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:

 

[036speed]

Progress?

 

[036speed]

Snuck out of a family function for a few hours this weekend. Motivation has been renewed.

That is the truck I normally wheel with. 4.0L, 1354 doubler, D44, 8.8, 5.13s, 38s, Reid knuckles, RCVs, Ox lockers, OBA, etc

 

[036speed]

New Years Resolution: Work on this dang thing! I need to get this thing rolling this year. December 31 2016 marked 2 years of ownership.

I bought a house in December. My last house. Moved this thing once again. No steering, brakes or power adds to the challenge. But nonetheless, its home.
We did buy a project house. I know, great idea. Been working on it a lot since its been cold. But as soon as its over 40 again, this ZF5 is going in!
Dead truck life

At the new place. 32x24x8. Not my dream, but it has 100amp service. No concrete though. Planning on expanding to 32x46x13 in 2018. Concrete will be in this spring.

#speechless

 

[036speed]

I did work on it a little in September at the rental house. Took the trans cover plate off. Changed the clutch pedal assembly. FYI, 1995 Ranger pedals bolt in.

Started cutting off the OEM trans x-member brackets and ditched the OEM fuel tank. Dont mind the Ohio Rust...

Currently helping a friend build a 32x48. Then another friend is building one this fall, then hopefully add on to mine in 2018

 

[036speed]

Been busy. Most of my time has been spent fixing house things.
Working on getting a floor poured in my secondary garage.

Did go wheeling at the end of March. Towed a friends rig down to Kentucky. Not really a rock crawling place, but it was a good bachelor party for another friend.

However, I sure am re-motivated to work on my hunk of metal. Weather is starting to break as well.

For more motivation, I took my kids on a little trail run last weekend in the Ram. Their first time out on an actual trail. They loved it. Motivation level even higher.

 

[036speed]

Wow, Photobucket sure pulled a fast one.

Anyways, I spent a few minutes on the Mounty recently.

Got the ZF5 bolted in. I had to cut a few unneeded tabs off the bell housing and the tunnel near the gas pedal needed some BFH love.
Then got the 1356 bolted in. The frame needed a little notch. It does hang down lower than I would like. But it is a full size case in a not full side rig. I will make it work. There is only room for maybe 5* of clocking. Not enough to gain anything.

Next on the list is to get a trans X-member fabricated up. Then I can start on the front suspension

Now I have to figure out how to add pictures again lol

 

[036speed]

Photo Aug 04, 10 32 45 PM by Bradley Franczak, on Flickr

Photo Aug 04, 10 33 07 PM by Bradley Franczak, on Flickr

Photo Aug 04, 10 40 59 PM by Bradley Franczak, on Flickr

Photo Aug 17, 1 41 00 PM by Bradley Franczak, on Flickr

 

[crazyflights]

looking great!

I know all about moving during projects, sure eats up a lot of time moving stuff. I've thought hard about building 4dr v8 using 05+ dana 60 -cant wait to see more