03 fliptrac $700 daily driver (summer of fun with 4 sport tracs)

[410Fortune]

Fired up the 1974 bronco project I helped a friend with. This sucker was completely re wired (by me) with an American auto wire kit. I learned a lot about ebs on this one.
After messing with it for a few days I finally got spark from the duraspark ignition, the driver module ended up being bad. Once we finally had spark we reset the distributor and the 351 came to life… open headers she is
Loud! Done with that project now

All that wiring got tucked up and hidden dash came out awesome

 

[97Sandbox]

The 5 speed and 4.1 axle gears will remind you real quick that this is not a mustang, the m5od is geared pretty low, at most stops a second gear start is used. It drives like a pick ‘em up truck with mustang undertones lol larger tires (285) will help with highway gear. Tachometer is off, shows like 3200-3500 rpm at 70 in 5th should be more
Like 2750-2800. I may have to use a tachometer driver from a 5.0 in this cluster to get it accurate
The camshaft allows me to pull each gear all the way to redline, she defiantly has some power! The 5 speed is nice after driving 5.0 autos all these years I can tell the power is better and the mpg is waaaaay better, a welcomed thing with these fuel prices

You're getting me more motivated to yank the 4R70W out of my Mounty!

The M5OD is definitely geared pretty low. Swapping the axle from 3.27 to 3.73 in my Sport helped the OHV pull away from a stop, but the .79:1 5th gear has the engine revving noticeably higher on the interstate than the 5R55E in my old XLT (.75:1 5th gear). I was surprised when I realized the 4R70W in my Mounty (also 3.73 gears) doesn't rev any higher than the M5R1, turns out that 4th is .78:1 -- go figure.

You're right about 2nd gear starts being fine most of the time. Looks like 1st is 3.72:1 for the -R1 and 3.90:1 for the -R2. A Mustang it is not, but I'm sure 1st gear+4L will make a good stump-pulling combination. I can only imagine with 4.10 gears...

 

[410Fortune]

You will love the 5 speed with this clutch I know I do it’s effortless

 

[97Sandbox]

I really can't wait!

My poly trans mount showed up last week, I ordered a new '96 F150/302/manual starter yesterday, and I'm headed back to the salvage yard for Expedition drive shafts tomorrow. These should be the last parts I need...it's only a matter of time now!!!

 

[410Fortune]

Sickness
Completely different truck from what you have now
For me driving to and from and running around is fun again! The bronco needs some work and the big trucks well they are big
V8 5 speed trac has me grinning a lot
Wife keeps asking to take it I said not today honey it’s getting this or that lol

 

[Josh P]

You're getting me more motivated to yank the 4R70W out of my Mounty!

The M5OD is definitely geared pretty low. Swapping the axle from 3.27 to 3.73 in my Sport helped the OHV pull away from a stop, but the .79:1 5th gear has the engine revving noticeably higher on the interstate than the 5R55E in my old XLT (.75:1 5th gear). I was surprised when I realized the 4R70W in my Mounty (also 3.73 gears) doesn't rev any higher than the M5R1, turns out that 4th is .78:1 -- go figure.

You're right about 2nd gear starts being fine most of the time. Looks like 1st is 3.72:1 for the -R1 and 3.90:1 for the -R2. A Mustang it is not, but I'm sure 1st gear+4L will make a good stump-pulling combination. I can only imagine with 4.10 gears...

The T5 swap I did in my Aerostar has a 3.75 1st gear and a .73 5th. I did a M5OD swap in another van. It wasn't as fun to drive but got better fuel economy with the 3.55 axle. The T5 van has a 4.10 axle

 

[410Fortune]

Well…. These diffs do have 235k on them and I have a ton of low mile 3.73 diffs.. I also have Alcan leaf springs for the back of this thing
I may just have to gather up some rear brake parts and swap this 8trax to 3.73…. I never thought I would say that!

 

[410Fortune]

I was right! The new dorman ball joints arrived
Box looks familiar!! Compared to a mas box I have from when I bought spare ball joints on close out because mas was sold

Happy! $22 ea only “hd” lower ball joint listed for our trucks at rockauto

Mas is/was a Canadian company these are produced up north

 

[CDW6212R]

I like the boot, especially better than what the Moog boots have been lately. Did those before last a long time, the boots that is? My Moog boot(all four) were split apart when I noticed in about 2017 when I robbed the front diff/axles/&shaft from my Mercury, they weren't that old.

