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Mounty71's 4x4 Long Travel Build
- Thread starter mounty71
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- 95 ranger 4x4/ 91 X 4x4
...I thought it might have been newer...
..I'm not sure of the life expectancy on pinion seals and I'm sure they range different amongst the brands, but never thought of a 3-4 year old one leaking as a waste of money..
..Leaky pinion seals seem pretty common on here..
...IIRC you got all your money back from the first guy and that money went for the second install?
..This might help...Toward the bottom of this thread and you should be able to do it yourself..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234671
..I'm not sure of the life expectancy on pinion seals and I'm sure they range different amongst the brands, but never thought of a 3-4 year old one leaking as a waste of money..
..Leaky pinion seals seem pretty common on here.....IIRC you got all your money back from the first guy and that money went for the second install?
..This might help...Toward the bottom of this thread and you should be able to do it yourself..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234671
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No, not wasted money. Just money I don't want to spend. But isn't that the case for everything...?
I think I got my money back from that guy, but I honestly don't remember.
Thanks for the link, I was going to begin looking into if it's doable myself.
I think I got my money back from that guy, but I honestly don't remember.
Thanks for the link, I was going to begin looking into if it's doable myself.
- Joined
- March 4, 2007
- Messages
- 25,877
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- 126
- City, State
- anaheim hills,california
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 95 ranger 4x4/ 91 X 4x4
...That's my problem with both my trucks...I can't seem to get one mod finished before another maintenance problem shows up..
...The list of "Need to Do's" is growing faster than the "Want to Do" list..
..It's a vicious and costly cycle..
...The list of "Need to Do's" is growing faster than the "Want to Do" list..
..It's a vicious and costly cycle..
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- '00 Mountaineer
F getting that pinion nut off! I tried for at least an hour, ended up carefully putting a jack at the end of a breaker bar and it started bending the breaker bar but the nut wouldn't budge. I'm taking it to a shop to get done in a couple of hours and it should be around $80, which isn't bad and is worth it IMO.
I cycled the front end and this is the clearance I have now with the 90* shock hose fittings. It could bump a tiny bit more on a really hard hit or landing but I still think I should have enough clearance.
And a full-bump pic
While we had the shocks apart to install the fittings, we took apart the shim stacks to get a base for valving, and boy are these shocks strange. One of the shims on the compression side has notches in it, and there are 4 identical shims in a row instead of a pyramid stack. I'm just going to try to find another company's shims (maybe their pistons too) that fit and use those.
On another note I hooked up the trailer wiring harness and ran it up above the bumper so I don't need to have a bracket hanging below, and it just rests underneath the hatch when closed. I've always wanted to try towing with this truck. Now I just need to build my rear hitch/tire carrier.
And I finally fixed the rear wiper enough that it touches the rear window through the entire sweep. Took a lot of bending and cutting of a brand new wiper blade and grinding on the wiper arm, but it's much better now.
I cycled the front end and this is the clearance I have now with the 90* shock hose fittings. It could bump a tiny bit more on a really hard hit or landing but I still think I should have enough clearance.
And a full-bump pic
While we had the shocks apart to install the fittings, we took apart the shim stacks to get a base for valving, and boy are these shocks strange. One of the shims on the compression side has notches in it, and there are 4 identical shims in a row instead of a pyramid stack. I'm just going to try to find another company's shims (maybe their pistons too) that fit and use those.
On another note I hooked up the trailer wiring harness and ran it up above the bumper so I don't need to have a bracket hanging below, and it just rests underneath the hatch when closed. I've always wanted to try towing with this truck. Now I just need to build my rear hitch/tire carrier.
And I finally fixed the rear wiper enough that it touches the rear window through the entire sweep. Took a lot of bending and cutting of a brand new wiper blade and grinding on the wiper arm, but it's much better now.
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Finally got something on for the driveshaft. Originally I wanted to build something rigid to surround the driveshaft to keep it from falling to the ground if a U-joint should break, but clearance was an issue, so I just used an old limit strap I had and attached it from an existing hole in the front gas tank mount to a bolt for my exhaust. Maybe a little janky, but good enough for me.
Also added these clips for the trailer wiring harness to keep it from falling out from under the hatch.
Also added these clips for the trailer wiring harness to keep it from falling out from under the hatch.
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Added a 2nd fire extinguisher just now, got it at Harbor Freight for under $13!
And here is where I've had another one for a few years now. It's small enough to fit snug under the side of my seat and it never moves.
And here is where I've had another one for a few years now. It's small enough to fit snug under the side of my seat and it never moves.
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Did a spur-of-the-moment Main Divide Rd. run tonight with a couple other trucks. Of course I get a flat tire after I sold my spare last week. I had fix-a-flat which got me home still with some air in it, but by the morning my tire will be flat. Luckily it's one of the tires I'm replacing soon anyway.
