Pictures from my SAS

[Ogeechee 4x4]

Back in the summer of 2006, I decided to jump in and complete a solid axle swap. It's not perfect by any means, but it has held together for about 15,000 miles now. There are several "adjustments" that I would like to make if I was to do it again, but they're minor enough that I won't bother with them right now. I can try to find part numbers for something if anyone is interested.


So I started with a Dana 44 out of a 1979 Bronco that I located through a fellow ECBR member. $200 later, all of this followed me home. Most of it I could reuse for my application. Some just had to be replaced (like the steering parts)



And my bronco when I started. It already had a 6" rough country lift and 35" Ground Hawgs. Gotta love that droopy TTB look!



First order of business is to remove the TTB. Yes, i know the jackstand "extentions" are dangerous--really. Notice how the TTB looks as it sits on the floor. I'm pretty sure that's the same geometry it held while hooked to my frame, too!




The obligitory "TTB Salute"



Now the fun begins. Break out your finest angle grinder and/or air chissel and remove the stock coil buckets. I replaced them with the 1979 coil buckets. After careful measuring and pondering and consulting several of my old Trig text books, I just moved these buckets as far foward as I could on my 1995 frame. Have fun drilling the 6 holes per coil bucket.



Passenger side



While that was happening, my D44 was at Powertrain, Inc in Savannah getting re-geared with 4.56 gears and a Detroit TrueTrac. I blame my ignorance on the subject of regearing axles on my taking it to them. They actually did decent work, but charged me about twice what it was worth. Oh, well. Live and learn.

You can also see my Bent & Twisted radius arm extentions that are welded onto the stock '79 radius arms. Nope, I didn't box them. Nope, they're still not bent.

The springs are 6" Skyjacker coils for a 78/79 application. I want to say I used 2* c-busings



For my next trick, I bolted up the springs to determine where to mount the radius arm brackets.



Of course, they ended up in the middle of my transmission crossmember on the passenger side--so I cut it. I meant to go back and fab up a replacement, but I honestly forgot. I used the factory '79 radius arm brackets. Several people asked me if i layed the face of the brackets back to 23*. No, they're 100% stock. For what I do, they work fine.





The drivers side wasn't as bad.



For front shock mounts, I used a Ford shock mount for a 80's-90's F250/350. The mounts are about $18 each from your Ford dealer. I'm running the Cage shocks in the front. 18" travel, I think...

Brake lines are Skyjacker braided stainless steel for a 8" lift application. Instead of running one line to the hard line on the axle, I just ran one line to each caliper.



For steering, I used (new) stock 78/79 left & right tie rod ends and a 1995-ish F350 4x4 drag link. I reused the drop pitman arm from my Rough Country lift.



The trac bar is the Superlift adjustable model.



For the upper trac bar mount, I reused the lower 1/2 of the stock trac bar mount. I test fit it to get the proper angle, and then cut the mount to the correct length. It's welded to the bottom of the frame with a couple of gussets and a brace that is welded to the engine crossmember. It's not pretty, but it works.



And here it is back on it's tires again





And that's it in a nutshell. Hope this help someone...if nothing else, it kept you from actually having to do work for a couple of minutes :xyxthumbs: