My Bronco 2

[4.0B2]

See I'm so close to Memphis that I'm not running around doorless with everything that's in my truck. It'll come up gone.

I would like some tube doors for trails-- we don't do that much mud. Mostly rocks n trails. Or even a set of half doors--could paint them to match so my stripes match up! Lol

 

[dangerranger83]

Half doors are on my todo list. They will be my current ones that I have on my truck and my other ones which i have yet to show pics. of have the window vents on them. Just have to finish up boody work on them and they will be good to go.

 

[4.0B2]

man i love my vent windows... i wouldn't want doors w/out them lol.

 

[4.0B2]

so...

no real updates on the b2. just been driving it daily. end up around 40 miles a day at this point.

been using the a/c this tank of gas, and it has not changed my gas mileage all that much.. which is good. its still weird using a/c tho.

 

[dangerranger83]

It is actually more fuel efficant to run the AC at 50ish mph and up compaired to having the windows down due to the wind drag on the vehicle from the air trying to come in/out. Anything below that its vise versa.

Time to recap...what parts do you have/dont have for the SAS?

 

[4.0B2]

As of right now I've bought nothing... I'm trying to schedule some time to make it out to pull a part and get ecerything I need Dana 30 wise. Calipers. Hardware. Stuff like that. Link mounts and track bar bracket I'm gonna make. I have lots of 1/4 inch left over it'll be easy. Still need brake lines. And then-- long arms. The most expensive part. Lol. And I'm sure I need some odds n ends stuff. Like ujoints.

After the explorer gets sprayed I'm gonna do my 8.8 swap. Then I'm gonna try to get my Sas finished. We'll see

 

[dangerranger83]

Just grab everything that the axle touches. Mine being an 85, I went to the parts store trying to find out what year brakes would fit on my calipers (at the time didnt know the year) and my calpiers piston is much bigger then those of the 90's.

 

[4.0B2]

i plan on it. lol. probably the shafts to. as spares or the ones i use first. you know. spare shafts are good to have. thought about grabbing the track bar also. see how much off it is from what i need. that way i have a visual starting point.

 

[dangerranger83]

Im using the original trackbar. If you are making custom steering linkage, as along as your drag link is the same length and angel as the track bar then you are good to go. I recommend getting and adjustable track bar, makes getting the axle centered easier and getting stuff tuned better too.

 

[4.0B2]

yeah.. i'm wasn't planning on using custom steering. i'm gonna use the v8 zj stuff.

 

[4.0B2]

alright. so i'm gonna think outloud for a minute here, what if:

i go to the d35 ttb... instead of the d30 sas. (not saying i'm going to, just thinking and asking for input and seeing how much money it'd take and so on...

so i could use the d30 i have, needs lockouts, gears, and brakes
i could use the deaver coils i bought from escort_gts.
i would need better drop brackets (skyjackers $240)
extended radius arms (i would make!!)
steering (don't have a clue, gonna talk to legoms i think)
gears (i need for either axle, same w/ locker)

so the d35 has manual hubs where the d30 is live axle
but i'm worried about the alignment, the d28 has been nothing but issues on alignments. my main problem on the ttb is alignment and steering junk.

input? think out loud here and give me input!! lol

main reason i'm thinking this is money and time that the swap takes... i only have a month left of my summer and i start school. mainly money, b/c i can wait till spring to sas if i'm going to, i'm okay w/ that. the 8.8 is about ready to set in. that'll be a one day swap easily.

 

[legoms013]

Ultimately what are your goals:

How much lift? & How much wheeling?

Personally I'd swap to a TTB D35. They are plentiful, cheap, easy to come by, and the swap process wouldn't nearly be as involved and time consuming as a SAS swap.

Especially since a D30 is a boat anchor

With the D35 you will have the comfort and drivabiltiy of independent beams as well as the strength to do some moderate wheeling (with 33's or even 35's if you are a light foot). Assuming you do manual lockouts and 5-750x u-joints.

Don't be worried about alignments as long as you don't lift more that 6". The shops around me have always done a fine job.

If you have the right drop brackets matched to the correct coils and pitman arm, then bumpsteer will be managable as well.

If everything is setup right, alignments and bumpsteer (your two worst enemies with the TTB) will be moot points. This boils down to how much lift and how hard your gonna wheel.

For sake of time I'd say do the D35 swap, UNLESS you can't find one, then go ahead with the D30 SAS since you already have it.

If you could find a D35 setup hub to hub with the steering linkage, that would be the most ideal setup (I'd try and regear it before doing the swap, as the third member is a pain to remove afterwards).

I'd probably suggest 4" Skyjacker coils, Skyjacker drop brackets, a Lock-Rite or Aussie locker up front, 5-760x u-joints, HD Jeep D35 hubs, and an extreme drop pitman arm or modified superlift superrunner steering setup (find a used one).

 

[4.0B2]

I have an almost complete d35 also.. Just needs manual hubs. Some freaking sob stole them!!!!!!

And I'm only looking for enough lift to do 33's. The shops around me don't know how to align ttb. I've yet to find one...

I'm not looking to make a dedicate wheeler. I wanna wheel 33's on some moderate trails. I don't expect to do a lot for a couple reasons. First I don't wanna mess my body up. And its only gonna be 33's.

I'm gonna think long n hard about it. But I might be changing my mind back to the ttb.

 

[4.0B2]

I could do the 35 swap with the drop brackets I have for now to.... I'd buy the main brackets but use the ra drops and stuff for now till i extended the stock ones. With some
Joints on the frame side

 

[legoms013]

I have an almost complete d35 also.. Just needs manual hubs. Some freaking sob stole them!!!!!!

And I'm only looking for enough lift to do 33's. The shops around me don't know how to align ttb. I've yet to find one...

I'm not looking to make a dedicate wheeler. I wanna wheel 33's on some moderate trails. I don't expect to do a lot for a couple reasons. First I don't wanna mess my body up. And its only gonna be 33's.

I'm gonna think long n hard about it. But I might be changing my mind back to the ttb.

So at this point it boils down to whats easier to swap in since you have both basically complete and ready to go.

Fab work will be about even with both scenarios since it sounds like your gonna make your own ex. radius arms if you go TTB.

Either setup will work great for 33's and moderate wheeling.

The D30 will probably *ride* and *flex* better if that is any motivating point (unless your gonna run jeep coils under the D35 like Junkie).

Unless you can get everything just right and sitting on your workbench for the D30 swap, I still vote the TTB a much easier swap to pull off in less time.

But you do have enough time to do the D30 if you wanted.