Picture looking out over Anaheim. It's so nice to be able to drive to a place like this so easily, and still be within eyesight of the beach and Catalina Island.
And looks like this guy had worse luck than me. We ran across this truck on the trail, not part of our group.
The front shocks seemed to do pretty well. I felt the front end leave the ground a few times and I never felt it bottom out hard on landing, and the upper arm never hit the shock hose. They're still too soft but they are only at 150psi with air, not nitrogen.
Picture looking out over Anaheim. It's so nice to be able to drive to a place like this so easily, and still be within eyesight of the beach and Catalina Island.
And looks like this guy had worse luck than me. We ran across this truck on the trail, not part of our group.
The front shocks seemed to do pretty well. I felt the front end leave the ground a few times and I never felt it bottom out hard on landing, and the upper arm never hit the shock hose. They're still too soft but they are only at 150psi with air, not nitrogen.
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It's called an automatic SAS Joe. Just have to wait for the crack to spread itself instead of doing the cutting myself
Ya, I'll probably grind it out/drill the ends, and then fill it in...Time to head over to BTF and kick carlover's truck out of line..:
Nah, I'll take care of it at home. My roommate has had probably 4 or 5 cracks all over his Ranger's frame and he fixed Arvin's Mountaineer's frame too, so I've got everything I need here.
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- City, State
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Replaced my 2 month old leaking radiator today. What a PITA! Whatever engineers at Ford who designed the radiator/AC condenser mounts on this truck should be shot. And this new radiator is already giving me problems where the trans lines enter/exit. I'm hoping I can get it solved tomorrow or I will be pissed if I have to replace this radiator again. I had to take my bumper off to get enough room to wiggle the radiator/AC condenser around, so while it's off I'm going to repaint it.
On the bright side, I got my rear rotors and pads replaced for free today! Should be getting new rotors and pads up front tomorrow, which I'll sadly have to pay for.
On the bright side, I got my rear rotors and pads replaced for free today! Should be getting new rotors and pads up front tomorrow, which I'll sadly have to pay for.
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- Oakland, CA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '00 Mountaineer
From gray...
...to black.
Not too fond of the black but I think I just need to get used to it. I eventually want to get it powdercoated the same dark green as the bottom of the rest of the body.
Got a new radiator in, and after fighting some trans line leaks, it's finally in with no leaks. Also got the front brakes on and bearings repacked, and I can definitely feel a big difference in brake pedal feel and stopping performance, and no more squeaking! Just need to flush the steering fluid, and weld up the cracks in my frame (found 2 more), and then it's back to modifications!
...to black.
Not too fond of the black but I think I just need to get used to it. I eventually want to get it powdercoated the same dark green as the bottom of the rest of the body.
Got a new radiator in, and after fighting some trans line leaks, it's finally in with no leaks. Also got the front brakes on and bearings repacked, and I can definitely feel a big difference in brake pedal feel and stopping performance, and no more squeaking! Just need to flush the steering fluid, and weld up the cracks in my frame (found 2 more), and then it's back to modifications!
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
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- Joined
- February 3, 2007
- Messages
- 3,471
- Reaction score
- 274
- City, State
- Oakland, CA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '00 Mountaineer
Just picked these up for a great deal, for my front end.
The procomps I have on there now are valved too soft, but there are no parts that fit them that I can use to revalve them. The story is, the procomp shocks were actually made by Edelbrock, and Edelbrock is closing down their shock department, and apparently they never did much to develop this line of shocks anyway. They referred me to Poly Performance who Edelbrock has worked with before on shocks, and they couldn't find shims from any shock manufacturer that will fit, so I went on craiglist and found these Fox shocks for cheap.
I'll sell the Procomps because they are still perfectly functional and almost brand new.
The Procomps are 8", the Foxes are 6.5", but I cycled the front end today and they should be fine. And now I'll be able to order whatever I need easily without having to search all over for something that may not even work.
The procomps I have on there now are valved too soft, but there are no parts that fit them that I can use to revalve them. The story is, the procomp shocks were actually made by Edelbrock, and Edelbrock is closing down their shock department, and apparently they never did much to develop this line of shocks anyway. They referred me to Poly Performance who Edelbrock has worked with before on shocks, and they couldn't find shims from any shock manufacturer that will fit, so I went on craiglist and found these Fox shocks for cheap.
I'll sell the Procomps because they are still perfectly functional and almost brand new.
The Procomps are 8", the Foxes are 6.5", but I cycled the front end today and they should be fine. And now I'll be able to order whatever I need easily without having to search all over for something that may not even work.
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