Not Another CTOR Build

[CheapThrillB2]

got the rear put on the B2, man i cannot wait to get this thing back on the trails

 

[drew15]

hey looks good man i am goignt o be doing that to my ranger soon have to make it 4x4 i want to put omse 36's-38's opn it and put a 5.0 in it u guy should come to windsor in play in some windsor mud for a day talk to the ppl on the windsorjeepclub.com and everyone will go there not has big has the parks near u but a lot of fun later drew

 

[wv4x4junkie]

if i wasnt so far away i would come buy the rest of the explorer that what mine is and you cant ever have enough extra body panels

 

[CheapThrillB2]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pON-ofdnO-Y

got bored waiting for parts to arrive so i don't have much to do, thought i would throw together a slide show

 

[fordwheelinman]

sweet!

 

[CheapThrillB2]

well change of plans.....

I picked up a pair of Mid 70's D44 chevy Knuckles and related parts. My new plan is i am going to run a leaf spring set-up up front with a hi-steer set-up. both knuckles are flat tops so this way i can place the steering totally above the springs to protect the steering set-up. I haven't got the knuckles removed from the axle yet. But from what i have read i can take the knuckle, spindle hun, caliper and bracket. Reuse my ford rotors to keep the lug pattern the same. I use the chevy stub shafts. I also got my axle back from getting the pass side shortened 6 inches. Its been 5 degrees here and snowing hard the last few days so once the weather breaks and warms up a little i'll be hitting the garage for some long set-up hours.

I'm gonna make a bastard leaf pack from all the various leafs from things i've collected. But the main leaf will be a rear explorer. with the spring bolt offset in the leaf this will allow me to push the front about 2 inches from a stock location on the frame and put the front shackle from being in front of the frame rail. Got alot of trail and error ahead once it warms up.

 

[Evan]

It's been damn cold over here in WI too. -11F today with a -30 windchill. Not good rig-working weather, or wheelin weather for that matter.

 

[zainyD]]

Why leaf springs when you already have everything set up for coils?

 

[CheapThrillB2]

the cost of building the radius arms is twice what it would cost me to set up the leafs

 

[zainyD]]

the cost of building the radius arms is twice what it would cost me to set up the leafs

How so? You already have the radius arm components.

 

[CheapThrillB2]

i was going to extend them, put joints on the end, tube inserts, tube, new crossmember.

at the same time i was going to push the front axle out 2"s, which ment new coil buckets, shock mounts, and steering geo., and a trac bar mount.

I already have the leafs, already have the flat top knuckles, steel to build leaf mounts, and already have shackles. That just leaves me to buy the steering set-up. And with the springs i am using the clamp hole is offset so putting the leafs in place pushs the front 2" further forward then stock location.

 

[CheapThrillB2]

well got some stuff done.

Hooked up my new air compressor, out together my new 12 ton press, wired up and played a little with my new plasma cutter.

Got my front spring pack put together, bought my spring perches for the axle. Got one of the two remaining wedges off the axle. Amd disassmebled the Front Chevy D44 i bought for the flat top knuckles. Damn thing had a busted bearing and is stuck on the spindle hub. Have to bring it to work and clean up all the parts.

Now i was told with doing the flat top chevy knuckle swap that i would need to reuse the chevy stubs, but when comparing to the Ford D44 stubs i could not see a difference.

Hope it doesn't get to cold the next few days, i hope to make my spring mounts and get the axle mocked into place.

 

[CheapThrillB2]

I just ordered

Hi-Steer Arms and studs/nuts/washers
Chrome moly shafts for left/right
and in a little while an aussie locker for the front

 

[bandit]

cool slide show, watching it make me work harder on finishing my truck

 

[OhShietitzMike]

great work on this project . . . i just tuned in . . lol . . but i'm a bit confussed on y u have such issuses w/ the shafts . . . but i think it may be the welded gears . . . i have a dana 28 front w/ stock gears n carrier, 36x12.5x15 n i have no problems . . . n i do some hard core wheelin . . .

ne way good luck w/ the new axle setup . . . it should work well for u . . .