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[broncobra22]

Broncobra

The Explorer's Dana 35 was 4.10 open, so I'll Lincoln lock & say no more on that matter.
After a couple days testing I found that the Broncobra climbs and pulls some fairly significant landscape and runs the flats like the devil was chasing, but she doesn't like climbing hill and gully on 110 degree afternoons at a slower pace and we have had over 80 such 100+ days this summer. She can't sit in the shade if I need to ride her, so looks like either a larger electric & or a flex and shroud...can't afford to burn her up just yet!

Actually climbs pretty well even a low speeds with the ridiculously high ratio/tire combination...the 4.10 might actually be about right for what I want this truck to do, but in the wash board and the whoops it doesn't handle as it should...the quick whoops really gets the rear end bucking. That is where I haven't yet put my attention and $$'s so it really didn't surprise me as it is pretty much stock suspension just a lot lighter. It's going to be fun making her mind...not my first time to break a horse and make her love me for it!

 

[janderson4010]

Im not thinking Lincoln locking that is a good idea, I drove a yj w a spool and u cant turn worth a darn, his thing was well I can jump out and unlock a hub but then ur relying on 1 hub to carry the load by itself. But yeah generally speaking 4.10 with 33s is around the same final drive ratio as stock in most vehicles. The explorer 5spds seem to be geared pretty high

 

[rookieshooter]

I have a feeling this is going to be a another build to watch.

 

[broncobra22]

Broncobra- Spool

Hey 4010 your exactly right about spools,Lincoln solution or not, hard on about everything tires, front end components etc....if your turning much, here's my thinking, won't be used in winter, 90% of the time it will be off road on sand and dirt, it will be in 2 wd 95% of the time. The kind of driving we do is more related to pre runner where 2 wheelin' is the norm...where I differ with the rear drive concept is wet crossings and some majorly steep washes (gulleys or dry creek etc.) that are tough enough with 4x4 at slow speeds when they are stone dry...wet = big problems. I would rather spend most of my efforts & $$$ on solving the major conditions that we normally face in the great S.W than on the occasional obstacle...this said I am not jumping "Hucks" and taking big air like our desert racer buddies lol, I really am into what they do, but I want my 4x4 when I need it & don't mind getting my boots muddy to lock or free 'em up. When I drive the Broncobra in 4x4 I will normally just be getting out of trouble.
Like I said your right but thought I'd explain. Hope your coming along with your build I enjoy your posts! Rick C.

 

[broncobra22]

Broncobra field testing

Took her out again mainly to see if I could get her to heat up while the thermometer was in the high 80's low 90's...much better stayed around 185 degrees, but I'm still going to suck more air through the Griffin. Part of the cooling problem is in my use of underdrive pulleys, I'll change to a standard pump pulley and see if that solves the problem first, already running the highest flow water pump I could find. I don't heat up until I start running at slow speeds or while at idle. Thermostat is a 165 degree and it is opening up right on the money as is the Spal fan.
On a different note I noted that I'm really pulling well on some pretty steep inclines at crawl speed...better than I would have imagined with 33" tires and 3.73 ratio and a C4, of course I am locked and in 4x4 and really quite light...last time I scaled her she was at 2650 lbs., but that was before I added the spare carrier and tire which I'm guessing at 125 to 150 lbs.; still pretty light. With the manual valve body in the C4 and low stall speed torque converter I able to keep in a usable rpm range in second and third with out the irritating kick down. The engine made 410 hp on the dyno with a tuned 715 cfm Holley, performer intake, more radical flat tappet cam and the dyno headers- and we tuned her back a bit with the 650 cfm and Torker intake / James Duff full length headers & the Comp flat hyd. cam. Your guess on hp now probably better than mine...guessing it at about 370hp. Whatever it is a LOT tamer than it was and more friendy - compression ratio was also lowered about 1 point with thicker head gasket (exspensive little critter) All the above might have helped on the low end and it runs that 1800 to 3400 power width really well and thats where I'm going to spend a lot of time so I'm thinking 4.10 to 4.56 axle ratio will work well with the 33" but my 35's might require a bit more ...what do you guys think?

 

[janderson4010]

so funny story, went out with spool YJ guy who blew a hub today... just thought you should know lol. what tcase is in the broncobra? for fast running around like your doing id say 4.56 would be fine, with a 3spd auto you don't want to limit top end with a really low axle gear ratio, at least based on the kind of wheeling you do. my dads mustang has a built 302 kinda like what your running in that thing, that would be a lot of engine for a BII, bet its a blast to drive.

 

[broncobra22]

Gearing down

Good timing on the post Janderson I was just at the point of going 4.88 and went back to the gear / tire chart to double check my rpm's think 4.56 for sure going to place my order this evening for the 8.8 set...pulled the axle housing from the explorer today and will build it up, got to also order a set of Moser axles and bearings, but I'll wait till I see what the old axles look like first. I'm designing a truss to reinforce the axle and provide good hard points for a four link, although I'm planning the rear suspension around a re-arched chevy pack, half ton 64 inch and reverse shackle, with bed mounted shock cage. I guess the rear floor pan is going to be history before I begin the shock cage...this thing may end up as the never ending build, but I'm going to keep it running till cold weather sets in...your right it is fun to drive, I just want to make it better and right now the rear end is my major problem...not enough flex , shocks and springs are way to heavy on the compression side and the shocks have zero control on rebound. Course I must keep the sway bars on and I have to incorporate a traction bar into the design...using clip snubber right now ala early Camero to control wheel hop my bad? Probably but it beats blowing the rear end all to heck. Lot of work to do and I have been busy with customer work all week, but I'll have a window of opportunity soon. Oh, almost forgot BW1350 and haven't even thought about that area and I don't want to think about the front suspension, it's not as bad as the rear but it has about the same issues as the rear. Cut, bend, lengthen & equal length TTB??? Pricy & starts to make me think SAS but I'll turn to that after the back end is complete.

