Project More Metal

[Jesus_man]

Slow going is better than a complete halt, glad to hear you got the bronco inside before snowfall.
Sorry to hear about you getting metal in your eye, earlier this year during my build I also got metal in my eye and the wife wasn't thrilled about that happing again!! Hope it was minor?

LOL - I just had my 1 yr checkup from the last time I got steel in my eye. I now wear goggles that are bulky but seal around my face.


Better to be working in a cramped garage than out in the driveway during the winter!

[dbasile]

Its sort of funny how small of a piece of metal it was and how bad it hurt. I was wearing safety glasses and a shield anytime I was grinding........maybe I might have to go the goggle route.

Jesus_man, I agree a cramped garage is better than no garage. Doesn't change I am jealous of some of the garages I have seen here. Maybe one day I will have a bigger garage.

[dbasile]

Things have been progressing. To date the transmission and transfer case are pulled. The rear end, rear springs and all hangers are officially gone! I guess the is no turning back now!

So I posted the transmission and tcase for sale lots of looks but no feed back. Is the price too high?

[dbasile]

Next step front spring mount fabrication. I need to tuck the spring mount up at about the frame height to keep my lift in check. The body mount will make it difficult, I hope not to have to mess with it. I cut a whole bunch of pieces up to tack together an idea. I hope it works out, it should tie together the frame, rock sliders and the roll cage.....fingers crossed

[Gunnibronco]

Looking forward to seeing your solution for the spring hanger. Would have been nice to leave my body mounts alone, I ended up moving all 4 rear mounts.

The trans & tcase might be a bit high. The NP435 is a great trans, but not in high demand anymore. 5 speeds and 4R70Ws seem to be what people want right not.

[Strike2]

Next step front spring mount fabrication. I need to tuck the spring mount up at about the frame height to keep my lift in check. The body mount will make it difficult, I hope not to have to mess with it. I cut a whole bunch of pieces up to tack together an idea. I hope it works out, it should tie together the frame, rock sliders and the roll cage.....fingers crossed

Nice Progress !! cant wait to see what you come up with and keep posting the progress.
I had to modify the "middle" body mount brackets for the rear links.
I'm not sure if your exhaust is still in place, but one thing I would check when installing sliders via the frame/cage is that you leave enough room to run the exhaust if your planning on running it outside the frame rails. I just noticed last night I have no room!!! but that problem is for another day.

[ZOSO]

Next step front spring mount fabrication. I need to tuck the spring mount up at about the frame height to keep my lift in check. The body mount will make it difficult, I hope not to have to mess with it. I cut a whole bunch of pieces up to tack together an idea. I hope it works out, it should tie together the frame, rock sliders and the roll cage.....fingers crossed

Nice Progress !! cant wait to see what you come up with and keep posting the progress.
I had to modify the "middle" body mount brackets for the rear links.
I'm not sure if your exhaust is still in place, but one thing I would check when installing sliders via the frame/cage is that you leave enough room to run the exhaust if your planning on running it outside the frame rails. I just noticed last night I have no room!!! but that problem is for another day.

Expensive but this might help.

http://www.stainlessheaders.com/oval_exhaust_tubing

[dbasile]

The exhaust has been on my mind. I have a Duff's dual exhaust system I won at Bronco Safari last year I may try to modify and incorporate. No matter what I do it will be tough because of the np205 and the c6. Right now I am thinking on sneaking it out side the frame rails and running it about the rock slider mounts. Still up in the air

[dbasile]

BIG forward movement this week end!

I the front spring hanger mocked up on both sides. Partially boxed the rear frame in and stuck the axle housing under the rig. It was a very nice feeling.

I threw a couple hundred pounds of weight into the back to check shackle angel. I don't think I am happy, not sure. I was thinking about a 45* ore slightly flatter angle would be better for crawling. I am sitting close to the target lift though, about 4 1/2". I do not want to do anything near permanent yet to the rear.

