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

[KyleQ]

Understand what you're saying. This guy isn't doing his own work, he's paying a shop (well, SEMA, so who knows how much he's paying), and shop time to narrow an axle and fab brackets can be just as much as ordering a complete axle assembly. I've narrowed my own axles, and know what's involved (and I own a shop). Just talking here, not disagreeing. I think for sure the control arms would be replaced in the rear, I doubt the stock arms would hold up to 40's and the type of wheeling expected, I wouldn't do it, and the arm angles wouldn't be good with that much lift so you'd want longer arms. Front links would have to made as well as a ton of fab work to remove the IFS and configure for a link suspension, plus figuring out and mounting a steering gear which will require changes to the frame and steering column to connect to it. Lots of fab work, many hours. You have been talking about a guy doing this himself and his own fab skills, tools and labor. That's not what is happening here. And, I bet a guy who has the skills and tools to do it wouldn't, since they would have way too many options to do other things....until these Broncos get older and cheaper.

I'm assuming to use 1550 axles in the Super Duty housing the knuckles have to come off to change the shafts. I thought Super 60 knuckles had to be used for the shafts to slide out, which would require Super 60 inner C's and housing. Hadn't looked that far into it with stock stuff, since I would use Crane outers and 300m axles and 300m joints, otherwise it's no stronger than the 35 spline 300m stuff I have now.

Yeah, I'm glossing over a lot. The front stock SD radius arms would work but yeah, the rear stuff would need to be beefed up.

As for the 1550 stuff, nope, it goes right in. We have multiple setups that run that with zero modifications. 19'+ SD shafts go into ANY 05+ axle with zero modifications. Instant 1550 steer straight beef.

Here is a 1550 D60 next to a D44 shaft Best part is, the entire assembly there is only $150 a SIDE complete.

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[goatman]

Yeah, I'm glossing over a lot. The front stock SD radius arms would work but yeah, the rear stuff would need to be beefed up.

As for the 1550 stuff, nope, it goes right in. We have multiple setups that run that with zero modifications. 19'+ SD shafts go into ANY 05+ axle with zero modifications. Instant 1550 steer straight beef.

Here is a 1550 D60 next to a D44 shaft Best part is, the entire assembly there is only $150 a SIDE complete.

That's cool for a nice 1550 upgrade. Guess I'm thinking about Reid and Crane king pin stuff, the 1550 stuff won't work with their regular D60 knuckles, because of the size and because of needing the 1550 unit bearings instead of spindles. They both make special knuckles, which require new inner C's, to work with the 1550 axles and with the RCV Big Bell stuff....like the rock bouncers are running, and some rock crawl rear steer guys are starting to go to. I've broken a 300m RCV in the rear, which is why I'm looking into it.

Yeah, when thinking about a 1550 upgrade for a Jeep, from a D44.........what a difference!!

 

[OX1]

I'


I didn't mean super 60, I meant SuperDuty D60, anything 05+ with 19+' axle shafts is how you get the 1550 steer joints in a 05+ housing. The SD axle with factory wheels is 1" wider than a 90's fullsize Bronco, it wouldn't take much, if anything, to get the tires to fit under the fenders.

Narrowing an axle is easy and isn't expensive, pop the c's off and shorten the tube or cut and sleeve the long side. Custom length shafts are not expensive to have made either. As for electrical it's minimal being that it's a modern axle with speed sensors, we're not talking retro fitting a KP axle. Control arms could be stock for all that matters. I can do all the work myself, the axles are stupid cheap and plentiful in my area (I can get fronts for $300 complete, the e-locker rears are ~$700) and fabricating is just time and materials.

I'm not saying I would buy a 30k+ vehicle and do this to it out of the box, I'm not looking for the spotlight, but it doesn't have to even cost 10k to do it.

This is how my answer would have went, almost 100%. Those complaining about this either knew it all and just wanted to whine about someone else's money/choices, or have no business even commenting in the first place, as they have never fabbed even one minor part in their life.

Might be some first time ever electronics integration and/or even a custom tune, but SAS conversions will be commonplace very soon, so get used to it.

 

[BAUS67]

Looks like this thread could use an update.


Multiple pics in this first one.

 

[goatman]

Yay! Check me out! I'm turning a modern truck into a Conestoga wagon!

 

[BAUS67]

Yay! Check me out! I'm turning a modern truck into a Conestoga wagon!

