Building my first rig and hoping to join a club

mitchmp2005

New Member
Joined
May 16, 2008
Location
greenville
I hope this is in the right place / advise if not please

Dad and Me building our first Rig /

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To start with, yeah it's a Ford. Sorry// I had to start with what I had. 1994 Ford F-150 Super Custom Sport Flareside
4X4. Stock 302 V8.

These are the things I have already added.

Line-X bed liner
6'' suspension lift 3'' body lift
4.88 gears
38x13.50x18 Toyo Open Country MT
18'' pacer ridgeline
Dual exhaust
Kiker sound system

Things I would like to have:::

Someone to recommend ways to increase HP, torque and fuel economy / I'm new to all that / having trouble searching for it
Chrome Roll Bar
Euro Lights
Winch Bumper and winch / about 8,000lb
bucket seats
KC Lites or similiar
Possible rear end swaps
Anyone who knows about vinyl tape / like camo over paint

And anyone else who can point me in the right direction. My truck is currently sitting at Down East Offroad in Wilson NC. Those guys do a great job. I am currently sitting in Iraq. Any help is much appreciated.
 
1st- scratch the chrome roll bar off your list and invest in a locker. Have someone build you a real roll cage either in cab or one for the bed.
The guys at down east should be able to point you in the right direction as far as clubs in your area go.
 
Gotcha, thanks a million, NO CHROME ROLL BAR / Are these clubs for Toyotas and Jeeps only?? What is this Locker you speak of??? Sincerely Sgt Carter
 
Forget fuel economy: your on 38s!!!!
Forget chrome: x2 on the locker
Forget the euro's: no function on the trails
Forget 8000: your gonna need atleast 9000 Winch bumper is important though.
Forget KC lites: they just catch limbs and ripped off anyway
Forget rear end swap: do an SAS first. http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/c-175
Forget Vynal: think.....od green paint job

For a newb youve got a good start. It sounds like your building more for looks than function though. Not much demand for that on this site. Not bashing you, if thats what you like, great. but this is not the right site for that.

If it were me, i'd lose the body lift, sawsall the front fender, lose the bed and cage the rear. I'd throw some rockwells under and lock the rear.
 
BigRedB2 said:
Forget fuel economy: your on 38s!!!!
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How about forget your axle shafts, too. I'd take all that cash that you plan to dump into your rig and go with 1-ton axles, no questions asked. I would also visit fullsizebronco.com for more info on building up your rig. Yes, I know it's a bronco forum, but your F-150 is basically a bronco with a bed. Same running gear, engine, ect... There's tons of info in the archives there. Just do some searching and you'll find the info you need.
 
Johnski, i dont think he really plans on wheeling it. But if he does, excellent advice! FSB.com is a GREAT source for ford help.


lol dont worry mitch. Build this one how ever you want! no ever gets it right on their first truck anyway. lol, im starting over with my 6th truck!


take johnski's advice though. focus on axles first if you do plan on getting it dirty.
 
thanks so much for great advice!!

Thanks so much for the advice. The winch info is priceless/ what brand do you think is the best ? I like Warn but I was hoping to talk to some folks who use winches to see what they prefer. With all the money I just put into lifting the original front end / how could I do an SAS and not pay an arm and a leg?? I checked out both websites and you are right on the money, they are full of info. Thanks so much. I don't really have the money to be climbing rocks with my first rig here but my next one will be more universal. I quess everyone has to start some where.
 
hind sight it 20/20 but with the money you spent to lift the front, you probably could of done an SAS.

I think the winch question is personal preference. warn makes a good product but you pay for the brand name. i like mile marker. fewer bumper ootions with this brand though. i've also heard the rumor that the champion winches sold at SAMs and costco are the same as mile markers for about half the price, but have not seen that confirmed. I am a little concerned its made buy the same company...just done with cheaper parts.

hmm.....i just realized you had a 94....for some reason i was thinking 04 all this time. everthing still pretty much applies.

an SAS swap would probably still use most of the new suspension lift you just put on. did you use extended radius arms or drop down brackets?
 
mitchmp2005 said:
What is this Locker you speak of??? Sincerely Sgt Carter
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If you really do plan to wheel it, then thsi is something you need to learn about, pronto.
Having a locker will make all of the diference.

