts
1978-79 F150 high pinion Dana 44 chopped 6? (I?ll explain this later) w/ welded c-wedges and stock radius arms
1978-79 F150 coil buckets
1978-79 F150 trac bar (shortened) and mount
Wild Horses 5.5? rockcrawler springs (www.wildhorses.com)
Wild Horses long travel shock towers (www.wildhorses.com)
10? 1 5/8? round stock extensions welded over stock radius arms (Capital Metals in Phoenix)
1? DOM tubing for steering (Tube Services in Phoenix)
7 degree C-wedge bushings to adjust angle of axle (www.wildhorses.com)
6 qty ?? heim joints for steering, radius arm mounts (www.4wheelers.com)
2 qty 28? stainless steel brake hoses custom made at All tube and hose in Phoenix
Custom built crossmember that
bolts in the same holes as factory transfer case skid plate with tabs for heim?d radius arms
2.5? rear wheel spacers adapting from 4.5?-5.5? wheel pattern
15x8 Rockcrawler wheels w/ 3.75? backspacing
37x12.5x15 Swamper SSRs or 35x12.50x15 MTRs both available for bolt up and go.
Detroit Locker, heavy duty shafts and 5.13s up front
EZ locker (currently there) and 5.13s going in the rear.
Custom work done by Jerry @ Fluid Concepts www.fluidconcepts.com call him if you ever need a wakeboard tower, board racks, speakers or ballast! It?s the best out there. I'd also recommend John at Hunter Offroad (www.hunteroffroad.com) since he's my neighborhood shop and got me in the right direction on some stuff. He's talented, give him a call if there's something you need.
The first step was to cut down the full width axle. The reason I used the full width and chopped it down was because you get a high pinion (reverse rotation) with this style opposed to the low pinion found on early broncos. This gives you better clearance over obstacles as well as a better driveline angle. One must be precise and have a good idea of what this entails but I felt that I was up for the challenge. I found that the EB (early bronco) axle was just about 6? narrower on the passenger side and have had various 4 wheel shops give me conflicting stories about whether the drivers side is the same on F150 and EB or different. I will always order shafts for ?79 F150 drivers side, ?77 Bronco pass side and be sure I?ve got it right.
The process wasn?t that difficult with the right attitude. The first thing I did was ground off the c-wedge radius arm mounts on the passenger side. MOST of this section gets cut off anyhow, but you must be careful with grinding not to gouge too far into the tube. After the c-wedges are off (which I was able to retain and re-weld) came time to grind the knuckle off. The weld is pretty thick around this but you want to cut more into the axle than the knuckle since that part of the axle will be history, but again using the same knuckle. I made a few precision markings to make sure that I would get the knuckle back on in the same spot, then beat that sucker off with a big hammer and more grinding. It is sleeved over the radius arm, so it takes a while to get it off. This is good though because the strength is in the sleeve, not the weld when it comes time to remount it. After the knuckle was off, we were left with a bare tube. That got 6? cut off with a chop saw and we were on to welding. I relied pretty heavily on a buddy that fabricates wakeboard towers and racks (www.fluidconcepts.com) for his knowledge and shop in exchange for beer and ordered pizza. At the rate we were drinking I got worried that it may have been cheaper to go to an offroad shop, but then realized that I was learning and taking part in the festivities. We made sure the knuckle was lined up just as it was, then welded that back on, followed by the c-wedges making certain that these were at the same angle as the drivers side.
The next step was painting the axle and putting on the radius arms. Luckily with the brand new c-wedge bushings the axle sat level and all welding was accurate. I did read some good articles at www.wildhorses.com about guys who have problems with their trucks sitting level. This is a result of the wedge bushings not setting up right when you tighten down the radius arms and therefore the axle sits funny like a bent pair of sunglasses. I haven?t seen this problem yet, but haven?t had the truck sitting totally on it?s own weight. When I remounted the lower coil mounts on the axle I flipped them outward getting the coil spring to sit a bit further to the outside since I have seen a few other members coils look like \ / on some rigs on this board.
Now came time to strip the TTB completely off the truck. I took one last wheeling escapade even though a u-joint was on it?s way out and jumped it several times for the fame and glory of using the TTB for what it?s built for. There?s something about the combination of having a trailer waiting not a mile away and a tow rig that is built as well to go up most trails matched with an axle that you have no respect for that made me really beat that thing.
After that I stripped everything down to the frame with the exception of the steering box and pitman arm and started with a bare frame. Several TTB bolts were loose (imagine that) and then a grinder took care of the rivets on the coil buckets. The next project was to make a slight modification to the drivers side coil bucket since the frame notches out for the steering gear. I basically cut the bucket down so it would sit level to the frame. Using two existing holes from the rivets I mounted the coil buckets and then drilled two holes in my frame. The extend shock towers went just behind. Many people push the axle forward, mine might be forward ? to 1? but I?m not certain. It doesn?t really matter since my radius arms are being mounted back 25? from where they used to mount, the range of travel will push the axle forward rather than back with uptravel (or at least this is what my buddy?s XJ is doing and I can?t see how mine will be any different). On a side note, several people cut down the F150 buckets and then use a 3.5? coil, however I left mine 2? taller and opted for a 5.5? EB coil to get greater travel. We?ll see how that works out. IT?S A DANG TALL SPRING!!! But with my 3? body lift I had room in the wheel well for longer shock tower and coil buckets so why not?
Next the axle got hung by the coils and we size up where the crossmember will go. I planned on tubing the end of the F150 radius arms and running a male heim joint, and with further looking I decided that I would add about 6? of length to the radius arm. I cut a 10? section of tubing and hollowed out 7/8? on one end to sleeve the radius arm where it is welded up and then drilled out 11/32? hole on the other where I tapped in for the heim joint. This is what is new to the Explorer crew, but my buddy has done similar problem free for about a year and a half. Next we built a crossmember that is about 34? wide out of 2x4 tubing located 2? down from the frame that mounts up to the holes where the t-case skid plate used to be.
The steering is constructed of 1? DOM tubing that has ?? sidewall and ?? heim joints for the tie rod and drag link. I have plans of a high steer setup and since I had to purchase 23 feet of DOM tubing at $6 a foot and only needed about 8 feet I?ll just start with a tie rod over knuckle setup and sell that to someone else doing a similar setup when I get my hi-steer fabbed up. This should be fairly easy and will raise tie-rod about 5? by putting a spacer above the knuckle and machining a piece to support from the top of the knuckle. The track bar from the F150 and mount are modified and shares the bolt from the steering box as well as some welding to the frame to reinforce it.
I know some people here may frown upon how I?ve done it and others will be impressed. I got as creative as I could on a budget but still made my mind up to build it strong. I?m following the lead of a setup that works and overbuilding a few parts, specifically on the extensions of the radius arms that have yet to have failed my buddy. I?ll be running a Detroit locker in hopes that I will have no issues and heavy-duty shafts but am not ready to shell out for the CTMs or OX joints but probably will in the future when I start breaking the current stuff. I will update as it gets flexed up and what additional mods I may need to make. I?m thinking something will need to be done to the engine crossmember but haven?t flexed it out yet to see specifically where I will run into it.
I'm going home to take more photos at Lunch but here's a coupel of the XJ and mine from a few days ago.
