For those of you who don't know, I'm the new guy here at the 'zine. Actually, I've been here for a little over six months, but I have a feeling I'm going to be the FNG for a long time! With the feature editor position arrived the opportunity to build a truck for this year's Ultimate Adventure, a trip that I, like so many of you, always wanted to be a part of. But with only five weeks until the Adventure and my little ol' '97 Ford Ranger playing double duty as my wheeler/commuter truck, I decided what the heck, five weeks is plenty of time to build a truck, right?
My plan of action was simple. Slap a cheap solid axle under the front end, lower the transfer-case ratio, and use some suspension which could be conceived as the ultimate bare-minimum package that would haul me, art director Alan Huber, and all of our junk to Texas and back. Remember: trailers are for wussies.
When it comes to low budget and good availability it doesn't get any better than a Dana 30 axle. I grabbed mine for 70 bucks out of a '93 Wrangler sitting in a friend's backyard. Cheap, sure, but more importantly it was a driver-side high-pinion axle that was the exact width I needed. My Ranger came equipped with the tiny 7.5-inch rear axle, so I wanted something a little stronger since I knew I would have to run at least a 35-inch-tall tire. The solution came in the form of an $80 28-spline 8.8 from a '99 Ranger that would bolt in place of the factory axle.
Now that I had the axles, I needed to figure out a suspension package that was readily available and would require the least amount of fab work since time was of the essence. I knew the front end was going to require the most thought, so I did a little research to figure out what would make for the easiest quality setup. The answer came while looking at Rock Krawler's YJ coilover conversion for the '87-'95 Jeep Wrangler. Although it may not be the least expensive in terms of price, it had everything we needed and would require very little fabrication time. Though little fab work is required, it is important to note that this kit is a fully weld-on system that should be performed by a certified welder.
The crew at Diesel Tech lent their time and a bay to me for the five weeks I had to get this project completed, and then Poly Performance worked into the wee hours of the night putting all the finishing touches on the truck getting it ready for the 1,600-mile trip to Longview, Texas.
The first step was to remove...
The first step was to remove the original twin-traction-beam axle and suspension from under the truck. Although TTB can provide ample amounts of suspension travel when set up properly, we decided for the terrain that we would be wheeling that the simplicity and reliability of a solid front axle would better suit our needs.
Removal of the factory crossmember...
Removal of the factory crossmember and TTB supports was relatively easy. We used a cutting torch to burn out the rivets, then simply pounded them out. This is necessary to clear the front driveline and new control arms.
We slid the Dana 30 under...
We slid the Dana 30 under the truck to get a few initial measurements and determine where to place the brackets on the axle. It is important to make sure that you have correct caster and pinion angle before you perform any welding on the axle. Although the Rock Krawler control arms give you the ability to fine-tune the axle position, it is best to double-check all your measurements and degree readings before making your first tack. This is also a good time to mock up steering linkage as well as getting an idea where the shock towers will need to be positioned.
The original coil buckets...
The original coil buckets need to be removed to make room for the new coilover towers. Once you have successfully removed all the original conflicting crossmembers and bracketry, move on to the prep work. Quality prep work will make all the difference in the world when it's time to weld.
The only real fabrication...
The only real fabrication you are responsible for will be the mounts that connect the control arms to the frame. There are infinite possibilities on how you can build your brackets (crossmember, subframe, weld on mounts, bolt on, and so on). We got our friend Kevin Howard to fab up a quick set that would weld on and could be easily braced for additional support.
Once you have the brackets...
Once you have the brackets completed and your control arms assembled, tack the brackets into place for a quick test fit. Look for the axle to be square and even on both sides and that your brackets are in the correct locations on either side. This is the best time to test-fit and look for any potential issues (shock bind, track-bar angle, steering, and so on).