Rod's 84 BabyBajaF100

[AussieRod]

Tuesday March 26:
Apart from driving the truck to put miles on the engine, and some fine tuning of the auto kickdown, etc. I've done nothing to the truck. The weather is finally cooling down to painting temp, so I can get ready to sand and prep the tub for paint, and remove the hood for a slight repair and re-paint to finish off where I damaged and repaired it previously. The carpet and deadener have been ordered and are on there way, and I'm working on finishing the door trims at some stage to get them fitted and the interior done.

However, I've been doing a LOT of thinking lately and after weighing up all my options, I have decided on a change of plans. Definately going back to the NP435 manual gearbox and ditching the 9". I've found a Dana 60 full floater 8 lug from an 80's F250 cheap, and I have a lead on a manual conversion for the V8 (box, bell housing, etc).
So, changes are:
Manual NP435.
Dana 60 8 lug FF w/ 4.10 gears and disc brakes. 4.10's and 35's will give me 2650 @ 65 mph on the highway
For now, adaptors for the D44 TTB to run 8 lug wheels (Method 17" x 8.5/9" w/ 35's).
Bushwacker pocket cut-out flares to cover the new wheel combo/width.
4" lift coils on my Autofab buckets with C&T Dana 50 TTB and custom radius arms, J40's in the rear with airbags for towing the caravan.
My own 351C (another bitsa from all the spare parts I have laying around, rebuilt to use).

All this AFTER rego. Now, I've realised that in all likelyhood, I will NEVER break my D44 TTB, BUT, if I'm going 3/4 ton, might as well go the full monty. I am planning a 3 month off road adventure into the outback, towing the caravan through the Simpson Desert, so the AOD will not not survive this. The axle bearings in the 9" aren't the greatest for towing or carrying heavy stuff, so I can negate that with the D60 FF. All these mods are to make it simple, reliable and TOUGH. I'm going back to my KISS principle. The parts coming off with go to Mick's Bronco, or be sold off to finance the changes.
More later, I'm working away 12 hr days at the moment, and I'm tired. More soon.

[ChaseTruck754]

Rod - good to hear you are enjoying driving it & there's not a lot of little bugs to annoy you. That means you did good work!

For the 3/4 ton stuff - do you think you'll go d50 geometry or keep the 44 geometry and do some sort of 8 lug conversion or d44/50 hybrid beam? There are so many options there now it's great.

[Becks_Bronco]

Didn't know 9" bearings were weak, but it's an interesting point. My friends have been trying to convince me to put a 9" in my Bronco vs beefing up the 8.8 and running it till it dies. Honestly it's not likely, i push be vehicles hard, but i don't really abuse them consistently, and I try to find their limits and avoid touching that line too often.

From pictures I've seen, the D44 geometry is much more conducive to less whacky geometry change during the travel cycle. Unsprung weight it something to consider with the 8 lug beef. How heavy is your caravan? aka travel trailer in 'Merican haha.

[ChaseTruck754]

9" bearings aren't bad Will, they just don't like the weight of towing that a standard 3/4 ton rear can take all day long. On the side note for your 8. vs. 9" - for my unsolicited $0.02 you'll be spending $$ either way. IF your 8.8 is currently straight & not leaking from the tubes you could spend a bit trussing it or welding the tubes to try & keep it happier. Many would just prefer to start with a 9" (now-a-days a custom housing even) and throw the $ of gears, carrier, truss, etc. at that vs. throwing it at an 8.8 that you may have to redo later.

As for geometry - the d50 is actually pretty much equal length beam wise which in some ways makes things easier/better. The d44 beam with the pumpkin is a bit longer though, so like you say it gives less camber change through the cycle. That's only 1 side though... Like anything, either way you go has it's plusses and minusses.

[AussieRod]

Didn't know 9" bearings were weak, but it's an interesting point. My friends have been trying to convince me to put a 9" in my Bronco vs beefing up the 8.8 and running it till it dies. Honestly it's not likely, i push be vehicles hard, but i don't really abuse them consistently, and I try to find their limits and avoid touching that line too often.

From pictures I've seen, the D44 geometry is much more conducive to less whacky geometry change during the travel cycle. Unsprung weight it something to consider with the 8 lug beef. How heavy is your caravan? aka travel trailer in 'Merican haha.

I wouldn't call them "weak", as in can't do the job. Having a full floater takes all the carrying off the axle and onto the housing, so the axle just does the 'driving' so to speak. My 'van weighs 2500 kg with full water tanks (5,500 lb in your lingo) with almost 500 lb 'on the ball' at the tow hitch. Add 2 large propane tanks installed in the truck, a full size spare x 2, tools, etc, plus our food and gear, it becomes quite a mass to haul around our outback. Out there, there are not too many second chances if you screw up, so I want to be sure we will return home safe and sound.

The 8.8 has the bearing rollers directly on the axle, whereas the 9" has them in a race mounted on the axle. Far stronger and easier to replace a bearing alone, instead of both axle and bearing when the wheel parts company. Not to mention, the C clip retention method on the 8.8.

I'm like the Irishman who wears 2 condoms: "Ah, to be sure, to be sure."

