Real Shakedown run (AZ Peace Trail)

[Johnnyb]

I am at the end of a 3-year build of my 1971 EB. My end-goal was an EB which could drive to the trailhead, but still do some reasonable hard-core wheelin’ when I got there. I never started a real build thread, but I wanted to post an “update” because I am so pleased with how everything is working out.

After I got the EB back on the road in 2024, I did a few shakedown runs to the Cinders, Borrego CA (EB on a trailer for highway), and some other locations. Worked out a few kinks, glad for the non-committal less than 100 mile runs to get started.

More recently, the wife and I have been running down to Sedona on the weekends, down 89A (switchbacks), back on I-17, and over to Winslow on I-40. What surprised me is how well the EB handled on the highway. I could have never imagined it was possible to go 75+ and feel completely stable and in-control, and even the wind noise is not that bad!

Finally, I felt it was time to put it to the real test. I just got done with a 3-day, 800-mile trek (Flagstaff-Yuma-AZ Peace Trail-Parker-Flagstaff) and I wanted to say that I am totally blown-away with how well everything is working! I got about 600 miles of freeway and 200 miles of dirt (driving long-hours like a bat-outta-hell) and nothing broke!

Super pleased with:

• Corbeau RS seats. Comfortable as can be, better than new Honda seats!
• ProFlo 4
• Explorer serpentine
• Wild Horses Ron Davis radiator
• @JB Fab Twin-stick
• Eaton Truetrac (rear-end)
• James Duff T-Rex Stock Length radius arms
• Dakota Digital VHX
• Wild Horses Revolution LED Headlights
• ProtoFab pre-runner bumpers

Questionable:

• Six Shooter accessory controller. (Phone App is clunky and remote switches always seem to be out of battery when you need them)
• ARB High Performance compressor (Filters are junk and fall apart on even normal trail use, now one of two motors seems to have stopped working, even just a dozen air-ups in)

Up next:

• New exhaust
• Dakota Digital Cruise Control
• Vintage Air A/C
• Tremec TR4050
• Atlas T-Case

--JB
...continued

 

[Johnnyb]

...continued

Motor	Component	Part Number
Block	1995 Mustang 5.0 HO rebuilt
Firing Order	1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Serpentine	1996 Explorer 5.0 w/steel fan
Belt	Gates	K060825
Radiator	Ron Davis Serpentine	5002, 5054, 5032, 5009
Shroud	Wild Horses Aluminum	5001​
Headers	Ceramic Shorty Headers w/o2	8006NET
Exhaust	Custom, Dual, Flowmanster muffler
Drivetrain
Flywheel	50 oz. imbalance, 164T	8210​
Clutch	Centerforce	8112​
Transmission	NP435 rebuilt
Shifter	Gear Banger	8301NET
Adapter	Advance Adapters	50-2700
Transfer Case	D20, rebuilt, w/JB-Fab shift rails	OEM, SRD20F
Front Drive Shaft	Wild Horses HD	8572​
Rear Drive Shaft	Wild Horses HD	8575​
Front Axle Housing	1976-77 Bronco D44 Disk Brake OEM
Front Differential/Cover	ARB 4.11	8730, 8737
Front Axle shaft	1976-1977 OEM
Rear Axle Housing	Wild Horses 9" large bearing housing	8689NETW, 8679
Rear Differential	Eaton Truetrack 4.11	8751​
Rear Axle shaft	Wild Horses 31-spline	8606​
Rear Wheel Bearings	Tapered Roller Bearing 1.557 i.d. / 3.150 o.d.	8268​
Brakes
Front	1976-1977 Bronco OEM Disk rebuilt
Rear	Wild Horses Disk	3131​
Vaccuum Booster	Wild Horses	3051, 3055
Master Cylinder	Wild Horses	3088​
Master Cylinder Lines	Wild Horses Custom	3077​
Proportioning Valve	Wild Horses 4-Wheel Disk	3036, 3037
Heat Shield	Custom
Flex Lines	Wild Horses Extended Braided Stainless Steel	1462, 1473
Fuel System
Tank	23-Gallon with Skid Plate	9662SKNET
Pump/Lines	Wild Horses EFI	9789​
Regulator	Wild Horses Holly Adjustable bypass	6662​
EFI System	Edelbrock Pro-FLo 4	EDELBROCK-35930
Interface	Dakota Digital CAN Bus	BIM-01-2-EDBK
Steering
Column	IDIDIT Tilt column	2515N
Shaft	Wild Horses Collapsible	2161NET
Pump	1996 Explorer OEM new
Box	1976-77 Bronco OEM rebuilt
Cooler	Aluminum Finned
Linkage	James Duff Dual Sport Bump Steer Eliminator, TRO	BSE-TRO
Suspension
Lift	Wild Horses 2.5" System 16 w/6 Rancho 9000	0116RA2-5N
Radius Arms	James Duff T-Rex Stock Length	5355/5356-EB-Config
Trac Bar	James Duff Heavy Duty Adjustable	5417​
Track Bar Riser	James Duff	5406B
Body Lift	Wild Horses 2"	1916​
Heater
Assembly	Wild Horses	5195​
Instruments
Cluster	Dakota Digital VHX	5987NET
Electrical
Alternator	1996 Ford Explorer 4G, new
Main Harness	Wiring Harness Master Kit, 66-77 Ford Bronco	6016​
Accessory Controller	Trigger 6-Shooter	6G-6220
Battery	Dual Optima Yellow-Top
Tray	Dual Wild Horses Optima Specific Battery Tray	6045​
Battery Harness	Painless 250A Dual Battery	6021​
Headlights	Wild Horses Revolution LED	6149W
Aux Headlights	Wild Horses Revolution 5 inch LED	6148​
Compressor	ARB High Performance	8728​
Bumpers
Front	ProtoFab Pre-Runner, powder coated
Winch	Warn 8000#
Rear	ProtoFab Pre-Runner w/spare tire and Jerry can swing-away, powder coated
Interior
Cage	Custom 2" 6-point powder coated
Front Seats	Corbeau Baja RS w/heaters	3623,3428,CORBRACKETS
Front Belts	Latch Harness	co5500
Rear Seat	Toms Fold & Tumble	3685​
Rear Belts	Pair	3628​
Console	Tuffy	3462​
Body
Rock Sliders	Wild Horses full-length Rock Rails, tied to cage, powder coated	5652​
Steps	Custom receiver, welded to rock slider, Ford logo step plate, removable
Flares	Wild Horses Gorilla Warflares	5775​
Top	Rampage Parchment Soft Top	3212​
Tires & Wheels
Tires	(5) 35X12.5X17 BFG AT
Wheels	(5) American Racing Baja 17"
Accessories
Jack	Hi-Lift 60"
Air Hose	Thor's Lightning, 4-wheel digital
Communication
Radio	Quad Band 50W Cross-Band Mobile Transceiver	TYT TH-9800
Phone mount/charger	ROKK Wireless - Waterproof Wireless Adjustable Phone Charging Mount
Sound System	JBL Extreme 3 - cage mounted, removable

