Completed Project - Stic-o's 2nd gen. radius arm/coil SAS | Page 34 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Completed Project Stic-o's 2nd gen. radius arm/coil SAS

Use this prefix for completed projects that are not "How to" articles or threads asking for help.
Well it's Finaly Time to Start this thread.

Intro
In April of 2006 I will be doing a Solid Axle Swap on my '99 Explorer XL. Through the entire prosess I will be takink pics and updateing when there is is new info. I've pretty much always known I was going to do a SAS in my truck all along. For this reason, I have never but a dime into my front axle. I just never saw the point if I was going to rip it out.

The Plan

I plan to run a High Pinion Dana 44 full width in the front. I will be using Early Bronco Coils, posiablly 5.5" lift coils. I am still unsure of what I will be using for Radius arms, as we are still in the works. I would like to do a 3 link in the front but I don't think it's possiable with the cast wedges. I will be running 5.13 gears and plan to use anywhere from a 35" tire to a 37" tire, depending what I find. In the rear, I will be going to a 86-96 full width 8.8 off a Bronco/F-150. This will give me the ability to keep my speedometer, as well as reuseing my current locker, BTF Cover, and Disc Brakes. This will also give me a 5x5.5 pattern, and width almost dead on with the front. I would also like to move the rear leaf springs to the outside of the frame with the FW 8.8 to get rid of the spring hangers under the back doors that we all get caught on.

There alot of things still unsure, and I will figure it out as I go. Unfortally only small things will be done, until late March. Lack of funds will keep me from doing much until then. The axle will be set to go in the truck in April sometime though. Now let get to the goods. Pictures :D


The Meat
12287D44.jpg


A side dish of parts

12287SAS_Parts.jpg




I can't wait for dessert :p
 



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Charlie's_93EB said:
that is a awsome vid!!!! You need to do that on your next wheeling trip. BTW what did you use to keep the cam safe??? Tape, hose clamps?? I need to know


thanks

I have been ;) See this thread, it will answer all your questions :D Introducing Stic-Cam

Also for Stic-cam runs just do a search, I've benn using it for a little while now.
 



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ordered new d-shaft for the rear this morning, should have it by the end of the week. :bounce:


It will be nice to be able to drive on the freeway at the speed limit again ;)
 






Stic-o said:
I have been ;) See this thread, it will answer all your questions :D Introducing Stic-Cam

Also for Stic-cam runs just do a search, I've benn using it for a little while now.

wow that is insane i love it. I have a spare b/w like the HF you you have, ummm bad ideasssss. :D
 






Why did it get out of round?
 












RockRanger said:
Will you be driving it out to the expo this weekend if you get the driveshaft?

No, i don't want people leaving message on my truck about my welds :p:
 












I can bring it, if you want :rolleyes: I took tommorow off to go pick up the D-shaft and throw it in. I still have some other things to take care of, on it. I have a nice little list. However it's completly driveable. My next goal is to replace the u-joints in the front axle, the passanger side one lost two of the caps and is being held in the middle with a zip tie, so it would quit making noice bounceing around, and I didn't want to Fubar my inner seal :(
 












New driveshaft in :thumbsup: All vibration gone! :bounce:

Well there is good news and bad news though....

The Godd news is, it rides very smooth! I would even go as far as to say with street tire it would ride almost as smooth as the Volvo. :D

The Bad news...if you want to call it that :rolleyes: I need bigger tires :D at 60mph, (which is probally really 70mph) the tach is at about 3000rpm with the O/D on. :( at first I thought it just wasn't droping down in to O/D, so i tried turning it off. Bad idea! Jumped to 4000rpm :eek: It climbs really fast after about 52mph. Between 52-60 it jumps about 500rpm.
 












Stic-o said:
The Bad news...if you want to call it that :rolleyes: I need bigger tires :D at 60mph, (which is probally really 70mph) the tach is at about 3000rpm with the O/D on. :( at first I thought it just wasn't droping down in to O/D, so i tried turning it off. Bad idea! Jumped to 4000rpm :eek: It climbs really fast after about 52mph. Between 52-60 it jumps about 500rpm.
Wait until you drop down a steep grade in the dirt before you decide you need bigger tires. My Explorer has 5.13's and 35's and is a little slow on the street (like yours seems to be right now), but in the dirt its great. Besides, it looks great now!
 






