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project blue thunder

21K views 199 replies 30 participants last post by  OnlyInMyXJ22 
#1 · (Edited)
i origanally bought a 79 bronco that was compleatley stripped from all body panels and interior bacically axles frame and body
as you can see here


then i decided to pull the axles out from under the bronco and proceed to strip the stock axles out of my 2001 jeep cherokee seen here

then after the rear axle was pulled the ford 9in was all prepped and ready for instalation





then the rear was all done the pinion angle set


then came the hard part finding out where the ford radius arm mounts go on the unibody frame



we kept running into problems lining the coils straight so it is about as straight it can be right now without wedges under the coil mount




finished steering pictures

the track bar welded up
 
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#58 ·
Im running the stock tie rod and sleved TTb steering for my drag link, I just picked up a set of high steer kunckles so Im savein up the dough for arms, chev 1 ton TRE's, threaded bungs, jam nuts, and DOM. Those Chev TRE's are beefy as fuck and they'll last a lot longer than a heim joint witch has no way of keeping dirt or debris out of it. and will be cheeper to replace.
 
#62 ·
the coils are because the radius arm c bushings are 7 degree with a stock braket i need to drop the braket down to equal it out or make wedges in the coil buckets on the axle either way they both do the same thing
and the radius arm brakets arent braced across from braket to braket yet and i am also going to plate the unibody so they wont shoot through the frame
 
#63 ·
nah that would be fore/aft misalignment then i.e caster. I think that what everyone is commenting about from the pictures is the misalignment left to right. As in the coil mounting surfaces on the axle are wider then the upper buckets you have put them into.
 
#64 ·
Looks really sweet, how much money do you have into the swap? I might consider this if it isn't gonna be a crapload of money, I'd like to do a basic fullwidth swap since I want a lot of stability off road but I probably won't break a fullwidth axle.
I already need to regear, buy a carrier for the D30 and swap out the D35 for something better, so I'm trying to compare how much money it would be.
If I were you, just run coilovers on the front haha. Solve your coil bow problem.
 
#68 · (Edited)
I'm probably just gonna have 33s on the Jeep, I'm on 32s right now. I'm looking for a decently good estimate on how much a swap like this will cost, as a rough estimate in my head to regear my Jeep now at the cheapest would be about $450 in parts. If I do it right and ditch the D35, it would go up probably another 150 if I use an 8.25. From there it would probably go up to $650-700 or more depending on rear end.
Now with a full width swap, I can sell both of my XJ axles and get some of the money back.
 
#69 ·
if you can find someone to sell the front axle with steering, trac bar, and rad arms and brackets, out of a part out like i said i got it all for 250, maby 50 in bushings and 100 for springs, then little bs like longer breake lines. it was a pritty easy/cheep strong parts build. the only reason im blowing the front up so much is its welded with a nice V8 behind it.
 
#71 ·
yeah nates right with all that
i got a deal of a lifetime on these thats why i did it
i paid 160 for both axles 4rims and 5 tires so i think i got a pretty good deal then i put about another 150 bucks with little things here and there paint lockouts bushings
but i actually bought the whole bronco so i had all of the mounts i needed and more
then regearing i got a 4.10 for 25 bucks then it already has a full spool in the rear
but good luck finding them there all over you just need to find people with all the mounts and braketry
 
#73 ·
yeah it can be expensive i went the cheapest route by using the stock radiusarms
if you buy a truss to run normal cherokee mounts controlarms track bar etc you cannot use it with a 78 or 79 axle cause the radiusarm mounts are cast into the axle tubes if you do the truss you want to look into a f100 44 i think 74 to 77 with weld on radius arm mounts you can cut em offf and run a tnt truss or make your own this will take less time and may be a little cheaper
 
#82 ·
i like how u assumed it was a full spool, not even a mini or welded just to realize it may be an lsd:sonicjay: hey wait maybe you'd know if u changed the gear lube and didn't run the shit from the 79 Bronco:fish:

don't you also mean 260 for the axles?

as you also haven't changed the gear lube have you checked it and when do you plan to install those rear 4.10 gears? be sure to see if the axle bearings stay together when you pull the shafts otherwise you're going to need new ones like i did. there is a seal like pressed in with the race and it comes out with the shaft on the bearing

you get rear shocks on yet?
 
#84 ·
still havnt changed the fluid and i sold the bronco for 100 so 160 brah
and the front shocks limited front flex and still waiting on the rear those quatratec fucks
and yeah i am going to need to pull the 3rd and throw the 4.10 in there i need money to purchase the front 4.10 and carrier and i wil have to see what the hell is in the rear 3rd cause it could be a swaged out track lock from 79 and i probaly blew it driving it around the last 3 weeks cause its 30 years old if thats the case i may rebuild it i may put a mini spool in it or a full i dont know yet
 
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