Going with WAH, full width or shortened

I am thinking about going with the Wristed Axle Housing (WAH) setup. But since I have to cut the axle for the installation should I keep it full width or should I shorten them to an EB width?

I know that it basically comes down to personal preference but I was wondering if others did this or would recommend this? How would the flex change if at all? Would I have to cut the fenders if I keep them full width or shorten them? Any other type of extra fabrication will be needed?

If shortened I would also have to cut the ford 9 inch to width. Is it ok to do this or would it weaken the rear axle?

Any info on integrating the WAH on a Full Width axle is appreciated!!

 

[ohe_boy]

as far as the suspension goes (and whatever else) what kind of mods/fabs are going to be needed?

 

[bmxking5]

For full-width? (This is for coils front, leaf sprung rear)
-Spaced out coil buckets
-Turn in the coil pads(on the axle)
-Steering
-Trac-bar mount
-Radius arm mount
-Extended R/A's(Help w/ flex, etc)
-Shock mount(I'm going to use an F250 shock tower)
-Leaf perches on rear axle
-Shock mounts on rear axle(unless you use the stock thing from our X's)
-Extended rear driveshaft

I know I'm probably leaving out quite a few things, but these are most of them.

 

[CodePoet]

You can also use the fabled 70-73 f100 2wd coil bucket that doesn't require a spacer. Your also going to need a trac bar, steering, brake lines, a rear axle that's wide enough to match the front (9" is good). And alot of reasearch, it's not a hard swap but if you've never done it before (like me) there's alot of good information out there that will help you build a good suspension that will work

code

 

[ohe_boy]

I also got the rear ford 9"...Will the stock leaf perches and shock mounts be good enough (position wise)?

Also will the leaf springs off of the 78-79 bronco be able to fit on the explorers? I realize that our X's leafs are 2.5" wide and the broncos are 3" wide but I measured the stock leaf shackles off the bronco and measured the frame of our X's and it seems like the stock bronco shackles might be able to mount up to the Explorer frame. Also I measured the length of the leaf springs from bolt to bolt and it came out to be one inch longer than the bronco.

I want more height in the back without adding bigger blocks under the leafs. If using the bronco leafs is impossible, what leaf springs could I use or what can I do to add height in the rear?

 

[bmxking5]

I'm assuming you are SOA'd in the rear? Don't put on those bronco leaf springs. WAY too stiff for your Explorer. Add a small block, shackles, or get some lifted springs for yours. This way you'll still be able to flex great in the rear and still get some lift.

I am replacing my leaf perches because I am putting on the longer ones to prevent axle wrap. I haven't measured, but I'm sure they are spaced further out than on our Explorers.

On my 9" axle, the shock mount is on the front side of the axle, going towards the front of the vehicle. This woulnd't work because of the gas tank, etc. They hang down about an inch or so, I will be moving them up and onto the back of the axle and probably keep the stock upper mount. For now atleast.

CP said that you can use the 70-73 2wd F100 buckets to space out the full-width. I almost got some at the junkyard, but then my dad said if would quit trying to get those things off(5 rivets and 1 bolt per coil bucket ) they would pay for me to have some made to work on the FW axles. So now, there are a set of coil buckets sitting at the junkyard that are barely on the frame anymore. Somebody will definitely get lucky.

 

[Kirby N.]

I moved mine up 3.5". 2" wasn't quite enough for the stock driveshaft on mine. No trimming with 34s, but I will need to with 37s.

I actually will vote for the WAH. I hear it brakes better and behaves really well on the street. The wristed arm sometimes flexes a bit when you use the brakes. But, just so you know, BC Broncos only makes them for EB axles and 78, 79 F150 fronts. My 76 F150 housing is much thicker (1/2" tubes) than the EB housing and the WAH won't work. I am going with a wristed arm because of that and I don't have $400!

 

[ohe_boy]

Besides putting a block under the leafs, is there a company that sells higher leafs for the X? The perches you wanted to replace is the ones from the 9"? Are they too short?

