Nothing Special's '71 Bronco

[Gary Lewis]

Well, I'm getting closer to being done with the cutting!

But first a picture from last weekend's work. The first picture is one from when I was notching the frame. It shows the dropped radius arm bracket in the foreground. The second is after cutting the dropped mounts off last weekend.

https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n117459/DSC_3604.jpg

OK, on to new business. Here's a "before" picture. The "new" '77 F-150 axle is in back with the "old" '71 Bronco axle in front.

After about 7 hours, 7 cut-off wheels, a bunch of work with an air chisel and a lot of swings with a big hammer the high pinion axle now looks like this!

The wedges weren't too bad. The inner C was in the way so I couldn't cut them all the way off with the cut-off wheel, but I could get most of it, and then had to finish up with the air chisel where the wheel couldn't reach.

The inner C's were another thing entirely! The wedges were in the way to get at the C's worse than the other way around (which is why I took the wedges off first). I started on the passenger's side because I'll be cutting 6" off that end of the tube, so if I screwed it up it wouldn't be so bad. Then after practicing on that side I hoped to be able to do the driver's side more confidently. The problem with that plan is that I couldn't get the passenger's side off!

Eventually I gave up and cut the tube off flush with the inside of the C. Then I could use a hack saw to cut through the section of tube that was left in the C. I made 4 cuts and was able to knock the 4 sections out with a big hammer and a punch.

Doing that I realized that I hadn't cut into the C enough to get past where the weld had penetrated. I still wasn't at all sure that I could do the driver's side, but I did try to cut back into the C a lot more than I had the first time. I didn't have a lot of hope when I started swinging the hammer but, to my surprise, a line started opening up!

I still need to clean up the OD of the tubes and cut both tubes to length. Then I'll be done cutting things off!

Don't worry, I'll still have use for my cut-off wheel. I'm going to have to fab up two bump stop mounts for the axle (one will also include the track bar mount). And near the end of the project I'll be making the skid plate. But I am pretty close to starting to put stuff back together!

Man, that looks like a lot of WORK! (I'm seeing Maynard G. Krebs.)

It took me a while to understand what all you did, but I think I have it now. But that's a lot of cut off wheels, so that must have taken a lot of time. And the concern of how to do it w/o cutting too much of the tube.

I'll bet you are glad that is done. On to the fabrication!

[Nothing Special]

Man, that looks like a lot of WORK! (I'm seeing Maynard G. Krebs.)

It took me a while to understand what all you did, but I think I have it now. But that's a lot of cut off wheels, so that must have taken a lot of time. And the concern of how to do it w/o cutting too much of the tube.

I'll bet you are glad that is done. On to the fabrication!

It was a lot of work, which was why I was dreading it! But as to cutting into the tube, it's 1/2" thick so it can stand a few nicks!

[Nothing Special]

It was a lot of work, which was why I was dreading it! But as to cutting into the tube, it's 1/2" thick so it can stand a few nicks!

In a project like this, that creeps off in so many different directions, it's important to know what you're doing so you don't go and do something stupid. And right now I really wish I knew what I'd known what I was doing so I wouldn't have gone and done something stupid. But I'm getting ahead of the story...

On Saturday I ground down the welds I'd cut on the high pinion axle housing. I also cut the housing to the correct length (6" off the passenger's side, 5/8" off the driver's side) and cut the track bar mount off one of the wedges (where the F-150 has it, on the Bronco it's on a bump stop mount).

That let me put the new axle in! The wedges weren't welded at all, just being held by the radius arm caps. That's where I left things Saturday evening. I figured finishing on a high note was a better idea than try to get a little farther and maybe finishing on a different kind of note.

So on Sunday I put the axle on stands to get the Bronco sitting on its front suspension, and I installed the transfer case and front driveshaft so I could see how things looked at ride height.

If you recall from a month ago I had clocked the transfer case from the lowest position to the second position to get more clearance under the transfer case. To do that I had to notch out the frame, and I only gained 1/2" of clearance. I wanted to try to go higher, but before going to a lot of work to do that I thought it would be a good idea to see if I'd be able to take advantage of it.

