nobodyspecials Explorer Build (Fullwidth D44/9")

nobodyspecials Explorer Build (Fullwidth D44/???)

Well, I woke up this morning with intentions of pulling the D44 and 9" out from underneath my 1972 F100 that I had been building, but put on hold. I say I had intentions of doing it, until I looked out the window and saw that it was snowing. Maybe I will wait till tomorrow. Maybe if it warms up, I will get to it today.

Anyway, this is what i have so far for parts:

under the F100:
D44 drum (if anyone has any disc outers, let me know. Our junkyards are pretty bare)
9" 28 spline, will be converting to 31.
4.56 gears front/back
Detroit 31 spline for 9"

 

[nobodyspecial]

This is what it looked like this morning, and its still going. Does anybody elses June look like this?

 

[Joey P]

Where are you? I lived in Breckenridge all my life and it was/is very normal to have snow till mid june.

 

[nobodyspecial]

I am in Western ND, and we get snow in June every couple years, so I am not surprised.

 

[zainyD]

I wouldn't use the D44 out of the 71 unless you plan on narrowing it and converting the outers to balljoints from kingpins.

 

[nobodyspecial]

No need, its an open knuckle, ball joint D44. I am working on finding new outers to convert to discs, parts are around but I haven't been looking for the outers that hard, have other more important things. Those are pretty minor.

Here are some pics I took a while ago of what is now the donor:

I had been starting to build this up. I am going to shorten the wheelbase and build a buggy out of it but decided that the D44/9" would be better in the Explorer. It will get one tons next summer more than likely.

 

[Joey P]

sounds like you've got some big plans. Good luck!

 

[zainyD]

Interesting.....the cab might have been swapped onto that frame or the axle swapped into the truck. I didn't think the open knuckle, ball joint HP D44s came until about 1974.

 

[nobodyspecial]

Thats what I thought to, when I first saw the truck sitting (paid 150 for it, and it runs! ) I thought it was closed knuckle, but I took a look and it wasn't. I checked the build stamp on the tube, and unless I read it wrong, its the original for 72. The whole combo is a 360, NP435, Dana 21 (single speed case)

EDIT: I just saw a typo in the first post, not a big deal, but its a 72, not a 71.

 

[nobodyspecial]

OK, Possible "small" change. I found a 2000 Mountaineer (5.0, 122k, fully loaded) close by with some body damage (bumper/grill, and passengers rear door) Its easily fixable. I took it for a drive, and it drives perfectly straight, no weirdness associated with bent frame. It seems to be just cosmetic.

They are asking 1200, but I should be able to get it cheaper. The 93 is potentially FOR SALE, if anyone wants it.

The 4.0 is OK, but that 5.0 is looking pretty tempting. What do you all think?

 

[crazyflights]

Go with the 5.0

 

[nobodyspecial]

Go with the 5.0 you say? OK. $1000.

The stuff that isn't on there isn't even smashed up too bad. I will probably just put it all back together. The bumper is no good, though. I will just go custom, tube of some kind. The rear door is tweaked and the glass is gone, might be able to get it bent back into decent enough shape.

It has 120K miles, drives perfectly straight and smooth. All the damage was cosmetic. Its loaded, sunroof, all the fancy gadgets, leather. everything. I think I did OK.

What do you think?

 

[Joey P]

For $1000, I think you did alright! I think for the 5.0 and 4r70w alone would bring you into that price range anyways......

 

[nobodyspecial]

Yeah, I think it will work.

I think I will have to use a full width 8.8 now.

Anybody looking for a Detroit and 4.56s for a 9"

 

[mounty71]

Why can't you use the 9" still?

 

[nobodyspecial]

From what I have found (much like my 95 F150) the Mountaineer gets the speed signal from the sensor in the rear end. The 9" does not have this capability. There are other options such as an aftermarket tone ring on the transfer case.

 

[nobodyspecial]

Got it home last night. Interesting drive without headlights.

I put it back together and this is what I ended up with:

Not as bad as I thought. I will need a new headlight/turn signal for the drivers side. The housing is ok for the headlight, but all the mounting locations are broken. I could just tape it in and be fine. I think this is a good opportunity to go with fiberglass fenders. I will straighten this one out and run it for a while. Its not too bad.

As for the passengers rear door, turns out the glass was fine, I just couldnt see it from the plastic inside and assumed it was gone. I have an Uncle that is a wizard when it comes to autobody, he has all the pulling tools and everything. I am gonna see what he can do. Other than those two spots, the thing is in pretty immaculate condition.

 

[nobodyspecial]

So, I have been doing some thinking...

I have a 9 inch, gears and a locker, ready to go. but that leaves me with no sensor in the dif. I could go with a tone ring kit for the transfer case, though.

I could sell the locker and gears for the 9" to fund a locker and gears for a 8.8 out of an F150. This will leave me with a sensor, and the capability to swap my discs onto that axle.

What are your thoughts? I have some time to think about this as I am heading off, across the state, to the VA hospital for knee surgery tomorrow. So, I will be out of it for a bit, with lots of time to think about the possibilities and build it in my head.

 

[Stic-o]

I think the 8.8 would be easier, sence you could reuse the disc brake harware from your current, minus the rotors. Then just get a locker for it.


However the 9" would be stronger...Not sure what all is involved in the tone ring behind the t-case, but I don't think it would be to dif###ult. You also get disc or the 9"

I think it's more of a personal prefferance.


I did my FW 8.8 before moving the tone ring was thought of.

 

[section525]

Check out IZWack's SAS thread 1.0 for his tone ring superstarism.