My 89 Bronco II Choptop project...

[lil_Blue_Ford]

No work today so I got to make a little progress on things....

Fixed the holes in the bracket for the drivers side axle beam pivot and did a little bit of final welding for a couple other things.

Decided to use the Energy suspension bushings so I lubed one up, assembled it and pushed it into the drivers side beam (using a large C-clamp and a piece of C channel). Then I jammed the whole mess into the bracket and stuck a temporary bolt in (I have to track down a new bolt for the pivot since I don't really want to use the fully threaded one that was in there). Mocked up my radius arm extension and all to find that I should have got a longer piece of tube, what I have is going to end up being a lil short, only about an inch and a quarter of tube is in the end of what was my stock radius arm.

On another note, I guess this should probably be self-explanitory, but the joints I bought for the frame end of my extended arms, I got a right hand thread and a left hand thread.... which side should I stick which joint?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I figured out my mistake on the joints.... dummy me, it doesn't matter. Sometimes I guess I overthink things a bit.....

Still picking away at it though, had to devote some time to working on dad's Ranger, it's still got a few gremlins lurking around that I haven't been able to work out yet. Had to fix the driveshaft on my F-150 too.

Got the other axle beam painted and mostly installed, next up on the list will be to get the radius arms finished up.

I think I might hold off on my trans x-member for now, just get the cage, windshield and get it on the road. I can mess with the x-member later, it's not a big deal (since what I have wedged in there is working).

Probably devote a little time to it tomorrow. Finally got a roll-away toolbox and started getting my stuff organized, might make it a lil easier to work on things now that I don't have to hunt for tools....

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Gettin there, got the D-35 beams under the truck, now I need to work on the radius arms...

Looks like I'll have to fix the camber.... just mocked up at an estimated ride height

In order to give a better idea of the size of the joints I'm using for the radius arms.... and yes, that's a 16oz can

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Been picking at it here and there. Got the inserts welded into the tube for the radius arms, got the radius arm brackets welded up and bolted up, got one radius arm tacked for position (I hope I got it right, lol). Knocked the shock mount stud out of the radius arm and welded up the hole, going to weld a couple shock tabs on, looks like it should work out just fine - if not there is always plan B.

Ordered my cage Thursday afternoon, Friday morning I got my tracking information and found that it was "on truck for delivery today." So yea, I got my cage. Just goofed and ordered what I thought should be all the rest of the hardware I need for now and realized that I forgot to get a couple castle nuts for the tie rod ends - I was holding off on putting the order in because I couldn't find out what size I needed to get and forgot why I was waiting to place the order.... Anyone know what size I need? Maybe I can get it added to the order before they ship it Monday.

Front pumpkin is assembled and I have some of the shafts notched out for full circle clips too, just have to finish cleaning them up and stick the new joints in so I can get the front axle put together.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Been chipping away at the project here and there....

Got one of the arms pretty well welded up now including the shock tabs. Been thinking of boxing the backside of the stock arm a bit, figure it can't hurt. Somehow I goofed and the measurement for the passenger side arm doesn't equal that of the drivers side (which I welded already). I think it'll still work out, I'll just crank the joint out on the drivers side a quarter of an inch more and make the passenger side match when I weld it. (ended up with a 3/8" discrepency, I knew I should have tacked the passenger side first for position then made the drivers side arm match).

Cage is here. Looked it over and I'm not sure how exactly this is going to work out. The instructions aren't all that clear. Looks like it'll fit best sitting behind the B-pillar, but I'm not sure if that's ok or if it's supposed to go right where the B-pillar is. With the stock dash, the front supports sit pretty far from the A-pillar too (I wasn't really planning on cutting up my dash). I have to wait a bit for help with welding and sticking it in place though, the guy I have to weld it up isn't available for another week or so (I'm gaining faith in my welds, but I'd rather have someone more experienced to do that work).

Parts keep drifting in, starting to run out of places to stock them all, lol.

 

[4.0B2]

subscribed... I just now noticed this thread. Nice work, keep it up. post some pics of the cage

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

subscribed... I just now noticed this thread. Nice work, keep it up. post some pics of the cage

Yay! Someone is interested in following the build! lol

I know I have to get some more pics up, was trying to hold off till I had a significant change I could show. Just haven't really had a lot of time to work on it this year with all that's been going on, I think I've spent more time working on every other vehicle but this one. Not sure it'll make it on the road this year, but I hope to have it back on it's wheels in the near future, I want to get at least the front of the cage in place and welded and get a new windshield in it. The back part of the cage will wait till spring since I want to put it in and promptly get a cover made for the back.

I also have another interesting idea kicking around for the back as well..... I'll share it when I actually get to trying it out to see if it works....

 

[country0001]

Oh cmon now, you can't tease us like that.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Oh cmon now, you can't tease us like that.

Sure I can!

I'm not sure if I can make it work yet, there's going to be a bit of and some going into trying it and I have other things on my plate right now. But fear not, should it look like it's going to work out when I try it, I will post ALL of the details so that others may follow. Since I lack Gwaii's fab skills, you'll just have to wait.

 

[country0001]

At least give us a hint.....

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

At least give us a hint.....

Just how many hints do you want me to give you! lol

 

[country0001]

So you're going to put a Jag V-12 in with 2 trannys and 3 t cases and make it float????

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So you're going to put a Jag V-12 in with 2 trannys and 3 t cases and make it float????

No, that's the other project truck... lol

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Got a little bit of welding done on the one arm, it's about ready to be plated but then the rain moved in. Not having a garage to work in sucks. I have to weld up the other arm yet, plate both, then squirt some paint on 'em and bolt them up. After that it'll just be a matter of getting the U-joints in the shafts and getting everything put back together. I may have to devote some welding and fab time to my plow setup on my F-150, but we'll see how things go.

 

[brinker88]

Subscribed! Good to have another build RBV in Pa.