[6 Piston Power]

Any progress on installing the new front axle?

 

[Lt.Dan]

Any progress on installing the new front axle?

Hoping to start pulling out the old axle this weekend. Need to CAD up the coil buckets, radius arm mounts, sway bar mounts, and track bar mounts, and itll be a lot easier once I get the new axle in place.

You get my last PM I sent you?

 

[6 Piston Power]

Yes I did. Thank you.

I’m starting surgery on my truck tomorrow to do e fuel and putting a ‘06 Superduty fuel tank in place of my front one that the sending unit was out.

Really digging your flatbed designs too but mechanical comes first. When are you going bigger sticks?

 

[Lt.Dan]

Yes I did. Thank you.

I’m starting surgery on my truck tomorrow to do e fuel and putting a ‘06 Superduty fuel tank in place of my front one that the sending unit was out.

Really digging your flatbed designs too but mechanical comes first. When are you going bigger sticks?

SD tank will be nice, the bronco rear tank is well worth it too, and gives you another 20 gallons.

My to do list is put the 08 axle in, complete the 4x4 system, then some creature comforts (new weatherstripping, sound deadener, replace some broken interior trim pieces etc), then bigger sticks will follow.

That is assuming my injectors outlast my list, I have a feeling they are on the way out.

 

[6 Piston Power]

What’s the difference between the Bronco tank and the F26e tank dimensions?

Not liking the prospects since the receiver hitch is welded in to a piece of rectangular tubing that is welded to the bottom of the frame rails with a piece of 2” angle iron sticking out into the space for the deeper tank

 

[Lt.Dan]

What’s the difference between the Bronco tank and the F26e tank dimensions?

Not liking the prospects since the receiver hitch is welded in to a piece of rectangular tubing that is welded to the bottom of the frame rails with a piece of 2” angle iron sticking out into the space for the deeper tank

I think the f26e and the bronco tank are the same, I cant remember now

 

[Lt.Dan]

Well I've been doing a few things over the last couple weeks.
First I installed a new coolant reservoir, old one was so hammered from a sh*t napa battery spitting acid all over it.

Then I tried out my new boost leak detector I got from Dieselsite. Took me about 20 min but I found a huge leak under the driver side intake plenum. So I plan on making a custom set

Then I did my rear axle stud conversion, using 1/2" studs and flange nuts.

I also dropped the front axle off to get sandblasted today, gonna get it back early next week and get started pulling my old axle out. Wish me luck.

 

[Cummins Junkie]

Finally getting that eyesore out of the engine bay! I am curious why you elected to do that stud conversion on your axle though. Were you having an issue with the factory bolts?

 

[Lt.Dan]

Well after I saw @lovesdunes thread about him breaking his bolts with a locker, I was interested. But after I replaced my 10.25 with the 10.5, I pulled the bolts out of mine to find the threads completely flattened on almost all of them. Gave me enough reason to need studs and more clamping force, and cheap peace of mind (about $40 or so).

 

[Thatchevyguy]

I think the f26e and the bronco tank are the same, I cant remember now

False. Bronco tank is slightly smaller and deeper than the f26e. I've done the f26e in mine and I would highly recommend it. It fits like it should you have to extend everything obviously. But I went with that vs the bronco since I didn't want it to hang to low

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[heavydoc]

When I did my F26E tank swap I had to remake the clocking ring for the fuel pick up assembly. IIRC the F26D is for the diesel trucks around the 85 era, and they are extremely worth it

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[lovesdunes]

Then I did my rear axle stud conversion, using 1/2" studs and flange nuts.
View attachment 201369

I also dropped the front axle off to get sandblasted today, gonna get it back early next week and get started pulling my old axle out. Wish me luck.

That turned out great. I havn't had a problem with breaking the studs.

 

[lovesdunes]

Finally getting that eyesore out of the engine bay! I am curious why you elected to do that stud conversion on your axle though. Were you having an issue with the factory bolts?

The factory bolts worked fine on my truck until I added the Detroit Locker. The locker is usually pretty good at letting the truck go around corners without being locked, but in some scenarios the rear is locked and the tires bark while going around turns. The factory bolts allow a little wiggle room in the holes at the end of the axle. After a while that wiggling will shear the bolts. The studs have a slightly larger diameter with no threads so that wiggle is virtually eliminated.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Got the axle swap started.

Up on stands

Axle out

Sandblasted the new axle to make things a little easier

Then after several hours of grinding/cutting my old shock towers off, I semi-assembled the new axle and slid it under the truck.

Next is to finish cutting off the rear shackle hanger that I welded on from SORD, and then cut the front hanger off too. After that, I scan the frame/axle in place, CAD up my radius arm mounts, shock towers, track bar mount, and sway bar mounts. Then I can cut/form/weld and test fit everything, make my drag link and center link, and then send EVERYTHING off to powdercoat, then I can do the final install... looking at atleast 2-3 more weeks, but after that, I will be able to offer a full bolt on kit for the OBS to 05+ axle swap.

 

[lovesdunes]

That is going to be really cool! Nice job

 

[Sbluke55]

What are you going to do about the factory ball joint for the trac bar? Are you going to run a stock 05+ trac bar? The ball joint is known to blow out with a little bit of lift because it maxes out quickly.

 

[Lt.Dan]

What are you going to do about the factory ball joint for the trac bar? Are you going to run a stock 05+ trac bar? The ball joint is known to blow out with a little bit of lift because it maxes out quickly.

Im leaving it stock for now, because I'm running stock height, and I bought a new ball joint and entire stock track bar for it. I do plan on making an adapter to replace the balljoint and run a heim, but that's for a later date.

 

[Sbluke55]

Someone makes one but it’s $800 for the kit.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Someone makes one but it’s $800 for the kit.

I've noticed there was a few companies, but all of them are lacking in a few ways. We'll see.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Got the rear shackle hangers off, and the axle is in place where I want it (and DAMN is it a tight fit!!). Now all that's left is to scan everything I can and start designing.