low budget Trail rig suggestions (got some pics of my rig)

[Colorado75Bronc]

i'd reccomend no bigger than 35's if your gonna stick with stock bronco axles, and prolly a 3.5" lift and alot of cutting, im running fw's under mine, 3.5" lift, 2" body lift, a N.P.435, dana 20 t-shift t-case, currently 33's, and plan on running 35's and a detroit true-trac in the rear and a detroit locker in the front as it is still a daily driver, i just actually finished the fullwidth rear, and im gettin started on the front, just can't afford to buy the steel and tie rod ends to build my oneton steering, with in the next couple weeks i'll post the pics of the swap when i get the front high pinion fw d44 in. but you can run some pretty tough trails on 35's, i live in colorado and know you can do the majority of the trails here on them, there's a couple that would be a hell of a challenge, but doable

 

[76_bronco]

Cant i just upgrade my axles to a heavier duty axle run em with no problems??
This is probably a dumb question but is the np435 trans a manual trans or auto??
Thanks, Dan

 

[Dan76]

Cant i just upgrade my axles to a heavier duty axle run em with no problems??
This is probably a dumb question but is the np435 trans a manual trans or auto??
Thanks, Dan

Even with upgraded shafts a D44/9" wont last long under 40s. step up to 1tons or find some smaller tires.

 

[Colorado75Bronc]

a 435 is a manual granny low 4spd the first gear is 7.69:1

 

[76_bronco]

If i wanted to stay with an auto trans what would i use only because i cant stand manual trans's. Could i stick with a c-4 or is there something else i should use??
Thanks,Dan

 

[Hal9000]

First its Socal Tom, I'm not that special. A lincoln locker is where you take a lincoln ( or miller) welder and weld you spider gears and turn a stock locker into a spool. It costs nothing if you have a welder.

Tom

Doh! Sorry about that. Not really awake when I posted :-[ No offense intended.

Gotcha on the welded diff. That's a common trick around here for the local demolition derby cars. We always just called it something like a DIY Spool, or lowbuck spool. Not something I'd do for any vehicle that got driven on the street, but good for a trail rig.

Broncnaz, I think that some big broncos of the 78/9 vintage came with lockers. my ratty old '78 was locked, and my '79 axle has a ford locker in it if I'm not mistaken... Not sure if the carrier will fit a big bearing eb axle or not though....

 

[johnpaulgolf]

a 435 is a manual granny low 4spd the first gear is 7.69:1

6.69 ...


The 40" tires will kill the D44 you would need 60's you can build the 9" with 35 splines but if you are going that far prolly cheaper to do a 60 rear ... and if you are going that far you should run 42's for ground clearance of the 60's ... anyway thats not "low budget stuff"

Aiight the auto trans. qeustion to get a good crawl out of an auto you would have to regear your front and rear diff's which = $$$

Go with the NP435 and 35-36" tires MAX even then you will have to upgrade front axle shafts with chromo's and possible rear axles to at least 31 spline stuff ... keep it low and cut accodingly and get or make some long arms ... blah blah blah

 

[Hal9000]

Go with the NP435 and 35-36" tires MAX even then you will have to upgrade front axle shafts with chromo's and possible rear axles to at least 31 spline stuff ... keep it low and cut accodingly and get or make some long arms ... blah blah blah

Not knowing the terrain he is driving on and/or the level of skill and weight of his right foot, I'd like to suggest an alternate (low budget) approach.

Just carry a spare set of axles and run the stockers till they break. Be sure you have good u-joints in the front axles. When you break and axle and need to replace it on the trail, you'll be able to decide if you need to upgrade axles at that point. And you never break an axle, you'll never need to spend the money.

 

[76_bronco]

heres some pics of my rig so far...
Got 40'' Gumbo monster mudders in the front and 40" groundhogs in the rear
stock suspension and havent cut the fenders yet they were cut in front because of flares but i havent cut yet

 

[Colorado75Bronc]

looks like it has potential, and ya sorry about the typo it is 6.69:1, i was out of it when i got home from work and my wife was rushing me to go to dinner, but you can still crawl fairly well with the c-4 and if you're gonna stick with big tires u should regear anyways, but like everyone said, those 40's are way to big for half-ton axles, and you won't have much flexibilty with little lift and a bunch of tire, i'd reccomend 35's, a 435 or like 4.56's to 4.88's for gears, especially if you stick with the c-4, maybe build your own extended radius arms, there's a company that sells thread on to weld extensions but i can't remember which company it is, and then you could box the arms for strength, and run like a 3.5" lift in the front and do a shackle flip in the back, weld the rear spiders or spool the back, if you can i'd reccomend 31 spline rear shafts, and find a cheap locker for the front, and just see if you can find someone with 35's that'll trade for your 40's or sell them and find some 35's to 36's

 

[76_bronco]

ok so i took yalls advice and searched for some D60's a friend of mine has a set front and rear for $500. Is that good price?