Good thing I waited, because it turns out my limiting factor is the operating angle of the double Cardan U-joint at the rear of my front driveshaft. At ride height it's at 26*. I let the axle go to full droop ad the U-joint still wasn't binding, but it looks really close. I don't really want to run it there, and definitely no higher.

Every time I find that I don't know what I'm doing I usually end up laying on my back under the truck staring up at things. Doing that I realized that if I raised the transmission mount I'd gain more ground clearance and improve my front U-joint angle. I couldn't go any higher with the transfer case clocked in the second position, so I put it back in the lowest position and started jacking. Turns out I was able to get another 1/4" of clearance under the transfer case (so 3/4" over where I started) while reducing my U-joint angle by about 3*! A win-win! So where's the problem? With the transfer case in the first position it doesn't try to share space with the frame, so if I'd known what I was doing I wouldn't have had to cut the frame at all

So I modified my current trans cross member to hold it as high as it can currently go, and I might end up running it this way. But right now the limiting factor is the top of the front driveshaft hitting the bottom of the trans crossmember. If I rebuild the crossmember to go under the front driveshaft I can eliminate that interference, So next weekend I'm going to pull the crossmember out and see if I like what that lets me do. But that's a project for another day.

[Gary Lewis]

In a project like this, that creeps off in so many different directions, it's important to know what you're doing so you don't go and do something stupid. And right now I really wish I knew what I'd known what I was doing so I wouldn't have gone and done something stupid. But I'm getting ahead of the story...

On Saturday I ground down the welds I'd cut on the high pinion axle housing. I also cut the housing to the correct length (6" off the passenger's side, 5/8" off the driver's side) and cut the track bar mount off one of the wedges (where the F-150 has it, on the Bronco it's on a bump stop mount).

That let me put the new axle in! The wedges weren't welded at all, just being held by the radius arm caps. That's where I left things Saturday evening. I figured finishing on a high note was a better idea than try to get a little farther and maybe finishing on a different kind of note.

So on Sunday I put the axle on stands to get the Bronco sitting on its front suspension, and I installed the transfer case and front driveshaft so I could see how things looked at ride height.

If you recall from a month ago I had clocked the transfer case from the lowest position to the second position to get more clearance under the transfer case. To do that I had to notch out the frame, and I only gained 1/2" of clearance. I wanted to try to go higher, but before going to a lot of work to do that I thought it would be a good idea to see if I'd be able to take advantage of it.

Good thing I waited, because it turns out my limiting factor is the operating angle of the double Cardan U-joint at the rear of my front driveshaft. At ride height it's at 26*. I let the axle go to full droop ad the U-joint still wasn't binding, but it looks really close. I don't really want to run it there, and definitely no higher.

Every time I find that I don't know what I'm doing I usually end up laying on my back under the truck staring up at things. Doing that I realized that if I raised the transmission mount I'd gain more ground clearance and improve my front U-joint angle. I couldn't go any higher with the transfer case clocked in the second position, so I put it back in the lowest position and started jacking. Turns out I was able to get another 1/4" of clearance under the transfer case (so 3/4" over where I started) while reducing my U-joint angle by about 3*! A win-win! So where's the problem? With the transfer case in the first position it doesn't try to share space with the frame, so if I'd known what I was doing I wouldn't have had to cut the frame at all

So I modified my current trans cross member to hold it as high as it can currently go, and I might end up running it this way. But right now the limiting factor is the top of the front driveshaft hitting the bottom of the trans crossmember. If I rebuild the crossmember to go under the front driveshaft I can eliminate that interference, So next weekend I'm going to pull the crossmember out and see if I like what that lets me do. But that's a project for another day.

Brother, I fully understand!

Did you save the piece that came out of the frame? Or, did it come out in one piece? I'd think you could put it back and maybe fishplate some of the joints for insurance.

And, can you somehow use the lowered crossmember to support the skid plate? Another win-win?

