The Grand Tracker (Retard TT)

[84projectFORD]

Out of 3 days, only got 1 day to work on this thing [emoji2357]

Started with tear down and rebuild of the front diff. It got a spartan locker, new bearings/seals, 5.13 gears, new carrier so the 5.13 gears would work, and new u-joint in the stub shaft. This thing was not fun to setup. Shims are located behind the carrier bearings (between carrier and bearing) and pinion shims behind the inner race. This is not conducive to setting up gears quickly.

So I took the old inner pinion bearing and old Carrie bearings, machined the inside of them so they slip onto the carrie and pinion. That lets me adjust shims without pressing the damn bearings on and off. For the pinion, I started with stock shims. Cool part is this thing does not use a crush sleeve from factory, it’s already a solid sleeve style setup. Spent some time getting that dialed in (12-15in/lbs) and then worked on getting the carrier dialed in for back lash. Finally got it at .007” so I could run a gear pattern and honestly I dont feel the need to mess with it. Turned out really good as is. Pinion is probably a little on the deep side but good enough for what it’s going to be doing

Now that meant tearing it all back apart to change out the setup bearings for new bearings and putting back together.

After that, I popped new u-joints in the stub shaft that comes out the pass side of that diff. I also clearanced the stub for more angle. I have a feeling I’m going to need it but we will see once shocks are in and I can cycle everything.

Then proceeded to put the diff back in the beam and install the uni-balls in the beams. With those in, I put them in the tracker as well as the radius arms. As of now. The uni-ball cup hits the mount it’s attached to when letting the suspension down. I think I’m well past what actually full droop will be but if not, I’ll clearance them and should be good. There is enough meat in there

Can’t wait to run it!

Next up, I need to get paint, assemble the rest of the parts like knuckles and spindles for the final time and then I can start on shocks and mounts. Also need this little spring deal for the axles because the stub shaft that’s in the diff is no longer retained by a cir clip.

 

[85Yota]

Looks good. Also FYI I know more than a couple guys running no c clip on pass inner stub axle and have no problems with the axle pulling out or causing any issues.

 

[84projectFORD]

Looks good. Also FYI I know more than a couple guys running no c clip on pass inner stub axle and have no problems with the axle pulling out or causing any issues.

So they don’t run a spring inside the slip yoke area and tack the cap in place?

 

[85Yota]

Yeah. Just clean the splines on the axle so it slides easily. The seal and splines in the diff are enough friction to only allow the axle shaft to slide in and out of the sub. If you don't limit travel with the spring then run it but the compressed length of the spring sometimes limits droop a bit.

 

[84projectFORD]

Huh good to know! Thanks Tommy

 

[84projectFORD]

Back on fabrication. Got the axles and knuckles on, then started on the driverside to get the suspension in.

3.0 coilovers are some big sum bitches to stuff in this fucker but it fits pretty well. Got a hoop bent up and tacked in some shock mounts. After playing around with placement, wound up with 16.5” of wheel travel metal to metal. Probably bump/strap it around the 16” area.


View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7vd8v2uaso/?igsh=MWY0Mmdxdmp6bHA3cQ==


Added another support tube to the shock hoop and then started on bump stop mounting. Added some plating to the frame and then started making some mounts and bump stop pad for the bump. Had to cycle the heck out of it to figure out where to put it without hitting the coilover and still wasn’t putting all the force on the radius arm. Thing I found a good combo. Next to no scrub on the bump as it hits the bump and compresses it. Works for me and damn am I stoked on how she’s coming about!

Picture dump

 

[85Yota]

Does that spring clear with bump at full extension too?

 

[84projectFORD]

Yeah, kind of an optical illusion.

 

[85Yota]

Copy. I did it on my own ford where it was all clearning until I extended bumps to check scrub on the pad then realized it hit so I moved everything in an inch. I shortened driver bump to 3" stroke and pass at 4" so they contact at the same time.

