The $1,400 Bronco Project

CJ · 02-26-2017, 10:18 AM

Here we go again.

Hopefully this turns out better than the $4,000 Jeep TJ Project.

KBScobravert · 02-26-2017, 12:01 PM

Oh really?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

naynay · 02-26-2017, 12:10 PM

SAS swap or what?

AnthonyS · 02-26-2017, 07:46 PM

Sweet look forward to the updates.

CJ · 02-26-2017, 07:55 PM

The good:
351w, 104k miles, 4x4, decent interior, new A/C everything, new cooling system, new suspension, runs great

The bad:
She's from Minnesota and full of rust, shifts hard, smoke in interior followed by gauge cluster death, driveline vibration

95% sure cluster will solve shifting issues, most likely VSS related. It's defaulted to TPS for shifting. Driveline vibration feels like driveshaft to me, not worried either way.

The real problem is the rust. The previous owner replaced both quarters and fenders. First and foremost I need to stop it. I'm thinking of taking it to have it blasted off and then painting everything on the under carriage, and assessing where I go from there. Once that's done I need to realign the quarter panels and fenders, weld them in the proper location (currently alignment is lacking), and then repaint the truck. Not sure if I'll base/clear it or just hit it with a single stage satin black or something.

Once that's out of the way I'm going to turn this thing into an offroad juggernaut.

CJ · 03-03-2017, 06:59 PM

Fixed the cluster, transmission/shifting issues, etc. Vibration is pinion angle, I'm almost certain.

Rust isn't as bad as I had initially thought. I'll be tacking the undercarriage and frame over the next few weekends. Once that's done I should have it 100% and I'll be priming it with some 2k epoxy. Once I get it all leveled out (honestly it's super straight now) I will shoot some single stage satin gunmetal grey.

Something like this:

I'm also in the market for a set of one ton axles. I'm looking for Dana 60's out of an F250/350 - front and rear.

Baron Von Crowder · 03-05-2017, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cj

just sayin' brah. If you're going to make it a serious trail rig with d60's or 1 ton axles than it makes sense, because all the factory stuff would have to go regardless. But if it's going to be a budget build it just seems like (here it comes) a factory wrangler would end up being the same amount of money once you get live axles under there and everything fabbed up.

��

orphan Shelby · 03-05-2017, 09:36 AM

Rusty trucks are perfect for cutting up for a CORR style truck. Almost got one last summer. Good luck on the build. What's gonna happen w engine mods?

CJ · 03-06-2017, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baron Von Crowder

��

What the fuck was that brah? Fox +5k reversal?

GrayStangGT · 03-07-2017, 08:28 AM

This thing is going to be awesome when you paint it and it morphs into a first gen bronco, I can't wait lol.

Baron Von Crowder · 03-07-2017, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJ

What the fuck was that brah? Fox +5k reversal?

just thought I would give you some advise i got once.

CJ · 03-07-2017, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baron Von Crowder

just thought I would give you some advise i got once.

Alright, that's what I thought, haha. In certain situations I would agree. If you're broke an XJ, if you want a very capable daily a TJ, but if you intend to make a dedicated trail rig with one ton axles, anything under 4,000lbs is pretty much on level ground. Honestly, putting tons on a TJ or JK is a major pain in the ass. I look forward to an extremely easy conversion on this Bronco, which is why I bought it (and it was about four times cheaper).

4EyedTurd · 03-08-2017, 06:57 AM

You gonna do 05+ axles?

CJ · 03-08-2017, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4EyedTurd

You gonna do 05+ axles?

I believe the newer super duty trucks have Dana 50 front axles, don't they? I was looking for Dana 60 front/rear from a 92-96 f250/350, but I will admit I don't have extremely intricate knowledge of the nuances between the years.

CJ · 03-08-2017, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrayStangGT

This thing is going to be awesome when you paint it and it morphs into a first gen bronco, I can't wait lol.

They're doing amazing things with paint these days.

4EyedTurd · 03-08-2017, 09:51 AM

Yeah, I'm not sharp on the 50/60 years but guys are swapping the 05+ front axles in and end up with a better ride and turn radius. I'll probably be helping a buddy do this swap in his 04 Superduty sometime soon.

http://www.fullsizebronco.com/#/topi...ge=3&_k=w72g4v

CJ · 03-08-2017, 10:39 AM

I believe the Dana 50's use a Dana 44 ring. I really don't know that much about them, but the consensus is the D60's are better in just about every way. If I'm going through the trouble I might as well go big or go home I guess, unless I find a super cheap pair. Are the 05+ D60's are sought after because of the ride/turn radius only?

NoClassic · 03-08-2017, 05:35 PM

The Dana 50 does use the 44 differential.

I believe all 05+ are going to have the 35 spline inner and out shafts but not all will have the Super 60 upgrades.

I had only just begun reading about the later 60s before picking up our chassis with the older style and abandoning research into them.

Also the rear is going to be a 10.5 Sterling in the F250/350.

4EyedTurd · 03-09-2017, 09:11 AM

Plenty to read here. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gener...a-60-axle.html

CJ · 03-10-2017, 07:03 PM

And so it begins. Didn't seem too bad at first, then I switched to my air chisel and punched through a body mount. So now I'm fabbing new body mounts. A little bit of sheet metal work and cleaning and then I'll shoot it with chassis saver.

