jamest's "RE-SAS" | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

jamest's "RE-SAS"

... or SAS pt.II, or SAS redeux, or axle remix thread. :p:

As some of you know, ive recently got a 94 sport that is the typical fullwidth HP44 with coils/arms, fullwidth 9" type swap. Its currently on radial 36" Iroks.

Right now im lowering it down 4" and extending the wheelbase a couple of inches. It wheels great but its just too tall for what i want to do. Ive got some Bilstein 7100's in the mail and my general idea is to make this more of a dual sport type rig that can get it on the rocks and also be able to blast some fire roads and play on the sandbars here in the summer.

Currently the truck has 4" blocks under the back and a "W" shaped set of hybrid 4 door packs. Im going to take the blocks out, throw on a freshened set of low mile 4door leaves with the overload removed, run anti-wrap pertches with the holes redrilled to move the rear back on the springs 2".

Pic below is why you DONT run shock boots. This was an Arizona rig and never really saw any mud after sureshot40sw bought it-
 

Attachments

  • sas1.jpg
    sas1.jpg
    75.8 KB · Views: 4,782



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Lowering the bracket off the axle isnt an option... its still gotta do rocks without hanging up.
Yeah I just noticed that there is a leaf spring preventing you from shooting as close to the tire as possible.

But have you looked at mounting them outboard of the chassis (assuming there is enough room between the tire and the chassis for flex)?

Also, I dunno whether or not the Beilsteins are revalvable but if you mount them at an angle (which I know you said you're not going to do but I just wanted to get this out on the table), you might be able to play with the valve stack to compensate for the added angle (you'd probably end up doing this anyway if the aim is to run fast through the desert). Revalving for the angle will lead to slightly greater heat when you're cycling the thing at high rates (but the shocks wont cycle as far since they are angled) -- but you've got reservoirs (bling) to compensate for the hot hot hot (how you feeling, hot hot hot)
.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.











Dannie- thank yuou, your a live saver... i owe u a beer... going by tape measure i dont see how that is possible but ill recheck tom.

Truck is done other than shock mounts. State trooper budy of mine came over and drove me around town in it wiht no shocks on it. Front or rear. Throttle + brake + throttle + brake = pimp ass hydro simulation that brings in all the b!tches. :p:

sorry 4 crappy pic Start on the shock mounts tommorrrrow.
 

Attachments

  • sas9.jpg
    sas9.jpg
    155.7 KB · Views: 1,390






Neighbors callin we got a block party im done see yall in the mornging!
 






Also, I dunno whether or not the Beilsteins are revalvable

7100's are revalvable, I was talking to Winter about shocks once and he said that the Bilstein racing shocks (7100's included) are a little difficult to revalve but can be done.

I have a set of 12" 7100's I still need to install in the rear of my truck.

Looking good thus far James:thumbsup:
 






About to get started on shockmounts here in a min... just a few notes from yesterday..

1- Ballpit full of luck and falling backwards into it- from the before measurements i took the front was shifted 2" to the drivers side. After lowering it down 4" it now sits dead nuts center. I didnt have to do a darn thing to the trackbar.

2- Caster was 0 degrees from the start. Havent measured yet to see what it is now but IIRC i need to be around 4-6 degrees. Somebody correct me if im wrong. Either way, it will be better now than it was.

3- Wheelbase is now 108". Anyone know what it is for the Sport stock? The front was already a tad forward... now its about 1.5" more than it was.
 






Dannie- thank yuou, your a live saver... i owe u a beer... going by tape measure i dont see how that is possible but ill recheck tom.

I know steve had issues with making those things fit but eventually he made it work. I can't fathom how you wouldn't stuff a tire into it, but i've always ran stock width axles and scrubbed my inner fender wells.

