My Bronco II plans

[LittleHorse]

went to the parts store today and dropped $200 on new rotors, pads, caliper hardware, inner and outer wheel bearings. That's what they had in stock.

Soon as I get paid again I'm going to get spindle bearings/seals and front axle u-joints. Going to do all of this along with clearancing the center u-joint and doing the "dana 35 u-joint upgrade" all at once. Also gonna replace the leaking rear output shaft seal on my transfer case and swap out my CV driveshaft for the u-joint shaft I pulled off the '89.

Looking like the lift is going to have to be put off for a couple months. All this catching up on maintenance stuff got a lot more expensive than I thought it was going to.

 

[TheOne]

oh yea it is im going to be going through my front end in the spring time...not going to like it at all.

but it'll be worth it to know that i wont have to worry about anything.

 

[LittleHorse]

hmmmm...my decision may be made for me.

The 2.9 has been losing coolant...and I filled it up today and there was a weird, kindof burned smell to the coolant in the radiator. Don't know how else that smell would get there than a head crack or head gasket leak.

No coolant in the oil, and no other major symptoms of head gasket leak (steam in exhaust, overheating, etc). When I changed the plugs back in August or so 5 looked normal and the 6th was wet, I thought was just oil. Maybe not?

So maybe no lift for awhile, and go ahead with the 5.0.

 

[will2045]

hmmmm...my decision may be made for me.

The 2.9 has been losing coolant...and I filled it up today and there was a weird, kindof burned smell to the coolant in the radiator. Don't know how else that smell would get there than a head crack or head gasket leak.

No coolant in the oil, and no other major symptoms of head gasket leak (steam in exhaust, overheating, etc). When I changed the plugs back in August or so 5 looked normal and the 6th was wet, I thought was just oil. Maybe not?

So maybe no lift for awhile, and go ahead with the 5.0.

I would go with the 5.0 lift if you can, it can be hard but if you get all the stuff around first its not so bad espeically if your putting in a carbed 5.0 i did mine in about 2 weeks. although i thought i read you mentioned a 4.0 have you decided which?
if you go 5.0 dont be afraid fo the c-6 everyone bitches that its huge and heavy and it is and it is but its heavy duty and will take ANYTHING you throw at it.
as far as lift +1 on the JD they make GREAT stuff and i loved it. I didnt remeber if you did body lift yet but if your gunna throw in a 5.0 go 3in of body lift (FIRST) youll thank me later for that because it makes it about 4985602134 million times easier. and with 3 in body lift you can keep your heater in.
and it seems like your throwing alot of money into a stock fron end... why not SAS? did mine in a weekend if you have everything ready and waiting.
and i know i know sound slike a ton of $$$ thats why i said wait till you got alll the parts just bargan shop a lot. junkyard, craigslist, and ebay your life away and you you can do it cheap.

 

[LittleHorse]

If I said 4.0 somewhere it was a type-o. I briefly considered one when I first got the truck but the more I thought about it the more I wanted the V8.

Haven't done the body lift, but am about ready to pull the trigger on that, probably middle of this month I'll buy the body lift and new polyurethane body mounts from JD and get that done. No sense buying it until it's warm enough outside that I don't get frostbite touching the garage floor.

I'm on the fence about carb'ed vs EFI. I'd much prefer FI but also recognize carb'd is going to be easier to get running. If I do carb'd I would want to leave myself the option of upgrading to FI later on.

C6 is out of the question for lack of overdrive, but I would use an E4OD if I get a FI motor with the matching computer and harness.

If I got a motor/computer/harness out of an AOD equipped vehicle, will the computer still work with an E4OD instead?

 

[detty_motorsports]

hey..... u got any pics bro????

 

[sbsrlewis]

Little Horse look at the pics of my 89 BII in the Tech Library under "Fender Cutting 101". You might change your mind about doing the suspension lift.

In March the Off Road area below Keystone Dam will open. It's small but someplace close to go and won't have to worry about much damage. Lots of sand also.

Steve

 

[LittleHorse]

hey..... u got any pics bro????

You can see mine by clicking the link to the 1990 BII on Cardomain in my signature. Plenty of pics along with what I've already done...which consists mostly of repairs so far. When I bought it, it was visually clean but mechanically was very behind on maintenance. Previous owner let the trans oil leak out through the shift rail plugs, melting the gear on the input shaft so it only had 4th gear, then grenaded the clutch driving it with only 4th gear, brake rotors warped, front u-joints noisy, leaking water pump, bad battery, random trim pieces missing from interior...

I've caught up on all the interior pieces and of course the trans and clutch, got most of the front axle repair parts at home, just gotta order some of the 5-760 U-joints and I'll be ready to do that.

 

[88BII got it for $250]

"I'm not gonna wanna get new tires until after the 5.0 due to 2.9 and 3.73 axles"

Both my 2.9s turn my 31s fine in 4H, my ranger even has limited slip... with 3.73s you must have a bad clutch,or 2.9? anyway the 2.9l is not a bad motor and gearing an axle is as easy as reading instructions.

 

[country0001]

I'm on the fence about carb'ed vs EFI. I'd much prefer FI but also recognize carb'd is going to be easier to get running. If I do carb'd I would want to leave myself the option of upgrading to FI later on.

C6 is out of the question for lack of overdrive, but I would use an E4OD if I get a FI motor with the matching computer and harness.

If I got a motor/computer/harness out of an AOD equipped vehicle, will the computer still work with an E4OD instead?

Go EFI, the computer mainly controls the shifting of the transmission. I went from a 5.0 to a 5.8, the 5.8 had an AOD. the computer didn't shift the E4OD. So I ran a 5.8 w a 5.0 computer. To answer ur last question, no it won't work.

 

[adsm08]

I guess that's also a possibility, I haven't really done the research to tell whether it would fit as easily as the AOD, and what it would do to me with adapting it to the 1354 t-case - availability of adapters, driveshaft lengths, crossmembers, etc. The AOD is very well documented, I just haven't come across much for the C6 or E4OD.

Yeah, I don't about all that, I just know that everyone I know who had a 5.0/AOD setup kept blowing trannies apart.

 

[LittleHorse]

Yeah, I don't about all that, I just know that everyone I know who had a 5.0/AOD setup kept blowing trannies apart.

what were they doing with them? The AOD was available on a full size Bronco that weighs over 1000lbs more than a Bronco II and the newer 4R70 has been used pretty extensively in stock 4.6L vehicles, including F-150's.

If I do an AOD, I'll probably go through it and put a 4R70 gear set in it.

I'm not rock crawling with it or anything, just a DD and trails. If I get to the point where I'm really doing hardcore stuff with it and I blow up an AOD, I'll be to the point where I won't be DD'ing it anymore and can just do a C6.

 

[wantaranger]

...like 2012..

dont wait to long or we'll all be dead!! (referring to the apocalypse) :icon_rofl:
but this sounds cool post lots of pics