Project BII Bomber

[KF5ZXT]

I picked up a Bronco II from a friend of Kris's on the cheap, since the motor was no good. Planning on modding it out for my bro to drive.

I was looking on the site to see how much the in bed tire carrier was for the rangers, and it says that it is no longer available. I was planning on running this with the bed braces in the rear of the Bronco II. Kris, if you could contact them and see what's up I'd appreciate it. I wonder if they are just upgrading it, or no longer selling it. If they aren't selling it, ask them why and see if they have any extras lying around or something.

[Kris Guilbeaux]

I will call and ask what is up on that part. So when are we chopping the Top? :)

[KF5ZXT]

getting excited are ya? I am going to order my new sawzall tomorrow, and after I get my replacement tools, I'll think about a date. My bro was trying to talk me out of chopping the top initially, so I've got to find out if he is going to want this thing eventually. I told that he better let me know before I cut the top off, so he's been warned. He liked the idea of chopping the top, but not necassarily for his ride.

[Kris Guilbeaux]

well let me know. I will bring my Sawzall down and Start on the other side and I am Sure Michael would be willing to bring his too... You better watch out I might have my new Explroer running before you finish either one. :)

[KF5ZXT]

My plans were initially to go with the James Duff stage III lift kit, but I am now thinking of going with 4" lift springs in the rear and sending off the TTB arms from my ex to get cut and turned 4". The housing has already been taken apart, so all I would have to do is send out the axle housings. I think that I may be able to use the Rancho RS9000 shocks from the old lift that was on the ex, so I won't have to buy those. I'll attach some extended radius arms and it should be good to go. I would still need rear shocks, but that's it. I'll probably go with some RS5000's in the rear. What do you guys think? And Michael, when you do the D44 swap, I'll buy your front pig from you to put in the BII, how's that sound? I may need the brakes too...Also, since the rear of the vehicle is going to be made lighter by way of roof subtraction, should I go with 3" leafs to try and get an even stance, or just not worry about it and go with the 4"?

[Michael]

That sounds like a good plan too. I'm going to tell you what I told Kris when he asked for my advice: It is your project and the ultimate decisions lie with you. With that out of the way, here goes. What complications does your cracked passenger side arm make in the cutting and turning process? Does a cut and turned suspension work well on a rock crawler? I have no personal experience to go from on that. My thought was that cut and turn was for prerunning where the forces of jumping etc would bend the drop brackets of a lift kit. If bending brackets is your worry, there is no need to with the JD kit. Their brackets are very strong and only space down 2" or so, so the forces are not as bad as with my 6" brackets or your 5.5" ones.

Another thing to look into is the cost/benefit analysis of C&T versus JD. The complete JD kit is around $1300 right? And that is all inclusive. I don't know what a C&T costs, and then you need those other things that you mentioned.

I hope that this does not come across as trying to discourage you from doing one versus the other, just trying to play devils advocate and make sure that all is thought through. No matter what you decide, you have first dibs on whatever parts you need when they become available. I have to warn you that that may be a while though as I am pretty happy with the way the truck performed in AZ and am only planning on tweaking shock length etc in the near future to optimize what I have. And whatever you decide you can be sure I'll be elbow deep in it when it happens.

[KF5ZXT]

I found a guy that will do the cut and turn and the radius arms for $525. The 4" coils and leafs I am sure I could find somewhere used. Paul Bredehoft sure likes his cut and turned units, and there's no arguing that the Zimmerman truck gets plenty of flex. The crack in my housing is right near the area where the housing would be cut anyway, so I'm sure that it could easily be welded up during the process if it is not eleiminated entirely. I am going to take a pic of the crack and email it to the guy and get his opinion on the matter. Basically altogether it would end up being cheaper than the Duff lift, and the cut and turn actually allows for more flex out of the TTB in that the radius of movement for each half is greatly increased. It would not be as good as a solid axle in the rocks, but I can't say that I thought that seriously about putting a solid axle in the BII.

[Kris Guilbeaux]

I found a rear tire carrier for the bomber



Some thing else to think about with the Suspention is that useing the Dana 35 will cost some extra with regearing the rear end.