In short - it "locks" teh two sides of the axle diferential together so that they turn at the same time and speed. This gives a tremendous amount of traction off road.

Without them, the standard "open" differential allows one tire to spin while teh other sits and does nothing. Functionally, 1 wheel drive per axle.

soem basic reading here:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm
 
Man!! You guys are on point. I hope yall don't charge for all this priceless info. I got no clue if its radius arms or drop down brackets. I just popped over to Fullsizebroncos and asked the question about how much it would cost to make the swap. No word yet. I figured Milemarker might be the deal. Do you guys use winch bumpers? If not how else can you mount a winch on the front? I gotcha on the lockers for sure. That is a must. Any preferences on lockers/ i have automatic locking hubs at this time.
 
Honestly, if the paint is nice on that truck and the interior too. I would forget spending any more on it. it sounds like its clean. I don't remember if you mentioned exhaust, but if not, i would do a decent cat-back flowmaster/dynamax system and cut bait. Sell it to one of your buddies or anyone. The CBT (Carolina bargain trader) is a good, free rag in your area to sell stuff in. I had a lot of luck when i was in Raleigh selling stuff there. The only reason i say sell it, is you really have past the point of "no-return" as far as a wheeler is concerned. It would just cost too much (IMO). I've been there, as have most on this board, and i wish someone would have given me this same advise along time ago. If a ford is what you want, Great!, they can be made into nice rigs. Johnski has one of the cleanest broncos around and i'm sure that machine wheels great. He told me about a company this past weekend at URE that i had never heard of, CAGE offroad. You might search around for them, the products he had from them looked BEEF!

lets say you sell that thing for 5-8000$ depending on cleanliness (hell you might get 10k) then here is what you do

decent F-150/bronco 2500$
plan on 2000$ for Tons, lockers, service parts for the axles
call it another 1500$ on suspension/steering (crossover minimum)
and 1200$ should pick you up some good 39.5's w/ wheels if you shop around (used)

that would be a good start and you would have a solid, reliable platform that should function really well.

maybe that helps - j
 
ncgamedog said:
I don't remember if you mentioned exhaust, but if not, i would do a decent cat-back flowmaster/dynamax system and cut bait.
Click to expand...

He says he has dual exhaust on it...

anyways, in terms of lockers, is it true that the first place you want to put one is the front axle, rather than the rear?
 
i think alot of the FSB's of that vintage came w/ 351w's but i'm not sure on that... find a c6/205 and your golden. the injection on those engines (302/351) is nice, not to mention the aftermarket is flooded with performance stuff.
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
He says he has dual exhaust on it...
anyways, in terms of lockers, is it true that the first place you want to put one is the front axle, rather than the rear?
Click to expand...

yeah i missed that, good deal.

i would say it depends on the vehicle, tire size, set-up, weight.
in other words: i would not lock the front of this truck in the front before the rear b/c the TTB is destined to break. if i had a sami on 31's or a 79-85 toy on 33's or less i might say go ahead w/ the front first if you still drive it on the street a lot. I believe that is why you hear that often, people are worried about being locked in the rear on the street. :rolleyes: "If it rains you will lose total control, wreck, and die!" or "You won't be able to keep tires on that thing!" IMO both are urban legends. My last 3 rigs were locked in the rear first (or same time) and all saw street duty, and i saw minimal tire wear (over normal), and certianly was never worried about the rain...
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
anyways, in terms of lockers, is it true that the first place you want to put one is the front axle, rather than the rear?
Click to expand...

Yeah, as mentioned I think this reall ydepends on the use of the vehiicle and the front hub configuration.
For example, vehicles w/ manual free-wheeling hubs (e.g., pre90s Yota) can have a locker in the front w/o any effect on road manners whatsoever - w/ the hub unlocked and transfer disengaged, the front differential in 100% inert.
Flipside is of course that if it's IFS, that's alot more (potential) stress on those CVs.
However on something like a Jeep w/ permanently live front diffs, you have more potential for ugly road manners.
 