To each his own, my friend.

I love the negative 90 wheels and rubber band tires look.

 

[ollie]

Oh boy.....is everything over stock height now called "SAS'd"

I guess I feel the same way about this that I do about the super built up Jeeps on 40's. This is cool for SEMA, and I'm sure it's cool to be a first build front straight axle new Bronco, but in real life it's kind of pointless. There's no where that you need 40's to go that you would do with a long wheelbase full bodied car. It ends up being over kill and goes so far as to be another level of mall crawler. If you want to do big rocks, spend half that and get a decent rock buggy. Besides, the sticky compound is what really makes the difference, not the tire size. But, I get it, somebody had to be first.

I'm a rock buggy driver. We see it all the time. Guys spend a fortune building big Jeeps, but will never hang with the buggies because of way too much weight and body and non-sticky tires. Then they buy a buggy and say they never should have built the Jeep that big because they are left with a crappy pseudo buggy and a crappy exploration and street driver Jeep. Other than trying to be cool (mall crawler stuff) it's kinda pointless.

Richard thank you so much for your perspective. Your explanation say it all!! It's just like guys who try to take a 500+ lb adventure bike on a single track extreme trail that lightweight dirt bikes conquer.

 

[goatman]

To each his own, my friend.

I love the negative 90 wheels and rubber band tires look.

Yeah, he's getting what he wants. Not my truck, and not my money. Just like he's free to build and drive what he wants, I'm free to comment on it.

I was going to stay away from this thread from here on out, but now I see the full hydro steering on a 50k brand new modern truck. And, the radius arms, and short track bar? Can anyone say "we're going to bind and kill the bushings"? Oh crap, I can't hold myself back.

Ford went to rack and pinion steering so it could have a big advantage in driveability over a Jeep with a steering gear. Heck, let's go back to the dark ages and put a really crappy full hydro steering on this bad boy!

I appreciate good design, and good fab work, even if I don't agree with the basic concept. This is neither.

 

[BAUS67]

Yeah, he's getting what he wants. Not my truck, and not my money. Just like he's free to build and drive what he wants, I'm free to comment on it.

I was going to stay away from this thread from here on out, but now I see the full hydro steering on a 50k brand new modern truck. And, the radius arms, and short track bar? Can anyone say "we're going to bind and kill the bushings"? Oh crap, I can't hold myself back.

Ford went to rack and pinion steering so it could have a big advantage in driveability over a Jeep with a steering gear. Heck, let's go back to the dark ages and put a really crappy full hydro steering on this bad boy!

I appreciate good design, and good fab work, even if I don't agree with the basic concept. This is neither.

I just enjoy the entertainment factor.

 

[BAUS67]

The builder posted this to his IG today and I think many here should read his post ALL the way through it is long but a VERY good read. Comments are good as well.

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Just goes to show sometimes one should not judge a book by it's cover.​

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Just my 2 cents. Carry on.​

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[BAUS67]

More than just the first pic

 

[Corsair]

id be more interested in a IRS swap with a second swaybar disconnect.
Thats what the electic versions will have.

We’re pretty far from those being anything but a novelty.

 

[Nobody]

 

[wetdog]

I went to buy a porsche with a blown engine so that I could put a coyote in it,the owner found out and refused to give it to me.
Purists have no imagination lol

 

[01tundra]

What the hell are you talking about? I daily drive a Wrangler TJ on 38s. It has a lot of suspension upgrades. It drives like a dream. Only reason I stopped at 38 was the wheelbase of a TJ is too short to go any bigger.

40s on a long wheelbase like a 4-door Bronco is a highly desirable combo.

I can't stand uninformed opinions. Jeez, man.

Yep, pretty funny responses.

I cut the IFS off my '01 Tundra at 26k miles and put a solid axle under it.

It was my daily driver for over 10 years and would drive down the interstate as 75 MPH comfortably on 40's and hang with the 'rock buggies' off road. We drove it coast to coast and ran most of the major trails across the county.

I sold it with 130k miles on it and it still had factory automatic transmission that was working as well as day #1.

People are free to do whatever they want with their rig to meet their needs.

Like it or not, people doing things like this are what drives the off-road industry to keep evolving and producing aftermarket items. Even if a SAS (solid axle swap) isn't your thing, there may be other components developed because of it that you are interested in.

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