Dana 60 being installed under my 91

Progress has finally begun.
The Dana 60 is completed and ready for installation.

Here is the scoop.

I had a local shop put together a reverse cut Dana 60 with 5:13 Gears and an ARB. I am sticking with the ARB because I like it and my TTB had an ARB in it, so all the plumbing is there. The 60 has a center section from a 80s F-350. The Tubes are from something he had around the shop. The Axels are 35spline and cut to fit my application. I put in my order about 6 months ago. Due to him being a friend and letting him get parts as they became available, it took some time. I was not in any rush as I appreciate the work and cost involved if I were to have purchased it elsewhere.
Anyway, the axel is in and I almost completed the teardown. Let me say this. Half of the brackets and components under the front of my EX were either brocken or bent really bad. I had no idea it was such a mess under there. I am so glag the POS is out of there.

FST is going to build my front end. When completed it will have a 4 link and Coil Overs. The rear will be the 8.8 with 5:13s and a E-Locker. I will get springs to match the front end. I will be running 37 or 38 inch Boggers on 15 inch bead locks.

I forgot my camera I will have pictures next time around.

 

[410Fortune]

the dimples actually add strength when welded (sorry not pictured on this truck), think of them as tubes running down between the sandwiched plates.
In many cases (like on a flat piece or those brackets pictured above) they can also be weight reducing and just decorative.

 

[95offroadx]

holy **** man that thing looks sooo awesome! how much lift do you have??

i want to get mine to look like that sometime

 

[tdavis]

Congrats hammer!

Good to see it moving again!

Headed to trail this weekend, eh?

 

[Nick26]

the dimples actually add strength when welded (sorry not pictured on this truck), think of them as tubes running down between the sandwiched plates.
In many cases (like on a flat piece or those brackets pictured above) they can also be weight reducing and just decorative.

I wasn't talking about the "stack of dimes" if thats what you meant... i was just wondering why they drilled so many holes in all the pieces i see of theirs.

 

[Hammer]

Nick26, same track bar it just has been plated and guseted.
The holes are to remove wieght and also for decoration, each hole is punched, there are only a few large ones that were cut on the plasma table.

 

[410Fortune]

they are called dimples, they are cut with a dimple die. hahaha, they are stamped and cut, not drilled, except the larger ones apparently were plasma

See how they are shaped? You can imagine a piece of steel that has the circles cut out with the tapered angle around the hole would be far more rigid to flexing then a simple flat piece of plate steel.
win win situation, remove weight, add strength, look cool.
They are also way overused in the industry these days because of their "bling" factor, hahaha look at desert trucks and you will see them everywhere, even where they are not needed.

Hammer go detail/wax the truck, tune it up, then go beat on it and take some pics

 

[Hammer]

She is finally running smooth again. I had to take it into a shop and I asked them to run the gamete on it and check everything out. All my cylinders read the same on a compression check. I have spark to all the cylinders. The problem was number 5 and 6 had clogged injectors. They cleaned them and put a bottle of injector cleaner in the truck and all is good. The more I drive it the better is runs.

Now here is my list before I hit the trail:
I need a cowl induction hood, where do you get them, I prefer steel???
My engine cage will not clear unless I get a hood.

-Mount shock reservoirs
-Front ARB is not engaging, figure that out
-Mount ARB compressor
-Mount Radiator overflow
-Mount Rear Shocks
-Purchase and install bilstien coil over spacers
-Mount new headlights and clear corners
-Install winch power cables
-Reinstall front bumper
-Install and hook up winch
-Install ARB switches on Dash
-Change bolt pattern on spare tire mount
-Purchase lug nuts and install wheel spacers
-Notch trans cross member
-Clearance front drive shaft flange
-Install correct pinion yoke
-Fab air cleaner mount


That should be enough to hit the trail

 

[bmxking5]

I don't know of any place that makes steel cowl induction hoods. I know that up22.com sells some glass cowl hoods for fairly cheap.

 

[rookieshooter]

One Hellava of project! Would like to see pic of engine cage. How much of the hood interfers with cage? Just wondering that this may have to be a special fabbed up hood?

 

[410Fortune]

steel = make it yourself. Fiberglass = buy it, install.

Man that thing looks so killer and the list of projects actually sounds like FUN to me, in a sick sort of way...the hard part is over.
I assume FST installed the front ARB, usually with ARB's I have seen the lockers always work fine, its the air line or wiring that people have issues with

 

[Blaine122300]

You could just buy a hood scoop and mount it on your factory hood. You could use rivits and make it look real utilitarian!!
Or just cut out where your hood interferes and have the engine cage stick out.

Have fun!!

-Andy

 

[hvac man]

I was just wondering if that thing has bumpstops?

 

[Hammer]

I am not into fiberglass on rock crawlers, I like to see the carnage.
I just could not cut something into the hood and rivet a scoop on, a bit too simple and unclean, I work at a body shop the guys would give me crap
Bumpstops??? What are those?
The front ARB came with the D60 front. However I did remove it for welding and at that time I replaced all the bearings and cleaned it out real good. We tested it on the bench when we got it all back together and it did not lock. I thought that due to the time sitting around all it might need is a good dowsing in gear oil and maybe a little drive but that did nothing. The compressor and hose all come from my D35 :thumbdwn: , no leaks or problems with it.
Anyway I will get it down to his shop and he can deal with it.

To add pain to my pleasure, My SuperDuty took a dump on me today. Well it actually started Friday night after wheeling with some friends. I was in charge of towing a budies jeep since my Ex is not quite ready. We had just loaded up and started heading home at 3:15 A.M. when I decided to get on the skinny pedal entering the freeway. Anyway it was pounding out about 32 pounds of boost when it hickuped. Not sure what happened but it started running rough and the Service Engine Soon light came on. It is really rough from idle to about 2 grand then smooths out. Anyway it made it home, to work the next morning and back to work this morning. I left work tonight and it did not make it out of the parking lot when it lost all power. Now it starts rough and idles rough. Has no power and will not go over 20mph. At one time this evening the off light on my Over Drive was flashing.
What the hell is going on????
Crazy thing is I made an appointment to drop it off and a reservation for a rental tommorow A.M. Now I have a tow bill :fire:

 

[410Fortune]

Welcome to my world (2 trucks down, only happens at the worst possible time)

Cutting the hood around the engine cage might be pretty friggin cool.
If you work at a body shop have them weld up a steel cowl in your hood?

 

[Hammer]

Supertduty is back.
Fuel rail electric connectors came off. Only $595 to get that one fixed.

I think I can get away with removing some of the inner structure and it should clear

 

[brnbomr]

what about a front drive line? some pics have one and some do not. thats alote of flex what are you going to run? that truck is sick, black on black

 

[Rick]

Any updates?

 

[Spas]

ooOOoOOOoOooooooo *drool drool*

Your Explorer is an inspiration, Hammer!

 

[Rick]

Ok Hammer... the jig is up. I heard you were out in Parker. Where's the PICS????

 

[Hammer]

I have been out 3 times plus the two runs at Desert Splash. The Explorer has performed great. I plan on starting a thread to fill everyone in, however 13 hour days and a house remodel is taking a toll.
I dont have hardly any pics as I rode solo, Matts girlfriend and Sams wife have several pics and I will get them soon.
Here is my picture of Saturdays staging area before we headed out.