7.5L_STX: SAS, Big Block Swap

[bobbywalter]

likely 1.5 to 2.5 inches, depends how beat they are already.


if your sub 400 hp some extra channel crossmembers will be all ya need unless your gonna be jumping or rock racing it to death.

 

[7.5L_STX]

likely 1.5 to 2.5 inches, depends how beat they are already.


if your sub 400 hp some extra channel crossmembers will be all ya need unless your gonna be jumping or rock racing it to death.

that doesnt sound too bad at all, the coils are almost like new so theyre not beat up yet. i expected a lot more for some reason, good to know

if im interpreting your last sentence right, you dont think ill need to box in my frame? it will be mostly for runnin around in tight muddy trails, no jumps or rocks.

 

[bobbywalter]

if the frame is not as rotted as the floors, it should be fine with light channel type mods.


the frames are fairly stout. handle 400 hp easy with no mods. quite a few big block rangers roamed the detroit area most of my life...

600 pounds of torque is too much in a 4x4 though. but a d44 frame fuse will die first

 

[7.5L_STX]

surprisingly the frame is solid, but everything else is rusty. figure that one out lol.

this is good news! it saves me a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on stupid amounts of steel plate.

 

[bobbywalter]

surprisingly the frame is solid, but everything else is rusty. figure that one out lol.

this is good news! it saves me a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on stupid amounts of steel plate.

dont get me wrong,its always good to box. just not always a must do. i would likely use 10 gauge to box though with bolt through spacers for the mounting needs of members and brackets.


some of the trucks i have converted or helped convert to v8 that were already sas or getting sas, usually had a box type setup in the front that i make bolt in. hard to explain but works great.

my current engine is similar weight wise to yours and my engine k-member is a localized box setup in that configuration due to the weight, and future power potential once i install the turbo..turbos...or whatever.. but that is because i had not planned for a cross member under the trans bell.


it does not take much to add some light cross members to stiffen things up, but you want to have the power-train lined out to find the weak spots and allow sensible plans to develop the additions so they are easy to work with in the future and keep things maintenance friendly.

 

[7.5L_STX]

i do plan on making new crossmembers all the way down the frame, now that i know it can handle a stock 460, i might just box in part of the front of the frame instead of the whole thing.

 

[89_B2]

im really really liking this build. keep it up!

 

[7.5L_STX]

im really really liking this build. keep it up!

yah, i really really like making progress on it but its going to be on another hiatus for a while. im at the point where the next step is putting in the engine, and that takes money. which i dont have right now lol. so until i have a decent amount of funds coming in, its gonna be living next to my dads muckin truck in the back shed.

speakin of that truck, i dont know if i ever put a pic of my dads truck on here.

specs: 91 F-150;built 460;D44 with full chromo axles;4.56's;locked front/ rear;9'' full chromo axles also.

i literally grew up working on this truck. almost every weekend since i was just a little guy. thats where my big block mentality comes from lol.

 

[bobbywalter]

thats my kinda rig.

 

[MountainMike]

I'm diggin' it

 

[7.5L_STX]

not an update but, i might (big might) have a line on a old bronc with a 302, if i get it im gonna put everything from the bronco into the ranger until i get the funds to do the BB swap. this way ill have lots of stuff done when the time comes to put the 460 in (fuel lines/ignition etc..) and ill be able to start wheelin ALOT sooner. my dads gonna talk to the guy, wish me luck!

 

[danger_ranger_club]

good luck! BADASS BUILD

 

[IRKillroy]

Box the frame at the engine compartment!!

You'll torque it to hell if you don't. Also think about the weight difference of the 4.0 and the 7.5

your 460 is 720 lbs while the 4 liter is approx 386... so those springs will not perform in real use... they'll snap as soon as you hit a bump or sag to the point of steering issues. I'd get the bigger springs and save you the hassle of doing it later.

 

[7.5L_STX]

your 460 is 720 lbs while the 4 liter is approx 386... so those springs will not perform in real use... they'll snap as soon as you hit a bump or sag to the point of steering issues. I'd get the bigger springs and save you the hassle of doing it later.

true with the weight thing but if i remember correctly, the TTB springs are stiffer then fullsize springs because the beams act as a lever so they need to be stiffer. correct me if im wrong though.

Update: the 302 plan didnt work out. o well.

 

[IRKillroy]

ummm.... think about it.

you have two connecting points, the pivot and the shock/spring (not counting the radius arms 'cause they don't matter in my scenerio) the frame pushes down on both. One gives while the other doesn't so all the weight is on the one that gives... or the spring.

the fact that it's a lever just affects the angle of which the spring compresses.

so the springs are simply designed for the weight of the engine/truck/rate of compression/intended use....