Expedition style BII

Beanmachine7000 · Nov 23, 2008

Hey guys, I've had my BII for about 6 months, and only driven it for two due to a head leaking problem

The culprit 2.9 is now in my barn, waiting a transplant, but I've changed my mind. Since I have my Ranger to drive and I will need something to work with, the BII is on the chopping block. What I've decided I need is something like an expedition type vehicle, (Land Rover-LandCruiser emulate). I figured I would see what direction everyone would go with it... I guess this is a what would you build type question. Here's what I was planning...

1. Must be diesel powered. (Cummins B3.3, 4BT, International 3.0, etc.?)
2. Manual tranny
3. The option of full time 4wd would be real nice (NP242?)
4. Solid front axle (one that would work with full-time 4wd (Grand Cherokee D44?)
5. Fab work, and money are no object (realistically... $5k for new axles would be extreme) I'll be building this in stages over the progressing summers...

I just would like to see everyones opinions/suggestions...

Thanks

Ozwynn · Nov 23, 2008

I would use 80 series LandCruiser (93 - 97, or 93 - 97 Lexus LX450) axles with the optional electric locking diffs. those have 4.10's and the rear is full float and they are coil sprung in the front. they are also stronger that jeep D44's. I believe the rear axle is also a center drop diff instead of a pass. side drop like older models. there was a cummins 3.3 floating around on Ih8mud.com, might still be there. I would also use a cruiser 4spd with a Ranger torque splitter because the cruiser 4spd will stand up to the abuse from a 4bt or a detroit 4-53 2 stroke and you can get an adapter to bolt the cruiser 4spd up to your GM full time T-case, however I would still use a part time t-case with full time axles. The cruiser coil springs will also support the weight of the 4bt in a light weight B2...... the 80 series weighs around 6 grand stock and its 4.5L I6 is heavy.

Beanmachine7000 · Nov 23, 2008

I was thinking about using Cruiser axles, but I had heard mixed feelings everywhere about their strength, I've heard them being almost as strong as 60's then I've also heard about them being weak... So, what you're saying drivetrain wise is the B3.3, or 4BT-Cruiser 4spd (what about the Cruiser 5-speed H55 is it?)-Np 242 (which does have optoins for 2hi-fulltime 4-4hi-4lo)-80 series cruiser axles? I thought I read somewhere that the cruiser front axle is a FF too? I may be wrong... I'd like to have FF axles, just for securities sake... I'll have to look up some info on those axles... I'd love to have a 80 series cruiser, but I got the BII and I already have too many vehicles, lol...

Ozwynn · Nov 23, 2008

all front axles are full float. the 40 series axles are weak, and so are the pre 1980 60 series axles. the '80 and later 60/62 axles are bullet proof and so are the 80 series. the 5spd would work but you are limited to that t-case. I suggested the 4spd with a gear splitter ...... well crap ...... here are the links

http://www.sor.com/sor/cat068d.tam
http://www.sor.com/sor/cat332.tam?xax=30254&page.ctx=cat332.tam

for the pair you pay less than what the h55 would cost, plus the gear splitter is also the adapter.... make sure your 3.3 or 4bt have the chevy bell pattern. you could then sell the T-case or trade it for the one you want to use.

if you want an 80 series I got a line on a Lexus LX450 with Factory locking diffs and the pin7 mod done on the center diff lock for $6500. but you wouldn't get Diesel and good luck getting a manual trans to bolt to its T-case.

Beanmachine7000 · Nov 23, 2008

Ah, I see... ok... So the gear splitter goes in front of the tranny? I see, lol... now I understand... Ok, so FF front and FF rear on 80-series... I got that... about the T-case... the toyota t-case is full time 4wd with a CDL correct? Or could I use the NP 242 with it? I havent really researched toyota stuff that much, lol... yeah, before i bought the bronco there was a real nice 80 series for sale around town, but they wanted 8k for it and I was short a couple grand, so I got the BII and had extra money laying around...
i can get most any 4BT I like my uncle owns a heavy equipment company and he has tons of them just laying around, told me next time Im in Fla I can bring a rebuildable home

Ozwynn · Nov 23, 2008

the 80 series T-case wont work for you. I have yet to find an adapter to allow bolting it to a 4bt friendly transmission, but yes it is full time with a CDL. if you remove the viscous coupler you can fit a part time 4wd kit in the T-case. I would stick with the GM T-case.

Beanmachine7000 · Nov 23, 2008

Cool... that sounds likea great plan... I'm glad i checked here first because with my plan I was almost certainly going to have to use a B3.3 so I could mount up an AX-15/NP242 combo... and in a 5k lb truck I wasn't sure the 100hp rating would work out too well... especially for the highway driving I planned... plus it's terriblyhard finding a B3.3 used... thanks alot man... I'll do some more research on Toyota axles and what not...

Ozwynn · Nov 23, 2008

in all honesty, I would sell the B2 and get an Explorer, longer wheel base would be easier for your swap, even a 2door explorer is longer than the B2

Beanmachine7000 · Nov 23, 2008

It might end up that way... I just really like the BII so much more than the Explorer (I have a 'Ploder also that was going to donate an engine to the BII) if I end up going 4BT-splitter-4spd combo and it ends up being too long/creating crazy driveshaft angles I'll just build everything up into the Ex... drop the 4.0 in the Bronco and go that way... It just depends on what i end up deciding... I'm gonna try to make it work in the BII first.. just because I like it better, lol... thanks for your concern though...

