xBLAKEx's 1988 Supercab Build

[xBLAKEx]

Yeah I think I'll end up putting some rock lights there someday to fill that spot. I haven't been able to look through all your pages of your build, but how did you figure out how to do the angles of the stinger?

 

[xBLAKEx]

I have finally reached the point where i can now start all the capping. [ Besides some grinding of course..] I kind of figured out the problems i was having yesterday. The bumper now sits level again and I'm satisfied with the ends.


I started off finishing the fender trimming i taped off yesterday.

Cleaned up my welds

Mocked it up to try and figure out how to finish it off..


Passenger Side:

Front:

Drivers Side:

After looking at it for awhile I asked for my dads opinion.. he thought it looked unfinished, and it may need another bend to break up the straight look. Went ahead and rolled with it and made another bend. I wanted to bring the edge closer to the bumper also. Didn't know how much i needed to take out to get there so i winged it.. Worked out.


The first Cut.

Bent: I just kept taking a little bit out at a time until i had the bend i wanted. Made sure they were the same on both sides.

Looks way better with the bend.

Moved on to the ends. I decided to not do any of the designs i came up with last night.. I thought it was already pretty thin in that area, so tapering it wouldn't help. Also waned to go with a look that would flow a little more with the truck.

Mocked up the bumper and followed the fender line down somewhat, and went from there. Made it come back on the inside so the tires wouldn't rub. Still may need to trim some off on the drivers side, but i don't know because the fender is all messed up still.

It's Level!! It was really bugging me. I think it was the passenger fender keeping it from fully tightening down. I know that seems crazy, can't think of anything else. That was the last place it was hitting.

How It Sits Tonight: I love being able to some what weld

 

[xBLAKEx]

I started the Capping process today. I was able to get all of it done except the very ends. All this fabrication is a huge learning experience for me, I've never fabbed up anything by myself before. And I have never done any capping before, but I've just rolled with the logic i know. I guess it turned out well.


Started with grinding down the welds.

Then moved on to the capping, started with the top because it seemed the most simple. Used .125 steel sheet.

All tacked: I forgot to get a picture of it all welded up. I made sure i welded it evenly so it wouldn't warp [ A lot ] or have any twisting occur from heating one side to much.

Then the more challenging part, the bottom. I had two different angles meeting at the corner [ due to the 60º bend ] so i had to clamp it down, tack it, over and over. Ended up with a little twist, looked different.

The passenger side tacked.

The drivers side tacked.

Mocked it up to make sure it didn't move a lot or anything.
Fit just as before.

How I left off
It sure is getting heavy. Going to have to do a comparison with the original bumper when I'm all done.

Comments are always welcome.

 

[xBLAKEx]

Didn't work on the bumper today, but i did try to see if the tires where going to hit the bumper. Wasn't able to flex it out enough though. Something i did notice was the fender was hitting the bumper while i was a little flexed out.

Should I do more fender trimming or is that fine? And Some reason my front end just doesn't flex out a lot. Even when i had the front tire on the stump before it seems the rear end is doing all the articulation. Any advice? It's all used parts, Maybe i need to wear in the coils more?

I don't think my 31's will hit, but maybe later with 33's or 35's. Not sure what to do.

Hitting!

Front:

Rear:

 

[xBLAKEx]

Update! Been busy lately, went back to my home town Reno Nevada, to visit my family. Took my truck there with it super loaded behind the seats, so glad i have an extra cab! And also hauled a bed there [ killed my little truck on hills, need to do an engine swap and gears!!] and hauled a king size bed along with the 12 dresser drawers and what not back home, only 45 bucks for it

Anyways.. Before i left i burned in all the tacked capping and put another bolt on each side. Now i have a total of 3 bolts on each side, seems pretty sturdy.


Some pictures

Welded:

I don't know why i didn't start welding before.. I always get pretty stocked on my welds. Even though they aren't the best.

Cleaned Up:

Capped the ends today: Turned really dark.. i put water on it after i welded it. Read that in a book.

Lately i had been debating on going with a receiver/ hitch winch set up instead of the fixed front location. That way i could hook it up in the front or rear. So today that's what i did. Built a receiver for the front and rear, and burned in the front one.


Cut Out For The Receiver.

I made the receivers out of some 2.5" square steel. Cut both at 8" and drilled the pin hole to a little over 5/8. It all lined up great!

With the hitch I'm going to use for the rear bumper. Going to have to build something custom to hold the winch i don't have.. :[

Burned her in after i mocked it up to make sure it wasn't going to hit the cross member or what not. It was close, but didn't hit. In the front i left out 3/8, seemed plenty to weld to.

