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whats involved in stretching my bronco?

broncomitch

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 17, 2008
Messages
2,384
Loc.
west jordan, utah
im thinking about stretching my bronco cus im moving my rear axle way back and dont want it to look all stupid.

what parts do i need and what not?
 

Gummi Bear

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 8, 2003
Messages
3,647
How much stretch?

The further out toward teh corners you can get those tires, the better off you'll be on the trail.

Different obstacles come into play depending on how far you want to go.
 

OsideDave

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2006
Messages
878
I have seen a few rear stretched broncos that have removed material on the rear side of the fender wells and added material on front side. This look seems to be pretty clean.
 

malcolmzilla

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 18, 2003
Messages
1,522
Loc.
Calgary, AB, Canada
Moving the real axle back will usually cause the diff to impact the fuel tank, necesitating its relocation (fuel cell).

KB6677's rig with the 12" frame stretch behind the doors looks awesome and would be a nice wheelbase.. TITO has a stretched one too.
 

Devin

Bronco Kineticist
Joined
Apr 29, 2004
Messages
3,956
Just get a couple of chains, a large tree, and a heavy right foot. That will stretch it out good. ;D
 
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broncomitch

broncomitch

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 17, 2008
Messages
2,384
Loc.
west jordan, utah
Between the door and rear wheel well, is that where you want it stretched at?

bingo.

i was thinking around 10'' or so. im running a 21 gallon alum fuel cell on top of my frame, so hitting it will never happen.

i seen some guys cut a bronco in half frame and all and weld it on......i dont want to kill a bronco....


ya.. i tryed that with a 02 jeep stuck in the mud. riped his frame off 6'' from the back of the bumper...bronco didnt stretch at all :cry:
 

Gummi Bear

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 8, 2003
Messages
3,647
If you're that serious about wheeling, and wanting to do a stretch that dramatic: take my advice and buy a buggy now.


You'll spend a fortune on stretching it, and still be self conscious about beating it on the trail, besides it'll still be heavy, wide and you'll have a pretty stinky approach and departure angle compared to no sheetmetal in the way.

I should have bought a buggy years ago, but really wanted to keep the Bronc, and now I have a mangled piece of metal with a ton of money in it and not much else to show for.
 

Steve

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 5, 2003
Messages
2,986
Loc.
Grand Junction, CO
If you're that serious about wheeling, and wanting to do a stretch that dramatic: take my advice and buy a buggy now.


You'll spend a fortune on stretching it, and still be self conscious about beating it on the trail, besides it'll still be heavy, wide and you'll have a pretty stinky approach and departure angle compared to no sheetmetal in the way.

Not always true, and stretching the WB doesn't require stretching the frame and/or tub.

As soon as my current build is done, I'll have a 104" WB on a stock EB-length frame, and my tub will be 8" narrower than stock. My approach and departure angles will be excellent as well.
 

Devin

Bronco Kineticist
Joined
Apr 29, 2004
Messages
3,956
ya.. i tryed that with a 02 jeep stuck in the mud. riped his frame off 6'' from the back of the bumper...bronco didnt stretch at all :cry:

That was because you weren't pulling against an immovable object. I mean come on, it was a heep.....that is like hooking up to a rice cake and pulling. ;D
 

Gummi Bear

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 8, 2003
Messages
3,647
Not always true, and stretching the WB doesn't require stretching the frame and/or tub.

As soon as my current build is done, I'll have a 104" WB on a stock EB-length frame, and my tub will be 8" narrower than stock. My approach and departure angles will be excellent as well.

I read it as him wanting to section it behind the B pillar.

You can stretch it any number of ways, but you can only push the wheelbase so far before you start chopping up the tail posts and the grill (or narrowing it like you did)
 

744x4

Sr. Member
Joined
May 31, 2006
Messages
611
Loc.
Taylors,SC
The easy way is to cut it and sleave the frame right at the TC as that is the flat spot.I sectioned my Buggy frame there and added 12 in right in the middle and used .188 wall rect tubing inside of 2 pieces of stock frame rail then plug welded it top and bottom and seam welded the sides.This will be stronger than the rest of the frame.http://www.cb4x4.com/upload/showthread.php?p=20573#post20573 is a picture of my stretched frame in progress.The body is a different story as the middle is the easiest place right behind the doors also.
 

NGABronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 4, 2007
Messages
7,435
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N. GA now South Carolina
744 you're always taking the words out of my mouth!!! However I felt 10" was enough!!;D ;D Get the Sawzall out and have some fun, right SC!!!;D ;D
 

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broncomitch

broncomitch

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 17, 2008
Messages
2,384
Loc.
west jordan, utah
If you're that serious about wheeling, and wanting to do a stretch that dramatic: take my advice and buy a buggy now.


