Offroad Projects

I haven't posted much here since I sold my 1993 Mazda Navajo around 2010 or 2011. It was 10 years in the making and finally to a solid, reliable state. I had some other priorities and decided to sell it and get something more versatile. I will include some pictures below of its developing states and final state when I sold it below. In the end, it had 37" MTRs, Arb front, detroit rear, 4.56 gears, D and D doubler and I built all the armor and the Dana 44 front Solid Axle Swap. James duff 3.5" VR coil lift, 235" defender tires and a home made heavy ugly bumper (around 2000 when I bought it) : 2001 with 33x10.50s and James duff 4.5" lift with extended radius arms, manual hubs and new auto tranny: Here it is just after the SAS...

Well it's Finaly Time to Start this thread. Intro In April of 2006 I will be doing a Solid Axle Swap on my '99 Explorer XL. Through the entire prosess I will be takink pics and updateing when there is is new info. I've pretty much always known I was going to do a SAS in my truck all along. For this reason, I have never but a dime into my front axle. I just never saw the point if I was going to rip it out. The Plan I plan to run a High Pinion Dana 44 full width in the front. I will be using Early Bronco Coils, posiablly 5.5" lift coils. I am still unsure of what I will be using for Radius arms, as we are still in the works. I would like to do a 3 link in the front but I don't think it's possiable with the cast wedges. I will...

Hello everybody! It's time to start the SAS on my Explorer. It will be an awesome project and the first project of this type and size that I have ever undertaken. Up to this point the sliders where the hardest thing that I have made myself. I am open to any suggestions and or insights from anyone as the project gets underway. I have bought every last part for the build minus the hard brake lines (axles, and from master to the frame) and the flexible lines that go down to the axles. Those are all easy to make so I am not worried about it for now until I get the axles put together and can see what i want to do with those. Now for a list of things I will be doing with the project: 1995 F-150 8.8 - I bought this used rear axle that I will...

Brian1's Twin Trail Build 1991 Ford Explorer 4-Door XL 5-Speed Manual 4x4 Project Background and Goals: I bought this Explorer at a Police auction in August of 2015. I really didn't know what I was going to do with it when I bought it but I couldn't pass up the great deal I got. I stored it away for a bit while deciding to part it out, build it up or just flip it. In the end I decided to build it into a cheap trail truck and use it to R&D some new ideas I had on how to build an Explorer and develop some new parts. The goal of the build was to do it cheaply while keeping it low, lightweight, and simple. Another goal was to completely transform the Explorer into a trail machine and debut it at the 20th anniversary forum run in Moab...

Project Merc... New here. Big time Ford guy but I have been building Jeeps last few years. Having two growing boys I need something bigger then my Wrangler. And my XJ is kinda rough to wheel when you sit in it for 8 hours of off road action. So was looking for something a little more plush. Grand Cherokee are nice but Uni body and there V8 options suck since there is no aftermarket for them. Having a couple Fox Body Mustangs I am already familiar with the 5.0. I worked out a deal on 98 Mountaineer 5.0 V8 should be picking it up Tues. I can't wait!!:D I will post pics after I pick it up. I did SAS swap in a Diesel Jeep Liberty for a friend so already have practice. Plan on using XJ Dana 30 to start and upgrade to 44 at a later date...

I have my "whitey turns red" thread in here that I'm updating as my current expo build goes along but I've had enough PM's on info about the race truck and my prerunner truck I guess to justify posting this in here. Hopefully it doesn't upset the expo gods too much to post some japanese products in here. If it makes you feel better they're both running Ford rear axles! LOL Race truck first... 99% built solo in my garage. It's a partnership deal. The actual owner of the truck is a 16 year air force enlistee friend of mine currently stationed in Washington DC working in the Pentagon. He's not rich by anymeans, he's just good with his money I guess! Unfortunately for our racing plans he's moving to London in a few weeks and...

... or SAS pt.II, or SAS redeux, or axle remix thread. :p: As some of you know, ive recently got a 94 sport that is the typical fullwidth HP44 with coils/arms, fullwidth 9" type swap. Its currently on radial 36" Iroks. Right now im lowering it down 4" and extending the wheelbase a couple of inches. It wheels great but its just too tall for what i want to do. Ive got some Bilstein 7100's in the mail and my general idea is to make this more of a dual sport type rig that can get it on the rocks and also be able to blast some fire roads and play on the sandbars here in the summer. Currently the truck has 4" blocks under the back and a "W" shaped set of hybrid 4 door packs. Im going to take the blocks out, throw on a freshened set...

FST finished installing they hydraulic assist ram on the Pumpkin. I bought the modified steering box from CoryL who originally purchased a kit from www.westtexasoffroad.com. Cory kept the ram, so FST used a Howe, ram and steel braided hoses. The mounting is all custom fabrication. At this time the power steering pump is still stock. That won't do as it doesn't have enough oomph to power both systems. It works, but not well smoothly enough. In testing we put the tire against a wall and pushed pushed the whole truck sideways with the steering! I also made figure 8s in their parking lot with the front ARB locked and it worked... except, I blew the cap off the P/S pump, soaked the exhaust with fluid and actually started a bit of an under...

So I haven't been posting much or working on the Navajo. I have been wheeling some and dirtbiking alot and just not doing much new stuff to the truck. Anyway, I have been gathering parts and need to do some wrenching and take it to the next level. I did add a new door last night! The old one wouldn't roll up due to the new dents. Partly from Independance trail, partly from an encounter with a tree snow wheeling! Here's the new parts going in: 1) 8.8 New Axle- The old one has some ghetto brackets and the pinion bearing is toast. I paid a guy to setup the gears and he must have set the pinion preload with an impact or something. I need to do something about this soon! 2) 8.8 Detroit EZ Locker Got it cheap 3) Dana 44 Detroit...