HndMeDnBroncoII · Nov 23, 2008

okay heres a thought if money is easy to come by wouldnt it be easier to build the frame to support whatever options and divetrain you use the refab the underside of the bII to fit on top maybe a custom box behind the back door
Roger

Beanmachine7000 · Nov 24, 2008

Money wouldn't be that easy to come by... Plus, I only get paid twice a year, December and May, I'll be able to drop probably 10k a year into it, and I'd really like to be able to get most parts in most major towns, even though it would be a major concoction, it will still be made of parts that are usually carried in most major areas... I don't want to have to fab all my replacement parts...

86ford · Nov 24, 2008

running a oil burner in a b2 is a tough idea period. you would be better off with a EFI 302. as for the fj80 axles, they are tough, really tough but when you put them under a 6k or 7k rig that is a huge amount of weight. weight is a huge factor in choosing axles. a d44 front would hold up fine under a mild 6cyl running 40s if the vehicle weights 3k. now a similar vehicle with a moderate v8 and 5k weight and 40s would eat parts on a d44 but be OK with a d60. i have 2 friends on another forum who have the vehicles i described (close enough). the one with the moderate v8 is running a d60 for a reason. neither of them have serious trouble with broken parts and wheel there junk hard. a 4 liter or a 302 is all you really need to run a b2 off road. you can take this as far off the wall crazy as you want but eventually you will lose sight of the FUN at the end of the tunnel and scrap it.

86

Ozwynn · Nov 26, 2008

86ford said:
running a oil burner in a b2 is a tough idea period. you would be better off with a EFI 302. as for the fj80 axles, they are tough, really tough but when you put them under a 6k or 7k rig that is a huge amount of weight. weight is a huge factor in choosing axles. a d44 front would hold up fine under a mild 6cyl running 40s if the vehicle weights 3k. now a similar vehicle with a moderate v8 and 5k weight and 40s would eat parts on a d44 but be OK with a d60. i have 2 friends on another forum who have the vehicles i described (close enough). the one with the moderate v8 is running a d60 for a reason. neither of them have serious trouble with broken parts and wheel there junk hard. a 4 liter or a 302 is all you really need to run a b2 off road. you can take this as far off the wall crazy as you want but eventually you will lose sight of the FUN at the end of the tunnel and scrap it.

86

FzJ80 axles are already under 6K - 7K rig by the time they are geared up (they weigh 5850 curb weight). plus full float rear and are stronger than the d44. Also have electric locking diffs that are 10x more reliable than ARB's. I know a guy running a winch front and back, roof rack with twin 35x12.50 in it, a tire carrier on the rear bumper that hold a pair of 35x12.50's, 10 gallons of gas, and a winch battery. the front bumber is an ARB bull bar that carries to winch batteries. with all his camping gear it tips the scales at 8600 pounds rolling on FzJ80 axles with 4.88's

I am pretty sure he wants the oil burner because of cruising range off road. you get out side the US and diesel is more common.

85_Ranger4x4 · Nov 26, 2008

BDAB said:
FzJ80 axles are already under 6K - 7K rig by the time they are geared up (they weigh 5850 curb weight). plus full float rear and are stronger than the d44. Also have electric locking diffs that are 10x more reliable than ARB's. I know a guy running a winch front and back, roof rack with twin 35x12.50 in it, a tire carrier on the rear bumper that hold a pair of 35x12.50's, 10 gallons of gas, and a winch battery. the front bumber is an ARB bull bar that carries to winch batteries. with all his camping gear it tips the scales at 8600 pounds rolling on FzJ80 axles with 4.88's

I am pretty sure he wants the oil burner because of cruising range off road. you get out side the US and diesel is more common.

Does he really plan on leaving the country though? That is a lot of work just for the novelty of a diesel.

If he has an Explorer laying around for parts, the 4.0, M5OD, TTB D35, and 31 spline 8.8 will be a tough combo to beat. He already has 3/4 of those parts right now. Parts are stupid common to find, when I went to rebuild my 8.8 I got off of craigslist for $100, they had all the seals and gaskets in stock at the local Carquest.

Dunno when the last time was I saw a Land Cruiser around here on the street, let alone one being parted out...

Beanmachine7000 · Nov 26, 2008

Yes, I plan on taking this out of country in several years time, me and several colleagues are planning a South America trip in 2011... That's why I said diesel is a must... I don't plan on running anything near 40" tires, 35's would be the absolute biggest I would ever need, probably staying with 33's... This isn't going to be a rock crawler, more of an off-road transport, driving on bad roads, trails to camp-sites, and work areas, vehicle... I have an Explorer, but the BII is already stripped and ready for everything to go in... I don't really want to have to pull all the stuff out of the Explorer just to put it back in the Bronco... About the 80 series axles, I don't think they will work because the T-case I want to use is a driver side drop and the Toyota axles are passenger side drop... So far, what I've come up with so far... Cummins B3.3T - AX-15 - NP242 - Rear D60 Shortened - Front Axle??? By using a T-case with the option of full-time 4WD, would the front axle need CV type joints or do you think a regular u-joint would hold up?

Expedition style BII

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