SAS "Betsy" 1-ton

Well, im usually not one for teasing, but i figured ill go ahead and do a build thread for "Betsy" i was going to wait till i was done, but i have nothing better to do right now so lets go back a few months.. in late febuary i started a new build on my truck. plan was to get her to SMORR 2012! that recently fell through because i found out i cant get the custom driveshafts in time.. little did i know at that time that right now its completely off the table.. im 23 and work full-time, own a small business, and right now with my pop back in the hospital for months again( heart problems)... betsy is going slow and there is no money to get the brake lines, hydraulic lines, and driveshafts made considering im working almost 100 hours a week and trying to pay for 2 houses and run my business, and my dads business, all while being at the hospital as much as possible...
so here goes. shes very close to completion but at this point i dont know when that is...
the plan: Build a wicked ass Ranger, Duh!
the parts: about 12k worth
labor: i own a metal fab business... its all FREE!

Started with these from a 2007 F-350 (dana 60 & sterling 10.5)

Then i tore her apart!

Next i bought about 300 feet of metal and started the body mods

Threw on some Projector Halo 4300K H.I.D headlights with black housings

Modified and built a gauge pod for an oil pressure and water temp gauge set

Then i trussed the rear axle and started building a double triangulated 4 link

so i decided to experiment with some 79' f150 coil springs with an internal shock mount design

then i modified a 22 gallon fuel cell with a piece of 2" delran milled down to fit the factory fuel sending unit

and for the teaser!!!!

so thats where im at, still need to do front suspension, stuff the axles, finish out the flatbed with diamond plate, add all the accessories and batteries, and get the little things made...
dont know how long it will be but ill try to keep updating progress.
for unseen details, ill be runing: 5:38 gears, front locker, rear detroit locker, 40x13.5x17 rubbers(the damn 44" was backordered) with fuel hostage wheels, 3 batteries, air system, shovel,axe, fire extinguishers, 30 off road lights, land anchor, dual winches, cb, and way to much otheres to list...
hope yall like.
max

 

[jjaganashi]

latest update...
pop's out of the hospital and got his business taking care of and back in the swing of things so its time to start working on my baby again. its been months since i even touched her..
only work ive done since the last post was this weekend and i got the new oil pressure and water temp sensors plumbed along with the 2 factory sensors, i ripped out the gauge cluster for some slight modification, got the fuel line extensions made, and started working on some more additions to all the tube work. i also relocated the cb antennas to the top of my stinger to be used as a clearance markers for height. and i picked up all the seals and gaskets so i can put the axles all back togather. hopefully if everything goes well, she will be ready to go before to long.

 

[Trckmagik]

latest update...
pop's out of the hospital and got his business taking care of and back in the swing of things so its time to start working on my baby again. its been months since i even touched her..
only work ive done since the last post was this weekend and i got the new oil pressure and water temp sensors plumbed along with the 2 factory sensors, i ripped out the gauge cluster for some slight modification, got the fuel line extensions made, and started working on some more additions to all the tube work. i also relocated the cb antennas to the top of my stinger to be used as a clearance markers for height. and i picked up all the seals and gaskets so i can put the axles all back togather. hopefully if everything goes well, she will be ready to go before to long.

Hopefully I will get my final payment for the axles now??????

 

[jjaganashi]

holy crap... man i totaly spaced on you with the crap that was going on.. im sorry man, but yes definatly!!

 

[Kazer]

Hows this thing goin?

 

[OffTrac]

Wow, I've seen your posts all over the forum but never actually knew what your vehicle was. How am I just now seeing this? Nice build.

 

[01STrunner]

Thanks to Offtrac I refound your thread. Anyway what'd you do or plan on doing for a steering box up front? Would a super duty box bolt into the RBV p/s setup or would everything have to be made custom? I would think the super duty box would be stronge and better than a box from say a first gen ex.

 

[jjaganashi]

Thanks Rick!