[KF5ZXT]

Well, I was thinking of throwing the 8.8 on there too. I've talked to that guy before about making the tire carrier. He said he could do pretty much anything that I wanted. I will probably go with him, he had a good price on it, even after I asked him to make it 45 degrees instead of the 30 or so he has on his site.

[Michael]

Sounds very good. I didn't know that you had a hook up on the cut and turn and the Radius arms. I was basing my thoughts on camburgs prices $$$$$$$$$$. But if I was doiing the lifted Dana 35 again and had no plans to go solid I would use their stuff. I now say go for it. Front coils are cheap, my 133 superlift ones were 160 at 4wp, and rear left springs aren't outragiously priced. I bet a set of used 4" springs would provide good lift and not make the rear sit too high after cutting off the top.

[KF5ZXT]

nah, I wouldn't throw camburg $$$$ in the BII, it's supposed to be a budget buildup ;)

It might end up being more cost effective to throw a 5.0 in though. Used 2.8L's with no guarantees aren't less than 300 with shipping, it would definately be nice if I could find one locally. I am contemplating strapping it somewhere to have diagnostics run on it to see what exactly is wrong with the one that is in it. It doesn't turn over, it just clicks. Maybe a selenoid or something...

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Randall that motor in the BII is bad I know that for a Fact. I heard it run the last time it ran. It burned oil of three years before it crapped out. It really knocks bad and wont run for more than a second or two before it stalls.

[Michael]

What happened with that number I gave you? If you decided to go the 5.0 route that would be pretty easy since the truck is carbuated and old. You may even be able to make it emissions legal by using a newer motor.

[KF5ZXT]

I have the number, I may call him this weekend. I had forgotten about it already when I posted, even though I saved the information on my desktop. The carburated 5.0 swap sounds very appealing. I would need an 85 or newer carburated engine to keep it legal, so I think the window is pretty small, I'll have to check for more info on the mustangs. The prices I have seen for those is relatively cheap, around $200-300. Pricing out the swap components from James Duff comes to about $1300. So I may wait on that route for a while. I'll give that guy a call when I get home from work today and see where he stands.

[Michael]

85 was the last year for the carburated mustang. I'm not sure what year ford switched their f150's over to FI. Don't just limit yourself to mustang motors, a 302 is a 302.

[KF5ZXT]

I am starting to think that it might be cheaper to do a solid axle swap using an EB D44. I already have most everything for the swap, the only things I would need to get are 3.5 EB coils, rear 4" leafs, an R&P and Lock-Rite, new bushings, the EB axle, steering linkage, and a trackbar. If I did the cut and turn, I would still have to get some 4" coils, 4" leafs, all new brakes for the D35, a locker and gears. So the only thing I would need axtra for the D44 are bushings, steering, and the trackbar. And when Kris gets his fabritech kit, I can go his his trackbar mount copied, and it would be a simple install :rolleyes

And, if I did that, I could move the 5 on 5.5 wheels that are currently on the X to the BII when I go 8 lug on the X. And, I would'nt have to get new shafts for the 8.8 when it goes intot he BII, cuz it would already have the 5 on 5.5... And, I might have a line on an engine, I'll let you guys know.

My estimates are that the D35 C&T swap would cost about 700 more than the D44 swap, which already takes into account the parts already in hand at 0 cost.

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Keep us posted....


As soon as I get the kit I plan to take the Track bar mount some were to see if I can get copies made. I will not be posting on the Explorer Board as I dont feel like making copies for every one just a select few...

[SVO]

Man you guys sound waaaay to dangerious with those things HAHHAHAHHHA!

But let me introduce to you Mr. Chop Saw with the 12" blade, this bad boy will kill everything in it's path, it has 0 prejudice! :P

[KF5ZXT]

bad ass a portable chop saw!!

[KF5ZXT]

Found some old pics, thought I'd share.

Before:








During:

















After:

[BigTim55]

who took these pics?

[TxPlates]

Not a professional, that's for sure. Extremely blurry...just saying.

[KF5ZXT]

I took most, way back in 2002. I think Kris took the blurry ones.

[TxPlates]

Surprise!

[KF5ZXT]

Well, obviously I didn't take them, I'm in them. And besides that, it would have been next to impossible to take a non-blurry photo at that time of the day with the whole roof of the BII vibrating fiercely from the reciprocating saw.