My backyard build (56K warning)

[dude772]

got the lift leaf springs in today. .

kind of a pain in the ass. All of the bushing sleeves were seized. I had to grind and cut the springs at the ends, then grind the bolts with a thin grinder wheel between the spring bushing and the spring mount in the front. Then in the rear of the spring i cut the shackle in half on the outside and air cheseled the inside that was rotten and about to break. After that i did the same thin grinder wheel on the shackle bushing bolt on the inside of the mount.

After everything said and done didn't take too long, but i got dirty as all hell! Im not a huge fan of where the rear axle is positioned. I would like it about 3/4" to 1" toward the rear. I will probably put in a lift block that will have offset holes to make up for the spring location.

I still have to modify the explorer rear axle to go under the ranger. I will try and work on that on sunday. Then i need to decide how im going to adapt to the f-150 bolt pattern in the rear. I can use adapters, or i can modify the f-150 axle shafts to fit the explorer axle and put the backing plate and brakes from the f-150 axle on the explorer axle. I like the idea of the 150 shaft modified. We'll see how things go.

 

[Stumpy]

Awesome build!

I wouldn't even be able to touch the truck until I got that shop clean... I'm real OCD on that. lol it's bugging me sitting here!

 

[dude772]

Awesome build!

I wouldn't even be able to touch the truck until I got that shop clean... I'm real OCD on that. lol it's bugging me sitting here!

Yea it really gets to bug me too. But its not my shop to say how things should be. And I get to use it for free. I just freak out when things go missing or my stuff gets broken, like my cutting torch .

The upside to some junk being around the truck is that its easier to get under the hood when you have a chevette engine to stand on. haha.

Damn rain was holding me up from what I wanted to start on today! I wanted to start cutting the leaf spring perches off of the explorer axle and prep it for the conversion. Oh well, it if doesn't let up tomorrow i guess im going to brave the rain and get it done!

All i did today was remount the battery tray. But slightly different from stock. I mounted it lower and more forward to clear the alternator. So today was the first time i could work and listen to the radio from the truck. Then i started to wrap the wires with self amalgamating tape to seal the wire harness then with the plastic protection stuff, and finally sealed with electrical tape. There shouldn't be any problems with the harness down the road.

 

[dude772]

Started on the rear axle FINALLY! haha. The first time i tried to start on it i had a huge headache with 1 lugnut. It was one of those chrome cap styles, so obviously it corroded and bulged, so i hammer on the 19mm socket, then the cap spins off and i hammer on an 18, it spins, then i hammer on a 17. Somehow that ends up spinning! So i magically hammer on a 16!!! and then the top of the lug nut breaks!!

So i got fed up and left it alone till a nice day like today came around, had to tear into it find out that its a limited slip diff (BONUS!) then smash one of the drums into 15 pieces to get it off. then take the axle shaft out, then smash the wheel into the axle with a seized drum take the C clip out. Then smash the wheel off with the axle shaft attached grind the head off of the stud and pound it and the half a lug nut off.

WOW lots of fun!

While i was in the rear axle mode, i tore into the F-150 rear axle i have too. That was way easier, the lug nute came off easy, no seized drums and only 1 broken diff cover bolt. Take the axle shafts out and get them all cleaned up and ready to be sent out to be resized to fit in the explorer axle so that i will have an axle that fits under the ranger nicely and still have the F-150 bolt pattern without needing any adapters, spacers, or making it look like a hack job. No offence to anyone who has drilled their axle shafts for the 5.5 bolt pattern!

 

[dude772]

Pictures after the front accessories were all finished up.


And what i did today.

I took the brake shoe assembly and backing plate off the explorer axle, and put on the assembly from the f150. Since im going to have the 5.5 bolt pattern i might as well have the drums and brakes to go with it. Makes everything look nice and normal looking.

The explorer origonal setup.

Removed from the f-150 axle.

Compared

installed on one side

Compared again


Hopefully this week i will get time to bring the f-150 shafts in to be resized. Im going to give True Gear another chance to see if they can get something right. Seeings how they are the only place i am able to find that can do it.

I didn't get any pictures of it, but I took out the 2 piece 2wheel drive drive-shaft out. Measured up the length i needed and made up a 1 piece 4wheel drive shaft. Had some complications with the retainers breaking and busing the retainer lip and the ear of the shaft. So i ended up using a piece of the explorer drive shaft. It looks like its gonna work. If so i will get it balanced and use it. If not i'll get one from the wreckers or order a new one. at least i tried.

And im ordering up some spring perches for the axle, should be under the truck soon.

*EDIT*
Perches ordered
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/d60-88-9-spring-perch-p-253.html
Found that thanx to the pictures on crawlin91's build thread. Thanx

 

[mjonesjr]

Nice job.

 

[dude772]

dropped off the axle shafts today. everything will hopefully be ready to roll next weekend. If all goes well.

 

[dude772]

Ok, axle shafts are going slow as hell! AGAIN! damn these guys take a long ass time! But unfortunately its the only place within a reasonable drive that can do it. oh well.

