dana 30 sas help

[Austin]

I'm in between what I should do with the explorer rebuild the dana 35 ttb or do a sas.I'm leaning to the sas but not have a place to do it. I guess my question is if I were to do an sas would anyone be interested in helping out?

[ExplorerTom]

SAS for sure

[dieseldoc]

there are a few folks here that are willing to share there shop space.
If we had a gardge I would say bring it on over.
I think you will be much happier with the SAS.
look into the f150 or bronco coil spring. they are set closer the the weight of the exploder.

[Austin]

Ya I'm thinking of calling sff and seeing about getting my arms and mount made up there. I would just him do the whole thing if I had the extra cash to do so. How much lift did you go on the front Tom 6" or 4"? It would be cool if I could re-use the lift coils I have now.

[The StRanger]

My understanding is the TTB to SAS swap is thee easyest one out there.
Radius arms and a drive shaft and its a done deal..

[Austin]

Ya my main two questions are can I use the factory spring bucket and shock mounts and what to do for the track bar set up. I really would like to check one that's already been sas and I need to get down and talk to sff about arms

[ExplorerTom]

I think SFF was doing a kit for the TTB.

As as far as lift on mine....... No idea. My sliders are over the top of my wheels (33x12.5r15)

http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu143/TJUrbanek/Explorer/Kokopelli%20Trail/60ABC9EF-7A9B-4B66-97CF-03435B69F273.jpg (http://s642.photobucket.com/user/TJUrbanek/media/Explorer/Kokopelli%20Trail/60ABC9EF-7A9B-4B66-97CF-03435B69F273.jpg.html)

i need to figure out a stiffer spring. It flexes great but it's a little too tippy for my liking from time to time.

[Austin]

Ya I need to get over sff and talk to josh and see what he says

[dieseldoc]

Tell ya both the ford springs from the full size stuff is what you want.
They are stiffer as they are for a heavier truck.
they will produce a slight bit of lift and ride stiffer than the exploder springs.
I think they are the same size buckets and I belive the axle buckets will accept them with no mods.
I have friends who have used then in a TJ and a XJ.

[Austin]

Nice ya the lift springs in mine now are F150 springs that's why I was hoping they would work

[dieseldoc]

They should. Only thing that could be issue is track width.
But the exploder does have a narower frame than the full size stuff.

[Austin]

So I went by and talk to Josh today and looked at is orange ranger and that made up my mind I'm gonna do a SAS. This gonna be a process as I need to start collecting parts like an axle and front shock towers. Josh is gonna make me a new cross member and the radius arms and im going to attempt to do the rest. So now I guess it just collecting and getting a the parts together to get it done.

[ExplorerTom]

Yeah, Josh has some fun toys. I drove his Merc awhile ago and I think that probably sent me down the SAS road. It is sure nice to be able to point your rig at pretty much any obstacle (except buggy type terrain) and make it. If you have a locker or limited slip in both diffs, the suspension flexes so well that you always have all 4 tires in contact. Deep snow is about the only thing that has stopped me so far.

[dieseldoc]

If you go find a jeep comanchee truck they are a hi-pinion axle. I think using a 4 link is more reliable and elimanats the panhard (track) bar. You will get great flex and much less binding in the suspension.

[Austin]

Ya I think I'm gonna go with the set up like Tom has. Josh said he could make up the cross member and radius arms for me for a decent price. He showed me his setup on his ranger and I think I can do most all of that work myself. I also got some good news this week construction is back under way at my house we are redoing so hopefully I'll have a new garage space to do it all in soon

[dieseldoc]

Nice. Good luck withthe build....lots of pics!

[Austin]

Does any one know if you have to move or have to move the lower spring mounts on the Dana 30 over the axle tube because stock they are just in front of the axle tube. If you do have to move them could you explain why. I am planning on using f250 shock towers and bronco coil buckets.

[dieseldoc]

Wel) if you are going to use the ford buckets cut the old stuff off and use what ylu want to get what you want. Makes it easy to get the angles right.

