Tony Raine's Bronco II

[Tony Raine]

well, i was going to do some work to the F150 today, but didn't have some of the tools i thought i did.

so i worked on the BII instead!

Got the "new" 44 swapped in. i really miss that hoist, this would have been a lot easier if i still had it. someday i need to break down and buy my own. i was hoping my order from bronco graveyard would have come in, i ordered new "C" bushings, and some trans mount bushings (need them to start mocking up my trans mount). its been 8 days, so i checked and my order is "on hold". waiting for an answer from customer service....

while i had everything apart, i moved my radius arm brackets back, to try and straighten out those coils. i was only going to move them back 1.5", but there was a hole already about 2" forward that lined right up. that leaves 4 holes to drill instead of 6. since i had the hiems screwed all the way in, i backed them out .5". still plenty of thread left for fine tuning.

finally, i bolted on an old set of shocks in the front. not good enough for street use, but should help cut down on all the "bounce" when i'm lifting and moving stuff around.


so the front wont be pushed out as far as i would have liked, but at this point i just want to get it done.

oh yeah, managed to smack my hand with a hammer. pinched (and split open) a chunk between my thumb and first finger. right where your hand "grips". if i was left handed, i'd be pissed, haha.

 

[bobbywalter]

well, i was going to do some work to the F150 today, but didn't have some of the tools i thought i did.

so i worked on the BII instead!

Got the "new" 44 swapped in. i really miss that hoist, this would have been a lot easier if i still had it. someday i need to break down and buy my own. i was hoping my order from bronco graveyard would have come in, i ordered new "C" bushings, and some trans mount bushings (need them to start mocking up my trans mount). its been 8 days, so i checked and my order is "on hold". waiting for an answer from customer service....

while i had everything apart, i moved my radius arm brackets back, to try and straighten out those coils. i was only going to move them back 1.5", but there was a hole already about 2" forward that lined right up. that leaves 4 holes to drill instead of 6. since i had the hiems screwed all the way in, i backed them out .5". still plenty of thread left for fine tuning.

finally, i bolted on an old set of shocks in the front. not good enough for street use, but should help cut down on all the "bounce" when i'm lifting and moving stuff around.


so the front wont be pushed out as far as i would have liked, but at this point i just want to get it done.

oh yeah, managed to smack my hand with a hammer. pinched (and split open) a chunk between my thumb and first finger. right where your hand "grips". if i was left handed, i'd be pissed, haha.

they had a party there this weekend. sure they are busy busy busy

wondering if my bro broght home some sort of bronco for me to work on:icon_confused:

 

[Tony Raine]

they had a party there this weekend. sure they are busy busy busy

wondering if my bro broght home some sort of bronco for me to work on:icon_confused:

huh? :icon_confused:

JBG has been partying for 8 days? and your brother works there? are they hiring? :icon_idea:

or was this reply meant for another thread? :icon_cheers:

 

[Boggin]

I was watching the video on the JBG homepage of their celebration, looked like a sweet time. i would love to be there

 

[Tony Raine]

I was watching the video on the JBG homepage of their celebration, looked like a sweet time. i would love to be there

ah, makes much more sense now. the first time i read bobby's post, it was about midnight and i was half-asleep

 

[Tony Raine]

Front axle is moved back and front end is sitting on its own weight again.

I liked it a lot better forward, but the coils are not bowed anymore.

So I turned my attention to the back. Bought some new wheel studs from advance auto, and turns out they gave me 2 different kinds, and neither fit. So I just spent some time getting the rear of the truck ready for the 9”.

Jacked up the back and rolled the 7.5 out

Dug out the F150 front spring hangers I had laying around, and gave them a coat of spray paint.

Compared to stock

BTW, the hangers came from about an 86 f150 2wd. Looks like it will drop the front of the leaf about 3” from stock.
Removing frame rivets is a chore that I despise, because its so time consuming. But I got one stock spring hanger off, picked up my tools, and went in for the night.

