1974 Ford Bronco

[smrflng]

Invest in a rope ladder or a large step stool and all will be well. ;D ;D ;D

[IlovemyYJ]

wow that thing is gonna be really nice

[BroknCJ]

Okay started tackling the new steering box in the bronco today and ran into some major issues I gotta figure out...So's I took some pics and figured I'd throw them on to see if you guys think what I'm planning will work...or that I'm totally out of my friggin mind.. ;D

Here's the basic deal. The new frame is a matkins one...well it's cut out for a outside the frame steering box (like the 79 f-150 4x4 box that I was planning on using...problem is that due to the way the frame is cut out and the fact that I have the shock hoops on it I can't move it back 8" like Scotty from Broncoholics did on his..see pic below





What I have come up with is to use the 4x4 box in the original location (sort of)...The bottom left hole will line up (with a little persuasion of the body mount..am gonna have to cut the welds about an inch at the bottom of the body mount...give a few whacks with the BFH to get it out of the way then re-weld it) If I mount it there then I will have to drill the top left hole (no prob it'll be thru the middle of the frame) then I will prob have to grind a channel at the bottom to make the bottom hole work...The frame is 1/4" rectangle with another piece of 1/4" flat welded to the bottom...the bottom right hole of the steering box will line up between the channel and the flat..not good...but I can prob grind a channel across the bottom and weld a sleeve to it for the bolt to go through then reinforce it with some flat kindo like what Scotty also did on his F-150 4x4 steering box conversion. Problem is the Pitman arm is way to far out front for it to work...What I was thinking is to use the 4x2 box pitman arm which is shorter...and flip it 180...looking at it, it should clear everything and the angle wont be bad....Anyone see any issues with doing it this way...I am also gonna do 1/4" plate to reinforce the box mounts...Check out the pics and see what you guys think...Also it still has the 4x4 guts in it... I need to swap in the 4x2 worm gear and rack to make the box turn left when the steerin gwheel turns left etc.

[PaulC]

How much is that box going to go into the radiator support, grill, and fender. Maybe you could take a section out of the shock hoop and move the front verticle bar back the needed length. Which way does the box rotate the sector shaft?

PaulC

[BroknCJ]

actually it turns the opposite way it needs to with the 4x4 internals. I need to swap in the 4x2 worm gear and rack so it will turn opposite. I have a box off a 79 4x2 already that I got just to use the parts out of it. Just by eyeballing it I don't see any reason it wouldn't work once I put the smaller pitman and 4x2 worm and rack in it. If I keep the box in that cutout in the frame it should clear all the grill/fender/rad etc...If it doesn't....Guess I'll have to do some more fabrication to make it work

[BIG J]

brokntj said:

jeeepxj said:

Hey Ken, is this still Melissa's ride ?

It is...but she's been giving me an earfull since she realized how tall it's gonna be on 35's ;D

when you get to the annual check out what Donny did for Trish so she could get in the buggy.

[BroknCJ]

Well the Bronco is going on hold for a few months and I wont be able to make the annual trail ride (with or without the bronco) gotta do some job stuff over there for a few months...Catch up with you guys when I get back. Hopefully I'll be able to jump on the forum occassionally while I'm gone and maybe post a few pics from where I'm going. -Ken

[BIG J]

um, didn't you move so that work would be close to home?

[BroknCJ]

Not unless the Navy starts a war in Maryland

[IEATMUD]

lets invade Canada. EH?

[JeepinGoose]

ya lets invade canada


with thier flapping heads and beady eyes.


Blame Canada!

[BroknCJ]

Update on the Bronco. Got some work down on it since I've gotten back home. Got the steering box mounted as well as the hi-steer tie-rod drag link setup I got from complete off-road. (also have the reamer for the GM 1-ton tie rod ends if anyone local needs it) Turned out pretty sweet except I need to move my bottom track bar bolt up about an inch. Will help it clear the flipped steering and help with the angle to keep the bump steer to a minimum. Just need to find a new bolt somewhere for it, so far I can't find one quite big enough to do the job. As soon as I find an acceptable one I'll finish the bracket and whatnot. was hoping to have gotten a little farther along but had some poblems with some vendors sending me wrong parts. It happens and they were all great about getting the correct brackets out to me, but it held me up a bit. Got the new bearings pressed on the rear axle shafts today, just need to get 10 new CJ wheel studs, press em in with the new brake rotors and bolt the new brakes and brackets on, run the lines and the new disc brake setup will be pretty close to being all done. Got a new pully setup off a 90 bronco at the junk yard for the motor and got that all on the motor with a new water pump as well as a new set of headers. only thing left on the motor should be the radiator and installing the wiring harness. Holding up on starting the harness and installing the dash, until I get the rear back together and tow it up to get the inside of the tub shot with Line-X. Also got the floor shifter (with brackets cable etc) fabbed and mounted temp cause it will come back out also to get the tub shot before I finish mounting it permanent like. Anyway coming along slowly. Was going to post some pics but the digi camera went back to best buy today cause it's jacked up, so I wont have it or a replacement for a week or two. (glad i got the stupid warranty for once) Will post some when I get a chance to. -Ken

[smrflng]

Nice to see that you are getting a chance to get some stuff done. Are you gonna make it to the annual this year?

Russ

[BroknCJ]

Russ I hope so. Got a real bug to get the bronco up and mobile again. Hoping it might actually make it out to a trail or two sometime this summer.

[PaulC]

Ken,

Hopefully you weld the nerfs bars on better then you did the Rubi. J/K.

PaulC