4 link, ORI's, narrowed D60w/only 2.5" lift, 5"+WB stretch, 2" floor lower, P/S....,

[nvrstuk]

1 1/2 days for first side...1/2 day for the other ... must be a hundred times already that I've jacked it up and down trial fit for clearances..

If I'd just gone with a full width axle the trial fit would be the final fit...I tacked and cut off upper and lower brackets at least 6 times with different combinations of angles and spacing each time! : )

Maybe I should learn geometry and do it once!

Tire hit the inner fender, tire hit the strut, strut hit the upper bracket on full droop, ORI inward lean angle would be perfect desired number on each of the above but ... I move the brackets and the ORI angles wouldn't work...eventually got it all to work.

 

[nvrstuk]

Notes:

-Ended up spacing the strut bracket 2 3/8" off the frame rails straight up. I used 3/16"x2x4 tube after I used 3/8" flat bar... to also space it out -- all to help with spacing but also stiffen the frame since over the past 44 years of ownership I'd filled 73 holes 5/16" larger between the seats and rear bumper--seriously, counted 'em all . Added another 8#'s just filling 'em all!! ...

-Had to mount the ORI's at 7deg angle to the rear to give me a little bit of room for a seat

IF I hadn't had to increase the front WMS one inch for a total to 65 1/2" for tire clearance (they hit everything!!), I would have been in major trouble if I hadn't been forced to build the D60 up front first which then determined my rear axle width... lucky turn of events having the RS housing be warped and causing me to build/install the D60 at that time!

 

[nvrstuk]

Chasing a LOT of stuff now... gas tank mod's, hydroboost fitment, etc...

After spending a couple hours with a buddy looking over how many cuts and mod's my stock NWMP tank would take I decided to build another tank...I've modified this one 2 different times over the past 20+...

So, within a couple minutes of taking off on the 1 1/2 hour trip to pick up sheet metal I decided to cut up my old one...so here I go (again!).

 

[nvrstuk]

So while I was debating gas tank mods I finished up the front drag link and bracket that allows 28deg of angle. My pitman is angled correctly so it will allow 30deg along with the heim so the upper end was already good.

 

[Yeller]

Did a little research last night. Stock bronco loaded heavy had a track bar angle of 7 degrees. A stock roadster very stripped down (only complete tub and complete 6 cyl drivetrain) was at 10 degrees so your 11 degrees is actually in pretty good shape.

 

[nvrstuk]

Thanks for checking Steve!


Instead of 6 inch ride height I could just put less nitrogen in and ride at 3 inches for road cruising...and then I'd be down to 7 degrees! LOL

 

[Yeller]

Thanks for checking Steve!


Instead of 6 inch ride height I could just put less nitrogen in and ride at 3 inches for road cruising...and then I'd be down to 7 degrees! LOL

You'll get over liking that at the first rail road crossing or rough bridge...lol


I'm just spoiled, mines at 3 degrees....

 

[nvrstuk]

You're the second guy that has suggested building a frame to make it easier to get what I'm looking for and then I could get that angle down several more degrees at least!

 

[nvrstuk]

Well the fuel tank needs to be modified since the axle got moved back 5" the tank needs some trimming. I'd originally planned for a 2 1/2" rear axle bump but ... so I spent a lot of time looking at options to keep my fuel capacity very close to what I currently have...

Here we go...the cut-a-way pic with all the tubing in the tank is me attempting to remove my 4 Walbro pickups and I clearly tangled it all up so I got a pic!;D

I marked out all the cuts on it last night and got most of it cut also.

Spent all day till 11 tonight on it. All welded up, chased two weepers with the tank full...will put the pump assembly and gauge unit in place tomorrow and put about 5 lbs pressure on it.

 

[nvrstuk]

Here you can see the tangled mess of the Walbro pick ups

 

[nvrstuk]

Dang, sure looks ugly!! lol

Over building a new tank I saved -

$106 for sheet metal

$350 or less pump pickup (Fitech or equivalent)

$150 Hydramat

Had mine "sold" for $250 but probably saved 1/2 day of work and have the exact same shape...needs paint!!

No moisture outside the tank!! will atach the Explorer pickup/pump hanger assembly that I built a couple years back and put 5psi on it and if it checks out...check this off the list!

I threw some rustoleum on it so it's not so hideous looking!

What looks like a bunch of hoses in this pic is the submersible in gas tank approved hose that connects my in-tank pump to my Walbro pickups in each corner. This is the mod that Kyle duplicated in his Bronco and took great pics when he did this earlier this year... mine has worked flawlessly since I did it quite a while back. Looks complicated but it's not...4 pickups all attached together with a hose to the intank pump.

The hose can't move around because it is attached to rare earth magnets so when gas is sloshing around nothing will come lose or get in the way of my fuel tank sender float

 

[nvrstuk]

Finished all the tank mods, even put some paint on it.

Mocked up the Hydroboost appr 10" closer to the fender than stock. I had already moved it to the clutch swing pedal years ago... and it worked great. Now to move it another 4" so it will clear the strut hoop. It's mocked up and the pedal works great (makes a mess since no hoses are connected.)

Will finish up the details tomorrow on another brace and I need a longer 5/8" pivot rod (which is part of the pedal assembly).

 

[nvrstuk]

Here's some AstroVan hydroboost pics

it has worked so well compared to the other half dozen complete brake systems I have tried over the past 20,30,40 years about 6 completely different braking systems so I'm going to keep it since I couldn't find a shorter master cylinder hydroboost combination. This shows the slight angle that I've got it set out off the firewall and a little bit of the swing pedal assembly mods (mock up!).

I had to cut the brake pedal again... got it tacked together in the correct placement and the swing arm setup works good.

 

[nvrstuk]

Here's final mock up.

Before I started I had to put the tire on to check for clearance at full stuff to the hydroboost...I've got 2 1/2" clearance so I'm good! It looked like it was going to be closer. These tires things really fill up the space under the hood!!

 

[nvrstuk]

So I spent about an hour measuring and trying to fit a small cross brace directly under the floor between the strut towers and clear the gas tank and clear the high and low pressure hoses that are squeezed between my tank and the upper axle 4 link mount.

I need to keep it away from the frame rail because my exhaust will be running down it since there's no room anywhere else with the 4 link... similar issue everyone else has!

While I"m at it I"m trying to fit my HP filter in there...away from the links and exhaust heat...

I'm putting an access panel in the bed. It will be bed material so it should blend it pretty well...

 

[nvrstuk]

Is there any reason I need more clearance between my upper four link bracket and my soon-to-be crossmember? I have a half inch at full stuff.

Unless my link brackets move on the frame I can't see how I would need more clearance than this if so, I need to put a smaller dimensional piece across as a cross brace.

 

[nvrstuk]

I can see if I needed to change to a low pinion rear some day, I might need to open that gap up some but I'm not anticipating that...

 

[Yeller]

I don't see why you would need more.

 

[nvrstuk]

I couldn't either unless I had to rotate the pinion some more...but I'm dialed in so it's burned in!

thanks

 

[nvrstuk]

Almost done!!

Can't believe I'm to the point where I need to pull the front and rear housing's out and weld everything up permanent! Finally