 

[Tony Raine]

I have today off of work, so I am chugging away at the BII some more. Just came in for a short break in the computer chair with a big glass of Tang (one of my favorite drinks)

Got a jack handle keeper for my hi-lift. Worth every penny, no more bear-hugging the jack, or pinched fingers when carrying it around

Also found a 4’ long snake skin INSIDE the bronco. I’m afraid of snakes, so that’s not good. But I have a little .22 revolver with some “rat shot” in my pocket, so I feel a little better

I hate rivets!

Old

New

Not going to put all the bolts in until I am satisfied with the location.

More to come….

 

[RangerSVT]

Lookin good, you see how the washers are caving on the spring hanger bolts?? I'd either get thicker washers or double/triple them up, those will cause your bolts to loosen. Thats what happened to my front TTB brackets, when they were on there :icon_thumby:
SVT

 

[Tony Raine]

thanks!

…and I’m back. Taking one last break before I go out and pick up all the tools.

although it looks like they caved, they just bent to match the curve where the hanger goes out. space is a little tighter since i drilled the mounts and frame holes out to 1/2" (except that one shiny little guy, thats the same size as the factory rivets. just for comparison, its getting replaced with another 1/2" bolt)

Rear axle is in and centered

And back down on it’s own weight

With the F150 perches lined up with the top, forward hole, the front leaf mount is moved down approx. 3”, and rearward about 1”. I also have the ruffstuff axle perches that scoot the axle back about an inch as well.

I have to buy/borrow a drill bit bigger than ½” to drill out the center bolt holes on the u-bolt plate before I can bolt them down. For some reason, the holes in the ruffstuff u-bolts plates are not big enough for the nut on top, but the same size fits great on the axle perches. Probably because my center bolts are grade 8 bolts with the heads ground round.

Rear lift comparison for the day:

Before

After:

Front is still a little high, but it will be getting a winch and bumper, plus the front springs are brand new, where the rears are well broken in.

 

[RangerSVT]

Tony, if you haven't already (and it's hard to tell), flip your springs around to where the center bolt going through the spring pack is closer to the rear than the front (in the factory arrangement), this will give you even better departure angle without relocating the hangers...And great work so far!! I'm building a B2 at my house with the owner (WCB2) and will be using a 351W, ZF, and 1356/1356 doubler out of a 1990 F350...:icon_thumby:
SVT

 

[Tony Raine]

thought about that, but flipping the springs would move the rear axle back almost 6", which is way more than i want. from what i have researched, 2-3" is about as far back as you can go without the axle hitting the gas tank when the suspension compresses.

 

[RangerSVT]

Yep, I keep forgetting that, we are using a custom fuel cell so we don't have that problem...Keep up the great work!!
SVT

 

[Tony Raine]

here are a few pics of how everything sits now, almost ready for the move to the new house:

I'm welding up a makeshift steering to get it on/off the trailer easier

parts pile

and the space formerly occupied by 2 other B2's

 

[RangerSVT]

Quite a parts collection you have there...Hope your moving to a good size garage that you can work out of :icon_thumby:
SVT

 

[lepp1892]

Holy extra Fenders....

 

[Robert_1967]

I like the other BII sitting next to the Modded BII, it's like looking at a before and after setup.




Robert

 

[Tony Raine]

Quite a parts collection you have there...Hope your moving to a good size garage that you can work out of :icon_thumby:
SVT

not for awhile. garage will be for cars, i'll have to build a shop for b2 stuff

Holy extra Fenders....

yup, and there are about 3 or 4 hoods in there too.

I like the other BII sitting next to the Modded BII, it's like looking at a before and after setup.
Robert

yeah, and the stocker is loaded down with more parts. makes my "main" b2 look that much taller :icon_thumby:

 

[escort_gts]

Wow, love what you have done to the B2. Just read the whole thread.

 

[Tony Raine]

Wow, love what you have done to the B2. Just read the whole thread.

Thanks! reading it all in one sitting must look like i am scatterbrained, and can't make up my mind on anything. oh well, at least i am having fun :icon_thumby:

well, loaded up the b2 for its voyage to my new house. going to bring the brown one out later

first time its moved in quite awhile

trailer is a 20 footer. its a loaner, buddy of mine got it for $200. its rough, but it does the job. might need some new boards soon :icon_rofl:

 

[rockin86ranger]

Lol dont worry about moving that nice brown BII, I'll move it to my house for you.