The second one i made is ready to be burned in the rear bumper.

Mocked Up

Enough clearance on top and bottom.

Suggestions and comments are always welcome

Oh is a brace from the bracket [ where it bolts] to the inside of where the bumper wraps under the fender necessary?

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Wow dude it's lookin darn good! I like the bumper I'm planning on somethin similar for my rig. As far as ur front end I think you have the wrong type of coils. The ones that I'm told are designed for flexing large amounts are called prorated or somethin of the sort.

 

[jhammel85]

It's REALLY coming together! I like the bumper a lot.

 

[xBLAKEx]

Thanks guys! I'm happy with it so far I still have to get some weld on d-rings. Where do i get those?

Oh and of course some DOM .120 tube.


Rowdy Fitzgerald: I couldn't find anything under that name for coils.

I have read about people doing the Jeep XJ coil swap, but i don't know if those are rated to low for my supercab? The 3" ones are rated at 240ppi, I'm not sure if there are 6" XJ coils for my lift? Does anyone have any links to people doing that swap on a supercab? Or another coil swap with good results?



I know i still need to figure out the front for more articulation, but I'm thinking that maybe i could get more articulation out of the rear if i took the over loads out?? I never took out the 1/2 ton over loads that came in the 63" leafs. I would still be sitting higher in the rear with them out.


I took some ride height measurements from the frame to the ground.


Front:


Passenger Side: 26"

Drivers Side: 26" 1/4

[ I believe it's sitting a little higher on the drivers side because it has a washer. ]


Rear:


Passenger & Drivers Side: 28"


So the rear is nearly 2" taller over all, and i think the over load is 3/4" thick or something. But how is on the road performance with out over loads and no anti-sway bars?


I know a lot of questions, but i need some help. Ha.

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Ok I messed up its "progressive rate" Here is the link to James duff where they will explain it way better than I can. http://www.jamesduff.com/broncoII/suspension.html

 

[xBLAKEx]

Thanks, those are pretty cool. Still being able to flex off road, but still have on road manners. I'm assuming they are expensive though.. Have you had them before?

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

No my buddy told me about them after I bought mine ha ha ha. I'll get some eventually but I'm tryin to get my motor runnin right. I just put the 5.0 in but I'm havin issues with the manifold.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Your bumper looks good. Nice welding too.
Everything I've read points to using less than stock ppi, so 240 is good compared to 450 stock [numbers are from memory]. I bought progressive coils from a '80 full size bronco but haven't tried them yet, they are about 300 ppi and free height is 4" more. They might be worth checking out, I paid $100.00 for new ones, $40.00 for used.

Richard

 

[xBLAKEx]

Rowdy that's a bummer! Hah. Would i be able to use them to replace my Skyjacker 6" coils, without and height changes? ha

I haven't really looked into any engine swaps much. But I know I'm going to probably end up doing one down the road. How did your swap go? You did the explorer 5.0 swap?

Thanks Richard I've only been welding a few weeks now. I love it! It's been another learning process, considering this bumper is my first fabrication project also.. so it has been a learning process as well.

I have also read that you want to have a lower ppi, but i haven't really seen much said about the ppi for supercabs, other then it obviously needs to be a little higher then a regular cab. Where did you buy your progressive coils at? Seems like a good deal!

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Blake- I would assume they would be right on ex: 6" lift spring would make your truck set 6" taller. James duff makes them for rangers, bronco ll's. They just ride smother and flex more.

I got a 88 HO 5.0 block from a friend and had it rebuilt. It was out of a LX? Not sure what a LX is. But then I went with a C6 and didn't like it so I started lookin for a ZF5 but couldn't find one. I settled for a NP435 (A 4 speed with a super low 1st gear). That's where I'm at now with no rear drive shaft, speedo cable and intake manifold issues.
The swap was fairly easy. The hardest part so far is finding a setup I like. Its been kinda expensive but I figure even if I spend 10,000 in the end I'll still be way happier havin a truck I want then buying a newer truck and paying on it for 3-5 years and it still not being exactly what I wanted.

 

[xBLAKEx]

I'll have to look more because i couldn't find a price ha.
I have read that when using 6" coils with supercabs [ Or if you have a heavy bumper/ winch set up, or a heavier engine. ] you actually don't get 6" of lift due to the extra weight. It has been said when using the 4" lift hole on the drop brackets and the 6" coils your somewhere around 4.5" of lift. That's why i was wondering if they were 6" coils.

That's pretty sweet, if that's the price of a swap it doesn't look like I'll be doing one anytime soon at all! ha. I kinda want to find a donor explorer, so i could take the 8.8 and engine out at the same time.