Family Wheeler - 2nd Gen Mounty on Tons

GOAL: Have a streetable (but will be towed to the trails) family rig on 40s that can handle difficult obstacles and trails.

Rig - The Mount
Make: Mercury
Model: Mountaineer
Engine: 5.0L EFI
Trans: Auto
Case: AWD, no low range.
Front: Torsion Bar A-Arm
Rear: SOA 8.8
Gears: 3.73s
Miles: 146,000

Plans:
Trans: ZF5
Case: 1356 (if I can fit it). Also have a 4407.
Front: 2005 Ford Dana 60, Parallel 4 link
Rear: 2006 Sterling 10.50, leaf for now
Gearing: 5.38s
Tires: 40-42" DIA

I would also like to chop the rear and put the gate directly behind the rear seats. I do not have the resources for something like that... YET.

Day One:

With 33s

Now 12-15-15:

 

[mynameisaric]

The fun part is that I sort of wrench old school. Haven't been using impacts or other power tools because I work on this at night after my family goes to sleep. I have to wrench quietly. It adds to the challenge.

Funny you mention that. I basically live alone, but I wonder sometimes if the grinding, cutting, banging, impacting, etc. bothers my neighbors sometimes. Haven't had a complaint yet though. I've also only done minor projects on my 150 since my explorer is still in storage until I get the funds for a new driveway.

Nice project so far

 

[036speed]

Took 2 saw zaw blades. Thought it would be less cleanup than torching but I have a lot of grinding to do. No big deal.

Stock vs D60 lol

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o307/muddinford95/Mount/7EEC61A6-0066-40B9-B95E-CE31AC8752DF_zpszoiaupx7.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

 

[madbutcher]

Awsome to se some progress!!!

 

[036speed]

Had a night open last week. Helped that it was 30 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year.

I spent hours cleaning up the from. I have the bottom of the passenger side to do yet. What a fun job that is. No wonder people buy Jeeps...

Then I grabbed the 60 to slide it under just to see. I was going to gut the axles but the snap ring on the end of the stub shafts require some long nose snap ring pliers. I put it on my list for Santa. Anyways, this is one HEAVY axle.

Then I started to mount the last 2 tires so I could throw them on. But the cops showed up as I was trying to get this one to seat the bead. So I called it a night around 1am.

Now to start figuring out how I want to do this front suspension. Then probably start chopping these OEM axle arm mounts off.

 

[96firephoenix]

I want more pics of your dually quad cab... does it have it's own thread? at least around my part of the world, that's a rare beauty.

Oh, and the Mounty looks fun.

 

[036speed]

I want more pics of your dually quad cab... does it have it's own thread? at least around my part of the world, that's a rare beauty.

Oh, and the Mounty looks fun.

Thanks! I don't live too far from you. It gets many complements around here as well. Even though its bone stock grandpa status. No bro wheels, huge wheel well gaps and huge tips here.

I have one on TRS. I will have to dig it up at home. TRS is blocked here at work...
Anyways, I started a thread because I was going to 4wd swap it. I actually purchased a parts truck shortly after I bought the dually in 2012 but sold it. Then I bought a D60 twice and sold both.

Now I want to link it and bag it. 3/5 drop would be fantastic. 2wd really isn't that bad since I don't drive it in the winter. And I will have a very capable 4wd once this Mounty gets done. Hopefully before 2020...

Some pics to pass the time.

Some GoPro action

Yes, I have a slight tint fetish...

 

[96firephoenix]

Thanks! I don't live too far from you. It gets many complements around here as well. Even though its bone stock grandpa status. No bro wheels, huge wheel well gaps and huge tips here.

I have one on TRS. I will have to dig it up at home. TRS is blocked here at work...
Anyways, I started a thread because I was going to 4wd swap it. I actually purchased a parts truck shortly after I bought the dually in 2012 but sold it. Then I bought a D60 twice and sold both.

