The Deuce

[BONES]

Update time!

Last time out wheeling at the beginning of Jan 2011, I broke another rear diff ujoint. Turns out I spread the ears on the diff yoke too. Then the next bummer was finding replacement locally that wasn't 150bucks new. I finally found a used one last week for 15$, this one uses a 1310 ujoint instead of the 1330 I had on there. This means I no longer need the conversion joint I kept breaking. Waiting on another payday to buy a couple new ujoints so I can get back on the trail.

New-to-me 9" diff pinion yoke and seal.

In the mean time I decided I would redo my front brake line system too. I'll post some pics as it goes back together in the next week or so. I'm changing it from the 28" long braided lines at each front wheel to one long line at the center of the diff and short flex lines at each caliper and running the hard line across the axle housing.

Along the way this last month I came across a deal on a York air pump I couldn't pass on, 25$ for it, according to the manufacturer it puts out 13.9cfm @ 2000rpm & 270 psi!!!

I did some measuring and it has plenty of room to spare under the hood sitting on top of the A/C pump bracket, this York didn't come with a clutch or pulley ($85 for a new serpentine clutch pulley) so I'm going to try and modify the straight shaft Ford A/C clutch/pulley to fit on the York's tapered-keyed shaft. If not I'll wait and buy the new pulley. I'll finally have a reliable OBA system again!!! YAY!!!!

 

[kris97ranger]

OBA would be on board air right? ive been thinking about that except with an electric compressor and a converter hooked to my winch battery

 

[BONES]

Yeah on board air, I thought about electric but for what I want out of it the electric are very expensive. I have an ac delco A/C compressor on my other rig and love it, I can run air tools with it, no problems, often times when wrenching around the yard I'll just fire up the Rover and use it's OBA instead of dragging my hotdog compressor out of the shed. The Yorks are rated at more CFM than my a/c compressor too. Can't wait to get it mounted and running.

My buddy has a 2000watt inverter wired in his Cherokee and a small portable 120V hamburger compressor bolted in the back, it works but it's slow, has like a 5 gal tank on it and takes maybe 8-10 minutes to air one 34x11.5 LTB's up from 12psi to 30 psi at the end of the trail. That's not bad as it used to take him 15 minutes a tire with his little 12V compressor, lol, and he would have to let it cool for about 5 minutes between each tire, haha. With my ac delco on my Rover it takes about 2 minutes to air a 35x12.5 up from 7psi to 30 psi. Another buddy I have runs the York pump like my new one here and it takes him about 1.5-2 minutes to air up his 38x12.5 from 8psi to 30 psi.

 

[86 slo-vo]

whats the part number on the compressor? i think i spotted the same one at a yard the other day...

 

[BONES]

Well there is a number right on the top of the head-
12-5512
G77

Then there's the numbers on the tag on the front of it.

Tag reads as follows:

ESTER OIL
NO. A 4746640
PT. ET210L 25150
Tcci manufacturing, LLC 02-08
Made in USA

Then there's numbers on the back of it 012-21713

That's all the numbers I can see on it.

 

[Bent Bolt]

Nice truck , very capable.

I really like the fact that you're running 38" Swampers on a basically stock D44. I was thinking of swapping in a D60 but I can do a D44 much, much cheaper. I might pony up for some RCV CV axles though.

 

[Andres629]

Hey Bones, our Bronc's are about to be twinses! I've got a FW HP 44 comin' with 5.13 gearset and 5.13 8.8 gears. Even a first gen with cut fenders! Just need to get ya some OD green on that bad boy.

 

[BONES]

Haha, yeah hey. I wouldn't mind shooting some paint on her one day, lol, ODG wouldn't be my first choice tho haha. I really need to re-gear mine too, since my plans include a healthy EFI 5.8L, auto trans and most likely a twin sticked np205, I've been tossing around the 4.88/5.13/5.38 gear idea. With an over drive auto and 38's I could probably get away with the 5.38's at 100kph and be in the 25-2600rpm range. IIRC the 5.13's would get me almost back to stock rpm at 100kph but slightly higher by 2-300rpm. Then the 4.88's would get me around 2300rpm, however with a none OD tranny, these values would jump a couple hundred rpm each. I may just wait and see what auto I end up using before I re-gear the diffs.


