Pippin's Pricey Perpetual Project ;)

[pippinmader]

Re: Pippin's Pricey Perpetual Project

Hey Pippin, good to see back! Now your Bronco has everything including the kitchen sink! LOL. Seriously though, nice job with the rear tub modification. Those shocks look great! So where does one get a set of Raptor shocks anyway?

After the pan showed up I realized I could have used a kitchen sink, LOL! The first set of shocks was from craigslist, the second ones are from ebay, had to set an alarm for 5:00 AM because that is when the auction ended but I got them. Other people seem to be realizing the rear ones can be used in other applications since they are harder to find. The 2017-18 shocks are even better, 3" and something like 9 damping zones but probably harder to reverse engineer. I keep looking at the newer ones and wondering how hard it would be to adapt them to my Tundra, hmmmm. In 2019 the raptor shocks become electronically controlled I think so they would be almost impossible to use.

[pippinmader]

A set of used Ford style Dana 44 Reid knuckles with Ruff Stuff steering arms come up on facebook marketplace and I couldn't help myself. My first question is why did someone paint them BLACK???

I know they are based on the 1976-1977 bronco knuckles so they have the higher factory arms that are out farther. I originally tried to use a set of factory bronco knuckles on my build but they hit the wheels with the large 1-ton Chevy TRE over the knuckle. Now my plan is to try to setup the steering as a crossover system (instead of the Y link I have now) and use the high steer arms, maybe make them steering arm under. Has anyone done this? Is it possible to have your steering "too high"? I have heard it is hard to setup a bronco with high steer and not have bump steer problems, but I have an extra long and high trac bar so I hope it will be ok?


.

[904Bronco]

Nice find! Sorry I don't have an answer for you...

I read through your Thread again, nice build.

[pippinmader]

Well I figured out why I had 3 wheel drive, my warn hubs turned into toothpicks. These are the largest pieces left!

[crawlin68]

Yikes! That will do it. LOL. At least it's an easy fix.

[71BRONCO71]

Good catch!
a friend and I were just talking about warn hubs.
If I had an extra 400 dollars to blow, I would get the Yukon hubs. But warns are hard to beat for the price

https://www.yukongear.com/productdet...x?ProdID=12616

[pippinmader]

Me: Why am I always breaking "unbreakable" things, do I drive like an idiot?
My friend, trying to be nice: It isn't so much that you drive like an idiot, but you definitely drive with a lot of "confidence" in your vehicle.

- well I guess it is time to buy more "confidence" -

So I broke some more parts. Wheeling last winter in deep snow, somehow broke the ear off an inner axle which caused a ton of other damage, exploded both ball joints, bent the inner axle C, lost the CTM u-joint caps. All at 7:00 at night in a snow storm. Luckily my friend and I were able to make it back home, replace the broken parts, go back up into the woods and get the bronco limped out in 3-wheel drive by 2:00 am.

Well I guess that means time for another forced upgrade! The front axle housing was build by curry from a stock Ford piece, but there are better aftermarket options available now. I was also always annoyed by the front axle camber and wanted stronger inner Cs. Finally I do think that the non-CV nature of the front u-joints was part of the reason I was breaking parts, especially since they kept breaking in deep snow when static loads are pretty low. What I am trying to say is: excuse, excuse, excuse, I want RCVs . And finally, my wife said the Iroks were terrible on the freeway, so time for new wheels and tires?





Let the buying begin! I sold a 1983 toyota pickup so lots of play money! I went with a trail gear 3" 3/8" wall front housing:



Used a "parts mike" front inner Cs had to be machined out slightly larger to fit, but they are definitely larger:






I decided to go about 1.5" wider than stock because it gave me more clearance between the inner C and the radius arms. Also because - reasons...



After going around and around, landed on 2" fox hydraulic bump stops:


And finally, the most fun upgrade: 5 new recline 17" bead locks and 37" Geolander MTs (and 3.75" lift springs to replace the sagging 3" ones)


RCVs are on order, went with 300M since it was only a couple hundred dollars more and it seemed cool? But for now putting it back together with a single new axle shaft so I can wheel it for now!

[onpier55]

Damn. Nice work.

[904Bronco]

Wow. More Bomb proof now, me thinks.