Brake upgrade info please

[Ranger44]

I see him wanting to do it if he had the parts just sitting there and had the time on his hands....

 

[84Ranger]

I got the truck for free, it ain't worth shit, and all of the 2wd rangers in my area are in worse shape and they want at least $1500 for them. I've already got a sbf and AOD trans to put in it and I want it to sit low (rollover) and I don't want it 4wd. This type of work is nothing to me I've done frame horns, subframes, crossmembers, engine swaps, and other stuff. When I do the motor swap I can do the crossmember swap if that's what it comes down to. I don't want it to be slammed I just want it around stock 2wd height, maybe a little lower. If I can't do that with explorer beams and lowering springs then I guess I'm swapping the crossmember.

 

[AllanD]

Ok, that is a reasonable explanation of why you want a 2wd,

but now I'm gonna try to talk you out of it....


If you want stability? You could use a D35 front axle and an 8.8" out of
a '93-up ranger (You kinda need an 8.8" anyway) and it will actually be
MORE stable than a stock 2wd.... Yes, really.

How is this possible? because the Dana35 front axle and the Gen3 rear axle
are enough wider to more than compensate for the height increase.

I was personally suprised by this myself when I converted my truck
the other way.

Besides that V8 power while fun for converting tires into clouds of white smoke
that gets kinda old after the first dozen or so times you do it...

It can be very useful for doing "other things"

Although keeping the 4wd does complicate the routing of the drivers
side exhaust pipe. and some other parts of the conversion.

No tell me why you had to be asked so many times "why?"

is it fear of some government conspiracy?


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[84Ranger]

Because I explained it on other posts and I'm getting tired of explaining it. Oh and FYI converting tires into clouds of smoke never gets old, trust me on that one. Also doing 4wd adds cost and weight. Because I would have to go and find another trans with a transfer case and have driveshafts made. All while still having to replace the whole front end. Now let me ask you, why are you so determined to stop me from doing this swap? If I can do it easily and cheaply then why talk me out of it? I could see it if someone wanted to pay for it to be done or had a truck in good condition that they could sell and buy a 2wd or had no automotive knowledge but thought they could do it themselves. But like I said I didn't pay anything for this truck, it sat 3 years before I traded a lawnmower for it. It barely ran (had to be started with starting fluid), had no brakes, and had a huge hole in the floor. It's now a reliable daily driver, though still rough I've got everything to finish it to make it a nice truck. I just want to make it my truck, beggers can't be choosers, I'm taking a free truck and turning it into something.

 

[MAKG]

There is NO part of that that justifies more than removal of the front driveshaft and transfer case. That adds no cost whatsoever. No need to screw with brakes or axle arms or any of that.

No matter what you do, you'll need a rear driveshaft made.

If you want a low pickup with SBF and AOD, you're describing a 2WD F-150.

Regardless of how skilled you are, ANY one-off engineering effort is either ridiculously expensive or far less reliable than something you buy off the shelf.

 

[Ranger44]

I say just let the guy do what he wants, he obviously has a plan. Whatever he's got planned does not affect us and we've helped with the questions he's had.

Good Luck 84ranger.

 

[84Ranger]

People don't need to mod their vehicle, 90% of mods are unnecessary. Anything done to a vehicle that does more than just get us from point A to point B is just not practical.
Now you didn't answer my question. Why are you so set on stopping me. When someone wants to put a huge lift, do you say get a full size if you want something big. If they want a lifted 2wd do you tell then to just buy a 4wd. Or if they want to put a 4link with bags and lower it, do you say if you want it low just buy a car, or if they want a v8 do you tell them to buy a mustang or fullsize with a v8 from the factory or hop up the v6. Do you go and tell everyone else who wants to mod their vehicle to not do it? Do you get what I'm saying? Why is it right for someone to spend thousands on lifting or lowering it, or cramming a v8 into it. But I can't go to a junkyard and for a couple of hundred dollars and get everything I need to convert it to 2wd. People like you make me sick, it's ok for someone to tear up there vehicle and do somethings to it, but when someone has an idea you don't like they are wrong and ignorant. AllanD

 

[AllanD]

His early evasiveness based on his admitted laziness over previously answering the question in another topic (that I was unaware of) is the reason I've decided to tease him a bit.

He worries about the weight.... on a D28 equipped 4x4 the difference
in weight Vs an identical 2wd truck is 143#, 63# of that is the transfer case. and much of the rest is the larger stock tires and wheels!

the Solid "beams" aren't really that much lighter than the powered axle is (remember that the powered axle is largely sheet metal)

He's free to do anything he damned well pleases.
I'm free to bust his chops a bit for his testiness about a
situation that his multiple posts created.

I answered exactly and without ballbusting on one of his other posts (suspension?)

His expectation that everyone here reads every forum so that we'd actually SEE his answer is exactly why multiple posting of the same or very similar questions in different forums is generally discouraged

Read above and count how many times he was asked "why"

the reason "why" is important is because "why" varies the answer
he really wants to get, what will produce the best combination of
parts for his purposes.

KNOWING those purposes is the key.

Part of what he believed, that the 2wd beams would lower the truck to 2wd level, was false.

yes going 2wd would simplify his drivetrain fabrication and simplify this trans. but it still is going to sit up so he won't get a "street truck" he'll get a "pre-runner".

the narrower track width of a pair of 2wd ranger beams will make the situation worse.

He wants handling and I can honestly tell him the 4x4 for it's extra height will corner better due to it's compensating wider trac width. (presuming you put a D35 in it)

so if he really doesn't want the complications of a 4x4 using explorer
beams and '95-97 steering knuckles (for the two piston brakes) will
if nothing else leave him room for larger tires.

But it's really only going to save him about 60lbs

Things aren't always what you'd think they are and "why"
was important in giving him the details he wanted.

Don;'t GUESS what I NEED to know to answer your question
and if I have a counter question answer it.
don't worry about WHY I need you to answer.

worry about IF I'll answer you at all if you don't provide
requested information. (generally I won't)

even if that information I request is "why?"

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[84projectFORD]

I say just let the guy do what he wants, he obviously has a plan. Whatever he's got planned does not affect us and we've helped with the questions he's had.

Good Luck 84ranger.

x2. he has an idea and i runnin with it. no harm in that but allen i do understand where you are comin from along with you 84ranger. although his idea may not be what everyone else would have done, it may lead to a new idea or something else maybe some has not thought of yet. no matter how old you get or how much you know you are always learing something new and who knows, maybe this may bring about something new. it may not be his intended idea but im sure he will get it to his liking.

 

[MAKG]

Trust me, trying to convert a 2WD to 4WD or vice-versa is not even close to a new idea. Every newbie on the planet comes up with that one.