My thoughts on my B2 project!

[Desertchild]

Hey everyone!

I've bee thinking a lot about my B2, trying to decide what I what to do with it once I have it running. It's an 1988, manual 4WD, and is fuel injected, so all questions I might ask will be with these things in mind. If there is any additional info needed I will get it and post it here asap.

Basically, I want my B2 to be a fun off road vehicle. I want to be able to take it out into the desert and make it to whatever destination I may come up with. But at the same time, I want to be able to use it as a DD between projects when I get tired of taking the bike.

I know of a few projects I would LIKE to do, but a lot of them depend on what donor parts I have, and if any of them are time sensitive (as in the whole project needs to be finished in one sitting), I would probably have to hold off on them while I save up my vacation days!

I currently do not have any donor parts, but I hope to change that soon. My brother will be swapping his D35 up to a solid axle off of a full size, so the D35 will hopefully be going on my B2. I would also like to put an 8.8 on it. Thoughts on that?

Once I have a donor, I'd like to go for the explorer 4.0 and dash swap. My brother is starting that soon too, so I'll have his wisdom once he's finished.
I would also like to put a good size tire on there. I'm thinking 35". I don't know much about lifts though, and when I tried reading up on it I just got more confused. I don't fully understand the differences between suspension lifts, body lifts and spacers, or which is best. I would greatly prefer not to have to shave the fenders to be able to fit 35's on, but if it can't be done, I accept that.

All advice, suggestions and knowledge are greatly appreciated

 

[88BII got it for $250]

Well the 8.8 is for the most part straight forward. Its kinda hard to mess up a 7.5 to 8.8 swap. I used a 94 explorer 8.8.... was not to hard at all. all you need is someone who knows how to weld, some easy to find spring perches and shock mounts and a little time, about a weekend.(It was my first time setting pinion angle and swaping a spring under into a spring over.)
As for 35" tires, I have an 85Ranger that has a 2" bodylift and a 6" tuff country lift... it will hold 35" tires but they rub bad. with fender trimming Im sure it would stop.
Mine is a Ranger longbed yours is a BroncoII I think you should run a 33"tire at most, but its your rig.

Also body lifts have there place, but suspension lifts are by far better. spring spacers are cheap and a bad idea. just my thoughts.

Also, If you feel the dash swap is a must, then go for it. But it will be a bit of work, and is not nesacary. And wont help you on the trail.

In the end 33" tires with lockers will do just fine on a BroncoII, Just my thoughts.

 

[trail B2]

If you want to run 35's or 33's you have to get so high without trimming the fenders that you lose stability on the trail.I know I don't like big cut out fenders on my dd either.There's a great article in the tech library called fender trimming 101 I think it was, I scaled that down a little really like it, looks better than stock I think.

 

[chrwilkins30]

From what i read you need
extended radious arms to get any kind of flex.
a lot I've seen don't do body lift and only do if needed when bigger engine is swapped. and clearance is needed.
also use jeep coils since the ttb ones are stiff.

Don't really know a lot about lifts but just wanted to give some input.

There are a lot of bad ass b2's around. look in the under construction for a lot of ideas.

 

[Desertchild]

Well the 8.8 is for the most part straight forward.

Glad to hear it. I hope to get a lot of my conversion parts from a single Explorer Donor. And I need to do the dash swap. Mainly because I have a GEN1 dash, so it won't be easy, and my dash is looking really shabby haha

I scaled that down a little really like it, looks better than stock I think.

I honestly have to agree.. I never thought it would actually look this good. At a glance, it doesn't look altered at all! That would definitely be they way I would go, whether I need to or not

There are a lot of bad ass b2's around. look in the under construction for a lot of ideas.

Thanks, that's a great idea! I'm still trying to figure my way around here haha


Any other suggestions on other possible upgrades? I'm still looking into more, but input is appreciated

 

[greasemonkey6886]

you don't need to swap the dash to do the 4.0 swap. Trust me my 88 has the 1st gen dash and a 4.0 swap. It really isnt hard at all to do it with your dash. Your complete truck is basically powered from the wiring on the starter solenoid. The 4.0 wiring will basically become a stand alone system that only relies on your original wiring for a power signal from your ignition switch to turn on the eec relay which powers the eec,fuel pumps,and everything else needed to run. This wire I speak of you allready have in your original harness, it powers your original eec and fuel pump relays. All that is needed to power your original dash is just to reinstall the small group of wires that go to your original starter solenoid to the new solenoid or you could do what I did and hook them to the new power distribution box that you will have with the 4.0 harness. Either way it isn't real hard at all.

Paul