[Austin]

Ya that's my plan if I can find them. If I can't find them im gonna mod the stock ones

[Austin]

I just know when I talked to josh he said I needed to move them back to center on the axle I didnt know if that was just if I moded the factory buckets of if I had to do it either way

[Hypoid]

Does any one know if you have to move or have to move the lower spring mounts on the Dana 30 over the axle tube because stock they are just in front of the axle tube. If you do have to move them could you explain why.I am guessing the cross member and arms were designed with the upper coil mount as a primary reference point.

[Austin]

Ya but if I use bronco buckets and f250 shcok towers I can mount them to the frame farther forward on move them back if need be so that they are in the right location

[Hypoid]

It sounds like your best answers will come from a tape measure.

[Austin]

Anyone know where I can get some tubing bent I need truss the dana 30

[dieseldoc]

Roadrunner fabrication they do heat treating and chrio treating can be done.


Steve here on the club site has a bender and so do a few others.
Bruckner brothers as well.

[Austin]

Ill give them a call

[Austin]

Hey tom did josh make your coil buckets and shock mount setup

[Austin]

Oh and is there a good way to tell if an axle tube is bent

[ExplorerTom]

I'm pretty sure he made the coil bucket but the shock mount might have been taken from something else.
http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu143/TJUrbanek/Explorer/06569282673659280d32ba545cec9e35.jpg (http://s642.photobucket.com/user/TJUrbanek/media/Explorer/06569282673659280d32ba545cec9e35.jpg.html)
http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu143/TJUrbanek/Explorer/b458bf3be5a8ebd806c844db21d45c49.jpg (http://s642.photobucket.com/user/TJUrbanek/media/Explorer/b458bf3be5a8ebd806c844db21d45c49.jpg.html)
http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu143/TJUrbanek/Explorer/e03ab4071b98ac0d21a1beda7d9b9bba.jpg (http://s642.photobucket.com/user/TJUrbanek/media/Explorer/e03ab4071b98ac0d21a1beda7d9b9bba.jpg.html)

Because this setup flexes so well, it'll actually flex farther than the springs are long. I was having a problem with the bottom of my coils coming out of their seat a little which caused them to "buckle" when compressed. That made a ton of noise and I'd have to flex it out on the trail, stick a strap on the coil and pull it back into the correct position. I got a flat bar welded on so that the first coil of the spring needs to be threaded through that bar. Haven't had any problems since.

Another way you could do the same thing would be to take the spring retainer that is in the middle of the coil (as seen in the 2nd pic) and use some of that on the bottom. My fix was a quick and easy (but effective) fix.

[Austin]

Thanks that's what Josh had said he wished he had longer springs on the orange ranger

[EKXJ87]

Hey Austin, what size tubing are you needing bent? I have dies for 1.5 or 1.75"

[Austin]

1.75 would work

[EKXJ87]

Pm sent

[Austin]

Hey Tom do have a new cross member for your long arms to bolt into or do they have there own mounts on the frame

[ExplorerTom]

Own mounts on the frame.

[Austin]

Are they in front or behind the trans cross member? I'm looking into making my own I've tried getting a hold of josh for a price on the radius arms and mount but have never heard anything back. I've picked up my d30, drive shaft, gears and springs now I really just need the radius arms and mount so I can start mocking everything up. I've decided to just mod my coil buckets and use F250 shock towers.

[ExplorerTom]

http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu143/TJUrbanek/Explorer/aeda883100a09e838d37802213c824c4.jpg (http://s642.photobucket.com/user/TJUrbanek/media/Explorer/aeda883100a09e838d37802213c824c4.jpg.html)

[Austin]

Hey thanks for the pics I was wondering if maybe on of these days I might be able to meet up with you and take a bunch of pics and maybe some measurements

[ExplorerTom]

Possibly. I'm down south. We can probably work something out. I just got new ZJ lift springs that I need to install in place of the XJ springs. The XJ springs are too soft. I'm going to do the swap at Josh's- he has taller jacks than I do and I can immediately test it out in his Gulch on his property.

[Austin]

Nice well good luck with the change I hope it works out for you. I've tried contacting josh on a price for making me the cross member and arms but have never heard back from him don't know if he is to busy or something because I would really just like to use his setup instead of trying to make my own because at this point I kind of need to figure that out to go much further

[ExplorerTom]

He's been busy picking up a couple Mustangs and a new skid steer and selling his old skid steer.

[Austin]

Ya well maybe he will get back to me sometime