And how do you figure out how much you have to move your axle foward? When trying to figure this out how would you go about the procedure?

 

[bmxking5]

I'm gonna hook the front driveshaft to the axle and t-case. Then I will set up the coils, etc. next to the frame, to find out where everything will need to go to still use the stock d-shaft.

Old Man Emu, and a couple other companies make lifted leaf springs for the Explorers. Yeah, I'm gonna replace the leaf perches on the 9". They'll need to be moved in anyways, so while it's off, might as well upgrade to some new ones that are a bit longer to help reduce axle wrap.

 

[Kirby N.]

I mounted up my coil mounts as far forward as possible first. It ended up being a little over 2 inches. It was limited on the drivers side by the steering box, keeping in mind that I had to mount up a trackbar mount in front of my coil bucket too. Then I mounted up my raius arms to axle 2" farther forward then stock using 1 bolt per side.

After cycling the suspension, I decided that 2" wasn't far enough forward to keep the driveshaft from bottoming on full stuff. I also discovered that with the stock EB radius arms, there really isn't very much slip yoke neccessary in the driveshaft because they are almost the same length and parralell to the driveshaft (In my setup). I also mounted up my 34s at this point and cycled the suspension and decided I wanted them forward more so I don't have to cut the back of each fender more. So I moved my radius arm mounts forward 1.5" more and mounted them solid.

I am putting in a EB width 9" in the next few weeks too. BMX- does the stock rear Driveshaft bolt up to the 9"?

 

[jrgaylor]

I am putting in a EB width 9" in the next few weeks too. BMX- does the stock rear Driveshaft bolt up to the 9"?

I believe most 9s' come with a 1330 series yoke and the explorer uses a 1310 series u-joint, you can get a ******* u-joint that goes from 1310/1330 to mate the explorer drivshaft to the 9" yoke or you can get a 1310 yoke for the 9.
the explorer uses a single joint at each end where as most 9s' being low pinion use a CV joint at the transfer case because of the angle, using a cv joint makes it easier for setting pinion angle, if you have allot of lift.
James Duff offers a conversion CV driveshaft for putting a 9" in a explorer,ranger or bronco2 for $400

 

[bmxking5]

I am putting in a EB width 9" in the next few weeks too. BMX- does the stock rear Driveshaft bolt up to the 9"?

Cool. When I was talking to -=DaemoN=-, he said that the stock driveshaft wouldn't bolt up, which is what I figured. Here's what he said in the PM.

Yes, I had to extend the rear shaft and swapped the joints to 1330 to mate with the 9".

 

[ohe_boy]

So its not possible to put the WAH on my axle because its too small? Well I guess I have no other choice then to go wristed arms. Well, if I set it up right it'll give me some good flex and have pretty good handling on road!!

 

[-=DaemoN=-]

9"

Here's my 9" rear. I got rid of the flange on the stock driveshaft which is used with the 8.8 output. Then I had the ds extended by 2" to compensate from taking out the flange and 2" more lift.

 

[jrgaylor]

-=DaemoN=- are you running a CV joint at the transfer case?

When I took my driveshaft down to get it retubed/lengthed yesterday I was told of a cheaper solution which is they have longer slip yoke ends for $48 that you switch out for your stock slip yoke and then put a ******* u-joint (1310 to 1330) on the 9" end.

 

[-=DaemoN=-]

jrgaylor- no I'm not. Just swap the yoke end to 1330 while your at it, shouldn't cost much more and it will be a lot stronger than the ******* joint.

 

[ohe_boy]

-=DaemoN=- , the stock rear drive shaft off the explorer will not fit up to the 9" unless its modified??

Did you have to add a total of 4" on your drive shaft then?? How did you do this?

Edit: I just saw the previous post.... I guess you do have to mod the rear ds. How did you do this?

 

[Kirby N.]

Daemon- I think he used a different yoke on the end of the slip joint to get a longer driveshaft and a 1330 joint (on the axle end)