Hoopdee 94.0 Bronco

[Brett_408]

Alright going to start a new build thread for my new (to me) Bronco. The thread name is because this will be my 4th offroad vehicle "build" and my family calls them all hoopdee's starting with 1.0 now on 4.0. Anyway I sold my 3 seat tundra prerunner recently in hopes of building a 4 seat prerunner platform. Incomes the 1994 ford bronco arguably the best vehicle to ever come out of any car manufacturer ever in the history of humanity. Plans are keep fun for the kids, capable of mild 4x4 trails and enjoyable in the desert. Another big thing will be keeping it capable of driving on long multi day trips with no truck/trailer situations.


Heres the day I picked it up. That night I took the stock wheels and tires off and picked up a set of 33's in decent shape cheap.

 

[Brett_408]

I did all the general maintenance stuff you do when you buy a 30 year old truck that hasn't drivin much in the last 10 years. Then the following weekend took it to JV for our new years trip. Put about 150 offroad miles on it the 4 days we were there all with the wife and 2 kids. We had a blast. These things are pretty decent stock. Forgot to mention I through a 2inch lift coil and camber adjusters in before the trip so the tires would clear the fenders.

 

[Brett_408]

After that Trip I addressed the oil leaking from what i could tell was either the rear main seal or oil pan gasket. I dropped the trans and transfer case (serviced both of those) then replaced both the rear main and oil pan gaskets. I also whipped up a quick headers back exhaust with some stainless tubing and dynomax mufflers I had laying around. Sounds meh but it will work. This entire job was awful and I didn't take any pics.

 

[bullnerd]

Dang! Things mint!

Congrats dude! Nice truck.

 

[Brett_408]

Few weekends after that I attended the baja society poker run that @deangraen and his family hosted. We did another 165 miles that weekend issue free. Even completed the poker run not in last place!

 

[Brett_408]

The first real fab work i've done on this thing is the rear bumper. I'm almost done with it now but here a few pics of the process. This is a good time to add I'm having to be pretty thrifty on this build as the budget is very tight these days (thanks Biden) lol. I will be building everything I can by myself minimal off the shelf parts as of now. That being said most store bought bumpers are 1000 bucks give or take. So I built this thing. Stole the idea from a very old pic on Go Fast Broncos. Basically a badazzled 2"x4" rectangle tube.

 

[FasterNU]

bumper is nicely bedazzled. Did you have to drill a second hole on receiver? One looks like it interferes with plate work.

 

[96f-u250]

Nice looking bumper!

 

[Brett_408]

bumper is nicely bedazzled. Did you have to drill a second hole on receiver? One looks like it interferes with plate work.

I did. the hole that came predrilled is now inside the gusset plates. New hole behind the bumper.

 

[sixdee9er]

I like it. Does the spare sit on the tube portion?

I've been trying to come up with a solution for my spare that allows use of the stock tire swing without destroying my tailgate.

 

[Brett_408]

I like it. Does the spare sit on the tube portion?

I've been trying to come up with a solution for my spare that allows use of the stock tire swing without destroying my tailgate.

It does not. 33's aren't to bad for the stock tire gates and the next tire I'll do will probably be 37's so i will be ditching the stock gate at that point.

 

[Baconcreekmetal]

That appears to be a super clean bronco.
I like the bumper. Building it yourself is the best way to get what you want at a decent price.

 

[Brett_408]

If anyone is running or has a suggestion on coil rate and lengths I'm all hears. Trying to get an idea for a base line or starting point for valving and coils to get me at least in the ball park. Ill be running 3.0x14 fox's, no bypasses. 4.5" over beams.

 

[Brett_408]

Couple finished pics. With the license plate relocation.

 

[theycallmeWALLY]

For sure going to copy this bumper in some respect!

 

[Brett_408]

I did a couple more runs with the family in the last month nothing crazy just day trips and such before the front end tear down.





Started to assemble the DIY Offroad radius arm mounts for the frame side and beam side. Just slowly sourcing front suspension parts.

 

[bullnerd]

How does the stock spare carrier do with a 35 on it?

Looks like your bumper has additional support?

 

[Brett_408]

Question for all the D44 TTB or Bronco guys. I've started disassembly on the front suspension and will be getting the beam sand blasted before working on them. I plan on extending the beam 1.5-2" depending on tire clearance with stock fenders and 35's. I will also be doing the lower ball joint "cut n turn" myself I have tried to source the billet lower ball joint ear from a couple different builders with no luck. I'm going to us the stock ear it looks like. Question is once the stock ear is cut out of the beam end how much do you pull it out for each side finding this number has been impossible? I'm just looking to get a rough idea I will still mock it up once ride height is found and caster is set before plating it all back in.

 

[Brett_408]

How does the stock spare carrier do with a 35 on it?

Looks like your bumper has additional support?

That's a 33 on there now and it is fine. I will be going to a 35 soon and possibly modifying the bumper to support the bottom or ditching the tire gate all together and putting the tire in the cab ( I prefer this look).

 

[96f-u250]

I know guys on here have done this lower BJ hole relocation. But it also varies depending on how much lift you have and if your beam brackets are in the factory location.
I think @the bodj and @85Yota have done this.
Pretty sure it was around 1/2”.
Also, any machine shop can make you one if you give them the factory tapered hole.