Armadillon's FW Ranger D44/Ford 9"

[armadillon]

I'm surprised nobody has caught the quantum level physics equation on my draglink.

 

[armadillon]

I've been doing three beads over any structurally important area. The initial beads were incredibly pretty (I swear!). I found out that my welder is having trouble feeding the wire and it's making my welds look pretty shitty...well, that and lack of practice.

At ride height, my drag link AND track bar are at exactly 8.5*.

Anyway, here's the completed lower track bar bracket.

 

[armadillon]

I pulled the diff cover off. I have 4.88s and a lockrite to put in eventually, but I need the thing rolling first. The stock gearing looks pretty good overall, albeit used. One spider gear is missing a chunk out of the tooth.

UPDATE: Just checked the axle seals on the inside of the pumpkin. They look brand new! Hooray!

Now to clean up the axles and put'em in. Gotta go grab some seals from the sto'.

 

[armadillon]

U Joints are rusted something awful. I tried using the two socket method and my sledge. It eventually worked, but the caps of the U joints blew off. I think I'm going to use my HF Pipe Bender as a press.

 

[escort_gts]

I like your trackbar bracket. Looks good.

My welds were good but didn't look pretty, and my overhead and vertical welds were crap. I was using the wrong technique and now all my welds are beautiful.

Sent from my Rooted SM-N900T

 

[armadillon]

Working on the passenger side at the moment. I manage a hotel here in Austin, so finding time has been a pain. I'll work 10-12 hours and get home at 8-9pm. I live at an apartment complex so I can't be using a grinder or beating the shit out of stuff with a BFH too late.

Anyway, got the new U joint in (Although I can't figure out the C clips...), and couldn't figure out why my spindle wouldn't go on properly. Dur, gotta put the caliper bracket on first. Knocked out old wheel bearings and installed my inner/outer wheel bearings and wheel seal. Once I get the rotor and hub on later this weekend (if I get a chance...) I can start the driver side and then plumb the front brakes.

Kinda crazy, I've had all the bearings, seals, and brake lines sitting in my garage cabinet for over a year now. It's a strange feeling finally taking them out and using them.

This thing is going to look goofy as fawk once I put these tires on it. I don't have the rear axle in yet so I'm going to have a huge baja rake up front with large tires and an itty bitty rearend with small tires.

 

[armadillon]

Still not finished with the rear axle. The tires up front are some shitty 32" rollers. I still have silly little stock tires in the rear.

 

[armadillon]

Got the front brakes done just now. I used the Advance auto parts 30% coupon and got both of my calipers for 28 bucks. I can't believe I tried using the old ones at that price.

Also, I had to find two 3/8-24 banjo bolts. I tried 8 stores in the Austin area over a 4 hour period AND tried the Ford Dealership. I finally found ONE at an OReilly in N Austin, and then the OTHER at Napa in South Austin. I spent 30 bucks in gas on a $4 set of bolts. Grrrr.

Anyway, gf helped bleed the brakes and now I've gotta fix a freeze plug. After that I'll add coolant. With the ridiculous Baja rake thing I've got going on now I'm thinking I might need to add a little oil due to the angle.

EDIT: Not having shocks on the front or rear is ridiculous

 

[merch]

i bet that thing will cut a mean donut in the parking lot!

 

[armadillon]

Late last year I gave my buddy my center chunk out of my 9 for his El Camino project. I was so far from getting mine finished it didn't matter at the time. Amazing guy, he got me a set of ratcheting wrenches from Matco as a gift.

Fast forward to now, I went to a junkyard and picked up another center chunk. Limited slip and awful 2.75 gearing, but it'll eventually get changed out so I don't mind. I'm still 2wd anyway.

Found another obstacle. I went and picked up the drum brake assemblies long ago from the junkyard. After cleaning them up I discovered to my dismay that the bolt pattern for attaching them to the axles is wrong! Nooooo!

I think I'm going to use my drill press and try to correct the matter, but it's definitely a pain.

UPDATE: Fawk this. Drilling holes and trying to mount it was a terrible idea. I do not recommend. I'm going to the junkyard to just find the right mounting plates.

 

[Ford78]

Why not go disc brake? Will most likely have to rebuild the drums anyway so put it toward disc.

 

[deathbypsi]

Why not go disc brake? Will most likely have to rebuild the drums anyway so put it toward disc.

X2

Go read my build thread for my truggy . I did a step by step on converting a 9in to disc. My total cost was around $180 and woulda been cheaper if I had some cores to turn in

 

[armadillon]

I would like to, but after researching my options on brakes, Texas DPS kinda gets me on #6.

Items of Inspection for a Pickup, Panel, or Truck Under 80"

05.02 Inspect Every Pickup, Panel, or Truck Under 80 Inches Wide For: (Listed in suggested order of inspection)

* Check for evidence of Financial Responsibility

1. Horn
2. Windshield Wipers
3. Mirror
4. Steering
5. Seat Belts
6. Brakes (system) Parking - (beginning with 1960 models)



And yes, I've done the research on the Versailles and the El Dorado. For me it's really much simpler to go the drum route. I just need to go junkyarding again.

 

[deathbypsi]

A parking brake?

I use a hydrolic parking brake.Much easier.

 

[armadillon]

As in a line lock?

Trying to research that now, but I don't think that's a legal replacement. I had the same idea when I first started this thread, but it's been a long while since I looked it up.