cdn bronco solid axle prerunner

[Agui-E7TE]

WOW! That looks really cool and should keep the dirt out for good.

[ChaseTruck754]

What did the LEDs run you? Were they just plug and play? And safe to assume it was a whole light/lens/housing combo you put in rather than just fitting an LED into the factory reflector?

[tcm glx]

Steve,
The LEDs are awesome. I think the lights run around $495 or $595.....

This is a seriously good looking Bronco!!

[ChaseTruck754]

Damn - out of my poor boy budget for sure. I'll stick with the current plan I guess.

[Joxracing]

Man! this thing is nice! I cant believe I never checked this thread out before...

First off, did you build your rear 4 link & your front suspension yourself?
Second off, you should try to make it to a TORC race! That thing would look killer going around the track at Crandon. Im sure the could squeeze you into the rules for an exhibition run.

[cdnbronco]

What did the LEDs run you? Were they just plug and play? And safe to assume it was a whole light/lens/housing combo you put in rather than just fitting an LED into the factory reflector?

The lights were 210$ each! But for me worth it. And the installation was like changing a seal beam. To easy!

[cdnbronco]

Man! this thing is nice! I cant believe I never checked this thread out before...

First off, did you build your rear 4 link & your front suspension yourself?
Second off, you should try to make it to a TORC race! That thing would look killer going around the track at Crandon. Im sure the could squeeze you into the rules for an exhibition run.

Yes all the truck is home made. Parts here in Canada are too expensive to buy. Freight kills the hobby. So you have to get creative and get to know how to work with fiberglass and weld! The only problem is instead of buying parts from Autofab and take a day to install them, you get a whole year’s worth of work before you get good molds done. But at the end, the satisfaction of having a one and only built is great plus you have the molds to make spare parts when you flip the truck.

[cdnbronco]

For those of you running solid axle, what have you done special to your steering box? I would like to know what MOSS did to his, to make it survive the BAJA?

[cdnbronco]

Got some inspiration from Smith Racing to get my spare Dana44 braced. Did the lower part only in regards to keeping my up travel clearance. Still want a low stance with the truck. I will have to install the locker and new gears in the axle. Thinking of installing the EATON electric locker instead of the posi that I have in right now? I don't want to mess with air lines!

[cdnbronco]

Has anyone done business with LEE Steering? I'm thinking of sending my box to get it refurbish and ad cylinder assist. I did it myself last time and I experience steering catch when I have to manoeuvre quickly!

[Wrightracing.net]

Look into a OX Loker cable controls. Might be more durable.

[300]

Our box is modified like described here:

http://howeperformance.com/desertracing-ford8s.htm

We also had to reinforce/truss the top of the 44 housing. Broke one with a rock hitting the bottom of the pumpkin and splitting the case open. We also clearance the lower truss so that it doesn't act so much like a road grader blade. There are links to axle build somewhere on here.

[cdnbronco]

Our box is modified like described here:

http://howeperformance.com/desertracing-ford8s.htm

We also had to reinforce/truss the top of the 44 housing. Broke one with a rock hitting the bottom of the pumpkin and splitting the case open. We also clearance the lower truss so that it doesn't act so much like a road grader blade. There are links to axle build somewhere on here.

Where should I send my steering box Lee or Howe? I was thinking of the same rebuilt as the link you sent me. Do you remember the price of the rebuilt?

[300]

I had 3 boxes done but that was 15 years ago by UMP. I seem to remember it was in the $300 to $400 range and they went through the rest of the box. Jeff Howe told me he worked for UMP 20 years ago, and mine were probably the last ones UMP did before they moved and went in a different direction. Both Lee and Howe have been around for a very long time, Howe is usually at the races.

Our problems have been related entirely to the sector shafts, maybe because we have had the other work done prior to racing. If you can switch to a Saginaw box now, you would be much better off because there are far more parts available. Most importantly you can get NEW zero time parts. The stuff we are using is pushing 35 years old now. We don't use a ram, and would probably save some shafts if we did.

The other thing they do is set up stops internal to the box so that when the steering reaches the stops, the box doesn't continue to push. You can imagine the strain that puts on the parts.

Call and talk to Jeff Howe and tell him what you're doing. He seems to have advice that makes sense. I have heard the same about Lee.

[cdnbronco]

I think I like the way you’re thinking! Might as well fab a new steering box!
Only need to find a Saginaw box with outer frame mount and front pitman arm for ease of installation? Any hint on a model before I call Howe or Lee?

[ChaseTruck754]

Only need to find a Saginaw box with outer frame mount and front pitman arm for ease of installation? Any hint on a model before I call Howe or Lee?

Saginaw boxes like this are common on dodge and Chevy trucks from the 70's through 90's if I remember right.

I looked into all of this a while back when looking at the box for my '74 crew cab. Here is what I remember. Probably worth some quick research to confirm or deny the info though.

The dodge & chevy boxes are the same aside from ratio. 1 is 15:1 and one is 12:1. I think Chevy was 15:1 but can't remember for sure.

The boxes mount on the outside of the frame for both the 2wd and 4wd trucks, but the rotation of the boxes from 2wd to 4wd are opposite as the tie rods were in different locations in relation to where the boxes were mounted.

The pitman arms are indexable at 90* increments though and they are a common spline pattern, so that helps with custom mounting and connecting the boxes in custom applications.

Here's the box on my crew. It came out of a '91 dodge 250 2wd. Pitman arm was pointing forward on that truck. I have it pointing backwards for my crossover steering here.

[cdnbronco]

Went to take a look on the truck and it seems that at full lock the tire will be hitting the steering box.
On Howe’s site they have a long sector shaft 800 box that would enable me to mount it higher on the frame. 1600$ that’s where I kind of choked!
I will be calling them for another solution maybe a JK inboard box with front pitman arm. Not sure it will be strong enough?

[ChaseTruck754]

Here's mine at a little beyond full stuff and then full lock with 315/75r16 (35") tires.

Close, but it doesn't hit. I guess I'm not ever moving up to 37's though

[FlogginHarvey]

Not sure how I missed this... Awesome build with a solid axle 78/79 bronco!!! It looks sweet! Do you have any vids running it out?

Way cool!

[FlogginHarvey]

Hate not having an edit button...too quick with a submit hit. Not sure if you want to consider but the "4x4x2" steering box swap on the early broncos is a pretty popular swap taking a F100 4x4 box and swapping the 2wd gears out so you can mount it on the outside of the frame rail. It might be worth a look. Wildhorses sells the box ready to bolt on and you can package it with the hydraulic ram assist as well for some add steering help.

I just had the full swap done on my 75. Went great...helped with on-road manners. The motor is getting rebuilt so no offroad time yet.

Might be worth a look? The box itself is around $900 and for around $1,500 you can get the setup with hydraulic assist...