Also what am i looking at having to do to them to run the 40's. I will be using 351, 4.56 gears, maybe lockers (would i be ok without them??) ,but im not sure if i need upgraded axle shafts or anything else ??

Most likely will be picking them up on saturday. The truck will be used in mud. Around here theres not really any rock climbing just mud holes at the canal and hills and fields but hope to bring it to events when its all done.

As for the lift i was thinking bigger leaf springs from 3.5" suspension lift in the rear maybe some blocks, bigger coils from 3.5" Suspension lift , longer shocks and a 3" BL. The tires already clear without cutting but it has to go up for more clearence. What you guys think?


Thanks guys

 

[weasel]

$500 apeice or $500 for both? I don't know much about dana 60, but I sure would pick them up for that price.

The lift block in the rear I think is a bad idea, causes excess axle rap.

 

[76_bronco]

$500 for the pair

Gonna do a 3"BL what else do yall recommend suspension wise?

 

[Colorado75Bronc]

ya thats an amazing price, they're ford d60's? and i think for mud 4.88's a 3inch body and 3.5" lift would be great with the 40's, and the lockers would be a really good idea, they make a huge difference over opens, and the stock d60's will handle all that just fine as they are, no need for chromo shaft's

 

[broncnaz]

There goes the budget trail rig.
So to get back within a budget now that we know its useage. Forget the rear locker just weld the spider gears. You might consider dumping the C-4/D20 for a C-6/205 combo way stronger.
I would try to stay away from using blocks in the rear your going to be turning 40in tires and blocks will cause spring wrap. You'll probably need some type of antiwrap bars anyways. I think your going to find out that your budget trail rig will not stay within a budget.

 

[76_bronco]

Im only $200 into the truck right now seing how we just had the truck laying around. thinking of running Duff 3.5" basic system http://www.jamesduff.com/eb/suspension_systems.html

And a 3" BL and gears froms toms bronco

Hopefully i can keep the price pretty low on this rig seeing how most of the parts i already have laying around.

$200-tires
$500-rears
$700-lift
????-gears
Thats really about all

 

[johnpaulgolf]

2 1/2 in the rear and 3 1/2 in the front(for the winch) to make it level ... 2" body lift ... NP435 NP435 NP435 did I mention an NP435

KEEP IT LOW ... ground clearance is all about tire size not lift ... since its a dedicated trail rig just cut accodingly

KEEP IT LOW not so much lift just cut cut cut

And yes weld the rear(cheap/low budget) and put a locker in the front for driveablity and turning radius ... prolly go 5.13 gears for the crawl and with 40's still be able to run down the road 50mph or more ... blah blah blah

 

[broncnaz]

Im only $200 into the truck right now seing how we just had the truck laying around. thinking of running Duff 3.5" basic system http://www.jamesduff.com/eb/suspension_systems.html

And a 3" BL and gears froms toms bronco

Hopefully i can keep the price pretty low on this rig seeing how most of the parts i already have laying around.

$200-tires
$500-rears
$700-lift
????-gears
Thats really about all

Thats all currently wait until you start installing and driving it. Did you get wheels with your tires? Also your going to have to deal with pinion angles and driveshafts the D60 uses bigger ujoints and the rear pinion is lower than a 9in. But still some mods can be done cheaplyaxle wrap bars can be made easily. Find yourself a C-6/205 setup for cheap and you've got a good start.

 

[76_bronco]

turns out they werent D60's so looks like im back to square one...
Still trying to decide whether or not to run np435 or c-6, i found a np435 a friend has and will practically give it to me so still deciding..

 

[broncnaz]

Is the 435 a 2wd or 4wd version? 2Wd you'll need a adapter. 4wd you could just use a 205 tcase. Same pretty much goes for a C-6.
While probably not cheap a 9in built with 35 or 40 spline axles is just as strong as a d60, But then you've still got a weak front end. If your going to thrash on it you'll need something else.