Full size axel swap 78 d44 and 9" SAS in 86 B2

[BabyBronco89]

Got my knuckles and gm steering components reamed today!!!! $40

got knuckles installed in axle

and measured the lengths of dom i will need, I got 23.5" and 46.5" that allows enough room for jamb nuts and adjustment

Need to order a 7/8-18LH tap to tap My DOM Tubing, i guess my dad has a RH one so I'm good there.
also need a couple LH Jamb nuts

still trying to get the rear end leveled out with the front, I'm in the process of moving the rear shackle mount down on the frame for a little more LEVEL like 3 or more inches, going to fab up some type of drop bracket or maybe steal a bracket off a f150 or something of the likes

Im Getting there

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

A good tap that's meant to be used more than once or twice is like $150. I looked into it but decided to just get weld in bungs. They were like $15 each. May be a cheaper route than buying taps.


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[BabyBronco89]

Well in my dads words i wouldn't trust my life on weld in bungs, that was originally my plan tho. But he said he'd Tap them using a lathe so i figure i should do it right



Butt, I'm having a bit of a hang up, the only place i could find online to even order a 7/8-18LH tap was amazon at 27$ free shipping which is a steal
but the down side is its shipping from china and says it will arrive Oct9-29, talk about a time frame!!

also ordered 2Lh and 2 RH 7/8-18 jamb nuts off amazon 17$ shipped
so in the mean time i guess I'm going to get everything done but my steering at least i got everything reamed so i should be able to measure up my trac bar
today I'm going to work on leveling out the rear some more
and maybe start sliding the front end forward an inch or two, we will see how productive I'm feeling

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Yeah I can see where you're coming from but I am comfortable with my welding and it wouldn't be anything to take it to a shop and have them weld it.


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[BabyBronco89]

i didn't get too much progress today but i think I've settled on a way to bring my rear shackle mounts down on the frame. I'm going to get a reese hitch from the junkyard like this

it bolts below the frame rails in the rear, then i will attach my shackle mounts on the flat of the trailer hitch drop plate, sorta were the holes are in the picture.

also I've decided after having no luck finding a slip yoke with 1350 joints that would fit my stock shaft

I'm going to run the 5-460x 1310 to 1350 conversion joint at both the 9" and d44 yokes, and more specifically going with the orielly master pro joint PN#348 for $13.99 a piece i can buy 3 for the price of one spicer joint.
this should allow me to use the factory B2 drive shafts we will see
also with 6"of lift will i need to go with a double cardigan joint in the rear?
what are you guys using for driveshafts?

 

[RangerSVT]

Absolutely on the double cardian...

SVT

 

[BabyBronco89]

My hitch idea turned out pretty well in dropping my rear shackle mounts lower on the frame.

Moved my axle 2 inches forward from where i originally had it but i believe its only pushed ahead 1 inch as of right now
had to do some Rework on the emergency brake cable bracket

Knuckle Reaming Turned out pretty Good

Got to modify My C-channel tranny X member to clear the front output shaft and Drive shaft
proof I've been a little busy
word on the street is my LH 7/8-18 tap arrived in the mail today..

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

For my drive shafts I'm running 1310's I think. What ever the stock 79 F150's run since I've got a V8 with a 205 t-case.


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[BabyBronco89]

As far as drive shafts I'm closer but still pretty far away,

i took a look at a 94ish explorer sport with double cardigans on both front and rear drive shaft, the rear drive shaft is looking like it will swap right in after its shortened up
and the front looks close to the right length but the problem I'm having is my 89 transfer case has a slip shaft yoke on the front and so far i haven't seen a way to find a double cardigan with the slip style shaft
suggestions other then getting a t-case with a yoke style output for the front shaft

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

I think you're SOL on that. I've never seen a double cardan with a slip yolk. Talk to a drive shaft shop and ask them if it's do-able. I'm sure they can make one but if it'll work right i don't know.