Well, its been forever since i have put an update here..
I actually contacted Rick and asked him to remove this thread and he asked if i would mind leaving it up for the information contained here.. Im glad now that i said OK! thanks man!
Anyways, due to the fact that my dad can no longer be a part of this project and can never ride in it, i had decided that the truck just didnt mean anything to me anymore and thats why this thread was never updated...
Recently, i heard a new song on the radio by Lee Brice called "i drive your truck", something kicked on when i heard it and for the last 2.5 weeks, me and 2 good friends have been in the shop everyday.. This PIG is getting streetable by the end of the month!!!

Here Goes!!!

Rear= done except shocks, stuffed with Detroit full-locker, 5:38 gears, grade 43 1/4" chain limit straps shrunk with heat shrink to prevent rattling..

Custom maid me some "ballistic" style adjustable coil buckets for the front

Got the 2-link done(decided against 4-link because i dont want full hydro steering)

I kept burning my toes with slag going through my shoes...FIXED IT!!

Steering= Factory ford superduty 1 ton tie-rod, factory drag link with a slight mod.. pcs Hydro-assist pump and tapped superduty 1-ton steering gear.

Had to re-design a spare tire carrier that was stout enough to hold my "massive meat"

started working on the flatbed fenders...

other than that, what you cant see.. i got all the electrical wired up, my e-fan wired and switched to the aftermarket water temp gauge.. and various other odds and ends that are being done while waiting on welds to cool off and paint to dry..

sorry its been so long guys!

 

[01STrunner]

Funny how country can do that. The truck's lookin badass man. Glad you got back into it.

So you're using a SD p/s pump?

 

[jjaganashi]

right now im running the ranger p/s pump with the SD steering gear box, i did that on the first SAS and its been working awsome.. ive been doing some math though and i dont think the factory ranger pump resevoir will hold enough fluid for the PCS hydro-assist.. if that becomes an issue, i will put the superduty p/s pump on the truck with an external resevoir.

 

[jjaganashi]

Well, got some done last night in the few hours we had.. One buddy started making some fender braces... i put one on hacking up the old inner fenders to fit back in as mud/rock deflectors.. and i started working on the snorkel box..

Fender Bracing

Stock Airbox, started by completely sealing it.. BTW!! little bit of redneck ingenuity... Best Air Box water-proofing EVER!!!

Trust me, thats not the worst of it... I broke a large piece out of the vacuum canister along time ago removing it.. Thats bad boy has been running for about 4 years now with a Grizzly can patch! Theres a little bit of me in my truck!

 

[01STrunner]

What year range is the box put of do you know?

 

[jjaganashi]

the one i am running is out of a 2003 F350. i built a truck a long time ago for a guy while i was working at ford.. when i swapped out the 49" iroks for some 62" tractors tires he went to full hydraulic steering and i kept his old box that was factory, and it was already tapped for hydro-assist!

with all that crap said... the year box equivelant to mine will be a 99-2003.
2004-current are identical except that the output shaft for the pitman arm is way more beefy and much larger diameter. And the Pressure and return sides are diffrent sizes.. i fabbed up a cheap return line but my pressure line off the Ranger p/s pump bolted right up to the 03' box.

 

[jjaganashi]

Been bustin a$$.. got the front done (working out some bugs)
and i got my fuel lines extended and reatached. got my navigation unit yesterday and started wiring it all up.

 

[Dweeberman]

One word to describe this....AMAZING!

I am glad you decided to get back into the project. I hope to be able to have half of the custom fabrication skills, hell even a 1/4 of the skills that you have

Keep up the great work!

-Chuck

 

[jjaganashi]

Yes!!!! Wooohooo!!!

Well, moms b-day was saturday so i spent friday night and saturday with her.
Sunday got back in town and went to work!
I wanted to fire the beast up so i started on finishing the snorkel..
It worked out really well and i was able to re-use the factory Coolant and washer jugs(i had to cut the mounting tabs off of both and invert the assembly 90 degrees, but it fits!)