The transmission and tcase are not installed yet and I am sure will effect the angle a little. That may be my next step wanted or not.

[Jesus_man]

Have you made any modifications to these springs? Are they a stock application?

I like what you are doing getting the hangers tucked up high. Been wanting to do that to mine for a long time! Plus I do want the axle back ~3". Hopefully we get to see yours in action soon!

[Strike2]

Nice Progress!
Having your rear leaf springs tuck up high is going to be great, those middle body mount brackets were also right where I wanted to place my link brackets I ended up grinding the rivets and modifying the brackets in-order to get a better weld directly to the top of the frame.

[dbasile]

Jesus_man, the springs are stock 99 Escalade springs. They 54" eye to eye the pin is centered in the spring (27" eye to center). They are 2 1/2" wide with the same payload capacity as the Bronco spring (1995-2000 Tahoe, Yukon, Escalade all the same).

The Bronco springs are 48" long with a centered pin. So in theory just putting the front eye of the spring in the same place there should be a 3" gain of wheel base. I tucked everything up so much to keep my lift lower. It looks like it may be promising, fingers are crossed.

There is one thing that is getting me. I thought I wrote down my starting wheel base but I didn't. I did find the wheelbase of the bronco is 92". After pushing the front spring eye back 1 inch plus the 3" I should get with the spring I should be 4" longer, right? Center to center now I'm at 95".

Could some one get me a measurement from the rear frame horn to center of axle?

[Jesus_man]

Yeah, should be 96". Do you have the centering pin in the middle hole on the perch, or a different one? Is the front still stock?

I think I'd like to keep the vertical shackle arrangement tho to keep the shackle from digging in while backing up. That will affect the lift tho, but I only need about 3".

[Gunnibronco]

I didn't get as much extra wheelbase out of my spring swap (and pushing my front forward) as I thought either. I didn't measure my wheelbase before I started either. I pushed my front forward as far as I could (leaving enough room to mount the front cage to the frame). After moving the rear axle back about the same as you, I've got 97.25". I thought I would have gained more, but it is what it is. I'll try to get a measurement off my 72 soon if nobody else gets a measurement. It's on an old 3.5" lift, but should be close to stock.

Just eyeballing yours vs mine, front hangers look about the same, my rear hanger might be a little further back. Hard to tell. My shackle is a little more vertical. All I was aiming for on the shackle is past 6 o'clock. I didn't know that a flatter angle would be better for wheeling. I only read you didn't want it pulling forward of 6 o'clock when the axle drooped. Then it could swing forward, and rotate up the wrong way.

I really can't move the axle back much more, I'm already afraid I'll be kissing my gas tank, and it can't be moved back any further. I'm wondering about the condition of my used springs, vs yours. I always kind of thought I'd end up on custom springs. I guess if I go to custom springs, I can gain an inch or so and abandon the stock gas tank and go to an in bed fuel cell. I had always daily driven my truck and I hadn't accepted that it was becoming a dedicated crawler. I wish I had, dealing with the tank was a PITA and I won't be surprised if it gets abandoned eventually.

[Gunnibronco]

I actually just re-read part of my thread. My 74 measured 31.5" from the axle to the back of the frame, but a close to stock 66 I had at the time measured 32.25". I'll check my 72 soon and let you know what it measures.

[dbasile]

Nice Progress!
Having your rear leaf springs tuck up high is going to be great, those middle body mount brackets were also right where I wanted to place my link brackets I ended up grinding the rivets and modifying the brackets in-order to get a better weld directly to the top of the frame.

Like the body mounts! Great idea to keep them out of the way and nice and secure.

[dbasile]

Gunni thanks for the #s I will check were I am at tomorrow. Right now I am under he cross member almost directly. I feel I may have an 1" or so more before I get close to the gas tank. I will definitely have to limit up travel for the axle

[dbasile]

So I'm 28" rear horn to center of axle, so then I ended with some where between 3 1/2" - 4 1/4" of stretch.