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[BabyBronco89]

well i got Her all leveled out front to back, i have about a 1" high overall rake from front to back, i think it looks nice,

Today i also got the front rotors and hubs installed with fresh grease packed in them, just have to install the warn lockouts.

turns out my dad dosent have a 7/8"-18 RH tap so i ordered one off ebay today for 18$
should be here by monday

My to do list in no particular order
>Cut DOM and Tap for steering (when tap comes in)
>Install Lock Outs
>Measure for and install shocks
>set rear pinion angle (any one know what i should set it at?)
>figure out drive shaft situation, will front need double cardigan?
>Run brake lines
>Trac Bar and Mount
>Weld Leaf Perches
>Mount my 235/70 r15s from the ranger 15" rim to my steel 5x5.5 and get them balanced
>finish Tranny X member
I'm sure ill find more to add to this list but I'm getting closer!

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

For my rear end I was told to just point it at the trans. I haven't had any issues with my drive shafts.
What are you going to do for your upper track bar mount? I learned the hard way to go overboard when building it. I built mine from .25" and braced it to the motor x member. I broke two mounts before this while wheeling.


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[BabyBronco89]

well working on my to do list, so far i have cut the lower steering linkage to 46" still waiting on the other tap to get them threaded.

Working on my track bar mount, its coming along slowly but surely ill try to post pics tonight, also want to get my lockouts in today lets see if i can round up some motivation

 

[BabyBronco89]

well today i spent all day replacing upper and lower ball joints on the 94 4x4 ranger 4.0l, along with a upper radiator hose on the 96 ram 1500.

I had two bad ball joints on the passenger side, it was pretty much a major PITA, it took me over a hour to get the axle shafts apart on the passenger side where they slip together i ended up using a combination of a propane torch to heat it up a alb sledge and a eventually a ratchet strap, and then a combination of the strap and a come-a-long after the tension broke the ratchet strap.

if it weren't for my trusty fishing boat and a little ingenuity idk if i ever would of gotten her apart and back together.

i took a 2x10 and wedged it between the frame of my truck and the frame of the boat trailer, then i tied the strap to the axle shaft and put a lot of tension on it and kept slowly beating it out and applying heat. and finally it came apart. after more then a hr of cussing.

but on another note, i managed to fit my original drive shaft from the b2 to the 9" .

i took the 4 bolt flange and u joint off that connected at the old 7.5 and installed a conversion u joint that matched up to the 9" yoke

i used O'riellys Auto Parts master pro house brand part number 353
heres a couple other Bastard joints or conversion u joints or combination joints for reference, (notice the price difference compared to spicer joints, i can replace 3-4 of these for the price of one dana spicer u joint
the angles aren't exactly right but it will do until i can get the double cardigan

im also going to try and use on of these to mash together the original 89 b2 front driveshaft with the original 78-79 bronco front drive shaft
i have the slip part of the 79 bronco shaft which is an inch shorter center of joint to center of joint then the solid part of the slip yoke shaft on the b2.

so I'm taking the slip spline yoke coming from the b2 tcase>>>to another combination joint to the original 79 shaft, to the d44 yoke,
I'm still planning on getting a double cardigan for the rear in the near future and having it shortened, but thats 45$ for the shaft, and another ???howevermany$$$ to shorten it, but i will at least have a spare for when I'm on the trails shall one ever fail.

I think my next step is getting the brakes squared away, and then mounting tires and then steering and then getting steering and trac bar finished, then all ill have to do is check my flex so i can get the right length and travel shocks.

also have to modify my new crossmember i made so the front driveshaft by the tcase will clear the driveshaft slip yoke...



On another note i start a new job tomorrow morning, so hopefully i can come up with the little extra cash i need to get this thing rolling in the next couple weeks, and registered shortly after that.

Some guys in my area are trying to get a large group together to hit some trails the weekend of the 19th so I'm shooting for that, its not far outta grasp but it will be tight.

until next time.....

 

[bIIjr]

Just for a reference pre 86 had double card shafts for the rear instead of those stupid cv shafts. Really need to gather my parts and finish mine lol