MyNameIsAric's 98 FULL width SAS

I will keep this first post updated with my progress so people don't have to weed through all the boring crap associated with these buildup threads.
So far I have:

Front axle:
Dana 60 35 spline kingpin high pinion from a 79 f-250/350
detroit locker
dedenbear knuckles
5.38 gears
alloy usa shafts
longfield u-joints
warn hubs (should have went with drive flanges)
high steer arms with full hydraulic steering

Steering:
2x8 double ended cylinder from surpluscenter.com
steering valve out of an old forklift
misc. hoses and fittings from surpluscenter.com

Rear axle:
Dana 60 30 spline low pinion from a 79 f-250/350 (should have went with a 14 bolt)
full spool
5.38 gears
Disk brake conversion

Tires/wheels:
16.5" hummer h1 8 bolt double beadlocks recentered with custom stazworks centers.
36x12.50 wrangler rt II 6 ply military bias tires(sucky but cheap)

Things I need still:
new rims and tires and hopefully she wont shake so bad at 60mph.


Got axles

Got a new truck so i can dismantle the explorer and tow it around when i'm done.
Welded Diff covers

Rear axle almost done

Front axle almost done

Rear axle under truck

Welding up rear driveshaft (yes, it is square)

Machined parts for the upper control arms

Made coil buckets

Made lower control links

Mocking up Front axle and welded up hydraulic ram mount.

Got myself a forklift orbital for my hydraulic steering

welded on lower control arm mounts

Dropped the front IFS

Sent it to the scrap yard

IFS gone

Front axle starting to go in.

off jackstands

Took out the A/C system and cruise control. Also removed ABS brake controller, but I ended up having to put it back in later for the speedo to work.

Mounted new/slightly larger fluid reservoir for the hydro system.

Mounted the stock power steering cooler for the hydro system

Got this mounted in the engine bay where the A/C junk used to be

Had to chop down this thing first though.

Made some tie rods out of 100% grade A beef.

Installed hydraulic ram and tie rods.

View of the filter, and you can see the high pressure hose running from the pump down to the steering valve.

This is how i connected the stock steering wheel to the steering valve. 3/8" swivel

Better view of the steering valve.

Poor planning caused track bar issues

Made a new track bar bracket

Cut off first track bar bracket

Plated for good measure

Welded on new track bar bracket. Still had minor interference so i move the axle forward another 1/2"
Also started putting on shocks.

Tacked a tone ring to the rear d60 carrier

Reinstalled tone ring sensor so i can get speedometer back

blah blah blah tidied things up and poof.... an explorer that can only go 55mph now. If you have questions, just ask or PM me.

 

[mynameisaric]

You guys really think i'll have problems with this setup? It seems pretty beefy to me. That is 5/16 plate.

 

[IZwack]

Your end-bolts will probably break before that gives ..

 

[RFR2212]

For the personal security, if it were mine... I'd weld more plate where you did not plate it. So that way, it'll be plated all the way around. Then, your 2x2 portions will be the weak point. Get the torch out and start bending plate!

 

[mynameisaric]

Don't own a torch. If the arms saw great forces from the side, i would plate it the other direction too, but as i see it, they should only see vertical forces (ie. dropping on rocks). and I honestly don't think they bend or that the welds will tear out.

went ahead and added some beef to the ballistic joints. Stuffed them with a leather glove while welding to prevent spatter from getting in the threads, but still got some in there and all but one little ball came out. other arm survived well with no spatter problems.

 

[IZwack]

Don't own a torch. If the arms saw great forces from the side, i would plate it the other direction too, but as i see it, they should only see vertical forces (ie. dropping on rocks). and I honestly don't think they bend or that the welds will tear out.

Unless you have flex joints on both ends and/or limit straps, there is also torsional force.

 

[mynameisaric]

cut out and welded in the truss over the diff housing. also began work on the hydro ram truss, which should be done tomorrow.

 

[mynameisaric]

Got the hydro truss burned in.

Need to fab the track bar and uca mounts, then the lca frame mounts, and then its time to start cutting

Hopefully i dont get any neighbors calling me in on ordinance violations when my truck sits on jack stands for a few days.

 

[kert0307]

Nice progress. What coils are you going to be using?

 

[RFR2212]

Hopefully i dont get any neighbors calling me in on ordinance violations when my truck sits on jack stands for a few days.

