I've built a couple jeeps, s10's, and a buggy but never messed with a ford. Right now i'm working on a deal for a '76 bronco 302/auto with 32k original miles on it I think it's going to get my 36's on bead locks other then then that i'm not sure what i'm going to do, probably for now weld the rear, keep stock gears till I can afford new ones. I'm all about building stuff my self to save a buck or 2.

For now i'm going to focus on a cage, bumpers/ sliders, and a decent working suspension on the cheap. What height coils are people running to clear 36's? Which coils do you prefer? Should I drop the radius arms/ keep stock style bushings or should I convert the arms to run rod ends? Are most people extending them? Are the stock track bars solid or are they hollow? I'm thinking it wouldn't be hard to graft a rod end on to one or build a new one. What should I do for rear suspension? are shackles flipable?

Any other good tips/ tricks for building them? Links to some decent build ups? I've never really crawled around an early bronco before so i'm not 100% sure what i'm getting into.

Well its about time you came to your senses to build something worth while!! You can run 3 1/2in coils to clear 36`s with some trimming. But personally I would go with the 5 1/2in coils. There are a bunch of Bronco parts houses out there that make coils lately CageOffroad is everyones favorite for lifts and extended arms. I wouldnt drop the radius arm brackets I would just extend them 12in and add a heim. As for the rear you can flip the shackle mounts and gain 3-4in of lift. The Pan hard bars are soild. Try bronco.com and classicbroncos.com for more research good luck!!!

Jonathan

Cheap and early bronco DO NOT belong in the same sentence. :flipoff2:

36's, auto and stock gears (assuming 3.5's) is not going to be that great offroad.

A 76 will have front disk 44 and a big bearing rear end, basically the best you can get of any year.

Will want to upgrade front shafts to use larger 297 joints (minimum I think for 36's). Can use 78/79 1/2 ton stubs and short inner. need custom long side inner (or may just want to go alloy as they are not that much money).

Rear shafts should be good for now, but eventually will want to go 31 spline.

I went cage front springs and deaver rear springs, both supposed to be the best.

Stock shackle mounts are welded on, not riveted like most newer fords. Kind of pain to remove for dropped shackles.

Inexpensive, you can lift it by removing the spring buckets form the frame and dropping them a couple of inches and rewelding them on. Use blocks in the rear. Mount the track bar up slightly higher on the axle end. As far as radius arms extend them 18" and add 1" rod ends. You can buy the rod ends w/ tube inserts and find a piece of DOM that fits snug to the old threaded end slip it in and weld. Track bar is solid. Let meknow if I can help I have a 73 Thanks Shawn

Thanks for the help, I've been wheeling a d44/ small 9" in my buggy for a year and realized i'm getting small joints in the front i've had rigs with 3.54's and my buggy i'm scrapping had 4.56's so I realize it's not going to be great. I got by this past summer popping 1 297 u-joint cap with a spool so I think i can make the small joints survive for a couple monts.The plans are getting tires/ suspension under it, the 36's on, welding the rear, getting my winch on and a cage. Then after the summer (when i actually have cash comming in) alloy's/ctm's in the front end with a selectable locker, 35 spline shafts and a spool in the rear, either 4.56's or 4.88's.

I'm ready to have a simple rig to explore and have fun in the woods instead of a rig that is only challanged by pretty hard obsticles.

I'm going to budget around $500 for suspension, i allready have the shocks and bump stops

Front suspension
3.5" coils, maybe 5.5" coils
7/8" high misalign rod ends with extensions welded to the radius arms and arm reinforcement
4* c bushings
3/16" wall track bar with 3/4" rod ends, new dropped bracket
drop pitman arm
12" travel shocks
bump stops to keep the tires out of the fenders

Rear suspension
New bushings
shackle flip
12" travel shocks
bump stops to keep tires out of fenders

How does that sound? Will I have to worry about drive shafts? The idea with this build up is do it once and keep it simple.

3/16" wall track bar with 3/4" rod ends, new dropped bracket

How does that sound? Will I have to worry about drive shafts? The idea with this build up is do it once and keep it simple.

I would pass on the tack bar drop bracket. I bought one, but ended up selling it, many crack their frame from the use of that bracket. I'd either use a longer track bar or a riser on the axle tube. I went with the longer track bar as it seemed the riser would have to go right under the pass side frame rail, possibly limiting up travel. Still may do it as I'll be in the same boat as you with 36's and 3.5 lift, so how much up travel can I use anyway.

I'd go 5.5 if I were you. Mine will only be a street truck and a local mudder. If it was going to be a crawler, no question I would have went with more susp lift (or a 2" body lift and the 3.5 susp)........ Will need driveshaft help with the 5.5 though.

I think i'm convinced to go with 5.5" springs to keep it semi civil. Which c bushings am I going to neeed, 4* or 7*?

How flat do EB leafs sit from the factory? How is the rate? Can I get by with a shackle flip and adding a leaf from another pack? I think one of my buddies has a set of lift shackles lying around that i'll pick up also.

Thanks for the info on the track bar, i guess i'll have to get under the bronco and see what i'm working with.

What about frames, where are the problem areas? I'd much rather add some reinforcement now then after it's cracked. I've heard steering box, track bar mounts, any where else need some plating before I hit the trails?

How cheap do you want to go :)
You can drop the spring buckets and use stiff ass Fullsize bronco coils for lift (coils 2 inches, drop buckets whatever)
The first cheap thing I would do, is get a new rear end.
Go to the junk yard, look for a 9 inch thats 60 ish wide with 31 spline axles.

Other things, pull your disc brakes off, and sell them on e-bay. EB folks with hard on's for Ford only parts love them. Get some chevy discs for the front, they are a lot better design then Ford ever had.

Thanks for the advice, I made 29 spline 9"es live for 2 seasons on 36's so i'm in no hurry to swap it out.

If I run out of cash i'll drop the buckets and put some really stiff coils in but i guess when I said cheap I didn't want to spend $1000+ on an expensive bolt on kit and I don't want to deal with links right now. I think I should be able to put together a good working kit for not a ton of cash now.

i suggest fullwidths, and yeah sell your current disc brakes as full widths will already have them. i bought a front and rear d44 and 9 for 400 bucks, you'll get that much for your disc brakes probably. plus you get the added stability, stronger axles, and articulation