Our new project/wheeler/camping rig

[lt1fire]

shed a crap ton of weight from the axle today. I can actually put the tierod back in use.that to pick up the axle and move it now.

The long PS axle did not want to release at all... had to bang up the knuckle/bearing dust seal to get it to pop. Even then it was 20 minutes of constant pressure on my huge bar. Had to go and double check there were no c clips holding it in.

Short DS outer seal had failed at some point hence the surface rust on the axle. But the inner more important seal is fine so the diff is still ok. Going to put it to the side, order all new seals and bearings, cut away the mounts and expose more tube for my new mounts. And then wait for the rear and then more money for lockers and long arms.

 

[jynx]

Nice score. If it was a late 90s axle I'd be after that DS lower u-bolt plate, but dont think the SD plate is the same as the OBS ones.

You plan to keep the radius arms and coils or looking at links and coilovers?

 

[lt1fire]

Nice score. If it was a late 90s axle I'd be after that DS lower u-bolt plate, but dont think the SD plate is the same as the OBS ones.

You plan to keep the radius arms and coils or looking at links and coilovers?

Radius arms to keep the cost down. But they will be upgraded long arms.

 

[lt1fire]

Going to pick up the matching sterling 10-5 rear for this front axle tomorrow.

I gave myself a few weeks to try and find a locking rear from a 11+ but for all the 100s of people saying they picked up one for under $500 the absolute cheapest I could find was $699 and most were over $1k

But the good news is I found out you can order a brand new locking carrier from ferd for only $450, if you shop around. Watched a few videos on installation.... might be time to get my feet wet with setting up a third member.

2011-2024 Ford Differential Assembly BC3Z-4026-B | GetOEMParts.com

2011-2024 Ford Differential Assembly BC3Z-4026-B

www.getoemparts.com

So $50 for the axle and $450 for the locker... will make street driving on such a short wheel base that much better. I should be able to sell the current locked axles for enough to cover the purchase of an ARB for the front, or the new arms needed for the swap.

Still this won't get done super soon. The locker will most likely be an xmas present.

Going to wait on help to unload this one though.... getting the front 60 out solo was not the most fun thing i've ever done. This should be a tad bit lighter though.

The weak point will still be the front U-joints but there are birf style joints available although the RCV's seem to be twice as much as bobby long sold his D60 joints for.

who bought the Long field brand again? was it trail gear or all pro??? might see if they still have old stock.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Trail gear.

What are you doing about the axle width?

 

[lt1fire]

Thanks shot them a message.... maybe they have old stock I can get later in the year or maybe they are open to making more at bobby's prices.

Axles will stay full width for the time being. Always liked that look anyway.

If something changes between now and when ever I have enough money to finish the parts list and do it then i'll shorten them.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Full width axles and back spacing (Early Bronco)

I have a 1969 EB with full width axles and may be taking it with me to New Jersey for a a few years. I'd like to avoid putting on gigantic fender flares and was wondering how much back spacing is too much to suck the tires under normal flares like Gorilla Warflares. I believe the wheels I have...

www.pirate4x4.com

It's gon be wiiiiide

 

[lt1fire]

Full width axles and back spacing (Early Bronco)

I have a 1969 EB with full width axles and may be taking it with me to New Jersey for a a few years. I'd like to avoid putting on gigantic fender flares and was wondering how much back spacing is too much to suck the tires under normal flares like Gorilla Warflares. I believe the wheels I have...

www.pirate4x4.com

It's gon be wiiiiide

Its mos def a wide one and @GLTHFJ60 a good point... I personally like the look of full width smaller rigs (fj40's, broncos, defenders, jeeps etc) but at first I was scared, I was petrified, thinking how i'd get along with out you by my side....... err wait that's not what I meant. At first I was scared about local laws since we like most have laws about tires past the fender. So I looked into upgraded the 44 more. It can be made stout as hell with some RCV's and a Jana54 or Jana K4 third member upgrade.... but the cost of that with a new locker would be 3.5k-4k best guess and that doesn't address the rear axle which would still be a SF and while a Ford 9" is strong it isn't the beef and since the JK D44 and the Dana 50 gears don't a have a 3.50 ratio available i'd have to regear the 9" also so and added cost again. The one ton solution isn't cheap but will end up being cheaper in the long run. Hell I got a set of matching one ton axles for $200.