[AussieRod]

Rod - good to hear you are enjoying driving it & there's not a lot of little bugs to annoy you. That means you did good work!

For the 3/4 ton stuff - do you think you'll go d50 geometry or keep the 44 geometry and do some sort of 8 lug conversion or d44/50 hybrid beam? There are so many options there now it's great.

Steve, the ultimate plan is to go full D50, just like Tom's Minty Monster, but on coils and actual D50 beams. Likely, (as much as I hate the idea) I will go "J" arm style with welded on radius arms to make fab and strength easier. D44HD is actually quite rare here, so I'll stick to the heavy duty stuff and rest easy. I doubt I'll bash the ol' girl through the outback like Tom bashes his, so the D50 mounting points won't be too much of an issue. 14" of well damped travel will get me a LOT of places.

[ChaseTruck754]

Sounds like a good plan Rod. I too hate the welded "J" arm style, but get the though of it keeping things a bit simpler. Tom's truck is a good mark to aim for as we all know it's does very well. I was just wondering with your truck and the stock mounting points which I believe are the same as the d44 TTB, if you'd be doing the fab of changing the mounting or a bit of fab or conversion on the beams to the d50 parts. With knuckles now available for the conversion to d50 stuff from there out I figured that may be an option. It is custom parts though and if the d50 stuff is more readily available there on the odd chance you tweak a beam or something it may be smart to keep it all using stock parts.

[AussieRod]

Sounds like a good plan Rod. I too hate the welded "J" arm style, but get the though of it keeping things a bit simpler. Tom's truck is a good mark to aim for as we all know it's does very well. I was just wondering with your truck and the stock mounting points which I believe are the same as the d44 TTB, if you'd be doing the fab of changing the mounting or a bit of fab or conversion on the beams to the d50 parts. With knuckles now available for the conversion to d50 stuff from there out I figured that may be an option. It is custom parts though and if the d50 stuff is more readily available there on the odd chance you tweak a beam or something it may be smart to keep it all using stock parts.

I've been fortunate to be able to have a detailed look at Tom's truck. Based on his set-up, I will stick to the F250 mounting points, reinforcing my frame to make sure there are no future weak points and do radius arms to fit. I also like the Desolate style of attachment, so that is an option, rather than the 'J' arm method. This whole idea is about ticking all the strength/reliability/servicability boxes for the long term. Coils and bypasses will be more stealth and less likely to attract unwanted attention.

Since it won't really be a F100 anymore, but not quite a F250, should I call it a F175, or F200?

[ChaseTruck754]

I like F200!

And yes, the Threat then Giant then Desolate way of mounting the radius arms is what I like. A bit more work than just welding all together, but gives you the ability to dis-assemble the pieces separately which at rare times can be nice.

[AussieRod]

Sunday March 31:
Been playing with light options for the front bar. originally, I had the 4 Narva lights, 2 spots and 2 spreads and was going to use HID's, only to find the housing is j-u-s-t too shallow to allow the bulbs to fit. Bummer I'm not interested in dumping more money into new spot lights, so I decided to try the new LED bulbs, to see if they were as good as all the wankers are saying. Disappointing. The light is nice, but hasn't got the range and illumination the halogens have. So, I did some research and bit the bullet on a pair of LED light bars, a 23" combo flood/spot and a 20" spot. I had a pair of amber LED lights I picked up in China last year and sat down today to work out how they'd fit. The ambers hung down too far to go outside the main area, like the old ambers I had, so after much deliberation, I pulled the bar, did some measuring and marking and cut off all the light brackets previously installed for the Narva's and fog lights:

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The new light bars:

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Ambers:

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I admit I felt bad cutting off the mounts, as it meant I'd have to re-do them again if I decided to go back to the Narva's, but I needed to re-position the mounts to get the effect I wanted. Cutting, grinding, sanding, welding and a little black exhaust paint later, and after a quick fit up, the result:

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The upper spot bar has the mounts on the upper hoop, so I could keep everything inside the hoop where it was less likely to be damaged in the brush or from a marsupial strike. When I get home Friday, I will start wiring them up and finish off the tabbing on the bumper for the top trim plate (aly chequer plate) and a HDPE strip around the front, so I can get it blasted and painted. Then I can finsh the rear bar, paint the tub and make it look like it should. I also have to pick up a 4mm piece of alloy sheet to make a skid plate for the front.
I have to go pack now, more next week.

[AussieRod]

Easter Sunday April 21:
One week ago, it has been 7 YEARS since I first took the truck apart (April 14). I went out, sat in it and warmed up the engine, just to listen to that beautiful idle it has, closed my eyes and thought about how long it's been...... and where I want to take the build. I'm happy with the 3/4 ton running gear upgrade, and building my own engine for it, but I might keep the auto for a little longer. Once it has had the valve body upgrade and I finish setting the TV cable right, I'll see how I like driving it and decide from there. The carpet and underlay are here, the front lug adaptors are on their way and I'm trying to find the correct vinyl paint for the door trims. I haven't had the time off to co-ordinate picking up the rear axle yet, but I will try after Easter. I've found a rear disc set-up with e-brake calipers and will order them once I have the axle in my possession. I have my contacts looking for a complete D50 TTB plus the frame section and a 435 set-up, in case I change my mind on the auto. We have Anzac Day this week coming, and I will be away from Friday to mid next week in Sydney with the Handbrake, so I am planning for painting the tub outside that weekend. I've also selected the Methods I want:

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17" x 8.5", 4.5" backspace.
I'll mount Achilies Desert Hawk M/T's in 35/12.5R17 on them and see how I like them. I've sent off emails for fiberglass to several of the popular suppliers to see what deal I can get (including shipping to Aus). Otherwise, I have a plan.
More later, dinner is ready.
Cheers.