Now I want to link it and bag it. 3/5 drop would be fantastic. 2wd really isn't that bad since I don't drive it in the winter. And I will have a very capable 4wd once this Mounty gets done. Hopefully before 2020...

Some pics to pass the time.


Yes, I have a slight tint fetish...

MMM I love that unadulterated stock look... aka bone stock grandpa status lol

Also, how's that windshield tint workin out for you? really though, I've been wondering about what life is like when you have a tinted windshield.

 

[036speed]

MMM I love that unadulterated stock look... aka bone stock grandpa status lol

Also, how's that windshield tint workin out for you? really though, I've been wondering about what life is like when you have a tinted windshield.

Unadulterated

Its like having sunglasses on. I love it. My truck will probably be towed when I am caught, but its all good. I really don't drive the truck much anyways. Its more of a toy, certainly not a DD. I had it done after some buddies in Indiana did it. The law does not seem to care in your state. Theirs are darker than mine.

I plan on getting the Mounty shield done as well, but not as dark.

The only time its hard to see is dusk/dawn. That time of day where you need your headlights but they don't really do anything. Rain takes more concentration as well. You just have to pay better attention when driving.

 

[96firephoenix]

Unadulterated

Its like having sunglasses on. I love it. My truck will probably be towed when I am caught, but its all good. I really don't drive the truck much anyways. Its more of a toy, certainly not a DD. I had it done after some buddies in Indiana did it. The law does not seem to care in your state. Theirs are darker than mine.

I plan on getting the Mounty shield done as well, but not as dark.

The only time its hard to see is dusk/dawn. That time of day where you need your headlights but they don't really do anything. Rain takes more concentration as well. You just have to pay better attention when driving.

That's really not too bad... I'd probably go a touch lighter. And yea, I think you have to have a prescription to drive with windshield tint, but you would have to really piss off a cop to get a ticket for that. To the point where it's more like "I'm arresting you for reckless driving, resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, and I'm writing you a ticket for windshield tint without a prescription"

 

[036speed]

The Jeep project is officially all gone.

Started hacking up this 05+D60. What. A. Mess.
What better way to learn how to use a torch...

OEM ball joint track bar mount on fire

 

[slaughterrt]

This thing is awesome.

 

[036speed]

The trans is out and on its way across the country to [MENTION=61940]mounty71[/MENTION]

Took some pics of it next to the SBF ZF

Since the ZF bell housing comes down at a steeper slope, I think it should fit ok. I was planning on chopping the trans tunnel but maybe I wont need to.

Also just bought a flywheel off Amazon. They had the best price... Crazy.
Bought a Luk LFW161. 164 tooth, 11" clutch, external, 50oz imbalance

My house is currently under contract to sell. Dont really have a new place picked out. Its not helping the progress on this build. Moving closer to work somewhere. My wife and I currently both commute 50 miles one way in the same direction. So I need to get this thing at least rolling in the next 3-4 weeks!

Bye garage!

 

[Kage.]

Good lord that ZF is huge next to the 4R

 

[mynameisaric]

hope you find a place with a comparable garage. I wish I had the land to add a detached shop like you have.

 

[036speed]

hope you find a place with a comparable garage. I wish I had the land to add a detached shop like you have.

We are looking. Its not easy haha. The cc dually doesn't fit in most garages.
The house I have now is my first house. I have been spoiled! The bar is set high now. Its been great to have despite the longer 50mile commute to the city for work.

I will probably end up building a garage at the next place. I would prefer a 3 bay, 40 wide x 32ft (Minimum) deep with 12ft ceilings. Might take me a year to save up the funds though. Time will tell.

Two offers have fallen through on my house so far. Quite frustrating. First buyer lost his financing and the 2nd couple got in a fight between country living (my place) and a new development. The wife won and the offer was pulled.

