New member with a Sport Trac project

[wasteofmoney]

Hi all, just picked up an '01 sport trac. Hoping to find info here before buying the wrong parts.

I'll make a build thread when I start working on it I suppose, but here's what we have currently:

350k mile truck that might need a transmission
A dream
Sorta kinda a plan

Dana 50 TTB up front, 10.25 in the back, 37-40" tires, mcneil fiberglass fenders and bedsides to start.

Anyway, here it is behind the most surprising tow vehicle I've owned:

 

[dvdswan]

Welcome to the site. Sounds like a sweet project. Good color choice too.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum!

 

[410Fortune]

*****in!!

I am building a ttb trac also..... IM gathering parts right now
I will be using a modded D44 ttb and likely start off with a 93 ranger frame.........

TTB into a trac is no easy feat bye bye ifs and rack and pinion

 

[Mike65]

Welcome. Sounds like an interesting build.

 

[wasteofmoney]

*****in!!

I am building a ttb trac also..... IM gathering parts right now
I will be using a modded D44 ttb and likely start off with a 93 ranger frame.........

TTB into a trac is no easy feat bye bye ifs and rack and pinion

I'm still debating on the how I want to do it, but upon further research I've decided the D44 is plenty for what I'll be doing. I should float the idea of using ranger parts as well, that's a smart move.

 

[410Fortune]

Basically you have 4 choices

1 Modify the heck out of your frame and engine cradle to accept the steering gear box and ttb suspension giving room for the beams and the front diff and figuring out the pivot brackets for the beams

2 Chop your frame off and graft in the frame sections from a ttb truck, somewhere back around the firewall

3 Start with a ttb frame and make the back into a sport trac friendly cab and Bed mount plus suspension

4 All custom tube everything from the firewall forward

I decided to start with a ttb frame (I think)
Until I actually compare frame rails and measurements. So I had the whole front end of an f150ncut off for me so I have the complete ttb and steering gear in their factory Locations to measure off of
If I do start with a ranger frame (I have a 94 outside) I will box it and add several crossmembers… the later sport and sport trac frames are already boxed from ford. I know the frame on my 88 bronco ii has been twisted up from 25 years of four wheeling and it has seen better days so going forward I am going to make a much stronger and stiffer frame. I’ve been researching and planning this for years