[elmo_4_vt]

As the title says, I've officially started my SAS and general truck build! :chili:

I really haven't done anything since I've purchase it because of building a garage and not wanting to do it half way. Finally, this past Sunday I spent about 5 hours taking all the front suspension apart (pics below) so there's no turning back now and this week I'll take the back apart for the shackle under. This weekend (Memorial day weekend) I'll start putting the front back together with some help from a couple other members. Not what you'd call a budget build, but not too crazy either. I've been buying parts for the last 12 months or so to spread the costs out, and now with my wife 8.5 months pregnant, I figure I better sh!t or get off the pot. My plans and parts list are shown below...

I'll continue to update this post with things I've forgotten, but most of the pics and status will be down in the posts somewhere. I'll have a spreadsheet that lists all of these parts as well as part numbers, prices, vendors, and I'll post that up as a PDF as I continue to get the little things done and updated.

Front Axle / Suspension:
- '78 High Pinion Dana 44
- Totally rebuilt end to end (for all the trouble, it seems like it should be more than one line item)
- 4.56 gear set with ARB carrier
- Stock shafts (for now)
- Alloy USA needle bearing u-joints (the JBG verbage fooled me)
- T-bird calipers w/ BC Bronco banjo bolts
- Cage radius arms for the "C" frame trucks
- Cage progressive 6.5" coils
- Heavy Duty JBG early Bronco spring towers will be extended to give ~12" of height above the bottom of the frame to give about 6" of total lift
- Custom trac-bar mount a-la Shadofax/Crazed from 2"x3" angle & 2"x4" rect. stock
- Custom milled spacer on the axle end.
- Custom Trans-mount from 3x4 angle and 2x4 rect. stock (hoping to continue it into a nice skid plate)
- Steering is 1.5" x .5" wall HREW tubing w/ Chevy 1-ton TRE's
- Tie Rod = 55” center-center OR 46-1/4” tube length
- Drag Link = 35-1/2” center-center OR 28-7/8” tube length
- Trac-bar is 1.5" x .5" wall HREW tubing w/ 7/8 x 3/4 bolt Heims and stainless mis-alignment spacers
- Trac Bar = 34.75” center-center OR 30.75” tube length
- Bilstein 5125, 14" travel shocks (two)
- F-250 Shock mounts (one per side)

Rear Axle / Suspension:
- Stock 8.8
- 6" shackle reversal from Ruff-Stuff
- Stock Shock mounts with 12" Bilstein 5125's
- 4.56 Gear set
- ARB Locker
- Stock brakes (will go disk later)

General / Appearance:
- 17x9 Pro-comp black wheels with fake bead locks
- 35x17 Mickey Thompson MTs
- Bronco Air front bumper (no winch yet)
- Bronco Air rear bumper (integrated with class IV hitch and with small rear winch)
- Custom tire / gas carrier (parts list later)
- Bronco Air OBA kit (with this, I've now paid off Bronco Air's college loans)
- Sliders from Boondock

Pics start in the next post:

 

[elmo_4_vt]

How she started last year, clean with only 52k miles:

As she sat Saturday with the sliders and front bumper on:

The wheels/tires that will be going on: (this was just mock-up)

The donor axle before tear down:

Up on the lift, and not coming off until the lift is done:

Front axle is now lawn art until I part it out:

The whole family with the TTB salute (the dog is thinking it, and my son has his finger up in the belly)

Passenger and Driver Coil buckets sitting empty (just for a photo record of location):

Taking a break while grinding the rivets: (I used the 4" angle grinder and then an air hammer with chisel and punch tips)

Frame clear, showing the little bit of rust I had to clean up though:

No More front suspension:

Old parts so far: (don't know where the other RA mount when too?)

 

[silent one]

I don't see anything.

 

[Redwagon]

sounds like a pretty good project...but your pics are not working.

 

[elmo_4_vt]

Sorry, I did a temp post so no one would complain about "this is worthless without pics" before I could do the second post... Basically I'm anal and wanted the pics to immediately follow the first post... ) Sorry...

 

[Doba]

Finally. I've been waiting for your thread.

 

[silent one]

Looks like a good start, do you have any better pic's of the front bumper installed.

 

[Need4racin]

Sweet, I also have been waiting on your thread.

All my factory oil pans are gray. Well cracked paint gray.

 

[bigbrownbear]

I have also been awaiting this as well. But it really isn't fair to say you are doing you own sas on a vehicle with NO RUST, in a garage with a lift......

 

[elmo_4_vt]

I actually didn't post many pics of the front bumper because I've only had it on for a week and didn't get a chance to take any good pictures. Besides, it looks kind of silly with the small tires. But here are a couple. I can get some on the lift, but otherwise it will have to wait until it's done and back out of the garage. It will look a lot better at that point anyway...

 

[elmo_4_vt]

I have also been awaiting this as well. But it really isn't fair to say you are doing you own sas on a vehicle with NO RUST, in a garage with a lift......

