Stan's AEV build.

[Stan the Man]

I've been a stalker of the Portal for a while now and finally decided register. I'll keep this thread to keep everyone updated on my build and for small discussion expedition stuff.


A little about me:

I'm a 4th year college student, so a budget is always on my mind. I figured out a long time ago that if I work on my own truck, I'll have more money to spend on parts rather than labor. I have installed and fixed everything on my truck own my own, with the help of my buddies. I am very detail orientated and am very picky about cleanliness. Anything I do is thoroughly thought out and planned to get the cleanest install I can. I love all types of wheeling and that is the main reason why I am building an Expedition oriented truck. I love being behind the wheel and I want to experience places.

... Oh and my name is Stan

My build:

1996 Ford Bronco
351w
E4OD transmission
D44 TTb in the front and Ford 8.8 in the rear.
4.56 gears
Auburn ECTED in the front
Detroit E-locker in the rear
4" Rancho lift
35x12.5R15 BFG All Terrains
15x8 Mickey Thompson Classic II's
KC 6" Slimlites (driving pattern)
Optima Yeller Top
160A High Output 3G alternator

Bumpers, sliders, and a winch is in the works. Right now I have a bunch of exhaust stuff that needs to be modified and installed on my truck.

I know AEV is a Jeep company, but I'm keeping the acronym and applying it to my truck. My goal is to go on an American expedition after my last year of college; hopefully gas prices don't get out of hand. Right now I'm not doing so much expedition, but more so California wheeling. That's all going to change this Spring though, when I make an expedition to Moab, Utah.

The start:

The Change:

 

[matt s]

Clean bronco. That last shot looks like it was just begging for some carnage. Will keep an eye out to see it with the new bumpers.

 

[NorCalBronco]

Nice Bronco, thanks for sharing! Where do you like to go in California, I'm guessing those shots are from Hollister?

 

[Stan the Man]

Clean bronco. That last shot looks like it was just begging for some carnage. Will keep an eye out to see it with the new bumpers.

Thanks. That last picture was the closest I've come to putting it on its side; luckily I had a change of shorts.

Nice Bronco, thanks for sharing! Where do you like to go in California, I'm guessing those shots are from Hollister?

Yeah, the last couple were from Hollister. Pismo is a favorite, but we do a lot of trails in the Eldorado area. I missed the Rubicon trip this past month, but Strawberry pass, Hell Hole, Niagara Rim, and the like are on the list.

 

[Scott Brady]

nice Bronco. Welcome!

 

[Funrover]

Nice rig!

 

[strange]

ohh man another clean bronco, i think we just became friends haha
how you like ECTED in the front?
ive heard mixed review about them in the rear (because there not 100% lock) but people still want it to act like it is, but seems like it would be just fine in the front.

woo that thing is to clean to be on those kinda trails. im just finishing up my engine swap in my 95 EB, cant wait to get to driving it again
i love these things

 

[Stan the Man]

ohh man another clean bronco, i think we just became friends haha
how you like ECTED in the front?
ive heard mixed review about them in the rear (because there not 100% lock) but people still want it to act like it is, but seems like it would be just fine in the front.

woo that thing is to clean to be on those kinda trails. im just finishing up my engine swap in my 95 EB, cant wait to get to driving it again
i love these things

Thanks for the love guys.

I like the ECTED in the front. I've never had a problem with it slipping when its supposed to be fully locked. Auburn advertises it as 100% lock up, so I don't know why people say its not. Maybe they're using synthetic oil in the diff? With that said, I rarely lock it up :sombrero: The LS in front and locked rear is usually enough to get me by, but in the snow and mud it helps locking it up to go over slippery rocks or logs.


If you guys haven't made a trip to Uncle Toms Cabin near the Rubicon, I highly suggest you go.

Take the road less traveled right? At about this point I lost my rear locker. It turned out the the wiring just outside the pumpkin was slightly pulled out of the connector so the locker wasn't getting power. When I lost my rear locker, I got stuck, and so did the Jeep behind me. When I got home from the trip, I gave the line more slack, snipped the connector and hard wired the two ends together.

I dug myself out, got pulled out by another bronco and then came back to fetch the Jeep. This whole deal was about 20 minutes into the 18 mile drive to Uncle Toms Cabin.

 

[Stan the Man]

I'm going to ahead and order myself a Tuffy center console, since I don't have one that locks. I want to feel like my valuables are a little more secure when I park this thing at school (I go to school in downtown and this is my only vehicle/my DD). I'm torn on which console I should get; the plain jane one or the one with the radio compartment? There's only a $15 price difference, so thats no big deal. I wouldn't use the radio compartment for my radio or CB though, it'd be more for a switch panel. Input?

I'm also in need of some interior lights since I have burnt out bulbs. I'd like to go with some LED's; hopefully increase the light output while lowering the amperage. I think I'd like to get red LEDs for the front map lights to help my eyes while driving at night or on the trail, and then use whites for the cargo/passenger area. Does anybody have experience with red lights? Do they work like they are supposed to; helping maintain your night vision?


Would look something like this (but these are from a Tahoe):

 

[elmo_4_vt]

From another Bronco owner...

Can't wait to see what you do with it Stan...

Edit: For the record, I'd get the console with the radio whole... It'd be a great place for a all your switches...

 

[matt s]

The tuffy is awesome, I have the plain one in my k5. It holds a ton of stuff! As to the radio one....I don't know you lose some space. You could easily have toggles mounted on the front of the tuffy (or the side for stealth) and not lose all that space. It would be pretty simple, after all it's still just a metal box.

Either way your gonna love that box.

EDIT: another bonus it looks like tuffy really improved the lock mechanism compared to the lock that is on mine. Hmm I wonder if I can upgrade the lock???

 

[jeepmedic46]

Nice clean Bronco, I like the tuffy as well had it in my wrangler and loved it. I wish that they made it for my Kj.

 

[masterplumber]

I have a Tuffy center console in my '95 F350 - basicaly same interior. I have the one without the radio compartment & then mounted a cb & the face for a ham radio on the front of it. My thinking was it would be much easier to mount the radios since they weren't designed to be mounted thru the dash which is the basic design of the interior of the stereo compartment on the Tuffy. It works great but I wish now I'd bought the one with the stereo compartment & spent the extra time on the mounting - it would have been much more secure & out of sight in the first place so less of a temptation. Just some food for thought. BTW, very nice Bronco.
Doug

 

[brianjwilson]

Nice truck! I love the fullsize Broncos!

 

[Stan the Man]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys. I'm digging this place.


I decided to put the Tuffy console on hold for now. Its going to be probably another month before I get the wiring started (for all my aux. stuff, don't know if I mentioned that in any previous posts); hopefully I wont need my front locker for the next month or so because I removed the switch and some wiring.

I've been sitting on a bunch of exhaust parts for a couple of months now. I picked up a pair of Bassani ceramic headers (equal length shorties) and a matching Bassani y-pipe for a steal. I bought them brand new from Scott down at Camburg who was going to install them on his project race Bronco, but decided to make his own stuff. I saved close to $400 by taking these off his hands :ylsmoke:

Fast forward a couple of months, I now have a matching Catco cat, Hooker Aerochamber muffler, and Maremont tailpipe. Everything after the collector on the y-pipe is 3" and everything from the block to back is mandrel bent.

The y-pipe needs to be customized because it was designed for a 87-95, but I have the parts new bungs to weld in, I just need the time. The last picture of the tailpipe is not of it installed on my truck, its another members on FSB, but I'll use it for reference. I gotta debate if I want to let it exit there and hang low or dump it right after it comes over the rear axle.

Pictures!