 

[broncobra22]

Broncobra

Done deal Ford racing 4.56 0n order for the 8.8 don't know why it took me so long to make a decision...guess I just wanted the 4.10 to fill the bill & it just didn't quite make it.

 

[janderson4010]

SAS!!!!!!!! SAS!!!!!!!!!!!! lol ttb can be pretty awesome esp for the kind of wheeling you do, but you gotta have the frogskins. Ive never looked really closely into it bk i rockcrawl and sas is the be all end all for that. cool about the 1350, if it will stand up to the beast under the hood in your rig should be just fine behind my 4.0. the chev springs are pretty cool, my buddy who owns the offroad shop actually runs the rear packs from 90's chev ifs trucks as the rears in his, ive never seen leafs flex like they do under his rig, I think they might be the 64 springs.

 

[broncobra22]

Chevy springs

I would be interested in details of his spring setup on the bowtie. Is he running a shock cage in the bed?

 

[broncobra22]

Underdrive pulley

Swapped out the underdrive pulley (Shown) for a standard March pulley ...may not completely solve the cooling problem but it should help.

 

[broncobra22]

Found an '84 4x4 B2 for cheap going over to look at her tonight and see if she might me a candidate for a engine swap and half top chop. Hoping it runs so I can check out the condition of the transfer case. Thinks it's a 1350 at any rate don't really need it but if it's not a rust bucket and has good glass & t-case it's worth the asking price of $250.

 

[janderson4010]

I know your thinkin doubler now...

 

[broncobra22]

Mind reader! I've been on the Ranger tech page & others 'bout the doubler...seems to be a simple straight forward build. The twin range warning (don't shift into low and high) 1 case or the other, at the end of the article sounds like a dire warning of pending destruction that that I would want to design a fail safe lock out to prevent. Seems like a machine shop would have jumped on building a kit for this years ago at least the shaft mod, plates & templates for the drilling and tapping...I might do that myself. Preheating the shaft is correct prior to welding and I usually heat up a box of sand (400-500 degrees) to bury the part in for slow cooling of the welded shaft, in this case (or for whatever small part I'm working on) also turning a nice bevel (45 degree taper) on the inside edge of the female side of the shaft connection would help insure adequate surface & penetration for the weld.

 

[janderson4010]

Thats what im building, if you want to experiment on building a shaft i cant machine mine, my dads lathe is screwed up. I went out and cut my doubler plate out the other day, need to buy a hole saw for the center hole though

 

[broncobra22]

Doubler shaft

I'll find out if this B2 is a viable donor or parts machine and if it has the 1350 & I can find a working 1354 9hope the one in the Exploder works) I'll cut 'em up let 'ya know. Crikey I forgot about the hole saw...I liked to crapped a brick when I read that part, mount that plate on a mill crank it out. I know machine shop time is expensive especially around here as we have a major oil and gas drilling boom and all machine shops are back logged and won't do small jobs even at $125. an hour minimum! Hole saw will work but man its slow and I've seen bones broken while drilling thick plate by hand with even small hp drill motors...hang up and holesaw breakage is probable, but if youv'e just got to do it that way be careful! Course if you have a large drill press and table; clamp the plate securely to the table and proceed slowwly and with plenty of cutting fluid. Use only the bi-metal holesaws and you may actually only need to buy one. Questions or if you want to call Bull S*** either way I'm a sport.

 

[broncobra22]

output shaft

Hey Janderson when you cut the output shaft off what is the length of the shaft measured from the inside of the gear to the end of the shaft stub? I'm trying to determine how much shaft I'd be working with in order to properly chuck the work piece in my lathe and the minimum depth I would have to turn the sector shaft to accept the output shaft to full depth.
Supposed to meet the B2 guy after he gets off work, about 10:00 rig worker, gotta catch 'em when you can.

 

[janderson4010]

here it is, not exactly what you asked for but should be able to answer your own question, actually now that i read it i understand but here is the picture anyway. its about 3 1/2 on the non splined section of the shaft, i was gonna cut it off the appropriate length and machine it down to 3/4" and bore the oil hole in the other part to 3/4, seemed like a good compromise between the two

 

[broncobra22]

Shaft pics

Thanks the photo and tape make it extremely clear as did your explanation about hole size etc. Length on the output shaft is definitely long enough to securely chuck for center drilling for tail stock mount & turning the shaft diameter down. Really looks like a piece of cake. The photo in the ranger station tech article was poorly cut & looked like it was so short that accurate chuck mounting would be difficult. I would bore the sector shaft to as large a diameter as possible for strength which means turning down the output shaft the bare minimum. Weakest link principle. Thanks again for your fine photo.

 

[janderson4010]

yeah if your lathe can handle it lol, we couldn't get it to chuck straight, my dad got that lathe at an estate sale, the chuck is a 3 jaw and it came with a 4 jaw but it doesn't fit, and we just couldn't get it to chuck in there straight. don't want a wobbly shaft lol, kind of important that it be straight, plus the hole in the center of the tcase shaft isn't centered, its an oiling hole and its off to one side, so we would need a boring bar that we don't have either.