3 grand at 70mph is about perfect. You are not going to be able to hold freeway speeds at lower rpm's anymore... with higher gears you will have to hold the pedal almost to the floor just to maintain 70mph.
 






4wd again!

Well today I replaced the passanger side u-joint. I guess I kinda know what I am doing now, sense I had it apart and all put back together in under a hour. ;) Then we moved on to getting the front shaft lenghted and in. I am using a stock explorer front shaft. We cut it in half and welded in a 6" piece of tube. We only extended the shaft 2", but sleeved both sides by 2". Then I replaced the front joint and threw it in. Success! I am now once again 4wd :bounce:

Now the problem is I started to play with the truck in 4wd and F'ed it up. :banghead: I try climbing something I should not have and put to much stress on the steering box, and the inside of the frame started caving in along with the 1/4" plate. :eek: Enough where one of my bolts had about a 1/4" slack in it. I tigheted it up and we are going to rebuild the inner mount next weekend. Luckly we did not weld this one because it would have been a pita to take out. We will use 3/8" inch plate I think this time and tie it into the bottom of the frame and the engine mount. This will completlely box that whole area, and we should not have any more problems then.

I'll get a picture of my pretty new front driveshaft. We needed a new boot on it so we used a shock boot (red of course :D ) it came out nice.
 






Stic.. can you direct me to a picture of your box and where your problem is with it? I want to make sure mine is going to be beef enough while I have it apart in the driveway.

...and congrats on the 4wd. :D
 






section525 said:
Stic.. can you direct me to a picture of your box and where your problem is with it? I want to make sure mine is going to be beef enough while I have it apart in the driveway.

...and congrats on the 4wd. :D

Thanks.. :D

Here is my problem...

the bolt in the picture is where the frame problem is. If we ran the plate down farther tord the edge we probally would have been fine. :rolleyes:

box_mount4.jpg




here is the new shaft :p:

shaft.jpg
 






So you plated both sides, sleeved the bolts, and its collapsing?
 






IZwack said:
So you plated both sides, sleeved the bolts, and its collapsing?

Just where the front bolt is. the plate should have gone down to the bottom of the frame, which it originaly did, until we found we didn't have enough angle on the box. so the plate had to be moved. However the bolts are not sleaved inside the frame. only the very top bolt which is over the frame.

I also have a binding in the steering when I turn to the right. I may have fubar'd the box. :rolleyes:
 






Stic-o said:
. . .I am using a stock explorer front shaft. We cut it in half and welded in a 6" piece of tube. We only extended the shaft 2", but sleeved both sides by 2". . .
Hopefully the front driveshaft is a little more concentric than your rear driveshaft spacer. :p:

Stic-o said:
However the bolts are not sleaved inside the frame. only the very top bolt which is over the frame.
Well there's your problem. At least you found out before getting stuck out on a trail. :rolleyes:
 



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Work on the truck the entire weekend, honestly didn't think I was going to drive it home last night. However in the dark pulled it thru and got her done;)

Changed the fluid in the rear diff.
Beefed up the sliders some.
and tore in the steering box mount...:(

The steering was by far the big project this weekend. We needed to redsign the mount after I tried to climb my parents front tree, the box started crushing the frame.:banghead: Our plan was to take a 4x8 piece of 1/4" box and cut it down to a "L" shaped piece, running from the motor mount to the radiator, and then the "L" part going under the frame. The other thing was I wanted to bring the box closer to the frame, because the steering shaft rubed on my exsaust manafold. So after cutting out this special piece, which was a pita! we got it mounted after have bolt problems too. (I have new ones on order) We got all in working. Still need to weld the piece in though. I'll get pics later.

So before when you turn the wheel, you could watch the whole mox pivot on the frame, kinda scary!:eek:

Now the frame or box do not move at all. and drive the great! It feels like your steering a normal car.:confused:
 






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