 

[the bodj]

Copy. I did it on my own ford where it was all clearning until I extended bumps to check scrub on the pad then realized it hit

Same exact thing happened to me haha

 

[85Yota]

Yeah beam team gotta learn that everytime. Also when doing dual swing steering outside the frame and not wide track width gotta make sure shocks clear at full droop and full lock since I had that issue when running bypass off front if the beam.

 

[84projectFORD]

Guess I didn’t update from last weekend. Got the pass side shock, mounts and frame plating in. Cycled it and realized I have an issue. With 6” of droop travel left, the axle shaft binds up and won’t turn. Seems the axle is bottoming out in the slip yoke. Racked my brain on this for a long time because I’ve never heard anyone have this issue and google foo says the same. Conversed with rouse, barge and bootyholehunter and came up with a game plan.

 

[84projectFORD]

Today’s plan was to get the bump stop in, fix the axle bind issue and try to get the engine crossmember in.

So thought to fix the axle issue was to do a c&t. I needed to do this anyhow because my ride height will be higher than I wanted due to the up travel numbers I want. It will move the axle out some and correct my camber. If not, I can trim the axle a 3/16”, I can also trim the stub axle 1/4” and as a last ditch resort, I can slot the beam pivots and move the beams outward a 1/4” or more and then weld in some weld washers.

Jumped straight into the cut and turn this morning

That alone fixed my issue. Could not do this by hand before.

Well guess I can’t upload the gif, file size is too big but axle now turns by hand at full droop

Pulled the axle shaft back out and took 3/16” off the end of the axle just for clearance sake.

Once that was all fixed, I jumped on getting the bump stop in. The pass side bump pad is 1/2” further out and 1/4” further back than the driverside. Yay beams

Looks like there is just a shitload of weld between the beam and bump pad but there is a 1/2” x 3/4” piece of ar500 in there (off an old blade from the tractor). Bevelled it and made a few passes.

Then started on the crossmember. 1st one is pretty much done. Second one will land a little forward of the current one, then lean back and touch the 1st one over the engine. I’ll tie them together with weld and a dimple died plate. I’ll add bungs down the road so it’s removable.

And yes, it clears the hood with room to spare surprisingly

 

[Dirtfiend602]

Yassssssssss

 

[84projectFORD]

Nother long day but it’s inching forward

Engine crossmember in. Cut and turned the driver beam. Welded everything up I had tacked: shock mounts, hoops, plating and so on. That was 3 hours of heat [emoji2961]. The checked camber at ride height. Fucker is right on at .3 positive both sides. Fuuuuuck yeah. So put the hubs on and decided to see what she looked like with a wheel on at ride height and full droop.

 

[Dirtfiend602]

Hell yeah that’s gotta feel good.

 

[85Yota]

TTB swap the world. I'm happy that the front end you got from be ended up being older than the bronco I was parting out. 6 bolt non abs spindles and non accordion crumple zone front frame. Your setup is better for what you're using it for.

 

[Fenix Motorsports]

This thing is ridiculous and I love it.

 

[84projectFORD]

It’s a yes and no on feeling good. Starting to come down to smaller things I’m less excited about that are going to eat up time. Still got a laundry list of things to do and money to spend.

I think once I got it on it’s own weight, that will be the next milestone that sikes me back up

 

[84projectFORD]

Got some time in yesterday. Couldn’t do much today with family stuff

Yesterday I tried popping the steering box in. Radiator mount is in the way. Not terrible as I can massage it out of the way. The bigger blow was the ram assist port I had added goes right into the damn radiator. Port needs to go on the other side of the damn box… oh well.

So I switched gears and worked on brakes. Cleaned up the original calipers (surprisingly seemed in good shape, just rusty) and put them on with new pads. Funny enough, the tracker lines worked out fucking perfect. Had to tweak the end that goes to the caliper but after cycling and cycling and cycling, shit works perfect. Drilled a hole and tapped it to secure the hard to soft line connection. Lines come a little close to the bump pad but no matter how I push on them, they never actually look to be in a danger zone.