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Completed Project Turboexplorer's Full Width SAS Build Thread

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Hello everybody! It's time to start the SAS on my Explorer. It will be an awesome project and the first project of this type and size that I have ever undertaken. Up to this point the sliders where the hardest thing that I have made myself. I am open to any suggestions and or insights from anyone as the project gets underway. I have bought every last part for the build minus the hard brake lines (axles, and from master to the frame) and the flexible lines that go down to the axles. Those are all easy to make so I am not worried about it for now until I get the axles put together and can see what i want to do with those.

Now for a list of things I will be doing with the project:
1995 F-150 8.8 - I bought this used rear axle that I will strip, lock with a Detroit, convert to Explorer Disc brakes, and mount to the truck. Factory rear sway bar will be used. I will be doing a spring over conversion and will also be remaking the rear V8 anti axle wrap bars to help the leaf springs out with the leverage and TQ the V8 37's and 5.13's will put on them.
1976 F-150 HP Dana 44 - I bought this used axle and will be stripping it of the Ford factory wedges, trussing, and building custom glorified radius arms. Like DB_1 runs and like Rubicon Expresses makes. Front will also have a Detroit Truetrac LSD in it as well. This Dana 44 has 1/2" thick axle tubes.
Fox 14" Remote reservoir coil-overs - I will be building shock hoops for these coil-overs, bracing them, and tying them together across the top of the engine with removable double lock tube clamps.
1995 F-150 Steering box - This will be mounted inside the frame rail and used with the factory PS pump and will build a custom steering link from the box to the column. I picked this 1 to keep it ALL Ford and 2 because they are fairly cheap and easy and can be tapped for hydro assist at some point if I want or need it. In order to fit this steering gear I also have to remote mount my oil filter so that it has room. I will be getting rid of the factory oil cooler and have a Trans Dapt remote filter relocation kit.

Project Parts Section:
-37X13.50 R17 Interco M-16's
-Fox 14" Remote reservoir coil-overs with Eibach Springs.
-Detroit Locker for the 8.8
-Detroit Truetrac for the Dana 44
-Yukon 5.13 gears for both front and rear.
-Both axles will receive ALL new bearings races and seals u-joints etc.
-All wheel studs front and rear and spindle studs have been replaced for safety reasons. To cheap not to.
-Already had EBC brakes on it so those pads on rear will be reused and new EBC 7000 series pads for the front have been purchased.
-New front rotors wheel bearings and new Spicer ball joints, going to reuse the warn locking hubs as they work great and are in good order and easily changed later if i wanted.
-1978 Ford T-Bird calipers have been bought in place of the factory F-150 ones. They are 17% bigger in piston size so will give me a little more brake up front to help stop those 37's.
-Trans Dapt Oil filter relocation Kit and addition mount to hook to the block at a 90*.
-Currie Johnny Joints and Rubicon Express Clevite bushings for the all the link ends.
-GM 1 ton tre's for the steering with a high angle tre at the pitman arm.
-Front axle truss. (wasn't impressed with it at all so will be making some changes)
-Extending current Expedition rear drive shaft and will have a custom double cardon one made for the front.
-Metal used: 2"X.250 wall DOM for lower links, 1 1/2"X.250 wall DOM used for upper links, 1 1/2"X.375 wall DOM used for trac bar, and ALL tabs and brackets will be made out of 1/4" Flat plate by me.
-Double lock tube clamps for the shock hoop cross brace that uses 2 3/8" bolts on each. These are so It can be removed.
-All Grade 8 hardware will be used.
-All flexible brake lines will be braided stainless steel Teflon lined hoses.

I like to follow others projects and often find myself wanting more pictures so bare with me there will be A LOT of pictures of the build. I hope you enjoy lots of pictures as much as I do.


First some pictures of what the truck was! Then onto some parts pictures. Build will start shortly.
1998 XLT Explorer. 5.0L with the 4R70W trans. I have the 4406 T-Case. 3.73 gears with rear LSD. Goodyear 31's. Rock sliders and front skid plate. Links to those builds are in my signature.

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And here is some video links! :) There are a few videos of me wheeling in CO with nssj2!

