First 2021 Bronco solid front axle (SFA) swap + 40's!

[LeJerk]

Holy cow, so many haters in this thread! I think it looks awesome so far. Can't wait to see the finished product on the trails!

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[Derby]

It seems like the type of truck you trailer to the trailhead. Not that uncommon. This isn't a highway queen. In fact, it's probably pretty unsafe.

I was reminded of this post today when I saw 2 Cherokee's on trailers on the expressway. Looked like 38"-40" tires.

 

[Fordmanbob]

Should have just bought a jeep

 

[BAUS67]

SFA but no Portals? It's for SEMA so you have to go big or go to the back of the hall

Then you could put some 54's on it.

 

[sgraing1]

What axle ratio with 40's?

 

[BAUS67]

At this point why not scrap the whole drive train and stick it on a eb frame? None of the wheel sensors are going to work nore are the brakes probably going to be compatible with the abs and all that hoopla.. the computer is going to go stupid when he turns the key. Or he spends big money to make it all work together...

On that note I wonder if it's possible to buy just the body for one of these I've got a 73 that's been threw hell.

Someone with disposable income could buy a 7.3 Godzilla Superduty and a Bronco. Then put the Bronco body on the SD frame. Faster solution to the end product.


You could do that with a Mustang .... "Body in White" it was called.

If you could, then you could just buy the SD.

 

[rkj__]

Like it or not, you’ll be seeing more of these projects.

 

[MaverickMan]

All this time I thought SEMA was for the latest and greatest technology for vehicles. Aren’t solid axles kinda old news? Isn’t it pretty simple to do a 4link suspension, especially if it is really only meant for off road stuff? I mean I’ve built them myself, so it can’t be too hard to do. Feel the same way about portals, hasn’t that been around for a while as well? Just bolting things on to a newer vehicle, or welding on a couple of brackets isn’t all that tough. It’s probably just my misconception as to what SEMA is for, it’s probably actually just another advertising venue for automotive companies.

Also, not kicking anything anyone is doing, only saying I don’t see anything truly special about the build.

Independent suspension has been around since the 40s soooo..... unless you are a throwing some mag-lev Stark tech i there what are we talking about. I did see someone recently built a functioning Flinstones car.

 

[goatman]

Why do you get putting a solid axle under an Xterra, and, unless I'm misunderstanding not a Bronco?
Do you realize how similar the two platforms are?

I suppose it's impossible to express how it drove down the road through text. But I will say it was smoother than my 2012 HD diesel truck, and obviously didn't corner like a Porsche. But I wasn't fighting the truck going down the road and could drive with one hand at 70.

That Xterra has a three link with panhard...I have a feeling that must people who talk about how unsafe full hydro is simply haven't used it or tired it on the road. I don't know why the hassle of putting in a steering gear would have impressed you more, and how you can say it would drive and handle better if you don't know what the baseline is. Do you think it's possible to package an ifs system in a Bronco or Xterra which would match the articulation pictured?

I'll agree that a prerunner build would be cool. You are welcome to build one! But... Again different strokes for different folks.

Only answering because you asked, not interested to keep this thing going. I've clearly said what my perspective and experience are and why I think what I think. We are all free to have our own opinions and perspectives.

To answer your question, an Xterra is not a good wheeling platform. Exploring dirt roads, sure, but if you already have an older Xterra and want to go hardcore wheeling with your friends, and you put a D60 straight axle under the front, I really have no problem with that. It is a TOTALLY different situation than doing the same thing to BRAND NEW Bronco, that is already a pretty decent off road vehicle and a very good driving vehicle on and off road. C'mon, it's clearly for show, it's for SEMA. Totally different world and situation than doing it to an older Xterra.

As far as driving down the road, wasn't talking about smoothness only. If it has halfway decently sprung and valved coilovers of course it's going to drive down the road smoother than your 2500/3500 pick up. However, full hydro has no steering feel, and unless he has very high caster angles it has little to zero return to center feel, and then only if he spent the money for a return to center orbital. Even if it has a ton of caster it would have extremely little return to center feel. Just because it CAN drive down the road and get to trails, doesn't mean it drives and handles anywhere close to what we would normally describe as good. Acceptable under the circumstances? Sure. Gets the job done and is a ton of fun. Hell yes. But drives good compared to what driving good really is? Not possible. BTW, I own a car with full hydro, and I have raced a car with full hydro. I'm not talking out my ass (though a few here are very likely to disagree ). I described my own car that I wheeled and raced for many years, which had a 3 link and steering gear with hydro assist, compared to two full hydro cars, that I raced in that were owned by others, like this. My car I could aim 2 inches from a rock and miss it by 2 inches, the full hydro cars I would aim within 2 feet of the rock and hope I was good (talking at speed here). Granted, with all of the Ultra4 racing that has been done there have been improvements in the setup of full hydro race cars to make them better. But, the normal full hydro trail rig doesn't have those pricey setups, and even the latest and greatest full hydro straight axle race cars don't steer even close to as well as the IFS/rack and pinion cars do.

So, we're just talking here. Discussing like we would if we were sitting around the campfire drinking beer after a day of wheeling. If I was out there, and the guy showed up with the new Bronco with a straight axle, I would say to him WTF have you done? And we'd talk about it and have a beer. I'd still tell him what I think, and why, and so would he. And we'd have another beer.

 

[Erock]

Independent suspension has been around since the 40s soooo..... unless you are a throwing some mag-lev Stark tech i there what are we talking about. I did see someone recently built a functioning Flinstones car.

My point was that they aren’t introducing anything new… like that 40’s era independent suspension would have been worthy of SEMA… in the 40’s. We’d actually have to go back to the flinstones days for the solid axle to be new tech though .

Since you mentioned it… what would be wrong with a mag lev type of deal… transformable sort of suspension, somehow. Maybe an IFS that can disengage the crossmember to give it more travel when needed. Not sayin any of that is plausible, only that it would be something new, instead of just doing the same old stuff with a newer vehicle.

I get it that folks wanna advertise their building prowess… wanna promote their businesses… wanna make more money… wanna be the biggest dog on the block. And I think that’s what SEMA has become, not a venue for new tech, but just a hey look at me type of thing advertising. Nothing wrong with that either, it’s just that I no longer pay attention to it for that very reason.

 

[KYFORDFAN]

 

[BossMann]

I love it and if everyone had to get B6G approval we’d all be driving base model, white two doors.

 

[P.Nelson]

Wow. Lots of negative comments on here. Living close to Moab and doing mostly rock crawling and have wheeled both solid axle and ifs I know and anyone else who have wheeled this type of terrain you would know solid axle will give you better articulation. And just work better for rock crawling. He’s definitely going to give up some good road manners but if he’s building it for mostly off road the solid axle may be better. And 40s are the new 35s.
if I was to get a new bronco I would keep it ifs cause I don’t get too extreme. But if I wheeled any harder than I do I would definitely consider sas.
but I also have my 66 with full size axles built for the trails.

 

[P.Nelson]

At this point why not scrap the whole drive train and stick it on a eb frame? None of the wheel sensors are going to work nore are the brakes probably going to be compatible with the abs and all that hoopla.. the computer is going to go stupid when he turns the key. Or he spends big money to make it all work together...

On that note I wonder if it's possible to buy just the body for one of these I've got a 73 that's been threw hell.

You know they make adapters for the sensors or it might be possible that a power stroke axle might already have the ones that would work.

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