My friend wants me to build him a Rubicon ready early body style Bronco. After he buys the rig which I am assuming will be more or less stock, I with his funding will start a buildup. I think he will be will ing to spend at first around 3 to 4 grand. He wants to run a tire size of 36 inches and he also doesnt want to do much sheetmetal cutting. I will build him a cage for free probably and outfit it with even more tubing than he even plans on. His goals will be a cage, lift, tires, locker in rear, and in your opinion what would you do with the estimated budget? Not looking for you guys to exactly hold my hand but it would be nice if someone could give me a solid nudge in the right direction. First dumb question I have is what lift to go with. I know it comes stock with coils but I am sure they should be thrown in the trash. Can I go to a leaf sprung setup? Thanks in advance.

mini spool, 2 inch body, build your own 3.5 suspension lift, bigger chevy d44 shafts, etc...the thing that kills you as much as anything is replacing all the old chit that keeps coming up:rolleyes:

As in shit is always breaking on these rigs?

The shit that breaks on all rigs not just EBs! Nothing is indestructible, after all.

There's going to be all the stuff that needs replacing simply because its old.

Then there are things that need upgrading, especially if he wants to run 36" meats on it.
Things like the front axleshafts in the D44 (tiny 260X u-joints). If its older than '71, a whole new frontend. :eek:
Upgrading the somewhat smallish 28 spline rear shafts couldn't hurt either.

5.5" lift - stay with coils.
cut front and rear fenders to fit warflares.
body lift as necessary to fit 36"
new drive shafts as the stocks won't work for 5.5" lift.
31 spline upgrade at a minimum for the 9" and 36" tires. detroit locker or spool.
upgrade front axle shafts if d-44, replace front axle if d-30.
If automatic get a tranny cooler asap for wheelin'
if stick ditch it for a NP-435 conversion, you'll need that compound low first gear.
gear ratio change as 36" and 3:50 don't play well together. I doubt you'll be lucky enough to find a EB with the optional 4:10 unless it is a 6 cyl.

So much to learn, so much to do. :flipoff2:


Eric

Why build a cage when he doesnt even want to cut the precious sheetmetal, yet wants to really wheel it:rolleyes:

I would cut them quarters, flexy springs, regear/lock if it is a big bearing 9 and front disc 44. If they are not I would take care of that first. No matter what you do to the engine, tranny, tcase, tires , ect if the axles cant take it, life will suck for BOTH of you.

I have seen a Toy done for 4K that kicked ass. EB's usually cost more to get done than that because of the higher initial cost. I would find one w/ alot of stuff already done that might need a motor or tranny, ect. Something you can get a good deal on
Good luck.

If I were starting over again I would have to weigh the cost of and what you get in a suspension kit from the E.B. houses to do a complete bolt on lift/suspension vs. taking a little more and running Coilovers front & rear, if you have the mechanical ability you can just about do it for the cost of a complete lift kit from the E.B. houses.
Trail rig only spool the rear end, if not a locker wouldn’t be a bad idea, possibly consider selling the stock axle assemblies and running full width, I paid for my full width conversion doing this, this way you get a stock 31 spline rear and a front end with the full size truck axles shafts with there larger u-joints.
I would say the NP435 is the most cost effective way to get a good trail transmission for crawling, also inject it the motor I just helped a friend this year inject his motor for $300.00 bones from the bone yard.
With all the $$$ I’ve spent in re-do’s on my E.B. in the last 12 years on re-doing and tweaking my suspension many times now, and Coilovers weren’t an option when I started, I can’t emphasize enough on just start out with Coilovers now and work up or out from there, by the time your friend buys a suspension kit that may or may not have extended radius arms and later he wants to get more flex he may buy the W.A.H. or a set of extended radius arms it all adds up and just about comes to the cost of linking it up with coil overs.
And he needs to toss out or come to a compromise about not hacking the sheet metal up, if you gonna run 36”ss your gonna need to run some big flares anyway.
Maybe I’m off base here, but this is what I’d do, start with the suspension because it’s one of the items that gets the most upgrades/re-placed over the years and work up from there.
Good luck, Francois.

If it were me and I was just starting out, i would look fo rsomething that was already mildly built. Try to find something that has some of the stuff you want already put on it. This will give you some of the components you are looking for and also means that alot of the old has already been replaced(bushings,bearings, etc). I am building mine right now for about 2500 (probably have another 2500 to go though) That is not including purchase price10 yrs ago. I bought a couple of parts broncos and got a lift kit to sell, built axles for mine, and some other spares. I could have finsihed one of the parts broncos out for about 1500 though, would have been a little rough but could have gone.