Anyone with a Ford Powerstroke might recognize the tubing used as it is a combination of cut intercooler tubes from the PSD's(when i worked as a Ford diesel tech, there was a recall on the plastic version of these for cracking, but they had us replace the Recalled metal ones when they leaked so i collected about 60 of these and have been building CAI's and exhaust with them ever since!)

Then before starting i need the truck on its own weight! Notice in the pics, the jackstands are no longer touching the frame!

So after going through 8 batteries i had laying around, i found one that was chargable! Put in 5 gallons and OMFG!!!! 2 long years ive been waiting for this day!! after priming the pump, my baby fired right up!!! HAPPIEST DAY EVER!!!!

On a side note, i did not know that scrap yards pay for batteries!!! I got .27 cents a pound for all the old ones i had laying around that were bad!!

 

[01STrunner]

Damn that thing is ballin!!

 

[brnbomr]

im not doggin you, but why a snorkel? do you think you will be crossing that deep of water all the time?

its just that most people that have them seem to think all you need to do is install a snorkel and your good. they seem to forget all the other things that dont play well with water.

have you addressed these issues at all? ie fuel filler, computer, fan shroud, and so on?

 

[RangerX]

Looking great and all, but the one big question in my mind is, how the hell will you be able to get the spare down from way up there?? When the truck is sitting on the 40s, the spare's gonna be about 7 feet high, no?

 

[jjaganashi]

have you addressed these issues at all? ie fuel filler, computer, fan shroud, and so on?

Yes, pretty much all electrical accessories have been tended to and sealed. im running an electric fan as well which is switched power as i dont need to run it very often. only when the truck is sitting idle. The fuel filler neck due the fuel cell right under my toolbox, goes through the bottom of the toolbox and comes out at the top driverside of the toolbox. the filler neck input sits right at rear window level. all vents and other hoses have been routed accordingly into the toolbox as well which is sealed. i never plan on haveing the truck in that high of water, as most people never do. but i have had the truck to the windows in a pond with the factory air setup and drownded it. its mainly an extra precaution as well as to keep the inlet away from mud and dirt because the factory inlet sucks! in the picture of the box you can see it has been full of mud and dirt before.

Looking great and all, but the one big question in my mind is, how the hell will you be able to get the spare down from way up there?? When the truck is sitting on the 40s, the spare's gonna be about 7 feet high, no?

Its not a big deal for me, im 6'1" and i threw the spare up there myself, getting it off is easier because you can just let it go!(im gonna catch hell for the way that came out...) now if i go any bigger, im gonna have to think about it...

 

[jjaganashi]

New update.. Its hard to share pictures of every little thing that is being done to the truck on a daily basis... i try to keep pics towards the bigger picture stuff...

got the snorkel complete and the hood notched and back on..

i finally got the entire truck re-wired.. all the lights, gauges, amps, winches, speakers, navigation unit, fuel system and everything else electrical is done...
also threw on some 6.5" wakeboard tower speakers for field parties.. they are on their own amp that is switched so i can turn them off whenever. i also built a second switch in the control box for the sub amp so i can listen to music on the trails without a huge thump...

i also finished the fuel filler neck through the toolbox like i wanted to.. it worked out very well and places the filler neck high up and out of the way of water and what not.. i have an 88 El-Camino out back storing for a friend and i used the factory filler neck off it modified with some fuel hose off the 76 f150 out front.. i had to make a plate to mount the filler neck to the fuel cell..

more to come.. other little things are being done everyday but i dont take pictures of everything.. i installed a flip start button in the switch panel that has a secondary switch attached elsewhere. you must turn on the secondary switch before the starter switch will work.. i can give anyone the keys to the truck and they can never start it!!! i also removed the crappy Artec industry rear 4 link lower crossmember as it sat to low! i have since built one more to my liking based off "RookieShooters" bronco 1 and a half. i will post a pic when i get it welded in this afternoon.