PlumCrazy's Build

[crawlin91]

cool sway bar idea. Your truck looks great, always improving. My truck "swims" around alot at interstate speeds, I would use those sway bar links if I take another trip to Moab before I get my SAS done, but I don't do enough driving with it on a regular basis to justify doing it right now.

 

[BlackBII]

Ah, you also found that rear Exp sway bar links work with 6in of Front end lift.

I could have told you that, I found that out a few years ago.



From a previous BII:

 

[PlumCrazy]

Ah, you also found that rear Exp sway bar links work with 6in of Front end lift.

I could have told you that, I found that out a few years ago.



From a previous BII:

Well shit. I didnt search it, I just thought it looked like it might actually work, and it did. should be loading up my EB D44 and a complete full width D44 to scavenge brakes and shafts off of tomorrow. So I probably wont be using this swaybar setup for too much longer.

A buddy of mine is giving me a set of custom 31 spline axles with the 5x5.5 bolt pattern that should be Exploder width. He measured them quick and both were within .25" of stock Expo axles. I will know for sure this weekend when I can measure them myself. My new issue is to run 5x5.5 axles in the rear, I have to run Expedition disc brakes since the Expo rotor isnt big enough to house the larger axle flange even if I do redrill the rotor. I dont think a 15" rim will fit over the Expedition caliper though, and I just bought a set of 15" tires. I may end up running F-150 drums, but IDK yet. If all it takes is a little grinding on the caliper to fit 15's I will just do that, but I wouldnt be comfortable taking more the and 1/8" of the tallest part.

EDIT: Does anybody know of any thing other than Expeditions and Navigators that have 5x5.5 bolt pattern with rear disc that will bolt to 31 spline 8.8?

 

[railman]

as far as i know, just Expedition/Navigator....and they require 17" rims to clear the calipers....

have ya thought about taking the axles and haveing the excess turned off outside the studs on the flange to fit into the Explorer discs???

l8r, John

 

[PlumCrazy]

as far as i know, just Expedition/Navigator....and they require 17" rims to clear the calipers....

have ya thought about taking the axles and haveing the excess turned off outside the studs on the flange to fit into the Explorer discs???

l8r, John

I did think about it, but it would leave much meat around the studs. I know Aluminum 16's will clear the calipers, so 15" steels may be close. I need a to find and Expedition to test on. I also plan on running rims with 3.5 to 3.75" back spacing which may help.

 

[PlumCrazy]

NEW MEATS!!

35" Goodyear Kevlars

-PlumCrazy

 

[railman]

WOW....massive tire envy just set in......

the more i hear about/see them, the more i want them.....

l8r, John

 

[PlumCrazy]

Only put 500 miles on them so far, but I like them. They ride really nice for an aggressive tire. We just got our first snow, and they did awesome. I am hoping to get out and do some winter wheelin this week, bit idk yet. I am picking my axles today finally.

 

[PlumCrazy]

Christmas came a little early for me.

It was a little bit of a load on the poor Ranger.lol

Brought home my EB D44 and a full width 1/2 ton D44 to use for brakes and larger shafts. I was able to keep the RAs for both axles, and both drag link and the track bar for he EB.

They even let me have the mint pizza cutters and rims.lol

I also picked up some 8.8 F150 backing plates and new shoes to put on when I get my 5x5.5 axle shafts. I believe the F150 drums will provide more stopping power than the tiny Explorer calipers did anyway, not to mention a stronger p-brake.lol I think I will be able to run the 150 p-brake cables if I move the mount forward a few inches and take off the extension that added to the main cable to make the Expo p-brake work before. Im still waiting for my buddy to dig them out at his shop so I can a good measurement off of them.

If anyone is central or northeastern Ohio has some cheap 15x10s with 5x5.5 bolt pattern, let me know. I would like steel wheels, like soft 8's or Wagon wheels with 3.75 or 4" backspacing.

I grabbed a set of 97 Chevy 3/4 leaves to help stiffen up my ass end. I like the flex of my 1/2 tons, but under medium to hard acceleration the back end drops way down and the headlights point at the sky. Not to mention the truck hardly sits level with the 8" lift up front. I think the the stiffer springs should eliminate an awful lot of axle wrap as well. IDK if I will keep the stock block or if I will get something closer the 1.5" to help with the wrap issue. I will probably take one of the 3/4 ton leaves out which will still leave one more than the 1/2 tons have.

 

[PlumCrazy]

I remember reading somewhere that EB coils will give you about 3.5" more lift on a Ranger than they did on the EB.

So if I wanted to end up with a total of 8.5-9.5" of lift I should look into some 5.5-6" EB coils?

I looks like the stock Ford D44 RA's are only about .5" shorter than my current arms, so I was planning on remaking the my RA mounts to move the mounting point 1.5" forward and about a 1/2" down. This will help correct the caster angle and extend the wheelbase about an inch to get the front tires away from the fenders during articulation. If the arms were the same I could literally bolt the EB axle in. I would only have fab the track bar mount.lol

BTW. Are EB coils similar in diameter to the RBV coil? (bigger question is, will they fit in stock RBV buckets w/ a little work?)

 

[AgPete139]

Nice early X-mas present! Plum, when you do this, please take plenty of pictures and document this portion. I'm hating the braking with my 35's, and am wanting to do this mod really badly. I'm just hesitant about hacking up my D35 setup with D44 outers, and track width. Also like you, I dont have a set of 5.5" wheels on hand.

 

[PlumCrazy]

Made some progress on the axle today.

I pulled all the old drum drake crap, radius arms, steering, and shafts. the I cleaned it all up and sanded it down.

Ready for paint

I also stripped down the the full width and cleaned up/ inspected the hubs, spindles and radius arms.

I found out that one of the RA's from the EB D44 was tweaked, but luckily I got extras with the full width.

Looks like the bearings were replaced/repacked right before the Bronco went to the JY.lol The lockouts appear to be like new as well.


I plan on running the stock 66-75 EB steering for now since the tie rod appears to be almost new and straight. I ordered a set of bushings to adapt the F150 taper to the smaller EB tie rod ends. When I bend it or it wears out I will probably build a drag link and tie rod with something beefier. I also ordered some Caster correction C-bushings and track bar bushings. This way I dont have to have the RA mounts hanging way down to keep a decent caster angle.

 

[PlumCrazy]

Got the D44 all primed and painted. New balljoints are in, new Cbushings and track bar bushings are in, new bearings, seals and rotors are on. Calipers and pads should be on tomorrow. I am going to order some 3/4" rod ends here soon and some .25" wall DOM to make an over the knuckle steering setup. I was going to run the stock EB steering setup, but after getting averything bolted up it just looks so low. I would hate to see my tierod get wasted on the first run out.lol All I need to do is find a set of wheels and some coils springs to get this thing under the truck. I will worry about getting the rear switched over after I get all the kinks worked out up front. Still not sure if my current RA mounts are going to push the axle far enough forward to clear the fenders the way I would like.

Here is a pic before the knuckles went on.

 

[crawlin91]

get it under the truck

 

[railman]

get it under the truck

what he said ^^^^^^^^......X2

gonna be nice.....

l8r, John