hey everyone, here is my plan for my B2. i am putting full width d44 and 9" under a bronco 2. fisrt thing i need to know is, i would like to move the pring locations on the front and rear diff in 5 inchs on each side to acomidate the skinner frame width of the B2.

Will this be strong enough or do i have to gusset it??

If i gusset it, how and with what meteral should i do??


Thanks for the help, i rather build it right and strong the first time insted of breaking of bending things and haveing to repair them

 

off-topic question here.... i have some early bronco axles i will have available for sale soon if you dont wanna move perches and springs around

with that said, what are you thinking of gusseting? i mean its always a great idea but sometimes it just isn't needed. if you wanna gusset the axles then i'd say no they are plenty strong for that small of a vehicle unless you plan on catching some serious air. if you talking about gusseting the spring mounts that are bolted to the frame then i'd say no unless they are homemade. course its always a good precaution like i said before. if you are tlaking about gusseting the spring perches that weld on the axle tube then no, there is no need for it and would be a waste

-cutts-

 

the axels are what i am worried about and wondering if the need the gueest or not. as said before, i am moving the spring locations in 5 inchs on each side on both axels to acomadat the bronco 2 frame.

as for catching air, it may be a possiblility, but hopefuly not all four tires off at once

Thanks for the help and keep the tips coming

 

only suggestion I can think of right away is you can buy the wedges that weld onto the front axle from bronco graveyard (I think they are a sponser here if not check the sponsers of the site) that would make it much easier. The spring pads for the rear axle are easy enough to find anywhere or if your carefull in cutting them off you can reuse them but new ones really don't cost much, and on either case no gusseting the spring mounts, and wedges will have absolutly no benifit except to add weight.

 

well, your option is to move the passenger side wedge IN and cut the axle tube, and axle shaft. The drivers side, your stuck with the pumpkin only letting you make a couple inch movement. Plus, the 79 style axle for sure, has the wedge and knuckle cast as one. So that should cause you some issues. Ive seen a ranger or two with this setup, so it should be pretty easy. I put a dana 60 king pin to the coil spring setup from my 79 and it was pretty easy minus all the man hours. Good luck dude
Brian

 

well fishman actually gave you the best setup, and that is to use EB axles they are about the right width already, and should be a pretty easy bolt in.

 

i want to keep the axels full width(should have mentend this is an off highway truck)

anyways, the main question i need answered regarding the front and back is, if i move the monting location for the coils in the front and leafs in the rear, in twoards the center 5 inchs on each side in the front and 4 inchs (i went and measerd and i only need to more them in 4 inchs) in the back, do i need to gusset in any ways or will the axel tubes be stonge enough??



Thanks for the help

 

well what about switching frames to an F150 frame shortened up.

 

The 4x4 Bronco II frame is 6.08 x 2.26 x.130 and the base curb weight is 3385 (1772 front 1613 back). A nine inch axle is going to be much stronger then the frame and even moving the spring perches in five inches is not going to result in much axle deflection unless you are running over 33 inch tires. Then it will be because of tire weight, not the BII.

I ran full size 85 Bronco shocks in the stock location on my Bronco II (only had 2" lift) and it seemed to be a nice enough ride. Though if I had a choice (I did not have much fab skill back then) I would have mounted the shocks outside the frame for better handling on and off road.

If you take 6 x 3 x 1/4 steel tubing, notch it so it fits over the frame and take the notch piece and weld it to the top of the tubing it will fit exactly over the BII frame for a very stiff front bumper and will stop the frame from flexing so much off road. Which might help the driver's side floor from ripping along its seam.

The stock track width for the BII is 56.7 f/56.9 r so I think sticking a Dana 44 solid axle (F-150) that has a track of 78+ inches might not be the best combo with the 9".
I think a 9" and Dana 35 would be better, it would keep the front and rear track width almost even, plus, its been done before, and it is almost plug and play. Plus, it would keep the front to rear weight ratio close to 50/50, which is one reason the BII handles so well off road.

 

well here is the thing, i already have a full width d44 and 9 " out of a 79 f150.

a d35 is hard to find in my area and upwards of 800 dollers plus(paid 100 bucks for the f150)

also, i want and like the look of a full width axels under the b2.

i will be runner 33 for now, untill i have the money to run 36or 38" tires

I will also in the future be putting twin transfer cases into it

Thanks for the help, how this helps with answering my questions

 

I think your basic question has been answered no you don't need to gusset it other than that we are trying to give you some ideas that might make this somewhat easier.
Like my suggestion shorten the F150 frame if you still have it make new body mounts, and transfer the B2 body onto it, this gives you a much stronger frame, and very easy way of mounting the axles plus more stability and you then have the full width axles under the body you want.

 

the f 150 frame was toast, rusted to beat heck and was one of those"swiss cheese" frames

The b2 is fuel infected and i would like to keep that frame.

as for the front, i have figerd out a way to move in the spring buckets and i will gusset a little to help support the springs


as for the back, as per what you guys have said, i dont think i will take the time to gusset it. I have another 9" houseing, so if i bend this one some how i can change it, as for the d44, i dont have a spare houseing so i want to do it right the first time so i dont have to do it again

Thanks for all the help

sweetsride

 

Ummm, the swiss cheese frames were only the 80-81 years, 79 wouldn't be a holy frame.

A;sp if you manage to bend a 9" housing underneath a BII you're going to have bigger problems to worry about .

 

ummm.... well i must have got a 80's that had a SAS done to it cuss it was a swiss chees frame.


thanks

 

Yeah you must've, you still have everything that came with it, as theres a good chance it had lift coils up front and something in the rear as well.