From my personal archives
Lots if irrelevant stuff for the reader to ignore.
Below is the original build. Probably posted on the forum but lost in the archives. I cannot find
PaulW build Summary
First General Discussion on stretch
Typically, length is determined by having the shortest possible WB and still allow the suspension work without binding. Reason weight and body rework.
For minimum length decide by mocking up the suspension with some way to put in variable length links. Or you can do it with cad and proper software. Most pros do it one of these two ways. Anyway, with a C6/CO/4 link 114 is the sweet spot. With an E4OD it comes out 120". I have close to 120 and I had to drop the transfer 1", and the rad shroud raised. This means to change the motor mounts the brackets have to come off and the right side comes from the factory riveted. The alternative is to take the bolts off the tranny support/skid and jack the rear of the motor up to allow the motor mount to fit.
With a c6 the optimum would be shorter than the E4OD. Consider the short Atlas or NP205 then 114 WB would be good and 108 would work fine with a little less travel
The thing to remember is the whoops are made by Trophy trucks and most all are 122+/-WB. Probably that would be a good choice. Of course shorter will weigh less & have less travel. Its all a compromise.
BTW, the fast C3 jeep with links and CO and solid front axle has 103.4" WB. Light and fast with low hp. Rules allow +/- 2" so that Jeep could be 105. It has limited travel like any setup built that way. Much more travel is possible with a stretched TTB Bronco
110" with the suspension setup properly would be a good compromise if binding vs travel are compromised (like the Jeep).
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Short story
Here is a short write up.
What was done was I started out with a stock bronco that had a dumb lift kit. Took that stuff of and trashed it. Hired Sprit Racing to put their front kit. tall King CO & bumps Then I hired a diff company to build an ARB 10.25" rear which I had Spirit modify to make it correct. After several years with broken rear leafs each year I gave the truck to Glen Strightiff at Complete Fab and he finished it. I still have the Spirit front but Glen has plated it and repaired some cracks.
Glen put the 4 link together with the truck carefully set up on the floor using his link jig and he decided on the stretch . The primary goal was to eliminate DS plunge and get a reasonable amount of travel. To accomplish that he lowered the transfer 1". The frame insert is the same material/thickness that Ford used installed butt welded and plated. The rear suspension design is classical TT/C8 that Glen builds all the time. Mine is different in that I used air C/O shocks to allow ride height adjustment for widely varying loads like passengers or extra pit boxes. Also installed Fox, 4 bypass res shocks & bumps.
Sheet metal was more complicated, The floor was cut behind the seat ., The bedside was cut in front of the wheel arch. He used a donor Bronco for the parts to be inserted. He hired a sheet metal body fab guy to make it all fit. The top is 2 tops spliced together with 3 "V" ribs to brace it. The windows are custom (A big mistake due to cost.)
Bought a used Tubeworks rear from a racer and let Dirt Tech prep it for the 4 link. Jason Hughes put the internals together. 4.56 spool. Glen installed the Mitler Bros steel FF ends with 40s axles
Then we sent the Bronco to the local hot rod upholstery guy with all the interior parts and he finished it off.
End result R coil towers are behind the stock seat and my large emergency box fits between. Spare inside and on the custom bumper.
Stretch a FSB
Confirmed Stock WB=104.7
Move the front TTB suspension fwd to allow 12.5x17 tires, big brakes & AC - 2should work. Make the track +4/side
Since the end result could only race in the TT class keep all the human comforts like A/C, Sat radio, etc. Be happy with a super prerunner.
Extend the thing at the rear from the back seat aft for the shortest amount to achieve full travel 18 or greater. Adjust the power train angle accordingly to avoid UJ bind
Use a 4 link and CO rear setup and a plate FF9
With an E4OD the WB would come out ~124 (2 longer than mine)
With a C6 it would come out ~118 (I forget how much shorter a C6 is compared to an E4OD, adjust accordingly). Forget about trying for a shorter WB as the compromise is way to much.
Extend the top in the middle of the window and use flat tempered glass. Do not follow my example of curved laminated glass. (Big dollar mistake).
I agree that the stock dash has to go.
I recommend using a C6 since I hardly ever use OD in my rig.
Whatever - forget about changing the wiring. Just keep it stock and avoid the hassle and cost of changes.
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Pickup bedsides take way more $labor$. What was done is patch panels from a JY donor Bronco. Panels for the floor, & inner and outer fender. Pretty logical since you will still need a donor even if you were to use a whole bedside. No fiberglass for mine because of the modestly wider axle. The fenders were just pushed out and re-welded. My axle width came out as the same as the E150 vans
[url=https://postimages.org/]
Stock Alcoas 15x7.5 with 35s
One has to measure carefully with aftermarket wheels because of they don't always use the stock offset. That will screw up pulled fenders and might require glass. Stupid wide rims have the same issue. 68" is van width. 3" wider overall than a truck rear. Just enough to eliminate rubbing on the inner fender wells.
Re: Rear Brakes
Disks don't overheat as much as drums and they are not adjustment sensitive.
Drums catch pebbles and screech, and the pebbles are bad for the brakes and drums. Disks do not I have that issue. Overall there is lots of technical reasons why all new cars come with disks.
Get calipers that have a cam to operate the parking brake function and avoid a drum function like the Explorer. Find good calipers on Big Lincolns, some Mustangs and what I have which is spec for a 90 Ford Superbird They are all made by Varga. Other calipers with the cam function are found on Cadillac's & other GM stuff and the guys using them bitch all the time for various reasons.
Don't use junk yard calipers , buy new/rebuilt ones from any auto store. It wont hurt your wallet.
Rotors are sold by lots of outfits. Centric comes to mind. Its ok to try the caliper source for rotors. The big cost is the bracket to mount the caliper.
Worry about the master and use the stock Bronco one and see if you like the setup. If you don't like disk/disk with Stock master them get a 70s Corvette unit and all will be well.
Easiest way to go is to find a kit using Varga calipers with rotors and brackets. Good luck.
Lots of kits use the GM crappy stuff.
Another reason for a stretch is the use of the E4OD/1356. I have 3/8" Driveshaft plunge and my 1356 is lowered 1". All that still required a 17+ inch stretch. No issues with CV or U-joints. E4OD that means a big stretch (17.5").
Now days my batts are next to the tailgate so as to add rear weight. After the front suspension upgrade and before the stretch the batts had to find a new place and I chose the area aft of the transfer and between the driveshaft and frame rail
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https://www.fullsizebronco.com/threads/ ... te.119273/
cage
https://www.fullsizebronco.com/threads/ ... es.160957/
Heater Box
https://www.fullsizebronco.com/threads/ ... cs.150571/
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