Also, I didn't know how to state this before, but when you lay your shocks at an angle you definitely can get longer travel from a shorter shock but you also loose a lot of the dampening effect. My truck was really bouncy in the rear even with 4 shocks but I kinda found a solution that got this under control:D
 












Thanks JT! :)

Danny- im about to start on the rear in a minute. I think im going to rig up a temp mount and run the 9" PC's at a 45 degree angle straight towards the rear. This will get it roadworthy and give me some room to build through the floor hoops as time allows... without having it undrivable.


Front shocks are on... set with 5" uptravel/ 9" down. I used the existing upper mounts and built a stud plate and welded it to the lower part of the radius arm. Everything clears lock to lock. Ill bumpstop it later... just eyeballing it im going to have to get pretty radical with some mounts. :rolleyes:

Second pic is a little better one of it on the ground.
 

Attachments

  • sas10.jpg
    sas10.jpg
    129.1 KB · Views: 1,283
  • sas11.jpg
    sas11.jpg
    128.1 KB · Views: 1,296






might I direct you to Stic-o's fullwidth 44/9" swap that has outer frame rail shocks. also his truck hauls balls in the washes.

Rear_Shock2.jpg

These were my original shocks and wheels I started off with after the SAS. 16" BBCS's and 15x8 with 4 1/2"BS. I now have 14" Fox's with a 17x8 with 4" BS. we have moved the bottom mount around a bit too. I actually bent one of my orginal BBCS running this combo though:( That's why I went back down to 14" shocks. What I would like to do is go through the fenderwell and make a mount over the frame, that ties into the cage.


you can actually see here with the 35's and BBCS when I rubbed all the paint off the shock!:eek:

Shock_side.jpg



Here you can see the current setup. I have maxed out on articulation:( I think I use to get more with factory mounted shocks and 33's. However, you must note, I have no sway bars on the truck at all, and this rides like a caddy on the highway at 65mph, with 37" MTR's;)

little_rear.jpg


I think the leafs would think my articulation is fine though :p:
 












so steve, are your shocks your limiting strap :eek:

what is this thing "limiting straps" you speak of? :p:



Yeah have been thinking about putting some on for awhile now:rolleyes:
 






Happy Birthday James!







Jeff - :navajo:
 






Yeah happy birthday Jamezzzzz!!!!
 






Its done.

The rear shocks are now at a 50 degree angle straight off the back of the rear end, outside the framerails. No way i could go forward, or "A" across the back of the housing. The upper mounts are actually welded on to the bumper support bar. :D Ill try to get pics later.

Driving it- holy mother of God good shocks are worth the money. I havent had a chance to get into some rough stuff yet, but the 25mph speedbump test was awesome. Hold speed at 20mph and then punch it right before the bump and the front tires just soak it all up like it was an expansion joint. Now i need some for the rear. :p: Since the rear is moved back on the leaf pins 2", its closer to the center of the spring than factory so i should in theory get more travel out of them.

I also need to do some fender opening reshaping... hopefully ill work on this in the next few weeks.
 






Looking forward to the pics! :cool: Happy b-day too! I'm sending you a <3 package on Saturday.
 






First pic is the lower rear shockmount. Shock angle is 50 degrees straight back. Going by the tape i could run an 11-12" shock back there, raise the upper mount and get close to 60 degrees without having to go through the floor. Dont know what to do at this point.
 

Attachments

  • sas12.jpg
    sas12.jpg
    132.3 KB · Views: 1,229






Here's a side shot. Upper mount is just a cut down piece of 2" .250 wall sqaure tube i had laying around. There is tube running from the bumper corner to the frame that its welded to.

This also shows how much work i need to do cutting some more fender. :p:
 

Attachments

  • sas13.jpg
    sas13.jpg
    133.3 KB · Views: 1,230






That turned out pretty good James -- the angle is pretty close to the stock angle (+90 degrees rotated).

BTW is that the way that shock is supposed to be ran -- body up? Just wondering cauz I ran my rear shocks like that (which was upside down according to Explorer Pro Comp) and the ride was super harsh.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Mine are body up...:dunno:
 






Back
Top