JoshC's D30 SFA by CRLCustoms.com

Well, i'm going to go ahead and start a thread so i can get some information and some more ideas from everyone on here. I bought a Dana 30 off of a wrecked 95 XJ. Paid $200 pulled off the truck for me. Not to bad. Ordered 4.56 gears for the 8.8 and D30 from Randys Ring and Pinion for about $450. I just picked up a Powertrax Lockrite for the D30 last week. I'm trying to install that right now, but it's going to be a pain. I had the gears in the D30 installed last week for $150. I couldn't believe that price! Mom and my brother went in and got me some diff. rock guards for Christmas from Ronscustomshop.bigstep.com. He cut them a deal for buying 2 at a time.

Here are a few pictures of what i've got so far. Please feel free to jump in and give me some advice. I'm not 100% sure what Cory has in mind. So Cory, you jump in and feel everyone, including me, in on what we are looking at here!

Happy trails!!

 

[CoryL]

Sorry I wasn't able to answer your calls Josh. I was with family all weekend.

Bumper looks good. I am going to draw up the winch plate this week and give it to my machine shop to quote me a price on.

As for the sway and roll, I expected it. The coils are VERY soft and not designed for a heavy Explorer or for on-road driving, but will KICK ASS for flex. Like anything else, give and take. Dual shocks are going to be difficult to do correctly, so I would like to propose fabbing in a Currie Anti-Rock swaybar. They are a little pricey, but won't inhibit flex and can be easily adapted to your setup I believe.

Glad you like it bud!

 

[JoshC]

Thats okay about the calls Cory. Look for a call tonight around 9:30 though! I love the truck, just have a few questions. I'm getting use to the sway, so i might have to live with it for a while until i can get a sway bar. You don't think the stock bar will work very well?? I could just buy some jeep discos.

 

[Muskrat]

how does it want to "walk"? I hope you don't have the same problems I had, my truck is just about back to stock, again

 

[NOTAJP]

JoshC, bad @ss! I'm very impressed. Looks soooooo good. Very nicely done.

What kind of shocks are you running? I'm running RS9000s so I can crank them up to keep sway down while on-road. It drives great even without my front sway bar hooked up. Just thought of an option until you could get a sway bar.

 

[JoshC]

I'm running the 5000 series ranchos, they are stiff, but not adjustable. Thanks Notajp

By walk, i don't know exactly how to explain it Shawn. I'm going to take truck on the interstate tonight, so maybe that will give me a better feel for it. I'm kind of nervous about taking it at the high speed like the interstate, i'll be going ssslllooowww!

 

[taxx]

hows the alignment?

 

[taxx]

Originally posted by JoshC
Thats okay about the calls Cory. Look for a call tonight around 9:30 though! I love the truck, just have a few questions. I'm getting use to the sway, so i might have to live with it for a while until i can get a sway bar. You don't think the stock bar will work very well?? I could just buy some jeep discos.

Just double up the shocks. Sway bars are for street trucks.

 

[JoshC]

Alignment seems pretty decent on the road. I'm going to see if my local place will align it for me, cause i don't want to be wearing these monsters out. I can let off the wheel and it will drive decently strait, it doesn't jet off to one side if that's what your getting at Dave.

Like Cory said, i think it would be hard to double up shocks on this setup, i'll have to get a picture of how everything on the suspension turned out.

 

[taxx]

you can always run one shock off the radius arm like they do in the broncos. (matybe) I would have to see the pics.

 

[Jefe]

You made a big jump in tire size right? If so thats could be the reason for the "walk". 12.5" wide tires seem to have a mind of their own.

 

[CoryL]

Another reason may be because the D30 is almost identical to the Explorer width and he is running a lot of backspacing on the wheels. This coupled with the soft coils and wider tire could create a "walk" type feel.

 

[JoshC]

Well, i took the beast on the interstate tonight. It did good, but it tracks bad, like the semi tracks on the road. But all in all, it did good. The only problem, and was talking to Cory about it, it takes more to turn the truck, like changing lanes, to the right, then it does the left. He thinks it's the toe, so i'll get the alignment done this week, just to be on the safe side.

I had a softball game this evening and was able to drive it around the valley before it got dark and man did i get some looks! That makes it worth it, to me, when people stare!

These are what i took sunday, hope you like!

This is my favorite, it is now my back drop!

This one looks like a 31" tire, not a 35".

 

[TravisC]

BAD@$$, cant wait to take it out this weekend so you can pull me out when I get hung cause you sure won't!!

 

[JoshC]

haha, still waiting on my freaking front driveshaft. Should have been here friday, or at least by today, so i'm going to call them tomorrow. Also have to install my rear locker again. But that's no biggy, might do that tomorrow evening.

 

[Rx4phun]

looks like you might have a little frame flex, b/c the bumper isnt straight in some of those shots. Maybe your frame needs some reenforcement, just a suggestion I dont know much of anything besides it looks really friggin cool and I wish it were mine. Oh and mine does track well if you want to trade.
Gary

 

[zensius]

So how high did that front tire go on the forklift? I gotta know.

 

[jshexplo96]

So how about a level shot of the whole truck from the side...Im dying to see that??

 

[cdsl227]

With you standin next to it for perspective!

If you're 5'11" and you can't reach the rack it must be montrous!

 

[Muskrat]

how's the cog on that?

 

[JoshC]

Originally posted by Muskrat
how's the cog on that?

what does that mean?

Gary--i'm sure the frame is twisting just a little. The bumper sits just a smige low on the passenger side anyways, that might be what you're seeing.

zensius--i'm not sure, Cory could probably tell you. These pictures are not full flex, i'm kind of scared to full flex it until i get my limiting straps on.

I'll get some more pictures. i was going to get one last night beside a stock explorer but i forgot my camera. But i'll get some, i promise!