1996 Ranger SAS 4-link

[fordguy64]

so the swap has finally started... was going to go with the dana 44 but didnt want to go through all the work of narrowing the axle and the different bp so i went to the junk yard today and pulled a dana 30 out of a jeep... got it home and cut off all of the brakets.. ordering heims and tubing soon.. then gonna pull the dana 35 out (freshly rebuilt will be for sale soon with a 6 inch bds lift)
this is what the truck looks like now

this is it "flexing" but its not really lol

 

[fordguy64]

this is the new axle with all the brackets and everything cut off

This is all the stuff i cut off

hopefully get some room cleared out in the garage so i can start taking the dana 35 out...

 

[fordguy64]

i think i finally decided on what kinda rod ends I'm going to use.... planning on using the BA-187's on one end and the RSMX8T or the RSMX10T on the other ends... i was going to use a heim on both ends but i plan on driving the truck on the road some. This way it should give me a little softer of a ride... Probably going to end up using 1.74x.250 DOM tubing for the lower links and 1.5x.120 for the uppers..

sound like a good combo? should hold my little truck? its a 4.0 5 speed with 33x12.5 MTs 3.73 gears plan on doing a t-case doubler down the road a little.

i also work at a machine shop. We have 5 cnc Bridgeport's and a Water Jet <<<going to design my own brackets and cut them out.. I'm also i certified welder..

 

[fordguy64]

well took me about 4 hours today to pull the 35 and all the lift brackets off... got the 30 sitting under the truck about where its going to be...

 

[Woods-Rider]

looking good

 

[fordguy64]

thanks im going to be cutting out a test bracket on the water jet to see if my design is anywhere close to what it needs to be... so no one has an opinion on my rod ends?

 

[Jim Oaks]

i also work at a machine shop. We have 5 cnc Bridgeport's and a Water Jet <<<going to design my own brackets and cut them out.. I'm also i certified welder..

Man, if we were closer I'd put you to work for me. I could also use some welding and water jet work.

If you're going to wheel this thing I would go with rebuildable rod ends. Different suspension companies are starting to offer kits with rebuildable rod ends.

Skyjacker offers .75" and 1.25" heavy duty rebuildable kevlar/teflon lined rod ends. They look just like these johnny joints:

I would take a few minutes and read THIS

 

[wahlstrom1]

Check out www.evolutionmachine.com, they have some monster joints and are fully rebuildable.


-andrew


Left is the 'Large' heim, right is the Frankenheim, used for 1 ton diesel SAS's designed for rig pig type driving....They also make medium, small and ATV sized heim joints...

LARGE

FRANKENHEIM (15.5 lbs and around 260$ Can.)

 

[fordguy64]

ok so if i go with the johnny joints should i put one on each end of each link? that would be 8 johnny joints and i would still need 2 heim joints for the panhard bar and three or so for the steering....

Thanks for the input guys

Rob

 

[Toreadorranger]

I have flex joints on both ends of my links, they are supposed to last a long time on the road and give really good movement. I havent run them yet but this is the joint alot of off the shelf kits come with.

 

[fordguy64]

what size tube is that? thickness? that going on a ranger?

 

[Toreadorranger]

yea thats going in my 2000 ranger. its 2" .25 wall DOM

 

[fordguy64]

awesome good luck with your build

 

[fordguy64]

so whats my front axle and lift worth.. the 35 is freshly rebuilt only 1500 miles on it or so warn manual locking hubs and abs new u-joints (everything except wheel bearings rotors and pads are new) the lift is a 6 inch BDS lift

 

[Maverick]

You gonna take that last mount of the top of the axle? They come off real easy with a sawzall. Lookin good.