For the Con I would cut the rockers off and use some 2x5 rec to replace them. It will increase clearance and take the hit otherwise he will cut them and do it later and it's harder after they are mashed up.
I would also not buy a kit for the suspension since they sell you a bunch of stuff you don't need just buy the parts and pieces and IMO 3.5" coils are plenty. More clearance can be gained by 1-2"BL keeping the CG a bit lower and making more room for everything Like the NP435 and FI intake.
Wristed arms are cheap to make and give you huge gains also.
check out www.broncfix.com for some good info.
HTH

I know where there is a bronco that is already rubicon ready and only needs a little work to go from very good to badass?
Whats the guys budget for the bronco it's self?
This one is looking to go for 5-6k
The only things cut are the rear fenders a little and the rockers.
Has
435
geared detriot in the back and lsd up front
flexy suspension
winch
fits 36's
Just needs paint if you want it pretty and very little bodywork for a small ding or two.

Well post up some pictures or give me the contact info... come on now if he is not interested I know a few that are.

I was going to but only have old pics.
I'll try and get some today or I'll just link to my old pics.
Got to go to work now.:(

info on the eb (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=176206&highlight=eb)

Don't mind the price my brother is really thinking 5-6k
Also it may include his new 36 sx's were not sure yet.
But I do know we(he) needs to get rid of it so we can start the new eb project.
Now i'll go to work.
There may be a pic in my sig. its the green one.

he wants it Rubicon ready yet wants to keep the fenders relatively low? id say go with Gorilla flares and nothing less.

i also agree on the full-width thing. sell the stock axles and at least get D44/9" out of a truck. 31spline rear and truck axles up front for almost nothing considering you will make some of the $ back on the sale of the stockers. full spool the rear no doubt. you can have rear discs w/new parts for around $200. CJ7 rotors, MonteCarlo calipers and generic $15 race car caliper brackets. you didnt mention the front, but it needs a locker too.

for the front, just get some flexy 5.5" coils and run a wristed arm. build your own shockmounts and run as long a shock as you can find. for the rear, run the generic 3.5" 10 or 11 leaf packs and a set of BC spring rockers. build your own shockmounts and run as long a shock as you can find.

there are many other things he will need but can be added on later. it will eventually have to have EFI of some kind, but he can get away with a Motorcraft 2bl and an adjustable fuel pressure regulator set on about 3psi for the trails. not the best setup, but it works and he can wheel the carb to a certain extent without it flooding out.

Here's what my list would be...

Cut down F150 axles and 760's $250
31 spline for 9" $250
Spool rear and Detroit front $700
New BC Bronco's 3.5" coils $170
Rear lift blocks $30? (I don't know)
Gorilla warflares $300
Adjustable Track bar $150
Raised axle side track bar mount $20 in materials
Track bar for rear $50 for materials
SEFI (Mustang Fuel Injection) $400
Rock Skiis $50 in materials
Front and rear bumpers $250 in materials
Cage $150 in materials
Seats depends on what you go with
5 point harnesses $250
Wristed arm $30 in materials
Front disc brakes $300

Edit: Oops, forgot the gearing... $1000 for a shop to do with gears.

$4350 not including the seats

Buy a 78-79 bronco -500$
Swap ALL of the drivetrain into the EB (motor,trans,axles)
Also use the coils for about 2 inch lift (will flex...ok) shackle flip with those big bronco leafs, and add 2 inch body lift.
Done

Originally posted by 45acp
[B]generic $15 race car caliper brackets

Where at?..

Originally posted by misfit138


Where at?..

aa-mfg.com

Thanks

good info and keep it coming please. I am starting to get a feel for what my future holds. I am thinking about buying one already half done. It may save me alot of grief seeing as he is not to mechanically inclined and 'i would be donating alot of my work.

only problem with buying one half done- price. EB's arent like an old 3/4 ton farm truck that you can pick up cheap. the only good deals are usually on the ones that are toast or close to it. find one half finished with discs and a few other things and you could spend alot more than you've allowed for parts to begin with. ive seen alot of plain medeocre EB's go for $5-8k.

Originally posted by killr-b
I am starting to get a feel for what my future holds.\ ...good good...now add quite a bit of frustration and general pissedoffedness, then more money...now you're on track:flipoff2:

On my ol pos Bronco I wish I could do thing different , drove it like
I bought for about 2-3 years and decided to do a lil rebuilding. A
friend steered me to a JD susp. lift w/ all the b/s shocks and crap
and then find out it wont flex. I was trying to keep it fairly nice as
it was a friend of the families pleasure vehicle , what a joke w/
35 Gumbos and stock 3.54 gears + rattly ol 302 . Auto pooped out and had to get it rebuilt , changed gears to 4.56 welded in
front w/ stock trac lok in rear . Now I have same welded front w/
Warn alloys (busted em to hell and claimed on warr. ,no telling how many u - joints and the rear is beefy with a full spool and
Moser 31 spl. and discs all around . All of this crap and still break
shit w/ same ol junky 302 . Got all fresh 1 ton coming up though
w/ a hp 60 and a 14bolt rear w/ Detroits all around , full hydro
steer , 3 link front and 4 link rear w/ some 42 IROKS . Just wish I
had done the big stuff early on .