 

[gnsteam]

Great build Johnnyb. I always look forward to seeing your posts. And thanks for posting your parts list. I found a few parts on your list that I will need.

 

[toddz69]

Great posts! Glad to hear it's working well and man, the Peace Trail sounds like a good one to do.

I know it's been quite the journey.

Bummed to hear the ARB compressor isn't so awesome for you. I've had one in the garage for years that I've not gotten around to installing...

Todd Z.

 

[Johnnyb]

Great posts! Glad to hear it's working well and man, the Peace Trail sounds like a good one to do.

I know it's been quite the journey.

Bummed to hear the ARB compressor isn't so awesome for you. I've had one in the garage for years that I've not gotten around to installing...

Todd Z.

@toddz69 , I got these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GVNRHPX/?tag=classicbroncos-20 at $9/ea. to replace the ARB filters after several OEM ARB replacements at $39/ea. I am hoping the ARB issue now is electrical and can be easily remedied. If I have to trash a $600 compressor after a few uses, I will find a different solution.

-JB

 

[ntsqd]

I used Puma PD1006 electric compressors off The Jungle on the last two project vehicles and have replaced their plastic bodied air filters with an air filter intended for a home air compressor. This one is the last one that I bought, it's been working fine on Snowball for about a year so far.

I have one of these compressors for the Wagon. It is dead quiet. Can have a normal conversation while standing over it. It is not a typical 12VDC compressor, the motor appears to be a 120VAC motor and the compressor has a dedicated inverter built into it.

Both of these options are quite a bit bigger than the ARB compressor. The two Puma have both been put on rubber mounts under the vehicles that they were used on.

 

[Yeller]

Compressors can be a pain.... I just did the cheapest one I thought would do the job for the Explorer project and I've been happy with it and figured for $40 if it died, I didn't care. It has a dozen or so air ups on the 33x10.50's on that car, so it has paid for itself LOL. I did take it apart to cut the mounting feet off, which let me velcro it to the inner fender trim in the back. I don't like that it does not have an external filter, but it is inside the car so dirt/dust is minimal. I have this on in the J Truck's toolbox, it is always impressive. One thing I did on both of them was ditch the goofy hose connections and converted them to standard connections, just backwards since neither runs a pressure switch or a tank, the air needs to be able to move at all times. I run this air chuck on both units, the flow open so I can't dead head the compressor and are super user friendly. I have found the goofy air hose connections on the imported compressors to be the flow limiter, besides being a pain, on the larger compressor, this change alone cut air up time by half on a 37" tire, timed it over the weekend, the Smittybilt unit will air up my 37's in under 6 minutes for all of them that is from 12 to 24 psi.

 

[ntsqd]

Those Jaco chucks don't feel like they're high quality, but they sure work exceptionally well. I bought one of their pressure gauge - inflators as a test and I think that I'm going to convert all of my vehicles to using one of them. It filled the tire that I tested it on in roughly 1/2 the time of the HF unit that I'll be replacing it with.