Yeah the d44 is still holding strong, so far anyways. I have broken a couple hubs and wore out the ujoint on the drive shaft at the diff once. Axles are still surviving and I haven't had to replace the axle joints yet either and they're over 2 years old now too! 38's and spooled front and rear too. Don't ask me how it's surviving, I was told in a big way that the d44 WILL NOT survive with 38's and locked front, well I've pounded on it for over 2 years now, several frequent air miles, some rocks, lots of deep mud, lots of climbing up steep stuff, laid her on her side twice, I'm always putting that d44 to the test taking the hardest lines. I wheeled/beat on it almost every weekend for the whole last year and every other weekend the year before. I'm not easy on my rigs either, they get driven like I stole it.

 

[Andres629]

Good to hear... I'm the same way. And planned on running 38's as well. But mine has cromo shafts, so I think I'm good. I am glad about the 5.13's because I'm keeping the wee 2.9 for a little while... I kinda like that motor for some odd reason.

Anyway, you're rig is awesome as always. When's the 5.8 swap coming to the pages of TRS?

 

[BONES]

Yeah it gets your rpm's back to close to stock but that doesnt account for the added weight of the 38's either and the add air drag under your now lifted rig. Be prepared for power lose. Not that you didn't expect it anyways, haha.

 

[Andres629]

Oh I expected it... but it's staying on 35's for a little while. My MT/R-K's are brand new, so 'til I find a sweet deal on a set of 37 or 38's, they're staying. So it'll be MAD POWAAAAA on the highway 'til I go up in size.

 

[BONES]

LOL, too funny!!

Top speed will suffer but mo mowa is a nice thing!!

 

[Andres629]

AS soon as I cut the fenders and went to 33's on 3.45's... I knew what life in the slow lane was all about. Top speed doesn't really matter... Gives me a valid excuse to never get a speeding ticket! Haha!

 

[NMB2]

my best guestimate as to why your 44 shafts have held up is a combination of a light truck/front end, and not much power. The 44 will hold 38's alright, just depends on application and wheeling conditions.

this is my buddy Jason's ZJ I've been working on :

it has a HP44 that lives ok. However there is no way it would survive on stock shafts with the weight of that ZJ and the 318 V8. It does ok with yukon shafts and superjoints. We broke the driverside shafts last time out, replaced them with some stockers, and he continued to wheel, but just took some easier lines and they survived. It eats hubs like mad though.

He also doesnt do any mudding/trail stuff, which is alot easier on the front end (as long as you keep the parts clean after). Its a pure crawler.

those are 38.5 SX's

However, IMO, if someone has an opportunity to run a D60 front, it would be foolish not to. I never worry about breaking my axles.

 

[BONES]

Yeah the lack of power I'm sure has a lot to do with it, lol.

I have no plans on running any bigger tire than these 38's and a d60 would loose a lot of ground clearance unless modified and also add a ton of weight and more width, again, unless modified.

Tho it would be sick with 44's and 1tons, this little rig will stay around this height and width. If anything I'll step up to alloy's or chromolies and still keep it d44.

I have a buddy that's been trying to trade me his ford hp d60/10.25 w/4.10's for some junk I have here, these diffs wont make it under the Bronco tho. Likely that d60 (and my gm d60 front) will end up being a one of the 4 wheel steer axles for the tube buggy I have been planning.

I really want to keep the Bronco where it is, make more power for it, add an auto and then keep wheeling it. Trail rig was what it was designed for and it does real well at it. I figure if I keep my plans for it I can actually finish my other rig and get back out on the trail too. Then the buggy can get started later on.