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SAS is now underway!

Ok - the front swap is underway. I will be using:
'75 EB D44
JD 3.5" VR coils
JD radius arm drop brackets
F150 discs and knuckles
JD track-bar mount

Brake lines will be run either to the center of the axle and split there (similar to the EB setup) or run down the frame and back up the RA to avoid the brake lines getting twisted or caught up in the springs.

I will be swapping the yoke in the D44 to match the current driveshaft. Will I have any issues with driveshaft length in the front?

Steering - have some questions here - what is the tie-rod-over-knuckle thing I've heard of?

J
 



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Ok - here's the latest...

Tomorrow I am ordering rims, 37" MT/R's, bushings and RA drop brackets. Coil buckets and retainers should be here tomorrow as well.

This weekend I finish the rebuild of the D44, remove old buckets and place the axle under the truck again (with knuckles and rotors attached). After consulting with Bi D (Frog), I think the brake lines will run down the frame rail to the RA mounts, then run along top of the RA to the calipers - no wprries about hanging up or length of brake lines.

Taking a field trip to a local - and yet undetermined - boneyard to grab the needed disc brake parts for the rear. I will be using the explorer or mustang calipers and Stainless Steels rotors/pads. Any input would be appreciated!

If any locals want to tag along ar give me a needed part to research, let me know.

Next weekend I will be able to test fit tires in the front and decide final location for the coil buckets. Once that is complete, I can begin to figure out the shocks (hopefullly the last issue).

J

BTW - I will be dropping the 351 in here with a C6 instead of building it for the stang (1 project is more than my wife can take - never mind two!)
 



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Ok - with this weekend staged out pretty well, I just ordered the goods for next weekend:
Complete bushing kit
R/A/ drop brackets (adjustable camber)
Trackbar mount
Dual shock mounts for the front

Off and running!

J
 






Ok guys - I got the passenger side bucket and #2 shock mount welded up this morning. Take a look at my SAS photo album for a look at the pictures.

J
 






are you doing your own gears?
 












let me know how that goes, I want to do mine myself, save $$ and a good learning expierence:D
 






what size radius arm drop brackets do you think i will need for my 95, the 95+ does not have as much bend in the front as the ealier explorers. I think 3.5 inch EB coils will give me something like 8"+ of lift. also do any of the EB places sell the metel C brackets that make the diamond that the radius arms bold to? I am using a dana 30 from a jeep and want to use bronco radius arms but i need the weld on brackets to weld on the axle.
 






I too will be attempting the gears myself. Have found some usefull resources out there for it and there is even a video you can order if I can find where to order the friggin thing. Keep us posted.
 






Jeff,
Try James Duff or Wild Horses for the diamond clamps - they should have them.

J
 






Jeff, there is a post for those parts on pirate4x4, he had them brand new.
 






Major fab work ahead!

Ok - huge fab work now in progress...

Axle is done and ready, however, when I got to the passenger side RA bracket, I discovered it was hitting the transmission xmember, skid plates and sliders. As you can see, I cut the xmember and the ra bracket...
8trans_cross_member.jpg


8cut_ra_bracket-med.jpg


I think I am going to fab a box from 1/4" steel to fit in the frame rail. From there I am going to drop a plate down on the inside of the RA bracket for added support. I will have to notch the RA bracket or the X-member to make it work. I figure I'll notch the bracket then support it with the plate. I still want to be able to drop the transmission just by removing bolts...

J
 






Jon,

What's the newest here? I have bad balljoints on my truck and am running 235's on my 5.5" lift just to get by. I think I can locate a EB 44 for cheap and I just need to be able to get the axle in, in one weekend. Think its doable? :)
 






Ryan,
If you plan well and have help, you can do it. I am taking my time - about 2 hours per week. The issues I have run into so far are the radius arms mount so close to the tranny xmember, I needed to cut the bracket and the xmember and fab a bracket to hold it together. The time consuming stuff will be regearing, grinding rivets -0 unless you re-use the stock buckets and welding the new buckets in place. Hoping to be done within 2 weeks. I had the truck fall and about kill me Saturday, so I took the weekend off and won't go under it again until I have the rear assembled. I would have been done a long time ago, but I am still waiting to get my Detroit back from Randy's (under warranty). No use hurrying if I can't use it when I'm done!

J
 






Cool that is what I wanted to hear!:)

We will see how I run mine... LOL I am contiplating getting a new DD, or just doing this in a weekend and being "done" with it.
 






BTW - Here's some pics of the radius arm/xmember mod. 1 piece of advice - don't weld until you test fit everything!

Radius arm bracket
8passbrack.jpg


xmember and bracket combo
8xmembersup.jpg


Inside the radius arm bracket there is a bolt going through the bracket and xmember into the frame.

another angle
8xmembersup2-med.jpg


I am going to add a support across the fabbed bracket to strengthen it.

Here's a shot of the axle in place with springs
8passspring.jpg


J
 






you didn't weld the RA mount to the cross member, did you? looks good, just wait till you get to the steering, I'm stuck now, need to learn more about steering geometry
 






The xmember will completely unbolt. It is under the bracket and bolted to it in 2 places, once to the frame. The welds are all on the RA bracket - I wanted to be sure to get the xmember and tranny out when I swap motors later this year :D

J
 






Ok - rear is done (except for brake lines). Here are a few shots...

Rear door height (front is still 12+" lower than finished...
8rear_door_height-med.jpg


Here is the rear passenger spacer assembly. The spacers change the bolt pattern from 5x4.5 to 5x5.5...
8pass_spacer-med.jpg


Here is the Driver's side with the brake caliper...
8driver_spacer-med.jpg


The door height is with the tire on and sitting on the floor.

Should have all 4 tires on the ground Sunday!

J
 






Jon,
What did those spacers run? Might be a temperary alternative to getting my moser shaft for a while
 



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Think they are $50 same ones rick is running. That is the quote I belive I got on them.
 






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