After talking to the local cruiser guys and bronco guys with one tons they say if you aren't driving in the rain and spraying rooster tails all over the place you will be fine, so i'm not too worried about it. Even less so if I can get custom flat center H1 wheels made near the original 7" backspacing and they do make some WWWIIIIIIDDDDEEEEE fender flares for these things.

@shellb you have to come out when its done.... that 4bt is amazing driving now since the pump has been sealed.

 

[lt1fire]

The beef is back here now

Guy has no idea where he put the other rear caliper so i'll have to find a used one or rebuilt one somewhere for it.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Recentered H1s only go up to about 5" of backspacing. Not sure if the sterling axle has a 8x6.5 pattern, but the only way for you to get 7" of backspacing is to run stock H1s. If you do that, you'll have to move to highsteer on the front axle for sure.

I ran it that way on moonshine for a while, but moved to H2s for the street. Drives better with alloys, as compared to the H1s with runflats.

I think it's going to look great. Get flares if you have to. Ive been trying to come up with a flare solution myself, just because of how muddy the truck gets.

 

[lt1fire]

Couple companies have said they can get to about an inch of the stock back spacing. Both axles are from the same truck so they have 8x117mm. There are some options. custom unit bearings from Branik, redrilling the stock ones etc.... i'm not worrying that much about it right now since it will be a while till I have to make that decision.

Locker arrived today. I found and old post on a local 4x4 board that a guy that used to run a shop put up when he retired three years ago. I tracked him down.... took a bit.... but he still had the the locker. OEM part number on it, never installed. Arrived today. So I now have one tons and one selectable locker for right at $400 all in. Not a bad month. Only reason I have them is passing on things that cheap would be, well for lack of a better term, idiotic. For now i'll get some used 35's when some pop up and still wheel on the current set up. In the mean time i'll teach myself how to weld and save up birthday and xmas, gifts for the new long arms needed in the front and hardware for the rear as well as new axle seals and bearings.



A little bit of 12V applied and it locks right up.

 

[lt1fire]

Closing this thread for the most part, ill add updates from time to time in the wrenching thread. But now that I've got my cruiser back and this is a cruiser club ill be focusing updates on that.

So whats in store for the bronco down the road?
Well Andrea and I were really sharing the decisions made on it since it is hers but I'd be doing all the qork.and dint have my own project. Now that has changed with the 80 coming back so she now has full control and the first thing she wants to focus on is a rear tub replacement and to make it more streetable.
So the one tons will most likely he sold for funds since she will only do the easy trails or drive it on the beach on girls trips.
She isn't a fan of the 4bt both from a vibration stand point and the short rpm raise with the current trans. This is actually good for me as it may find its way into the 80.
But after driving and driving in quite a few 4bt powered enclosed rigs im still not entirely sure that its for me in the long haul. Id rather do an OM606 into the 80.but that is going to be pretty costly and I have the 4bt already and love the simplicity, parts availability, ruggedness and ease of power with the motor.
So that will be getting pulled soon and pulled apart and ill be getting all the rotating parts balanced locally. Ill.also re-ring it at the same point while replacing all.gaskets.and seals. HX30 and fuel pin.
Ill then put it back in the bronco to gage the difference it made knowing that fluid mounts and a better balancer will only improve it, along with raising the idle a bit if needed.
I ran into a local guy with a 6bt he had balanced and he could balance a glass of water on the valve cover.

We will be stripping the bronco down to por-15 the chassis and axles along with replacing the body mounts while we either try to replace panels in the bronco or find a used but decent condition tub. Family cage, soft top and andrea while realize her dream while im realizing mine of a diesel 80.


Engine wise, I'd like to build a ford 300 straight 6 in honor of Logan. He loved that motor and always wanted to try and get one in his 80 if his 2feT build never happened.
The 4bt isn't going out of the bronco 100% though. Andrea might like it more after it has been balanced.

 

[jynx]

I'm going to still need updates. I love the old bronco, I also have 3 or 4 non-cruiser build threads in the STLCA clubhouse. Im not a member of any other forums of note, so I just put everything in my clubhouse threads. Samurai, old f150, current f250, our farm, and probably some other random threads, so please continue to update us on going on. I enjoy seeing how it is coming along.