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Matchbox's 91 SAS

9K views 60 replies 6 participants last post by  MATCHBOX 
#1 ·
Finally, after gathering parts for about 6 months, I took the plunge today, and pulled the TTB out. So I thought I'd finally start this thread! I've got a ton of pictures on my camera, but my computer is down, so all you get are the ones from my phone for now.

 
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#3 ·

After a little research, I learned I could set up gears. I had to buy the little inch pound beam type torque wrench and a dial indicator, had everything else already. It took a bit on the first set I did. I'm calling it a learning curve. Doing the rear was 3x quicker.
 
#4 ·
The axle is a dana 44 out of a '79. The one with the cast wedges. I rebuilt the whole thing, new bearings, seals, balljoints, but all of those pics are on my camera, I'll put them up later. Origionally, the covers and knuckles were gonna be red to match the rig. It's gonna be camo in the end, so I switched it up.
 
#7 ·
Worked on the drivers side today. Got the old spring and shock tower out. Then I layed out some holes for the new tower, located about a 1.5" forward of the old coil. Lots of fun drilling these holes!:uhoh3 Then I did the same for the shock tower. Everything bolts up good. After that I did some measuring and built my frame side Trac bar mount. Quite simaler to many I've seen here, it goes from the frame to the cross member. I'll get it bolted up tomorrow, then demo the passenger side. I heard from y'all the driver side was the pain, so I did it first. Not bad actually. :thumbup
 
#10 ·

Made my new transmission crossmember... Haven't drilled the holes in the bottom of sides where it will mount to the frame yet, because I think I can use a couple of the existing holes. I need to take the existing one out, and put this one up to see where everything lands.
The reason I made a new one is because I made some extended radius arms, and they will mount in here somewhere. I won't know where till I hang the axle and have this mounted.
Also got the passenger side coil and shock towers installed, along with the frame side Trac bar mount.
I couldn't get the Pittman arm off with a pickle fork, gonna have to find a little gear puller I guess. I need to drill it out to 3/4" for my heim steering setup. So...big weekend coming up. Its a slow go I'm seeing.
Thanks to all who have done this and made informative threads!!! I appreciate it!
 
#17 ·
Union meeting gone wild last night, did nothing for my SAS. Just a reminder why I limit my partying I guess. I'm hoping to hang the axle tomorrow morning, and get the lengths for my Trac bar and drag link and get them made. I've got one end of them done, heims welded in, so it shouldn't take long! Also before the drinks yesterday, I put my axle side Trac bar mount on the axle. I made it with room to adjust height to match up my drag link angle.
 
#18 ·

Second set of radius arms I'm working with. First set was just heads for duff arms, and they would not completely tighten down on the wedges. Ended up stripping them out. So i
helicoiled them, and put them aside for now. I got another set of arms from junk yard, and extended them. But I'm trying to install them right now, and same thing happens....FML! Has anyone ever made some spacers to take this room up? About 3/16 all I need. Somebody stop me or I'm doing it.
 
#23 ·
People do make spacers, but it is usually due to having a larger axle tube, like on a Dana 60. If you decide to make a spacer you will have to slot one hole in your bottom coil mount. Are you tightening in a X-pattern and just keep working a little at a time? I think I had read you lubed them which should help. Hard to tell in the pictures, but are the bushings used? If so, could they have become very hard over time and have no "give" left in them. Are you positive you have the bushings oriented properly? Sorry for the questions as you have probably already checked all that but just trying to throw some ideas out. I have done more than a few over the years with no problems. Good luck and hope you get it figured out.
 
#19 ·
I would have done studs to begin with and lock tighted them with green lock tight. That stuff don't move unless you heat it to 450 degrees. Also throughly clean all the threads, take all the plating off the fasteners too with toilet bowl cleaner. The internal threads clean with brake clean an run a thread chaser through. For ease of clearance and to get a thick wall socket on the nut use 12PT nuts and studs from ARP, they won't strip or break. Looks like you do not have a whole lotta bolt hanging out there either, might go a little longer, get the premium ARP bolts they are way stronger.
 
#20 ·
I was thinking about studs, but I have no room for the nuts on the arm side. And longer bolts end up running out of threads and have just a shoulder, that won't let me get them tight either. I've chased all the threads, and I'll get new bolts tomorrow and get the zinc polished off of them and give that a shot. Just seems odd to me that neither sets of these will go the last 1/4" without stripping.
 
#26 ·
Yeah the hardware store grade 8 stuff I think is made from a lead / tin alloy LOL. The Fastenall stuff is pretty good, you can get grade 12 there. Really I would do the ARP studs and nuts, you can get them from Summit and have them in a day or two. The main issue you are running into is the fasteners that you get from the hardware store are much too soft to handle the load.
 
#30 ·
Working 6-10s left me no time for the Bronco this weekend. It was Damn cold out anyway,i guess making money in the cold is better than spending it! A couple good weekends and I'll have it on rubber again.
 
#31 ·
Still working 6 10s, but my shocks showed up at the house, along with my new fuel pump. Hope to have this weekend off, and get moving again on this. Gotta start by lowering the track bar mounting points on the frame and axle both, as it will hit the center of the crossmember after only 2" of travel. Hope to have good things to share this weekend. Later!
 
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