 



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Sector9 from dragging his rear bumper climbing the rock in the picture above.
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My X up the same spot but different line.
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Great pictures of the trucks and the beautiful place we are wheeling.
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I am going down to St. George with the X again this weekend to play then will leave it there for 2 weeks until I go back down on the March 1st weekend to play again! :) Can't wait for 2 out of the next 3 weekends wheeling. All the stuff above was what we would do in stock form minus the harder things and lines along the way. This time I am pairing up with a few built Jeeps of Dixie 4X4 and will run some of the best St. George has to offer! :) Will be a blast! :D :bounce:
 






My phone kept going off telling me I had new emails coming in. I just checked all your new pics and needless to say, the back drops are awesome and your rig is lookin pretty sweet.

Oh, and I think your brother and I have the same paint jobs on our rigs.
 












My phone kept going off telling me I had new emails coming in. I just checked all your new pics and needless to say, the back drops are awesome and your rig is lookin pretty sweet.

Oh, and I think your brother and I have the same paint jobs on our rigs.
Both 91's to.

Amazing pics! The rig looks great! Flex's & articulates just awesome! Congrats again on all that hard work you poured into this rig. It surely has paid off! :thumbsup:
Paid off is the right way to describe it. Been a blast. Still work to be done. Few things like shock hoop cross brace, FOX bump stops, winch, bumpers, spare tire stuff etc. But at least its fully road worthy and fully able to play! You can't ask for a prettier place to wheel on slick rock then St. George. Everything is up on the bluffs so you have an awesome view 360* around everywhere you go.
Can't wait to wheel St. George again this weekend! Can't hardly stand it! :bounce::burnout:
 






wow that place is beautiful!i have never heard of this place. what would you say the difficulty level is? looks like it has some potential.
 






Considering un-subscribing to this thread. 33's and a Bodylift have never felt so insubstantial.....
 






wow that place is beautiful!i have never heard of this place. what would you say the difficulty level is? looks like it has some potential.
There is anything you can imagine. From a stock Explorer of any Gen on 31's to guaranteed body damage places requiring monster meats, lockers, sliders etc. You can see that 91' of my brothers got through on 31's but in different places.
Considering un-subscribing to this thread. 33's and a Bodylift have never felt so insubstantial.....
Sector9 feels that way to when we wheel together. As of now though he can take sand whoops much faster than me.
 












Tack weld the caps. Or cut the shafts so you can run the full circle clips. ;)
 












Tack weld the caps. Or cut the shafts so you can run the full circle clips. ;)
Yup! I am going to clearance the shafts to run full snap rings this next weekend before we hit the rocks again. There is plenty of shaft there, no strength issues with taking a bit off. After reading some bit its a very common problem for them to spit the little half clip out then the cap falls out. Lol, I would have done it in the first place but didn't know. O well will be fixed, $68 shaft, some new u-joints, a few clips and we are good to go.
Snap Rings

Ex is lookin' good:thumbsup: You ever do some wheelin' at Sand Hollow State Park? Looks to be pretty close to St. George where you wheel at.
I saw a thread over on Pirate of some guys wheelin' there and it looks insane. They are wheeling the extreme stuff but said there's some mild trails as well.

Here's a link:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/trail-rides/1160889-rock-crawlers-heaven.html#post16100714
Yes I have, in fact that's where we always go. I have seen almost all of those rocks they are climbing. In fact I ran several of those this last weekend. The pic on that forum.........this one, (he is in a bad spot here though, not the right line)
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This is the trail I was running, its called John's trail. I broke the Joint right before this obstacle. I would have gone to the right of this, still super hairy and off camber but not quite like this. Where he is there is a big risk of body damage and I am not willing to risk that yet. I have video of a Yellow heep that is a buggy on 39's go through this spot though. After i broke we left it on the trail and went with our friend in a LJ and wheeled the rest of the day in his rig. Bummed I broke about 25% of the way into what we wheeled that day. O well, still finding things! :) Should be good to go the weekend of March 1st. 2 of the rigs we were with where on 42's 1 on 39's and the rest on 37's with one LJ that was running 35's but locked front and rear.
Here is one of the rigs on 42's going through the same spot as pic above.
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In post 27 on that thread he mentioned John's trail being hairy. :) 35's and a rear locker and stout sliders are a must. Then you can pick your lines through it all. As with anything lines are everything.
 






I got everything ordered and its on its way to St. George. So when i show up there Thursday night I hope to start on the axle snap ring mod. Then wheel the crap out of it on Saturday March 1st. :)

Here is a few pictures from last weekend. Feb 16th, 2013. You already saw the picture of the ruined stub shaft and u joint. :D

First climb on the trail. Most of the trail is videos not pictures.
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