Kyle M's Ranger Rebuild

[Kyle M.]

Here are some pictures of the frames, as best you can see them....

2wd frame

4wd X frame

Just for reference, my rear cab mount on the X cab will be where the front spring hanger is, or there about...



And just a little update, had some time into tearing the parts truck down, got the flat bed off, front clip off and the inner fender support removed.

I also got another look at my X cab frame and how bad it is really messed up...

supposed to be straight, ouch

 

[4x4b2]

damn, thats one f'ed up frame. how fast were you goin when you hit the tree?

 

[nate09]

holy man is that one bent frame rail. glad to see youre gettin another truck together already. just outta curiosity, whatcha doin with the front pig?

 

[Kyle M.]

damn, thats one f'ed up frame. how fast were you goin when you hit the tree?

Not sure, some where between 20 and 30 I would guess. Not really that hard, but hard enough.

holy man is that one bent frame rail. glad to see youre gettin another truck together already. just outta curiosity, whatcha doin with the front pig?

I will be selling all of my D35 stuff.....I am open to offers right now, but I would perfer to keep it a roller for the time being. Might be a few weeks till I am ready to part it.

 

[4x4b2]

yea, its still too bad, that was a badass truck. what is the link to the build thread it?

 

[Kyle M.]

yea, its still too bad, that was a badass truck. what is the link to the build thread it?

I never had a build thread, but thanks for the interest!

 

[Kyle M.]

Alright, another mini update. I am getting my disk brake set up figured out, thought I would post it up and shed a little light on my discoveries since I wasn't able to find a whole lot about the set up I am going to use.

I got a corporate 10 bolt axle for free from my buddy, he was gonna scrap it, and I knew the knuckles looked the same as mine so i wanted to see what I could make work. What I wanted to do was take the spindles and backing plates and put them on my EB drum knuckles because I read that they "might" fit. My concern is what would I use for stub shafts, locking hubs, and what bolt pattern I would have to run.

So after tearing down the 10 bolt I found that sure enough, the spindles will bolt up, the stubs are the same length and same spline count as my 44 stubs and I can use my Ford locking hubs in the Chevy hubs(slid one in there and it fit). I really wanted to have the 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern but it appears the inner bearing has a larger id so it wont work (unless someone knows of a special bearing i could use??) SO it looks like I will be running a 6 bolt wheel.

So after all this, I am happy I have found my front brake set up (free) and now I know what shafts I can buy, so add another thing to the buy list, axle shafts. Now I just need to decide on my steering, the 10 bolt has one flat top for cross over steering, might just use those knuckles. Any suggestions on that?

Here are a few pictures from the tear down

backing plate and spindle

the EB 44 shaft is in the middle, others are 10 bolt shafts

the one flat top 10 bolt knuckle, but it is on the drivers side, may be an issue? How can I make that work?

then my 44 ready to be torn down the rest of the way....

 

[89PBR96]

Dam dude That was a nice truck good luck with the build atleast mine is still some what straight lol

 

[Bray D]

You can get a 5x5.5 bolt pattern but you need the small bearing spindle. I got mine off ebay. Then you use a ford hub on that spindle. That's the setup I'm running now - chevy knuck, chevy spindle, ford hub, ford lockout, chevy stub shafts.

Can't utilize the driver's side flat top unless you get a pass side to match it and do hi-steer. Maybe you can, but I don't know of any 'traditional' steering setups that it would work with.

 

[Kyle M.]

You can get a 5x5.5 bolt pattern but you need the small bearing spindle. I got mine off ebay. Then you use a ford hub on that spindle. That's the setup I'm running now - chevy knuck, chevy spindle, ford hub, ford lockout, chevy stub shafts.

Can't utilize the driver's side flat top unless you get a pass side to match it and do hi-steer. Maybe you can, but I don't know of any 'traditional' steering setups that it would work with.

I am thinking about turning the spindles down in a lathe to fit the smaller bearing, I read that it can be done, I will have to look into it. My only other concern is buying new hubs for the Ford pattern, they aren't cheap. For dollars sake, I might just stick with the 6 on 5.5 pattern.

I think that there is a drivers side flat top on that chevy axle because it was a leaf sprung front end, so no track bar to worry about and I think that is why it would work, still seems odd to have such a short drag link....

 

[Kyle M.]

like this
http://image.fourwheeler.com/f/9540328/129_0209_08z+1971_chevrolet_suburban+steering_drag_link.jpg

 

[Bray D]

I thought most chevy's had their steering box on the pass side frame rail? I can't think of a specific truck that does, so I may be wrong, but for some reason that's in my head.

The way that is setup in your link, you'd have to reverse the steering input somehow. Look at the linkage, if you'd turn your wheel right, the tires would turn left.

 

[Kyle M.]

Yeah, IDK

For my disk brakes, I think I am going to try and the ford rotor, just need to find some for cheap, best I can find is $85 per side....anyone know of what donors I can get 44 parts off of? I am also having trouble finding what calipers I should be using, but from what I can tell, the backing plates are the same 10 bolt or 44, just not a lot of info on it.

 

[Clay Lorance]

Let the AWESOME trail truck rise from the ashes, just like the Phoenix. I am definatly subscribing to this thread.

 

[fx2prerunner]

Idea for the box, maybe!