Thanks so much as always!! I'm amazed by the knowledge of this forum and the good natured manner of the folks here. I did check out NCKrawlers and I'm going wait till I'm home from Iraq to link up with them. I got your gist on lockers for sure. I'm up to date now. I also checked out Cage link and they didn't offer any products for my rig. I built this truck for hunting and fishing and will keep it the way it is. I figure that I have gone way off budget to pull out now / not to mention centimental value /

However, I have a mid 1990's F-250 that I will be pouring this wealth of knowledge into. It is reg cab and short bed 4x4. It belonged to my local volunteer fire department and was used as a brush truck. It's painted flat red and it's a manual. This is the beginning of Project #2 / Looks like project one had alot of errors but it's my first. I just learned alot from it. Thanks again guys!!
 
mitchmp2005 said:
/ not to mention centimental value /
However, I have a mid 1990's F-250 that I will be pouring this wealth of knowledge into. It is reg cab and short bed 4x4. It belonged to my local volunteer fire department and was used as a brush truck. It's painted flat red and it's a manual. This is the beginning of Project #2 / Looks like project one had alot of errors but it's my first. I just learned alot from it. Thanks again guys!!
Click to expand...

sweet place to start for #2!! is it gas or diesel? you will have 1 ton axles but still have the TTb front (dana 50) in most cases. Not a bad axle so a SAS wont be as important.

Lose the bed, build a cage and throw some lockers on that thing! trim the front fenders up till you can fit 33's or 35's and your golden!!!!

something else i cant remember if it was covered yet or not, but GEARS!!! 4.56 or up! match up the ring and pinion gears to your tire height and make back a little of the "power" you lost when youput bigger tires on. plus it will help save that transmission.
 
Yes it is gas, / What do you mean by TTB front ?? I actually was cotemplating removing the bed and building a cage. I am trying to figure how long it will take to save the money to start. I also will have to tear it down in a driveway. LOL The Cage link / definitely will go back on and look under SAS. Thanks again guys. I'll try and get some pics up of my projects. I really like the ones I been seeing up here.
 
ncgamedog said:
http://www.cageoffroad.com/solidaxleswap.asp
here ya go, i think this is it...
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That's not a kit, but the radius arm setup for a SAS. Cage is currently putting together an entire kit with arms, coils, shocks, mounts, ect...
mitchmp2005 said:
Yes it is gas, / What do you mean by TTB front ?? I actually was cotemplating removing the bed and building a cage. I am trying to figure how long it will take to save the money to start. I also will have to tear it down in a driveway. LOL The Cage link / definitely will go back on and look under SAS. Thanks again guys. I'll try and get some pics up of my projects. I really like the ones I been seeing up here.
Click to expand...
TTB = Twin Traction Beam. It's the independent front suspension setup on broncos and f150's from about 1980-96. It's what you currently have up front on your truck. It's that solid axle that ford decided to cut in half. IF you want to stick with that front end, I would not recommend going above a 35" tire. Any taller and you're asking for breakage. I promise you, I know.

If you want the ultimate SAS resource, read here. When you're done, read some more...
http://fullsizebronco.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=29

Here's a thread by a member here (Roughshod) that just finished his 1-ton swap. Very solid writeup...
http://fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116660
 
That is a great forum that you turned me on to. The FSB!! I have read the first two articles and I'm going to check out the third one now. Thanks for your help and I got the jist on TTB now. Do you know anything about a winch bumper made by www.broncoair.com for the 80's 96 Ford Bronco and F'series vehicles. I really like their work and contacted them to purchase one of their winch bumpers. They asked me if I was on the FSB buying list or something like that. Apparently, they have a mass buy going on there and I have been looking for it but can't find it. Thanks so much again.
 
The BroncoAir bumper is definitely sweet. I don't have one of his bumpers, but I do have his OBA kit, and I can tell you that the guy that owns that company has gone way, WAY out of his way to help me out of a jam before. You can find a cheaper bumper out there, but you won't find a better one.

Oh and speaking of that Bronco SAS write up...here is a gratuitous poser pic from when I was testing out the flex for the first time. Not even maxed out there, I just ran out of rock. I still had another 2" travel to go at the shock.
awww.supermotors.net_getfile_633340_fullsize_dscn6502.jpg
 
Man, that's what I'm talking about!! I aint gonna get mine to do that but maybe my second one for sure. I see exactly why alot of folks was recommending the SAS now. I'm real sorry but what is an OBA kit??? Is that the thing on the front of your Bronco? If not, what is it? I have never seen a setup like that before but I do like it. I definitely don't mind paying my hard earned cash to good folks. I'm glad you told me about him helping you out. That means alot. Great looking rig and thanks for the info!!
 
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