1994 BRONCO/CAMPER BUILD/TRANSFORMATION

[CDA 455 II]

Besides wanting to win an IRATE4X4 prize (); I figure I'd start/put my Bronco's transformation in one thread.

What I started with:

Topics covered:
1ton rear axle swap
New rear drive shaft
New lug studs
New calipers and longer brake lines
Aftermarket/upgrade starter
AT-205 and K-Seal stop-leak
Front spare tire mount
Removing vacuum reservoir
Removing smog pump intake
Replacing factory 2-bolt with a 1ton 4-bolt PS gearbox
Eliminating complete A/C system
Using shorter fan belt
Replacing vacuum hoses

 

[CDA 455 II]

The build started with me finding an '87 F-350 CC 10.25 DRW axle under a service box I went to take a look at:

 

[CDA 455 II]

The dude I bought the axle from was nice enough to bring the axle into town and deliver it to my storage unit:

 

[CDA 455 II]

The transformation officially begins (June '20)

Out goes the 8.8:

 

[CDA 455 II]

8.8 set aside:

 

[CDA 455 II]

The size difference between the 10.25 and the 8.8 drum brakes....

 

[CDA 455 II]

You guys talked me into stepping out of my nOOB comfort zone; so I decided to grind off the factory perches and weld on perches to get the proper pinion angle.

Black marker dictates what I had to grind off for the dually's 3.5" tube:

Testing my grinding:

 

[The Freeak]

cool. Watching for updates.

 

[CDA 455 II]

Cutting/grinding the factory bomb-proof perches off:

 

[rattle_snake]

'bout time you put everything in one place

carry on...

 

[CDA 455 II]

Bronco ready for new hangars:

Installed Sky's ORD 6" lift rear hangers:

Installed Sky's ORD 6" lift front hangars:

 

[CDA 455 II]

The springs I decided to use were my old '99.5 F-350 front springs:

After I ordered and received the truck; I drove it less than 5,000 miles before installing a 4" lift.
So from the Summer of '99 until the Summer of '20 I kept the factory front springs for no reason.

As a nice byproduct; said springs moved the axle rearward 5" due to the center pin location.

 

[CDA 455 II]

Putting into place:

 

[CDA 455 II]

Setting the pinion angle:

 

[CDA 455 II]

Got the the new Six States custom drive shaft (pre-gear change) :

 

[CDA 455 II]

Had a driveline shop install 5.13 gear and a Detroit locker.
I made sure said shop used a long pinion on the '87 axle.

Factory yoke:

With longer pinion:

 

[CDA 455 II]

After the rear axle swap I originally was going to run HMMWV rim/tire set up:

But through a near-disaster incident I discovered the dually hub had a raised lip at the base where the drum meet:

When I torqued down the lug nuts it held against said raised lip; but when driving it loosened the rim and began to wobble.
Needless to say; it bent the center section.

So I ended up using a pair of 16.5X10 steel rims:

 

[CDA 455 II]

Replaced the factory brake line with a longer SS braided line:

Also replaced the breather tube with a longer/higher mounted one:

Replaced the T-case breather tube while I was at it.

 

[CDA 455 II]

Moving the axle rearward caused the angle of the shocks to be at a more swallow angle:

I bought OEM shock mounts and installed them to where the shocks are now more vertical than factory original.

 

[CDA 455 II]

Moving the shocks back to a more vertical position caused the shocks to hit the frame.

So I moved the lower shock mounts inward:

 

[CDA 455 II]

Replaced the Bronco shocks with longer '13 F-350 Bilstein 5125 shocks:

Front shocks:

 

[CDA 455 II]

Replaced the the front calipers and also installed longer brake lines:

 

[CDA 455 II]

To complete the 1ton suspension I installed '13 F-350 leveling coils:

On the left is a 4" lift Bronco coil with a 2" lift aluminum spacer:

Bronco coils are held in place by a tab:

Had to figure a way to replicate that because '05+ coils have a full coil at the top, unlike the Bronco coil.
Came up with this using hardware I already had:

 

[Snowracer]

wtf is with that washer shit show lower shock mount cut the mount off and move it and weld it back on where you need it

 

[CDA 455 II]

wtf is with that washer shit show lower shock mount cut the mount off and move it and weld it back on where you need it

You are absolutely correct.

However; I'm poor and that solution works short term.

 

[CDA 455 II]

After the New Year I'm thinking of ordering these:

 

[CDA 455 II]

Replaced the dually lugs:

It was nice/convenient the dually had space to allowed me to remove the lugs.

I used a stack of thick washers to keep the lug inline/straight as it was pressed via lug nuts.

 

[bdkw1]

Move the upper mounts in. Keep the lower mounts as far out as possible, it will have less sway that way.

 

[2big bronco]

You are absolutely correct.

However; I'm poor and that solution works short term.

It shouldnt cost you anything other then some cutoff wheels. Wire, and 3 hrs of time. If you are truly to poor for cutoff wheels Ill get you some.

 

[CDA 455 II]

It shouldnt cost you anything other then some cutoff wheels. Wire, and 3 hrs of time. If you are truly to poor for cutoff wheels Ill get you some.

Good point; and thanks for the offer.

Welding is what cost 💰💰💰.
Welding up here cost $120+ an hour.

One day I'll learn and have the capability to stick weld.