RockRangerII the build up.

[RangerX]

Who you callin' oddly shaped!?! :flipoff2:

 

[RockRanger]

Well finally got a chance to work on the truck today. I decided to start on the rear suspension and swapping in the explorer axle today.

So the day started out stripping the old axle out of the truck. It was a pain cause the passanger side brake drum was/stuill is frozen to the axle shaft. So I had to pull the cover and pull the c clip so I could pull the shaft and drum together so I could disconnect the brake cable. Yes I could have disconnected it from the other end but I need to use it on the new axle So I had to get it it off anyway. So after a bit of fighting everything I got the axle out

 

[RockRanger]

After I got the axle out I swapped out the stock rear shackles and put in the chevy drop shackles. They are about 4" longer then stock. I think with the chevy springs I might be about an inch low in the rear so I might put an an add a leaf in the rear pack or something to even it out once I get it all together.

Then I started working on grinding the swaybar mounts off the explorer axle. Got most of that done and tacked some new spring perches on the axle so I could slide it under the truck to set the pinion angle. Got the axle under the truck and then realized that I needed a larger hole in the spring perch so I could get the stock block to fit. So off to home depot to get a 3/4" drill bit. I also realized I didnt have spring plates to fit 3.25" axle tubes so I called Off Road warehouse to ask if they had some. They said yes. So I went over there to get them and they show me spring perches and say that all they have sorry :fire: Not a real big deal cause they are only a few minutes from my house but still would have been nice to hae recieved the right answer the first time. So now I ended up wasting the rest of the afternoon making some spring plates out of some 1/2" plate steel I had at the house I also am using 9/16" U bolts to gain a little extra length there as well. So I finally got them made up got the axle under the truck, checked the pinion angle. Thats as far as I got. Hopefully tommorow I will get the spring perches welded on and get most of the rear suspension, brakes, and axle all taken care of tommorow. I also hope my brakelines and steering arms show up tommorow so I can maybe hav it drivable this weekend.

 

[BKennedy]

There is a shop in Escondido that made me my spring perches for $15.00 and bent the ends up for more support. It took him about ten minutes. Al's Welding on Escondido Blvd.

 

[RockRanger]

Well I have had a chance to do some more work on the truck with some time off work. I have the explorer axle swaped in the rear. Just need to hook up the shocks, hook up the brake line for the rear axle. How much oil does an Explorer 8.8 hold? I put 4 quarts in just wondering if I put enough in or not?

On the front I got the brake line and shock mounted on the driverside. Still need to add a few springs to the brake line to keep it out of the tire.

 

[RockRanger]

My steering parts showed up today finally. So I went and picked up some tubing for the tierod and draglink. 1.5" x.25 wall 4130 chrome moly. I thought about getting some more to build a cage out of but didnt think daves bender would like it. That is a quarter in the pictures for comparison.

So the list still to get teh thing driveable is:

Install rear shocks.
Hook up rear brake line.
Install shock and shock mount on passanger side front.
Mount and install Passanger side brake line.
Get proper tie rod ends and build tierod and draglink
Install steering componts.
Bleed the brakes.
Get the conversion yoke for the front driveshaft (anyone have the number handy so I dont have to search for it)

take it for a few trips around the block and neighborhood then head out to teh desert to go wheeling

 

[Jefe]

I put 4 quarts in just wondering if I put enough in or not?

It should be 3.5 or so.

You must have gotten a great deal on the tube if you're thinking of building a cage out of it. Would cost me $150 for 20ft at IMS. And .25 wall chromoly would be hell on a manual bender. Takes nearly all my weight to bend 1.5" .120 wall chromoly.

 

[DB_1]

I know what you're talking about Jefe...It's amazing how much cro-moly is harder to bend than HREW.

Matt, if you built your cage outta that stuff it would be freakin heavy! But strong

Are you going with TRE's for your steering or rod ends? Also, how far forward did you push your axle? If you mentioned it in the tread then I missed it. (EDIT): Just saw your are going to run GM TRE's in another thread.

I've got my front end torn apart right now and I was thinking of pushing the axle forward and inch or 2 but I may just trim the engine X-member down and reinforce it.

 

[RockRanger]

It should be 3.5 or so.

You must have gotten a great deal on the tube if you're thinking of building a cage out of it. Would cost me $150 for 20ft at IMS. And .25 wall chromoly would be hell on a manual bender. Takes nearly all my weight to bend 1.5" .120 wall chromoly.

Good glad to know I have enough in there. I have the pinion pointed up a bit so I guess a little extra wont hurt.

I was just joking about building a cage out of that stuff. I know it would be hard to bend and probably even brake the bender. I tried IMS but they didnt even have it. Went to another place that seemed to know there stuff. Seemed like alot of the guys were into desert/fourwheeling stuff and understood what I was doing.

 

[RockRanger]

Matt, if you built your cage outta that stuff it would be freakin heavy! But strong .

Overly strong. I am thinking 1.5" X .120 HREW. I will have the cab still there to protect me and add a few diagnals and I think it should be plenty strong. for the wheeling still we do. I might do DOM if the price difference isnt to much. Guess i need to see what dies you have first before decide what size tube I will be using.