So that means I had to pull the offer on a house I had... It was a decent setup. Had a 42x34 3 car garage and a 24x24 secondary barn with a dirt floor. I was going to raise the roof of the 3 car to 12 ft (its 8 now) and put concrete in the 24x24. But I had to pull my offer since my house is no longer sold. It wasnt meant to be I guess.
Here is the house I almost had

On other note. I got some pedals and steering column for the Mounty. They are from a 97 Ranger. $40 for all of it.

I need to get trans dowels and new flywheel bolts so I can get this ZF in. I will head over the Summit Racing on lunch on the next nice day we have. Its been in the low 30s lately. I just stay in the office on those days.

 

[mounty71]

The trans is out and on its way across the country to [MENTION=61940]mounty71[/MENTION]

It arrived Monday finally!

 

[036speed]

So I sold my house. Took 4 offers, but were are in the home stretch. Buyers want instant possession. Passed all inspections early last week. I have to be out by the 10th. So that means I had to make the Mounty roll last weekend. And it happened during the night hours of the day.

I finished knocking off all the 2006 bracketry off the passenger side. Then started lining up the axle where I wanted it and welded in it. Not the route I wanted to take, but its all I had time for.

Thankfully we found a small rental house with a 3 car garage. No 220, but hey, its a garage. So there is a chance I can still wrench on this thing this year. It wasn't possible to find a new house in the amount of time we had. So we are stuck for a year. Better than being in an apartment!

So here she is. Not going to lie, I was pretty ecstatic when I mounted the front tires on. This is the wheel base I want and the ride height I want. However, this D60 pumpkin is large. I think I am going to have to go up at least 2 more inches. Also, the front is about 2” lower than the rear anyways at this point. The rear is just an axle flip at this point. Yes, there is a lot of cutting in my future.

#Doesntrunyet lol

LOL

 

[036speed]

The new temp space

 

[036speed]

Finally all moved in at the rental house. The garage is just a pile of stuff but the house is done haha. I got a 40x60 into a 15x22 ft space. Cant walk through it, but its all in there. Slowing getting it organized. Basically cant park all of vehicles inside anymore.

Just before moving out of the old shop. The Mounty was pretty much the last item.

I have a friend with a roll back. This was WAY easier than trying to turn the rig 90* with the risk of breaking my front axle welds and dragging it up a deck over trailer. The welds on the cast section of this axle are not the strongest. But thats no surprise.

Sure looked cool!

Then I found a cheap set of "outside" rollers for $20. I bolted those up to keep the sun off my pitbulls and keep them out of sticky hands.

Going to rock this rental for a year. Didn't quite get what I wanted out of my old house so I am a few grand short to buying our dream house. I don't want to move again! Being picky this round. So we are going to save over the next year. If I find something this year, I will sell my OBS dually and go that route. But I highly doubt I will find a house with the garage I want. I plan on building one at the next place which is why I need to save a little more cash. With that said, I need to upgrade the lighting in the rental a bit... There are 2 light sockets in the entire thing. So I need to wire up more lights. I will take them with me when I go. The other issue is that I don't have any 220v. I am making a large 50amp extension cord so I can run my welder and compressor off of the dryer outlet in the basement haha. The current wiring to the garage cannot handle a 50amp line. So once I get that going, will keep on the little things like getting the trans in and buttoning up the rear end. I wont be able to get it into this garage I don't think. Not without kicking out the daily drivers.

 

[036speed]

Not much action on this rig.
But I did get a new tow rig . My DD has been sucking up all my free time and money. More money than its worth. Then it broke again. My wife cut off all money going into that car. So its being sold. Then I got a cash offer on my OBS that I couldnt refuse. So she is gone. So I got something new. Something I dont have to touch for a while. Meaning I can wrench on my actual project! What a concept.

Once my car stops good enough to sell, the Mounty will get a garage spot!

I hope to get the ZF bolted in this month and mock up a cross member. Then see what I got going on with the case.

New truck. I really wanted 3 pedals and a manual case or 2wd. This was my only option...
2016 Ram 2500 with the rear coils.