Ohhh! Your gonna pay for that one... I'm giving you all the hard jobs this weekend. And you'll have to drink can beer instead of from the keg-a-rator (kidding don't have that built yet)..

Besides... That stuff just makes it a little less messy and painfull. There is still a lot of stuff that goes into it... You should see my spreadsheet (damn I'm a geek)... I have people skills (from office space, my wife is watching that right now)

-

 

[Shadofax]

Not only are you an anal geek, but one armed with a nice garage lift. what does a lift like that set someone back? that would be nice.

And a very wise choice with a simple but effective upper track bar mount.

 

[silent one]

Thanks for the pic's looks good but like you said it will look better once its lifted and the winch gets installed.

 

[elmo_4_vt]

Not only are you an anal geek, but one armed with a nice garage lift. what does a lift like that set someone back? that would be nice.

And a very wise choice with a simple but effective upper track bar mount.

How very astute of you to notice the ingenious plan on the trac-bar mount... ) No reason to mess with what's proven to work right? Besides, I think it fits my application well.

For the lift specs... Look here:

http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126112

-

 

[bigbrownbear]

Ohhh! Your gonna pay for that one... I'm giving you all the hard jobs this weekend. And you'll have to drink can beer instead of from the keg-a-rator (kidding don't have that built yet)..

Besides... That stuff just makes it a little less messy and painfull. There is still a lot of stuff that goes into it... You should see my spreadsheet (damn I'm a geek)... I have people skills (from office space, my wife is watching that right now)

-

Thats fine it is possible I will be doing mine in the future so you can find out what it is like without your toy, and with little bits of rust falling on your face......

I might have found a good deal on an oxy-acetylene torch set-up that I would pick-up in wilmington, so we might an extra tool (Although not nessisary I hope). But if we find those fenders need a trim we will be good to go:toothless

 

[Shadofax]

How very astute of you to notice the ingenious plan on the trac-bar mount... ) No reason to mess with what's proven to work right? Besides, I think it fits my application well.

For the lift specs... Look here:

http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126112

-

And just trying to remember, I know we PM'd about a few things, but others have recently asked questions as well. You know all the details on the upper Tbar right?

It is super simple, and creates no issues with most setups, but what I like most is it's pretty strong....use of weld and 1/2" bolts to put the bracket together, and then it's adjustable/removable in terms of being bolted to the truck.

oh, and if you have the fab ability, it costs very little to make, you might even have the steel needed leftover from another project.

 

[elmo_4_vt]

Thats fine it is possible I will be doing mine in the future so you can find out what it is like without your toy, and with little bits of rust falling on your face......

Or maybe we'll be doing it with my toy and little bits of rust in our face. Well, maybe it won't be practical, but either way it should be a good excuse to get out of watching the new kid. But you should really be careful about referencing your project until we see how mine turns out.

I might have found a good deal on an oxy-acetylene torch set-up that I would pick-up in wilmington, so we might an extra tool (Although not nessisary I hope). But if we find those fenders need a trim we will be good to go:toothless

Keep your "extra tool" away from my Bronco...

Things are getting silly... I've had too many beers for a Monday night... I'm going to bed...

-

 

[elmo_4_vt]

It is super simple, and creates no issues with most setups, but what I like most is it's pretty strong....use of weld and 1/2" bolts to put the bracket together, and then it's adjustable/removable in terms of being bolted to the truck.

oh, and if you have the fab ability, it costs very little to make, you might even have the steel needed leftover from another project.

Thanks Mark, I've certainly sent you a few messages, but not about this recently. I have all the pictures from Crazed's build. I bought all the metal last Saturday, have it all cut and ready to be fitted, drilled, bolted and welded together. Part of my meaning in "fits my application" was that I could bolt the pieces instead of just relying on my novice welding talent and my Lincoln 175.

I bought about 6 feet of 2"x4"x1/4" rect. tube, about 6 feet of 2"x3"x1/4" angle, 1' of 3"x4"x5/16", and some misc. plate and it ran me about $100 from a used steel place... Damn steel has gone up.

-

 

[Shadofax]

Thanks Mark, I've certainly sent you a few messages, but not about this recently. I have all the pictures from Crazed's build. I bought all the metal last Saturday, have it all cut and ready to be fitted, drilled, bolted and welded together. Part of my meaning in "fits my application" was that I could bolt the pieces instead of just relying on my novice welding talent and my Lincoln 175.

I bought about 6 feet of 2"x4"x1/4" rect. tube, about 6 feet of 2"x3"x1/4" angle, 1' of 3"x4"x5/16", and some misc. plate and it ran me about $100 from a used steel place... Damn steel has gone up.

-

yea, steel is expensive, but that sounds like it is enough for the upper trackbar, the new tranny crossmember, and maybe even a skid attached!!!

 

[bnkrtstk]

What are your plans for the stock wheels? I've been looking for a set.

I have a milk crate full of D44 parts, let me know if you need anything.