Some more sas questions... Planning a build. pointers appreciated!

[LilGreen]

So I've been reading my ass off about sas's. I'm GOInG to, this summer do it. I'm going to go leaf sprung because it is going to be used primarily for muddling an general trail rippin. I'm learning to weld currently so I'm excited to fab up some of my own parts. Yes I know I should har someone qualified to weld some stuff but I'm hopping by the summer my skills will develop. I'm thinking of a d44 out of a f250 just because jeeps are non existant in my local junk yard. I'm also gonna trow the rear axle under as well to match the full width from the front, as well as matched gears, but ill discuss that later....

My biggest question is which leafs to use. For the rear I'm thinking the 64" leafs with custom hangers, similar to the beltech shackles y'all are always talking about. Can I use those springs up in the front as well? I ask because they have gotten such great reviews for softness in the back. Or are they just too soft for the front?

Also, arching? You guys think they will need to be re arched?
When you guys say 5" Chevy leaf, dose that mean you arched the to give five in. Of lift or you bought a 5" leaf?

Next question is shock location and angles. I don't see why the stock location on the truck would be fine but I could be totally out to lunch... This may be a very amature question but, straight up and down is ideal?

Steering will be custom with heim joints so it can be adjusted.. Pitman arm will be bought.

Last remarks;
This will be a budget (junkyard) build with only nessarry parts being bough/replaced.
Total lift I'm looking for is is at lease 6 inches or so.

As always I'm greatfull for your responses and will keep reading into the wee hours or at lease till the gf will let me...

 

[bobbywalter]

i would use blazer or bronco rear spring up front and 2wd 150 5 pack springs out back.



likely 4-6 inch lift shocks for a ranger and i good tie rod steering setup from ruffstuff.

assuming your getting a hiboy or 250 70,s d44 you will probably have good flat top/hi steer options as well...


actual lift with used springs is too hard to say real numbers, but i can get the bronco springs and 150 sprinngs with a 3-4 in rear block pretty level.


but ride can be rough.

 

[LilGreen]

Why those springs and not Chevy springs?
Define hiboy and flat top, I've heard these terms used before...

 

[bobbywalter]

the rear springs would be a bolt in. makes it cake. the chevy 63 in springs work real good, but for the work its really a piss waste of time over ranger springs. if you find the bolt in solutions dont work then upgrade.


on the front your going to have to do some sort of custom shit no matter what.


hi boy is slang but describes basically a factory raised rig, but the term is often used to describe the 1977 and earlier 3/4 ton with leafs .


when using a dana 44, a flat top knuckle can come stock in certain applications most of those will require machine work but its cost effective with lift over a certain range...but not necessary with a sane amount of lift......"google flat top knuckle". steering can be a serious issue or a simple issue. understanding the basics with some more reading time will go a long way towards simplifying this swap. the flat top makes the leaf swap easier for the most part.


my personal truck is a junkyard swap like you propose. and it has a shit ton of miles on crap i found laying around, traded for, or bought at junkyard prices.... initially it was configured as a bolt in swap and has been slowly adjusted to various states of operation.....many different type of minor failures etc from spring selection.

the only major part i bought was a hi steer arm for the dana 60 initially..


two key elements for budget swaps.

# 1 study and ask some questions like your doing....pick the axle type....and then really study and plan every componant and reason for it based on build with that axle type.. look at other rigs...what works, what jerks and pick what you like or improve it in planning.


# 2 key element to a budget swap. get working parts. start with an axle in fair shape and just run the fawker. preferably from a operating complete donor vehicle.


do what you want, theres a myriad of ways to do this on a budget.

 

[farmer]

Aren't we all looking to build on a budget!?

When I did my SAS I wanted to do it on the cheep as well. If you want to do it without much fabrication at all, stick with a coil sprung F150 Dana 44. Factory brackets line up with existing holes in the frame, so placing the axle is almost dummy proof. Use your existing coil buckets and find some 4-6" bronco or f150 coils. The worst part is making a trackbar bracket, which isn't bad. I did 90% of my swap in a weekend. Just another option to consider.

Also it looks like your truck is a 93? I assume that has a crumple frame section on front? You'll need to brace that up if you go leaf sprung

 

[bobbywalter]

Aren't we all looking to build on a budget!?

When I did my SAS I wanted to do it on the cheep as well. If you want to do it without much fabrication at all, stick with a coil sprung F150 Dana 44. Factory brackets line up with existing holes in the frame, so placing the axle is almost dummy proof. Use your existing coil buckets and find some 4-6" bronco or f150 coils. The worst part is making a trackbar bracket, which isn't bad. I did 90% of my swap in a weekend. Just another option to consider.

Also it looks like your truck is a 93? I assume that has a crumple frame section on front? You'll need to brace that up if you go leaf sprung

fab work is similar enough its hard to put one labor over the other...steering and trac angles and cost effective solutions depending on lift and actual goals are a totally different set of huge variables. both can be trainwrecks or cakewalks.

but i agree, that if i was going to limit my strength to a d 44, i would use a stock coil configuration starting with a ttb or tib ranger. although with a"BUT" hanging on what was readily available locally. i lucked out and traded out for my d60 where it didnt cost me anything except time and labor on another project. but those are things i would not have done for a d44. my d 60 was actually intended to be used on my psd e350.

for what the op has proposed, a leaf setup will likely be cost winner unless theres a supply of lifted d44 trucks and parts locally. in the past i have lucked out and pulled lifted 44 setups complete front and rear for 200-400 bux from old broncos and pickups and swapped them into ttb f series for less then another 100 in parts. rangers jeeps and chevies vary a bit from there, but thats using working parts. it can happen. and did quite a bit in the mid 90's early 2000's.... since 2003 or so finding d44s and 9 in is tough where i shop. still pretty cheap though.

 

[LilGreen]

Using car part.com I CANNOT find a leaf sprung D44 within a couple hour drive!
As far as coil sprung pretty much the same thing
I mean they are relatively cheap, about $100 but damn near impossible to find!
I really appreciate the info guys, but I think I may have to put this swap on hold till I find an axle.... Im starting to poke around the idea of lifting my ttb, but still have a few questions about it. Ill make another thread for that..

 

[brinker88]

I'd honestly just go coil sprung and be done with it. Far easier to set up coils than leaves up front IMO