 

[410Fortune]

I have mas joints in my 97 f350 4 door diesel with a real Dana 60.. they have held up for 9-10 years now and I beat that truck

The backup, “close out” joints I have are still i the box. I remember reading the website about their rd joints and had to have them
Was going to use them on everything and then they disappeared

Now we know why, Dorman absorbed them

https://static.dormanproducts.com/document/premium-rd-chassis_sell-sheet.pdf

 

[CDW6212R]

I don't mind if they absorbed them, but if they altered quality, then that's a big deal.

 

[oklagp1200r]

I was right! The new dorman ball joints arrived
Box looks familiar!! Compared to a mas box I have from when I bought spare ball joints on close out because mas was sold

Happy! $22 ea only “hd” lower ball joint listed for our trucks at rockauto

View attachment 445214
View attachment 445215
Mas is/was a Canadian company these are produced up north

Will these HD ball joints fit the stock sport trac control arms without modification?

 

[410Fortune]

Yes

 

[vroomzoomboom]

im sure you know about this, but i will ask anyway. for your tack, did you do or try this?

supercharged 5.0 true fire 98 explorer sport

hi everyone, my name is tim . i live in selkirk, manitoba, canada and as if this date that i am posting this, i am 36 years old. i bought my sport in jan 05 from a local ford dealer. it had 111,000KM's on it. this is the second sport i have owned. it was sitting on the lot for about 8 months...

www.explorerforum.com

post 383. my tack was reading way too fast so i had to do this to it, then it was pretty much bang on.

 

[410Fortune]

Thanks Tim! Of course I did
Where do you think the dudes from trs got those pictures?

However on this 03 it did nothing for me, tac still reading very high… so I swapped in the tach head from a v8 now it should be accurate

Basically on the 96-01 trucks you move the tach ground wire from one pin to another to adjust the tack from v6 to v8 I’ve been doing this for many years. However with these 02-05 trucks we are in uncharted territory (I’m used to that!)

Pulling for you! Hoping the remote tuner can get evil going!

 

[410Fortune]

Installed no issue

Mas rd lowers, Moog upper control arms installed
235k miles these joints were hammered the truck was all over the road could not hold alignment. Better now! I was going to install new inner and outer tie rods but once in there I remembered I just did them… hard to keep track with all these tracks. So now I have some spares on the shelf

Rotated tires and swapped out one cv axle as the passenger side had some looseness… ford parts are tough! This truck has held up well for the miles! She’s like new now

Loose like a dinner bell!

 

[oklagp1200r]

Hope you have better luck.with those Moog upper ball joint boots than the rest of us! Mine have been torn for years but the joint is still tight. I just grease them more often.

 

[BKennedy]

I've had a set of Moog ball joints installed on my D44 straight axle for several years of hard use. They are still solid.

I hate to admit this, but Autozone's super heavy duty lifetime ball joints look and feel good. They are very well made. They got a new source a few years ago. I have a new set here I got on warranty as the first set got loose in a few years. The counter monkey said they have a new source and they are a lot better quality. Looking at them, I'd say he is right. Still waiting for my Moog's to wear out so I can try them.

 

[410Fortune]

18 tooth gear on the new speed sensor

Installed 98 tachometer head

I then install the cluster in the dash with no glass or “globe” as they call it.. I use a gps speedometer and my scanner to reset the speedo and tach needles as I drive

Now the cluster is dead accurate! I am happy
Truck will go for alignment next week
When I get some time I will install pre cut window tint kit! Otherwise she’s making a really nice daily driver! Hauls trash and fuel… 4ea 35’s fit in the bed, load of new parts in the back seat … I’m in heaven

Sounds like a mustang, with the 5 speed I feel like I’m 16 again…drives like a sporty f150
I love it!

Just in time for school to start back up kids will arrive in style hahahaha

 

[oklagp1200r]

Counter monkey LMFAO