Section525 - Explorer V8 D44 SAS | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Section525 - Explorer V8 D44 SAS

For my 10,000th post I guess I will start my SAS registry now that the truck is done. :thumbsup:

Section525's SAS Build thread


Specifications
Front
'83 Wagoneer LP D44
JCW 5-leaf Springs (Stockers)
Detroit EZ Locker
Spicer 4.88 gears
Warn Premium Hubs
Rock Equipment Super Boy Howdy Fabricated Knuckles
Sky Manufacturing High-steer arms
Pro Comp MX6 Shocks

Rear
Stock 8.8 SOA
Sierra 4.88 gears
Detroit EZ
Spidertrax 5x4.5 to 5x5.5 adapters
Stock shocks


The Build

The LP D44 came out of a 1983 Jeep Wagoneer. I was there when the guy pulled it out from under the Jeep. It was nice to see the condition of the donor before buying the axle.


I began the tear-down of the axle and everything looked good inside. :cool:


I used TT Fab Works SOA perches for the D44


Here is the bare housing ready for hot tanking.


After the hot tank bath, it went into the blast cabinet to get even cleaner :eek:


This is what it looks like when it's cleaner than it was when the factory got it!


I built the front spring hangers out of 3.5" square tubing (.250 wall). That make the inside width 3". Good for any spring you would every want to run.


Make sure you cut the side off with the seam. Drill some holes. Round the edges and you have a nice spring hanger.


Looks like something you would buy off the shelf but for a 1/4 the price. I think these ended up with a cost of about $2 a piece.


For the front crossmember I used 4"x6" .250 wall tubing. I angled and capped the ends for bling factor.


Also to completely seal the crossmember so no water or mud would end up inside. :p:


I added some speed-holes to keep my top speed in the 140s.


Here it is mounted in place. There's pretty much only one place it can go between the body mounts and frame horns.
 



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I'm actually not quite sure -- there were 6-bolt Ford spindles but they were rare. And I would almost go as far as to say that those 6-bolt Ford spindles are probably the same as the Chevy 6-bolt spindle (early style w/o the large "lip" for one of the bearings). I read somewhere that the two used the same bearings but I'm not sure they are the same "height".
 



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From this website

3rd
To piece something together from junkyard parts! For this you will need Chevy spindles (a spindle with 6 mounting holes and the small inner bearing surface), and in addition to those you can use some 1958-77 (Dana 44-5F) Chevy 1/2 ton front spindles (Blazer, 1500, GMC trucks also), 1974-1976 Jeep Wagoneer/J-Series spindles, and any 10 Bolt/Wagoneer spindle that has the larger inner bearing and just take it with the NEW Ford inner bearing to a machine shop and they can mill it down for that bearing for about $40 for both spindles. These spindles have the correct 6 bolts to hold it on to the knuckle (Ford spindles use 5 bolts to hold them on to the knuckle). Then use a Ford wheel bearing hub & manual locking hubs. Ford has 5 on 5 1/2 bolt pattern, uses the same bearings as Chevy's (they are 6 lug), and use the Ford rotors ($21 for '79 F150 rotors). Another way to go is to use some mid 1970's Dodge 1/2 ton truck assemblies, roughly the same the years as the Jeep. With the Dodge's you can also get the flat top steering knuckle plus all these parts to convert to 5 lug, since Dodge shares the same bolt pattern. With this option you get the internal spline hubs, which are stronger than those stock D30's. I found you can use any manual lock out set-up (1971-79 Bronco- F150- D44-1F, 70-76 F100- D44-7F, 59-68 F-100 d44 & D44-7F) from a half ton Ford, F-100, F-150, Bronco. Just take the Chevy spindle with you and make sure the bearings go on.
 






6 bolt Ford knuckles are the drum brake ones. Early Broncos had these. To simplify-

6 bolt knuckles

76 Blazer calipers, caliper brackets, and spindles

79 F150 hubs/rotors

bearings are the same be it half ton Chevy D44 stuff or Ford stuff

Thats about all there is too it. Section has custom knuckles but its the same concept.
 






We so hijacked Section's SAS Registry :D
 


















Section, mind if I copy a few things off of your build? Like your Hi-steer set up? :)
 












straight pimpin'.
 






Hey Section any thing you would do different if you did it again??? (on the build...lol...) I'm thinking simmilar to yours on my 99...
And awsome write up by the way...
Cheers Randy:thumbsup:
 






There's really nothing that I would change. I'm always thinking about linking it. But that's mostly for the design and fabrication aspect and not the wheeling aspect.

I think the leafs setup works well and the bracketry is bullet-proof. I did however blow off the passenger side shock mount on Sunday. So don't copy those! :p:
 






I did however blow off the passenger side shock mount on Sunday. So don't copy those! :p:
Some pics would be nice -- we haven't seen this thing on a trail in so long!
 






Ya I would prolly say coils for the Gen 1 ex's but leafs for the Gen 2's is just way easier and prolly tougher...
Thanks for the quick response now go get a life...lol... (like I should talk...lol...)

I'll be copying your front X member/spring perch's but in 2x6x3/16 tube and putting a bit bigger holes (speed tubes) in it.
The rears are going to be modified radius arm rear brackets off an 07 F350 I just put a lift into at work... I'm having a set of yj springs modified at a friends spring shop should work ok...
 






You just reminded me that my springs are way soft. Probably too soft. On-road driving his pretty.. interesting. They're just about flat as it is now. Yomie has the same ones and said his are pretty much negative arched.

So I would/will go 7-leaf waggys next time.
 






Some pics would be nice -- we haven't seen this thing on a trail in so long!

I didn't take my camera out. :( The plan that day was to just work on the winch mount. But I decided I needed to make sure the Explorer still worked before I put time into the winch. :p:

But I only have so many weeks before Christmas Tree Hunting season.. so a lot of work will be getting done along with a lot of pics in the snow.
 






Wow now I see how you get 10,000+ posts...lol...
And you don't get snow in Calli do you???
Hell there saying snow here in the next week or 2 and I'm on the US boarder near Vancouver BC...
Ya I'll definatly get a few leafs added and the second one will be a military wrap for safety purdy much the main leaf will be original all others will be new...
 






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Ya are those 235/75r15 tires???
How far up the mountains is that...lol...:D
 






Hey, I have a question. I just did the same thing to my explorer, and I'm having an issue with my steering is super light and turns by itself sitting still. I have the same box as you curious if you had any problems?
 



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