02-26-2017, 10:18 AM	#1
CJ User is editing post Join Date: May 2002 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 37,623	The $1,400 Bronco Project Here we go again. Hopefully this turns out better than the $4,000 Jeep TJ Project. __________________ "When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic." -Benjamin Franklin "A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury." -Alexander Fraser Tytler

02-26-2017, 12:01 PM	#2
KBScobravert Lifer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Niger Posts: 14,489	Oh really? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk __________________ Fuck you. We're going to Costco.

02-26-2017, 12:10 PM	#3
naynay Jigga Who? Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: OCT Posts: 5,648	SAS swap or what? __________________ THE BAD HOMBRE

02-26-2017, 07:55 PM	#5
CJ User is editing post Join Date: May 2002 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 37,623	The good: 351w, 104k miles, 4x4, decent interior, new A/C everything, new cooling system, new suspension, runs great The bad: She's from Minnesota and full of rust, shifts hard, smoke in interior followed by gauge cluster death, driveline vibration 95% sure cluster will solve shifting issues, most likely VSS related. It's defaulted to TPS for shifting. Driveline vibration feels like driveshaft to me, not worried either way. The real problem is the rust. The previous owner replaced both quarters and fenders. First and foremost I need to stop it. I'm thinking of taking it to have it blasted off and then painting everything on the under carriage, and assessing where I go from there. Once that's done I need to realign the quarter panels and fenders, weld them in the proper location (currently alignment is lacking), and then repaint the truck. Not sure if I'll base/clear it or just hit it with a single stage satin black or something. Once that's out of the way I'm going to turn this thing into an offroad juggernaut. __________________ "When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic." -Benjamin Franklin "A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury." -Alexander Fraser Tytler Last edited by CJ; 02-26-2017 at 08:04 PM.

03-03-2017, 06:59 PM	#6
CJ User is editing post Join Date: May 2002 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 37,623	Fixed the cluster, transmission/shifting issues, etc. Vibration is pinion angle, I'm almost certain. Rust isn't as bad as I had initially thought. I'll be tacking the undercarriage and frame over the next few weekends. Once that's done I should have it 100% and I'll be priming it with some 2k epoxy. Once I get it all leveled out (honestly it's super straight now) I will shoot some single stage satin gunmetal grey. Something like this: I'm also in the market for a set of one ton axles. I'm looking for Dana 60's out of an F250/350 - front and rear. __________________ "When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic." -Benjamin Franklin "A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury." -Alexander Fraser Tytler

02-26-2017, 07:46 PM	#4
AnthonyS Lifer Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 5,096	Sweet look forward to the updates.

03-05-2017, 09:36 AM	#8
orphan Shelby Lifer Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Donkin'ville Posts: 1,981	Rusty trucks are perfect for cutting up for a CORR style truck. Almost got one last summer. Good luck on the build. What's gonna happen w engine mods?

03-07-2017, 08:28 AM	#10
GrayStangGT Lifer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Midland, TX Posts: 7,554	This thing is going to be awesome when you paint it and it morphs into a first gen bronco, I can't wait lol.

03-08-2017, 06:57 AM	#13
4EyedTurd Lifer Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,469	You gonna do 05+ axles?

03-08-2017, 09:51 AM	#16
4EyedTurd Lifer Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,469	Yeah, I'm not sharp on the 50/60 years but guys are swapping the 05+ front axles in and end up with a better ride and turn radius. I'll probably be helping a buddy do this swap in his 04 Superduty sometime soon. http://www.fullsizebronco.com/#/topi...ge=3&_k=w72g4v

03-08-2017, 10:39 AM	#17
CJ User is editing post Join Date: May 2002 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 37,623	I believe the Dana 50's use a Dana 44 ring. I really don't know that much about them, but the consensus is the D60's are better in just about every way. If I'm going through the trouble I might as well go big or go home I guess, unless I find a super cheap pair. Are the 05+ D60's are sought after because of the ride/turn radius only? __________________ "When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic." -Benjamin Franklin "A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury." -Alexander Fraser Tytler Last edited by CJ; 03-08-2017 at 10:49 AM.

03-08-2017, 05:35 PM	#18
NoClassic Lifer Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: DFW Posts: 1,094	The Dana 50 does use the 44 differential. I believe all 05+ are going to have the 35 spline inner and out shafts but not all will have the Super 60 upgrades. I had only just begun reading about the later 60s before picking up our chassis with the older style and abandoning research into them. Also the rear is going to be a 10.5 Sterling in the F250/350.

03-09-2017, 09:11 AM	#19
4EyedTurd Lifer Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,469	Plenty to read here. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gener...a-60-axle.html

03-10-2017, 07:03 PM	#20
CJ User is editing post Join Date: May 2002 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 37,623	And so it begins. Didn't seem too bad at first, then I switched to my air chisel and punched through a body mount. So now I'm fabbing new body mounts. A little bit of sheet metal work and cleaning and then I'll shoot it with chassis saver. __________________ "When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic." -Benjamin Franklin "A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury." -Alexander Fraser Tytler

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