Just give 'em the heads up, unless they're jagoffs... I've given neighbors heads up and have never cared... Almost as though they respect that I'm letting them know and not trying to be a jerk.

 

['97 V8]

you are making the same mistake i did with my upper control arm mount on the axle side. I did the same setup at first, and then welded in gussets and what not.....first run going down hill i managed to bend the plate a good 3 inches. After cutting that stuff off, the only way i thought was going to work was .25 inch thick 2 inch tubing that i bent around the axle. Then i tied it into the ballastic bracket then i ran a bar that went to the pinion from the top right side of the tube as extra security. Havent had any problems since.

 

[mynameisaric]

kert0307: Thanks, Cage 5.5" lift early bronco coils

RFR2212: There is at least one neighbor somewhere that likes to call my family in on everything. Don't know who it is, and they are the only one that will give me issues. We have a 5 day immobile vehicle ordinance. So i just need to get it off jackstands in 5 days after i get a notice.

'97 V8: The uca mount is tied into the diff cover. I think that and some gussets on the back side should keep it from bending up. Do you have pictures of your current setup? Thanks for the heads up though, i probably would have just left it as it was.

 

['97 V8]

kert0307: Thanks, Cage 5.5" lift early bronco coils

RFR2212: There is at least one neighbor somewhere that likes to call my family in on everything. Don't know who it is, and they are the only one that will give me issues. We have a 5 day immobile vehicle ordinance. So i just need to get it off jackstands in 5 days after i get a notice.

'97 V8: The uca mount is tied into the diff cover. I think that and some gussets on the back side should keep it from bending up. Do you have pictures of your current setup? Thanks for the heads up though, i probably would have just left it as it was.

i'll get you some tomorrow...just lowered the new body on the chassis and i am beat.

 

[mynameisaric]

i'll get you some tomorrow...just lowered the new body on the chassis and i am beat.

Sounds like you've been busy. You roll the old body or something?

I've been pretty lazy lately:thumbdwn: Got some things gusseted, and made the trackbar mount. Still need to do the UCA's on the axle and the frame mounts. Supposed to go camping this weekend, so its going to be a another unproductive weekend. School starts monday, but i think i'll still get the axle under the truck within a week or two. Then again i've been saying that for 3 years

Scored this for a REALLY good deal. Helps to have a dad that does ALOT of business with a forklift rental company.

Mostly stripped down.

 

[mynameisaric]

axle is done. Need to make the lca frame mounts, and start tearing out the IFS.
Driver side UCA mount

Passenger side UCA mount

Assembly View

 

[mynameisaric]

SAS or the tow truck is hauling it away at this point...

LCA frame mount welded on at the last part of the box frame/tranny x-member

Dropped the IFS in one big chunk. My cutmaster is starting to earn its keep

Going to the scrap trailer. bye bye IFS... you won't be missed that much.

All i have to do now is finish cleaning up the frame rails. The upper control arms were actually easier to cut off with the sawzall. And if you can't tell, i was losing day light and it started raining, so i cleaned up and called it a day.

 

[colindo94]

Beefness

 

[mynameisaric]

some updates

Made a spanner wrench for the ballistic joints. Saves me $32 plus S&H Probly should add at least 2 more prongs at some point....

Wish this thing went up for sale a few weeks ago. The difference is night and day between the clarke and the lincoln even though their amperage and duty cycle ratings are very similar. Something just never felt right with welding with the clarke.

THE GOOD STUFFFFF

Don't mind the trac bar... its only temporary.

Actually had to cut off the uca brackets on the axle. they were not lining up and i also moved them down to gain some much needed clearance under compression.

I had one coil mounted just to see how much it would compress, and i had almost 20" between the spring pad and the coil bucket.... I've read everywhere that 5.5" coils usually settle at 17-18", and my truck is sitting on a slight slope, so i am setting everything up for 18" of separation.

 

[kert0307]

Made a spanner wrench for the ballistic joints. Saves me $32 plus S&H Probly should add at least 2 more prongs at some point....

I got one of the ballistic ones... pay shipping both ways and you can use it

 

[mynameisaric]

look ma, no jackstands

next to my stock height f-150

 

['97 V8]

finally now we can go wheelin'..after i fix my engine. it won't run worth a damn