[AussieRod]

Saturday May 4:
Well, the prick cancelled my D60 purchase and won't reply to my repeated txts or phone calls, so it looks like my 3/4 ton axle idea has been put on hold for a while, until I can source another one. The front adaptors will be here next week, so I'll put them aside for the future and keep looking. I have a couple of local sources to exhaust first before I give up for now. The weather is NOT good for painting, either. We've had a year's worth of rain in the last 4 days, and it looks like continuing, so I'll have to plan the tub painting to co-ordinate with the weather. The underlay and carpet will start going in later today, after I pull the bench seat and test fit the carpet to see where it all lines up to. I also have to re-engineer my muffler hanger system, as it isn't in the correct plane for the exhaust getting hot. It flexs the wrong way, putting pressure on the hanger and hitting the FRONT of the exit hole in the tub. I'll have a play with that after the carpet goes in.
Enough for now, I have to go get some contact cement and screws, then start on the carpet install. More later.

[AussieRod]

Sunday July 14:
Well, I've done stuff all to the truck lately. I've been busier than a one-legged man in a butt kicking contest at work, working all over the state for days on end, then having to catch up with home maintainence when weather permits.

The biggest event that has thrown the spanner in the works was Mum going into hospital on July 2 with serious stomach pains, 2 massive surgeries and a stay in the ICU and passing away on July 4 from septic shock and multiple organ failure. My dad has been a real trooper through all this, but it had hit him hard, so I've spent several days off work down there to help him out and be a rock for him to lean on. Dad has been there for me through the hard times I've had, so it is an honour to be there for him and give him my support. After 57 years of marriage, he kept his promise and held Mum's hand as she passed. I couldn't be more proud of him. The funeral is Wednesday, and I'll be staying a couple more days to help him sort out Mum's affairs and get him settled. Mick has been good too, helping him get through this tough time.

His Bronco will have to be trailered back to my place, as it looks like it has dropped a valve seat in #3 cylinder and I want to pull the head before it self destructs. In the meantime, the trusty Disco gets him around.

Enough for now, I'll post up some truck updates after this week. Take care, all.

[300]

So sorry to hear of your loss. Hang in there for your dad.

[ChaseTruck754]

So sorry to hear Rod

[AussieRod]

So sorry to hear of your loss. Hang in there for your dad.

Thanks. He's doing ok. Spoke to him today and he sounds a lot better, like he used to.

[AussieRod]

So sorry to hear Rod

Thanks, Steve. Appreciate the thought.

[Quailhunter]

Sorry Rod, always tuff to go through.

[AussieRod]

Sorry Rod, always tuff to go through.

Thanks, Mate. You know what they say, though: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". We're just waiting for paperwork now, so we can finalise Mum's affairs. She left us a mess, but it shouldn't be too difficult to get sorted.
Good to hear from you. When are you going to get out in that beautiful red beast?

[AussieRod]

Sept 5:
Man, have I been busy. Haven't done anything to the truck, although I've been ordering stuff for it. The hub adaptors are here, a Superlift 2.5" lift block kit is coming, Skyjacker 2" front srings and shocks are on their way and I've finally ordered the correct fuel sender/pump unit for the rear tank. The one I got long time ago is a 87 - 91, which turns out isn't compatible with my fuel gauge. I'd pulled the rear tank with intentions of fitting another propane tank under there to increase capacity, but with a travel trailer in the works, I've decided to re-fit the rear tank and install 2 110 litre tanks under the trailer and run a forklift style connecter to join the truck's propane feed. With the 3 propane tanks and the factory dual gasoline tanks, that will give me a very hefty range to travel around. I'll re-plumb the fuel system with all new hose to eliminate joins, with the side tank feeding the rear tank through the return and the rear tank the main fuel tank. The side tank will use the existing fuel pump to do the tranfer duties, and I will fit an extra gauge to the dash, along with the required wiring to keep tabs on fuel levels, etc. The dash fuel gauge will monitor the rear tank as normal.
As I gave Mick my P/S pump and hi-pressure line to fix his Bronco, I've dug out my Saginaw pump set-up and cleaning that up to fit. I'll make a new hi-pressure hose for it with rebuildable fittings and get the old girl running again. Just gotta finish the carpet install and make a surround for the shifter mount and I'll start the registartion process for Xmas. With the weather getting slowly better, I will make an effort to prep the tub and get it painted, along with fabbing the roll bar and finishing the bumpers. More on the weekend.
Cheers.