I've got my spring perches, the high misalignment adapters came in today, ive got the front pads and calipers, the rear brakes i can have at any time its all in stock. I finally found a place that has the shift shaft that i needed for the AOD. So thats going to be modified for the ranger tomorrow at work in my free time. Things are coming together just nicely now.

I cant wait to get my axle shafts in! then i can put the rear axle together and toss it under the truck and have all 4 35s on the truck and see how she sits. I'm considering taking my vacation time from work and just taking it to work my ass off on the ranger. I think im close enough and have enough parts that i can take a week and get it driveable.

CANT WAIT!!! haha.

Pictures to come.

 

[dude772]

Stuffs not going my way lately. Found out that im going to have a hell of a time with my axle shafts. But i am determined to do it this way!

I made the upper links. Used 3/4 hiems from bicknell racing products and misalignment adapters from ballistic. Got the hiems, DOM tube, jam nuts and weld in slugs from bicknell.

I hate having to grind down perfect looking welds . Oh well got to make it all look pretty!

They turned out really nice.


Then i decided to ream out the passengers side tie rod to accept a ranger outter tie rod end which will become the end of the drag link. I didn't want to ream it out because i wanted everything to be serviceable without modification. But this was easier. So i found a reamer that looked 60 years old in the shop and hadn't been used in 30 years. And i made it work! Its designed for an industrial drill press. but i needed it to work in a hand drill.

So i welded a bolt to the end of it and put a nut on that bolt and tack welded those together so i could use it in the inpact gun, seeings how that all i could find that wasn't broken.

Worked out nicely. Got the tie rod in there nicely. i also ordered up 2 more 1985 4x4 chevy tierods. so i can cut the ends off to use the threaded ends to make a centre link between the outters. Cheaper than tryin to find a 7/8 - 14 R & L thread bolt or threaded. tie rods were $12 a piece.

I also made the shift linkage for the AOD. took the shaft that goes threw the case fo the AOD and put the lever from the A4LD on it. The levers are brazed to the shaft, so you need to heat the crap out of them, may want to put a notch in the lever first so it has somewhere to give when you heat it. then just pry it off. Then slide the A4LD lever on and tack weld it in 2 spots. Worked nicely.

I am considering taking a week off of work just to work on this pig so that i can get it mobile.

 

[dude772]

Welded the axle brackets on solid tonight. Tried to arc weld them, but i tried it while the axle was under the truck and it was pissing me off and i had ALOT of trouble gettin it to start. So i said F*** it! Brought it to my buddys shop and used his heavy duty mig welder.

Now i have a few more brackets for the axle to make but before i could i had to get these ones welded up solid. Now i can get the upper links brackets made up, and the trac bar bracket welded up.

Im getting very frustrated with my rear axle shafts tho! They "SHOULD" be ready for thursday, but im not going to hold my breath. If they aren't ready, I'll Just order up some custom moser axles for $175 each.

 

[dude772]

axle shafts are back! going to get them in on thursday!!! YAY!

finally 4 wheels all the same bolt pattern and all the same design with all the same size tires for the first time in over 2 years!

 

[dude772]

Axle shafts are in. Worked out GREAT! everything fits nicely. I will take pictures soon. I ran into a little trouble tho. The axle tubes on the explorer axle are a larger diameter than the ranger. So i had to get new U-bolts for the explorer axle tube diameter(3.25").
Then i found that the spring perches i got have a locating pin hole diameter thats a little too small. i need to drill it out to fit. But the drum fits as it should and clears the backing plate, which was the only concern that i had.

While i was waiting impatiently for the machine shop to finish my axles, i found a cheaper way to have this done. Order NEW axles from MOSER. They will custom make new shafts with warrenty to the dimentions you need for $400 shipped to canada for both. I paid $500 for old shafts to be cut, welded around the diameter to oversize the diameter, machine to spec and re-spline and machine the button on. I've got no warrenty and i spent more. If i have a problem, i'll order moser axles.

I cant wait to get the rear axle bolted in and have my 35" tires bolted on front and rear! I am surprised that no one has done this type of rear axle yet. Well not that i have been able to find at least.

 

[dude772]

Ive got crappy pics to upload, it was dark and only had my phone as usual.

and my new daily driver...

Already put 18" rims with 07 f-150 sized tires on(32") Soon to get add-a-leafs and torsion twist.

 

[dude772]

nice weather is here now. So its time to get my ass out to work on my ranger again. Since last time, not alot of change.

Ive gotten the factory 4x4 lift blocks and installed had to get custom made u-bolts that were 11 inches long, the 4x4 trans cross member,(i accedently scrapped the last one with the parts truck, oops!) the front driveshaft is installed, the steering has started to come together with the center link fabricated and installed and the rest to come soon. The trac bar and torsional links are also now in and the axle stands have been removed from the truck.

i bought some flush mount valve stems threw work. They are made by "gorilla". They looked like the perfect idea for the ranger so that valve stems dont get torn off in the bush leaving me with flat tires. The biggest things that i have to do next is fab up a shift cable bracket at the transmission, something to hold the front springs in on the axle, and find and fit shocks all around.

The links are not tight and are twisted right now, thats not how they will sit in the end, its just how it is now.

 

[Rinny650]

Dude does your licence plate seriously have 007 for the beginning? Sweet!