Starting off right

Ask technical questions about your Ford Bronco II here. Technical write-ups on your axle swaps, engine swaps, chop tops, etc. are encouraged.
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Pops 84 Bronco II
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Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 7:29 pm
Location: Ithaca, NY

Starting off right

Post by Pops 84 Bronco II »

Folks,
I own a 1984 Bronco II V6 4x4, all original other than a cassette deck I put in it in college, circa 1990.

My father bought it from the dealer as a gift to himself when he retired. He wanted to go camping and surf fishing. Cancer changed his plans. I inherited it in 1988 and used it to get through college. One the way home from the sonogram for my first daughter in the spring of 1993, it overheated and got me stuck on an interstate. It was flatbed towed home, started fine the next day, but I just started working out of town and didn't have the time or money to fix it - so I retired it to a garage. It sat inside a garage until 2004, then was trailered by me to my new house, where it has sat in the driveway since. I've been telling myself since 1993 that some day I'm going to fix it up, and use it to take my kids camping and surf fishing. Well, the older daughter is 18 this summer, so I guess I better get to it.

I'm not looking to build a monster, just a solid truck that can get me a little past where the tourists usually go. I've been doing some reading, including scanning lots of stuff here, and I was thinking of tearing out the V6 and tranny, overhauling the suspension with maybe a modest 4-inch lift, adding a 2-inch body lift for some room in the tire wells and under the hood, then brining in a 302 for some added power and pull. A little paint and some re-chroming and I hope to take my first trip to the mountains or the dunes in the spring of 2012.

I did some car restoration years ago, like as lot of us rebuilding hand-me-down hot rods in our driveways, and I did a few years as a motorcycle mechanic, so I should have the basic skills.

What I'm hoping some kind folks here will do is take the time to offer me a few tips and warnings. I imagine there's been a lot of folks who've set off to do what I'm doing in the past 27 years, so what is it I need to know, what good can I do with this good old truck, and what fantasies should I get out of my head right quick?

I'd love to do this right ... for the old man, for the kids, and for me. Any help anyone can offer that will set me off on the right path is much appreciated.
101btp
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Re: Starting off right

Post by 101btp »

I have a 4 inch suspension lift on mine and going to put the 2 inch body lift on here pretty soon as well i am also putting in a 302
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Ranger Dave
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Re: Starting off right

Post by Ranger Dave »

Pops 84 Bronco II wrote: I'm not looking to build a monster .

well with 4in suspension and a 2in body lift your gonna have to run monster tires on it just to fill in the gap,then the D28 wont handle um. ya have to regear for the monster tires anyways so might as well change the axels. this gonna be a DD/hiway rig, off road rig???
Pops 84 Bronco II
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Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 7:29 pm
Location: Ithaca, NY

Re: Starting off right

Post by Pops 84 Bronco II »

Thanks for reaching out.

I'm hoping to make it a combo of daily around-town, and off-road camping and fishing. I have a couple of newer cars for the long-haul highway stuff.

Even stock this truck was a stud when it came to snow and mud, but I was hoping to beef up the tires a bit and add a little more body clearance -- just want to be able to get a little deeper into the woods and down the beach. Should I be thinking smaller when it comes to lift? I'm not shy about beefing a few other drivetrain elements up, just trying to avoid any major pitfalls.

Best
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Ranger Dave
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Re: Starting off right

Post by Ranger Dave »

the B2' are top heavy, i would forget the body lift. the 4in suspension lift is plenty. run a D35/8.8 from a xplorer,456 gears,locker(atleast the rear)(both of mine are locked)set of 33's. what tranny ya gonna run??
fnlucky
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Re: Starting off right

Post by fnlucky »

well first i would like to welcome you... and i am so happy you have chosen to work on your b2 and touched by its story... i cant wait to see what pans out... so what would you like to see done with it? and the lift would be good i seen something about a body lift? i personally myself would not do one on a b2...
wmmichael20
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Location: edmore michigan

Re: Starting off right

Post by wmmichael20 »

im with ranger dave the 4 inch will get you plenty of room in those wheel wells then the explorer axels will add the beef you need for the bigger tires and if you regear those axels there will be no need for the bigger engine the 2.9 with a rebuild will definately do the job and get decent fuel mileage i would personally build you some good bumpers and add a winch for those oops moments when there isnt annybody there to pull you out .......we've all done it lol other than that have fun with it thats what they're for :)
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Ranger Dave
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Re: Starting off right

Post by Ranger Dave »

wmmichael20
he doesnt have a 2.9


im runnin a 2.9/5spd with D35/8.8, 456's, locked F&R,with 33's. and ill take this truck any where. 70/80mph no problem. my truck origanally had 3:73's,so with 4:56 and 33in tires iit now has a final gear ratio of 3:80
Pops 84 Bronco II
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Re: Starting off right

Post by Pops 84 Bronco II »

Thanks again all. This is exactly the help I was hoping for.
It seems like there are some votes to skip the body lift. The main motivation there was a little bit of well room for the tires and some added room underneath for the 302. I've read that you can get the 302 in there without the body lift, and that might be the way to go if top-heavy is an issue.
I really do want to go with the 302, or at least that's my take on it so far. The 2.8L V6 was the big week link on this car back when it was my everyday ride. Had to replace the heads, twice. Once by the Ford dealer, once later when it spun cam bearings and starved the top end of oil (at least that's what the dealer said). Did a few water pump as well, all with mostly around town and highway. Was too busy at college to do more than one or two camping trips a year. When the engine was running, the car was a stud. The four wheel was great, got me through 5 Buffalo winters. I figure after 18 years of sitting, the engine needs to come out, so I might as well add a little power and a lot of reliability.
The car has a C5 3-speed auto now, and I was going to keep the auto and just up to the C4. I read somewhere that I can use the tail of my C5 and the same transfer case, which would be cool if true.
I'm happy to do a little yard hunting to get those axles. And I'm a rookie at re-gearing, but I learn fast. Looking forward to a few new frontiers overall.
Please keep coming with the advice. Once the weather breaks around here (which seems like it might never happen), I'm going to start doing some tear down, see what else might need fixing, then plan to spend the summer rounding up all the parts and gear I'll be putting back in as it goes together. Don't expect I'll be putting things together until fall, so there's lot of time for me to learn. I appreciate all the help.
Attachments
Here it is, as it sets today. I'm looking forward to the after pics.
Here it is, as it sets today. I'm looking forward to the after pics.
bronco 2-2.jpg
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Ranger Dave
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Re: Starting off right

Post by Ranger Dave »

you DO NOT NEED a body life to install a 302. i would ues the C5,it has a oiling mod that the C4 doesnt. get a rebuild kit and ad some extra clutches to the C5. i have 3 C5's,1 behind a hot 460,1 behind a kinda hot 302 and 1 behind a 2.9.
302in83ranger.jpg
A49C6E_131CCD31B218_1.jpg
302/C5 with 345 gears and 31's
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Onsite3D
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Re: Starting off right

Post by Onsite3D »

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