The Great Bronco Build

Just curious if anyone here has or has had any experience with a Ford Bronco and lifting it? I know I can use a bronco forum but I like you folks and am pretty sure someone out there must've owned one.

My grandpa and grandma has given my brother and I their '86 bronco and our plan is to build it up for the trails. Curious about lifts mainly, I've seen rough country come up a lot and I know their tacoma lifts are junk country. Also, I don't want a 6" lift, more along the lines of 4"'s.

Feel free to toss in any experience you've had with the rig. I still like my taco better...

Edit: I guess I'm going to keep track of the build in here, it's going to be slow for sure but the end result should be badass.

 

Sub'd to see the results

 

You might be here a while

 

It's all good. It'll be worth it

 

I would check out these guys.

http://www.threatmotorsports.com/TTBPackagedeals.html

http://www.solomotorsports.com/

you will be truly disappointed with a drop down kit, like rancho/rough country. do it correct and you will be able to use it as hard as you want.
if you are not trying to increase the track width, look at the cut and turned beams. they will allow for something like a 2-4" coil, then team that with a good shock and you're dialed.
Solo is very helpful and can walk you through most of the set up. Threat has really good pricing. They both make really good parts.

 

subd.

those old school broncos are nice.

 

Sweet! Thanks for the links, basically starting from the ground up on what's required for lifting and getting a bronco to perform correctly. I know my brother wants to do it right as well and 2 sources of cash should make it so cost isn't a huge deal haha.

 

My favourite bronco's are the '78-'79's but I mean, a free '86? Hell ya I'll take that and build it up!

 

wait. youre in canada?

 

hold on.

 

I used to own a 1988 Bronco. Best college truck ever, especially in the midwest: American V8 with a removeable top? Let's just say it was the favorite ride to the lake for quite a few of the girls...

Anyway, back to the topic at hand:

#1) If you're gonna play with this truck a lot, the guys over at fullsizebronco are wizards with the machines. There's one guy running a Cummins 6BT, Dana-60 Bronco that is bananas. You wanna do it, they either have done it or know how to.

#2) I was running a 2.5" Superlift. It went on in a weekend and didn't have a single problem. That said, if you're going over 3" you're gonna want to start looking at the non-cheap options... because the cheap ones get waaay out of their element the higher you go.

#3) The "Bronco Graveyard" site is a lifesaver for these old trucks, this guy has all kinds of parts and panels available for them.

 

Yep, born and raised on the flat prairies. Dad grew up in Butte MT though. I am both an American and Canadian citizen

 

Thanks man! Like I said, both my brother and myself are building it up, and I think one of my sisters wants in as well so that'd be 3 sources of cash to throw at the beast! I'm thinking around a 4" lift, at least 33's but I know I want 35's haha. Fuck it, at least 35's but I know I want 37's...?

 

Sub'd

Had a '91 with 302 and E4OD as a DD and first truck.

 

I had an '89 with a 302 and AOD transmission. I installed a Dick Cepek stage 2 drop down lift with extended radius arms. You could run it at 4" or 6". I had mine set at 4". I also had new leaf packs from Bronco Graveyard for 4" in the rear. The front was a major pain in the ass because all the original bracketry is held together with huge rivots that had to be grinded and punched out. It fit 35's with no rubbing. I regeared to 4.56 and installed a Detroit locker in the rear and Detroit Tru-trac in the front. That thing was a beast offroad. You really need extended arms for the front if your going to do much offroading with the I beam suspension.

 

Damn that's sick man, I'll check into that as well!

 

Man, you guys have clean trucks.

My Bronco had a rust hole in the fender you could stick your hand through, the bottom of the tailgate was a giant hole, the hood was a nice solid brown from surface rust and I could store a beer can in the rear door posts... and despite the body literally falling apart from rust, the frame was solid as a rock *looks pointedly at Toyota*.

Oh, and the 302 + AOD + 8.8" combination has all the frailty of a granite boulder.

 

Fullsizebronco.com was previously mentioned. They are pretty good over there. I had a 96 that started its life with me on 4" lift and 35" BFG Muds. By the time those guys on the bronco forum were done with me I had that sucker on 12" SAS lift and switched between 37" and 42" tires. Damn that thing was bad. Miss it, but maybe I'll have another some day.

 

I'd love a '68-'72 Chevy K5 Blazer in great original shape.