Last, where are the pics?

[Nothing Special]

Brother, I fully understand!

Did you save the piece that came out of the frame? Or, did it come out in one piece? I'd think you could put it back and maybe fishplate some of the joints for insurance.

And, can you somehow use the lowered crossmember to support the skid plate? Another win-win?

Last, where are the pics?

It's not all one piece, but that's not a big deal. I can patch it together with new metal well enough. It's just too bad that I have to.

The skid plate was always going to be awfully close to the trans crossmember, so attaching them was always a possibility. My main concern is that I don't want any bolt heads on the bottom of the skid plate. I want it smooth to slide over rocks rather than grab them. So if I attach it all of the access to fasteners will need to be above the skid plate, where there really isn't much access. Again, I don't really know what I'm doing, but I'll make it up as I go!

Pictures? They're all in my head right now. By the time I had my hands clean enough to handle a camera I had stuff put away too much to be able to get pictures. And there's not a lot to show right now since the axle is back out anyway. I'll try to get some next weekend.

[Gary Lewis]

It's not all one piece, but that's not a big deal. I can patch it together with new metal well enough. It's just too bad that I have to.

The skid plate was always going to be awfully close to the trans crossmember, so attaching them was always a possibility. My main concern is that I don't want any bolt heads on the bottom of the skid plate. I want it smooth to slide over rocks rather than grab them. So if I attach it all of the access to fasteners will need to be above the skid plate, where there really isn't much access. Again, I don't really know what I'm doing, but I'll make it up as I go!

Pictures? They're all in my head right now. By the time I had my hands clean enough to handle a camera I had stuff put away too much to be able to get pictures. And there's not a lot to show right now since the axle is back out anyway. I'll try to get some next weekend.

The part may look like Frankenstein but it should go back in fairly well. And I know what you mean about it being a shame that you have to. Still, it'll work out.

On the skid plate, can you use countersunk screws to hold it on?

[Nothing Special]

The part may look like Frankenstein but it should go back in fairly well. And I know what you mean about it being a shame that you have to. Still, it'll work out.

On the skid plate, can you use countersunk screws to hold it on?

We'll see about how I end up mounting the skid plate. I figure I'll end up laying under the Bronco for a while again when I get to that point!

[Gary Lewis]

We'll see about how I end up mounting the skid plate. I figure I'll end up laying under the Bronco for a while again when I get to that point!

Yes, that's the way I figure things out as well. Stare at them, doodle a bit, go away, sleep on it, and usually something comes to mind.

Speaking of which, will the skid plate be flat? If it is curved up on the right and left ends I wonder if you could put the bolts that secure the skid plate up on the ends, out of the way of rocks. But in order to ensure the plate isn't moved fore/aft put pins on it that go through holes in the crossmember.

[Nothing Special]

Yes, that's the way I figure things out as well. Stare at them, doodle a bit, go away, sleep on it, and usually something comes to mind.

Speaking of which, will the skid plate be flat? If it is curved up on the right and left ends I wonder if you could put the bolts that secure the skid plate up on the ends, out of the way of rocks. But in order to ensure the plate isn't moved fore/aft put pins on it that go through holes in the crossmember.

The goal is to have it as flat as possible, tight up against the bottom of the frame rails, with the front and back edges turned up so they can ride up over things rather than act like a grader blade biting into everything. It will need to dip down lower to get under the transfer case at least, so it won't actually be flat.

In the foggy picture in my brain it's attached to the outside of the frame, but I need to spend more time under the Bronco before that will clear up.

[Gary Lewis]

The goal is to have it as flat as possible, tight up against the bottom of the frame rails, with the front and back edges turned up so they can ride up over things rather than act like a grader blade biting into everything. It will need to dip down lower to get under the transfer case at least, so it won't actually be flat.

In the foggy picture in my brain it's attached to the outside of the frame, but I need to spend more time under the Bronco before that will clear up.

If it attaches to the outside of the frame and has turn-ups front and rear then the bolts to the frame might be enough.