Today was sort of uneventful, I dropped the oil pan and began to pull the rear main seal. I figure since the transmission is out might as well change it

[dbasile]

Well been working here and there as time permits. There has been no major headway lots of little things. I did change out the rear main seal on the engine since the transmission was out.

I re-built the front leaf spring mounts to push the axle back a little more. I am now sitting at 97" I think I am at the limit, any further then the gas tank will be an issue.

I have temporarily installed the transmission and transfer cases. The 205 is a pig! I needed to trim the floor a little to get things in there. No big deal there. The PO had already cut a large chunk out. I may make it so I can access the top of the transmission and transfer case from inside, not sure yet. I will definitely need to make some braces to hold the body nicely.

I made a quick transmission cross member to hold the weight but will need something to accommodate the front drive shaft. But to do that the front axle needs to find its home. (the hard part) The plan, move the front forward about 5 inches.......before I start cutting everything out I need to take lots of pictures and measurements.

[Kinder]

I may make it so I can access the top of the transmission and transfer case from inside, not sure yet.

It’s nice to have access from the top, especially with a heavy trans & transfer case. I used two 70’s era Ford trans tunnel panels on BSD and on Willem’s Bronco the PO had made a custom panel that mimics the factory piece really well.

Pic of BSD’s access area.

[dbasile]

More progress. I got kick panel fitted and welded in. Finished the lower portion of the a pillar. While I did that I fit the door too. That was a giant PIA! I must have put the door on and taken it off probably 20 times. However, the door shuts better than it ever did.

And the front axle is out!

[Strike2]

Nice work dbasile!
Do you know what brand of drop pitman arm your running?

[dbasile]

Not sure. It came with the truck. I am pretty sure the power steering was done by the PO. Definitely not factory looking work.

[dbasile]

Still moving forward. Nothing really pic worthy. Melted a bunch of metal. The floor pans are now welded in. Patched some rust here and there on the inside front fenders.

I have a friend helping me install the gears and lockers, I have never done it before. So far we set up the 9" to get our first set of markings. It was close, but I need to change the shim and push the pinion in a little. We should be able to tackle that tonight.

I will say one thing though, the clock is ticking! Spring is close and it feels like I have so much more to do.

[dbasile]

9" done! Worked on the gears for the 44. Made some progress there too, we were able to get a couple of patterns and we are close. Just have to change a couple of shims to adjust the backlash. I am not sure why I was afraid of installing the gears and lockers, it was pretty easy all in all.

[dbasile]

Getting my schedule and my friend who is helping me install the gears to line up is tough. He works full time, so do I, plus I juggle watching my daughters while my wife works. But we have been able to squeeze in an hour or two here and there.

In between I have messed with other stuff including door alignment and installing lower rockers. The door open and shut better than they ever did.

I worked on the spring hangers too. The rear bolts pass through the frame and are threaded into the rear bumper. I am not sure if I will weld them in too or not. The front hangers I shortened, gusseted and braced. I am pretty sure I will weld these in too. The holes I drilled through the frame I sleeved some pipe.

[Strike2]

Nice work! The Broncos getting close to sitting on it on weight looking forward to see the new stance

[Jesus_man]

Have you considered clocking the 205 up? When your extended wheel base you will be more prone to high centering and I don't think the 205 will like that too much.

[dbasile]

I did, however, I bought a 203/205 doubler that was already done plus the adapter plate was the ORD one that did not allow for clocking. Which is fine, there isn't much room between the frame rails. I plan on building a good skid plate to guard it.

[dbasile]

More progress! The gears and locker are installed in the front!

I got the rear hangers welded in and hung. Is there a trick to making nice looking welds while welding upside down? The bottom of my mounts are parallel with the bottom of my frame. I already welded the sides and attempted to weld the bottoms. The welds are no where near my better looking work, they are kind of boogery. I attempted to grind then out the realized I have really good penetration. What do I need to do to make them look nice?

After I hung the axle, I put the tires on to see the new look....then took it right back off to extend the wheel wells.