You'll spend a fortune on stretching it, and still be self conscious about beating it on the trail, besides it'll still be heavy, wide and you'll have a pretty stinky approach and departure angle compared to no sheetmetal in the way.

I should have bought a buggy years ago, but really wanted to keep the Bronc, and now I have a mangled piece of metal with a ton of money in it and not much else to show for.

going to buy me one? lol i might get 3500 for my bronco,not enough to make a buggy or buy one.
i dont like buggys , most are to light to go over anything, = no traction. i have walked up place's where buggys cant. adding 20 pounds on stretching mine is not going to make a difference.
and im on full widths so im hardly going to be hitting the body...not like i really care anyway ;D

there is one buggy i like. its my buddy's in canada. clayton prats ''warthog''. met him at ttc last year.


but im not going to stretch the frame i decided.
the jimmy joints are going to be mounted on the back of my bumper and shackles off it. if i dove tail it my soft top wont work so im not doing that...might be stuck with making it look stupid.....or stretch the front witch is something i might do. my WB is 99.5 so its not really all bad as it is.
 

Gummi Bear

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 8, 2003
Messages
3,647
going to buy me one? lol i might get 3500 for my bronco,not enough to make a buggy or buy one.
i dont like buggys , most are to light to go over anything, = no traction. i have walked up place's where buggys cant. adding 20 pounds on stretching mine is not going to make a difference.
and im on full widths so im hardly going to be hitting the body...not like i really care anyway ;D

there is one buggy i like. its my buddy's in canada. clayton prats ''warthog''. met him at ttc last year.


but im not going to stretch the frame i decided.
the jimmy joints are going to be mounted on the back of my bumper and shackles off it. if i dove tail it my soft top wont work so im not doing that...might be stuck with making it look stupid.....or stretch the front witch is something i might do. my WB is 99.5 so its not really all bad as it is.


Interesting perspective...

My argument is that you'll spend a fortune building a Bronco into something it wasn't initially designed for; and then damage it quickly once it's done. My 76 is presently in it's 4th rebuild (not to be completed anytime soon) With the money I spent on builds 2 and 3, I could have bought a decent, used buggy and wheeled the pee out of it without all the damage, better weight distribution, superior suspension, etc.

Overall weight isn't the driving force for traction so much as suspension design, and weight distribution, IMO. There's a reason that the competition buggies are so darned light.

You'll add a whole bunch more than your estimated 20 lbs when you stretch.

Weight all adds up very quickly, just like the $$ do.

Ultimately, the decision is entirely yours; after all, it's your rig, and as long as you're happy with it, that's all that really matters.


If you're wanting to keep leafs in the rear (and hang the shackles off the back, if I'm understanding correctly), look at the "Way Back" shackle hangers that a few different companies are offering (Blue Torch, Ballistic, Ruff Stuff)
 
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broncomitch

broncomitch

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 17, 2008
Messages
2,384
Loc.
west jordan, utah
Interesting perspective...

My argument is that you'll spend a fortune building a Bronco into something it wasn't initially designed for; and then damage it quickly once it's done. My 76 is presently in it's 4th rebuild (not to be completed anytime soon) With the money I spent on builds 2 and 3, I could have bought a decent, used buggy and wheeled the pee out of it without all the damage, better weight distribution, superior suspension, etc.

Overall weight isn't the driving force for traction so much as suspension design, and weight distribution, IMO. There's a reason that the competition buggies are so darned light.

You'll add a whole bunch more than your estimated 20 lbs when you stretch.

Weight all adds up very quickly, just like the $$ do.

Ultimately, the decision is entirely yours; after all, it's your rig, and as long as you're happy with it, that's all that really matters.


If you're wanting to keep leafs in the rear (and hang the shackles off the back, if I'm understanding correctly), look at the "Way Back" shackle hangers that a few different companies are offering (Blue Torch, Ballistic, Ruff Stuff)

ya i make my own stuff, thanks tho. this is what ill be doing. we did it on my bro's scout for TTC 08 and at the end of it everyone parked on top of a 54''bogger and was not even close to unloading. and he's driven it going 60mph and was way stable he didnt even know how fast he was going lol

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and the way i look at the reason why guys are all hung up on buggy's is because thay dont know how to drive. less body weight is less weight on shafts and what not. so you can put the hamerdown and light them up.....like all buggys do. i weighed two sections of steel for my frame went in at 12 pounds. plus the sheet metal. 6 pounds = 18pound's welding wire might make it 19 pounds.
i have been wheelin my bronco for 4 years on extreme stuff and my damage list is very small. 2 clutches, one 4'' dent under left tail light,stock hubs,(never worked)
thats all i can think of.

i have been kicking around building a buggy and hanging bronco panel's on it. just cus i have not built one yet. there are semi cheap buggy's out there. but there is nothing to them at all. not even a plase to keep junk :( good to comp wheelin, but not having fun on trails with friends.


thanks 23firfly;D
 
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