Are you going with TRE's for your steering or rod ends? Also, how far forward did you push your axle? If you mentioned it in the tread then I missed it. (EDIT): Just saw your are going to run GM TRE's in another thread..

Yup useing TREs. need to go get them tommorow so I can get my lengths for building my steering.

I am really not sure how far forward my axle ended up. I think it ended up about 1" forward. With the rear axle moved a bit with the 63" chevy swap Ididnt take any stiock numbers to compare to. The axle is basically right under where the stock bump stops were. So it couldnt have gone forward to far. If you run the inverted Y steering with the draglink going into the tierod I could probably go forward another 3" and not have problems with steering clearnce.

I've got my front end torn apart right now and I was thinking of pushing the axle forward and inch or 2 but I may just trim the engine X-member down and reinforce it.

I Dont think you can push the axle to far forward. I think the advanges of it going forward outway the disadvantages. If/when I link my front end I will probably push the axle forward another couple inches.

 

[zainyD]

You should need a 1310 yoke for your front axle. Everything looks good, keep up the fine work.

 

[DB_1]

...Guess i need to see what dies you have first before decide what size tube I will be using.

1.5 & 1.75 are the size dies I have...If you go with 1.5 tube I'd defintely go with DOM. I'm going with DOM regardless but that's just me, finding the stuff is a different story. All i've been able to find is HREW or cro-moly.

 

[Jefe]

1.5 & 1.75 are the size dies I have...

I've got a 1.25" die if you ever want to borrow it. I also have the requisite 1.5 and 1.75 dies. And yes, if anyone can find a supplier of DOM that won't rip you off let us know. . .I'd really like to start my cage.

 

[RockRanger]

Well I tried to put the front driveshaft in today and it needs to be lengthened a few inches. I also stripped a bolt off in the dana 44 yoke that I cant get out now. So I might have to pull the 44 aprt so I can swap to a ubolt yoke that I got a few weeks ago. Also spent a good chunk of the day trying to get all the the TREs to build the steering. It only took 4 hours and 4 different part houses to find what I needed. Not sure if I have tommorow off or not but if I do I just might be able to take it for a drive. This time change sucks with it getting dark so early.

 

[DB_1]

I've got a 1.25" die if you ever want to borrow it. I also have the requisite 1.5 and 1.75 dies. And yes, if anyone can find a supplier of DOM that won't rip you off let us know. . .I'd really like to start my cage.

Thanks Jefe...do you have an M-tech bender too or which brand do you have and are the dies interchangable?

I've heard of a place in Oxnard called Gold Coast Metals that carries DOM but I don't know what the prices are like. I've heard of guys on the Pirate board up in norcal that get together and do a group buy. I'd be willing to do that if we can get a price break.

 

[Jefe]

Thanks Jefe...do you have an M-tech bender too or which brand do you have and are the dies interchangable?

I've heard of a place in Oxnard called Gold Coast Metals that carries DOM but I don't know what the prices are like. I've heard of guys on the Pirate board up in norcal that get together and do a group buy. I'd be willing to do that if we can get a price break.

I have also heard of Gold Coast.

I have a pro-tools bender. . the dies look dang close, but not sure if they are interchangable. . course if you're borrowing a die, borrowing the bender wouldn't be much more trouble.

 

[JS91X]

is your welder a stick welder (arc) or mig ? if its a stick what size rods did you use for the build ? did you get a custom driveshaft or bigger u joint for the d44 ?

 

[RockRanger]

I am using a lincoln 175 Amp wire feed. I am using a 10lb roll of flux core wire from Home Depot for all the welding. I do have a bottle so I can convert it to true mig but 95% of teh time it is to windy (mostly jjust a good breeze) that it blows the gas away and I get crappy welds so I just flux core everything.

The yoke on the dana 44 is the same as the stock drive shaft so I dont need to get a different Ujoint. However the front shaft needs to be lengthened about 2-3 " I am planning on just finding a piece of tube that will fit over the current driveline tubing and cut the drive line in half lengthen it a few inches then weld the sleeve on. I know it is not the best way but in a few months I will be adding a doubler and dont want to pay to have shafts done twice. Little redneck but should be enough to keep me going for awhile. One the doubler is in I will have my girlfrind dad's shop build me some new shafts probably out of .188 wall tubing so I dont have to worry about damaging them.

As for the progess today, I got the tie rod made up, mounted, and the front end tape measured alligned. I spent a fair bit of time trying to find a conversion TRE that fits the stock pitman arm but was unable to find one with equal specs. So I pulled the Pitman arm off so I can get the taper recut for teh chevy TRE. If I cant find some one by tommorow morning to do it then I will order the reamer and do it myself but will probably end up missing my goal of having it wheeling by next weekend.

Few pictures of today. One is off the tubing I am using for my steering in relation to the size of stock steering. The second is with the tierod hooked up and ready to go.

 

[034x4]

Lookin sweet man, got any info on the doubler? Are you making it or having it made? What case will it be made from?

 

[JS91X]

did you have to convert to hi-steer? since your using a leaf spring suspension