what bronco to buy?

[tbeaton]

so I'm trying to pick the bronco that will best suit my needs but I'm not sure what to do. I live in the northeast so we don't have an desert terrain. where I will keep the truck we have logging/fire rds, trails. I can bomb the logging rds but I don't think they are going to be anything like you guys out west have. the trails can get muddy, rocky, rooty and tight. I love the desert feel look and what the trucks can do over nasty terrain but I'm unsure if building a ttb front style truck is the direction I should go. I want to be able to do the logging rds at high speed, I won't be jumping it as I don't think its possible on the terrain we have. its going to see mud and it could be decently deep, I will crawl some rocks but we aren't talking full blown crawling here. so basically I'm thinking I want an "all terrain" rig. now I may be off by saying the ttb can't handle this. I guess maybe the better terminology is that its not best suited for huge tires and mud? the mid 90's appeal to me most but so don't the 78-79. the 78-79 I like for the solid axle and I know from the dodge ram world that I can build one (I currently am building my dd cummins) to handle the terrain I'm talking about with springs, shocks etc. so I guess what this long winded post is asking is. should I buy a 78-79 with a solid axle and can it be built with progressive springs and longer travel leafs to help suck up the logging rds? will the ttb hold up to say 37-40's and mud? or should can I buy a mid 90's truck and stuff a d60 under it without too much issue?

[ChaseTruck754]

You can go either way.

Which truck overall suits your needs better & which can you find for a decent price in your area?

Deaver makes good springs for the 78/79. In fact there's a user (good guy to deal with) selling a new set here. A d60 can fairly easily (I say fairly because I have no idea what your skill level is) be added to a 90's bronco too though, as you are right, the d44 TTB won't be happy with 37's without a LOT of beef added, and 40's would be a joke.

So yeah, it's all up to you & how much you want to spend.

[tbeaton]

I'm not skilled but I have friends who help me with everything I do in the hopes that one day I can do this stuff on my own. what would I need to beef up to run a 37? I would say I would probably run glass fenders and 35's for a while just to get out in the woods and rds and have fun next spring.

[tbeaton]

who makes good lift springs for the front of the 78-79's?

[Wrightracing.net]

In your case a solid axle front end would be the least amount of work in the long run. If you like the 90's style Bronco's, you can put some dana 60's and them 37" or 40" tires would work well. if you do fiberglass, you would not have to lift the Bronco as high. That would give you a better center of gravity for those times when you do crawling. The stock axles will not last long with big tires like you want. Remember gearing in the axles will be an issue with those bigger tire choice's.

[tbeaton]

that is exactly why I was thinking glass. I don't want to lift it to the moon.

[ChaseTruck754]

who makes good lift springs for the front of the 78-79's?

Deaver.

Buy through Jeffs Bronco Graveyard for the best price.

[drewbee88]

who makes good lift springs for the front of the 78-79's?

Deaver.

Buy through Jeffs Bronco Graveyard for the best price.

Check out wild horses, they have a progressive spring pack for the 78s and are very reasonable

[Wrightracing.net]

I have raced with Nationals and have them on my Bronco. They are great!
National Leaf Spring Co.

[VintageIronFab]

I personally wouldn't run the J40 springs-- They've been driven, towed heavy loads and beat on enough and are still 1" too tall if you ask me-- I'm in the 2.5-3" lift believers club and just think 4"+ with 35's is too damn tall

[VintageIronFab]

Call Deaver and ask them what spring they recommend - I think the 78-79 spring is the same as the 80-96 rear leaf -- again call Deaver because they will know vs. Ignorant speculation-- just saying this because u speculated and wish I wouldn't have.

[tbeaton]

I wasn't aware deaver made coil springs. what kind of travel numbers can you get out of the solid axle broncos?

[Wrightracing.net]

He could get 15" of wheel travel but run coilovers up front.

[RyanDS650X]

I have 5.5" Deaver coil springs on mine.

[tbeaton]

thanks guys

[Cactus Cooler]

One that is already done!

[Rmc]

I was thinking the same thing as cactus cooler.

[tbeaton]

not going to happen out here. any of them out here will have junk lifts. how big of a tire and what kind of abuse can the ttb handle? d44 and d35. fsb could be a bit large here. maybe a bronco 2, ranger, exploder might fit the northeast better. how are these things in mud? we have a lot of it.