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

[Nctruckman]

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.

Duralast?

 

[410Fortune]

Carquest has a new line of parts too somw of their stuff also seems promising


I installed camber shims into the $700 8trac made a huge difference. I’m schedule for alignment next week. Right now the camber is set at near zero and so is toe,
Home brew alignment to get us through.
I also cranked the t bars a little to bring the front end up some.
Truck is awesome!!
New atoto arrived I am returning the other one I could not make the camera work seems like a software issue, no biggie I will just exchange it I bought a performance model this time.
Window tint kit is here let’s see how good I am at installing tint
Window vent visors also arrived and went on, kind of cheap we will see how they hold up.
Roof rack crossbars are coming too the wife wants a basket on top (I have a few here)

We never leave anything alone! Stock sucks
!!!!

 

[Nctruckman]

Carquest has a new line of parts too somw of their stuff seems promising too

I installed camber shims into the $700 8trac made a huge difference. I’m schedule for alignment next week. Right now the camber is set at near zero and so is toe,
Home brew alignment to get us through.
I also cranked the t bars a little to bring the front end up some.
Truck is awesome!!
New atoto arrived I am returning the other one I could not make the camera work seems like a software issue, no biggie I will just exchange it I bought a performance model this time.
Window tint kit is here let’s see how good I am at installing tint
Window vent visors also arrived and went on, kind of cheap we will see how they hold up.
Roof rack crossbars are coming too the wife wants a basket on top (I have a few here)

We never leave anything alone! Stock sucks
!!!!

I actually work right next to the corporate advance auto/carquest office/warehouse in Raleigh.
I used xrf joints. Tried mevotech and they were clunking within 6 months with consistent greasing

 

[97Sandbox]

I installed camber shims into the $700 8trac made a huge difference.

Could you share more detail on the shims? I used camber bolts with more adjustability when I lowered my Sport, but just barely got the camber in-spec with the eccentric plates maxed out. I'd be curious to know what other options exist besides custom adjustable UCAs.

 

[410Fortune]

These are eccentric cams 2.5 degree correction shims, same as everyone else, $44 at oreillys

basically we max them out and it brings alignment camber close to spec. 235k miles the front end had sagged and was negotiate camber about 2 degrees

I’ll get some pics

 

[97Sandbox]

Ah okay, we're talking about the same thing then. Looking at old orders, the ones I have are Mevotech MK80065.

 

[BKennedy]

Duralast?

I'm not certain, but I think they are Duralast. It's been a while.

 

[donalds]

I actually work right next to the corporate advance auto/carquest office/warehouse in Raleigh.
I used xrf joints. Tried mevotech and they were clunking within 6 months with consistent greasing

You live pretty close to me lol
You've probably spotted the white explorer a time or two

 

[410Fortune]

Vent visors

Camber shims installed both upper control arms

Camber and toe adjusted with magnetic angle gauge and a tape measure will get me through until alignment

Jacked up t bars 2.5 turns drivers 1.5 pass both fender lips sit at 36.75”’

Next up tint

Eventually she will get 285s on some custom 17s
Truck makes a stellar daily and parts runner

 

[410Fortune]

My new favorite addition

Absolute perfect fit and perfect spot!
I was looking for a place to mount this on the sport trac….

The 03-05 have these door pockets / drink holder

 

[oklagp1200r]

My new favorite addition

View attachment 445473
Absolute perfect fit and perfect spot!
I was looking for a place to mount this on the sport trac….
View attachment 445474
The 03-05 have these door pockets / drink holder

What's that for a road rage incident when you smoke a unexpected Mustang or Camero!
LMFAO

 

[Nctruckman]

You live pretty close to me lol
You've probably spotted the white explorer a time or two

Im near 40/42 on the wake/ Johnston line

 

[Josh P]

I can sell you one sure I have one more sport trax here lol my 04 blue one w bad sohc. We could 5.0 it and 5 speed it I have one more
M5od. I’ll tell you what you can have it for $50! Fifty smackers

I'll bite for $50.

 

[Josh P]

Maybe I could talk you into swapping a 400M in with a manual transmission.

 

[CDW6212R]

I need to take a picture of my 400 block whenever I get to moving and clean out the space under my garage steps. I have that block and my original Cleveland block there. The screw in freeze plugs are unique to see.

 

[410Fortune]

So there are actually 5 sport tracs we have been messing with this summer. Number 5 is really *****in. This is a 2005 trac that some poor girl got from a dealership and two weeks later the sohc let go…. Sound familiar? Making payments on something broken sucks!
My stepson picked it up a year ago or so.
His wife has been driving an 01 trac for like 10 years and it’s done… just plain worn out and rusting
This is the replacement
He put a 5.0 in it ( of course) 4r70w and 4406 manual t case. Brand new superlift, spring over in the rear, 33” duratracs
The truck came out so nice! I did the conversion wiring and built the exhaust he did everything else
Well last night was it’s first test drive… all was going great until we heard a big clunk and the rear end dropped

100 yards from the house
Whoopsies

Look ma no lug nuts

Lucky the wheel was not damaged too badly
Got floor jack and new lug nuts… all is well

Torque those nuts!!! Lol lol no harm no foul
This is why we test them a lot back here before they ever see pavement
Phew

She’s a runner! Now my wife wants to lift the white one

 

[410Fortune]

Off the factory Downpipes, I had to extend one it was cut short
Be kind all welding was done in the truck upside down hahaha and I ran out of gas. It’s all mounted with clamps so can be removed

Flowmaster dual 2.5 in single 3” out muffler from summit
Dual 2.25” pipes in single 2.5” out

Came out pretty good and sounds nice!
Truck is very impressive with the lift and all accessories from her old trac. I will get more pics when they wash it and fit the front bumper

I learned the 04-05 tracs had the darker plastics
The 05 has a unicorn instrument cluster, it is a one year thing.
So far I have no speedo or tach. I believe I can make the speedometer work with the Dakota box, I am not sure I can defeat the microprocessor in the cluster and make the tach work, ever? I’m going to try.
Also very little hope I can ever get the digital odo working as the sohc pcm went bye bye
We do have a coolant gauge which is odd because I could never get it to work on other 04-05 rangers I have converted to 5.0
If we cannot get a full cluster on this 05 it is no problem I can always wire in a 02-04 cluster… I have done this a couple of times now in rangers

I am also planning to start making my own custom gen ii cluster (will fit gen ii dash) I want to incorporate aftermarket gauges with the factory dash pot… and some Neato aftermarket digital stuff

 

[97Sandbox]

Well last night was it’s first test drive… all was going great until we heard a big clunk and the rear end dropped

Oh man, I had a similar experience shortly after I bought my Sport. I had been swapping hubs, rotors, wheels, and rear ends as I stripped out my '97 and somewhere in the chaos I forgot to torque my rear lug nuts. I was actually driving home from passing my City of Milwaukee inspection when I heard a cachunk cachunk cachunk from the rear any time I let off the gas. Thought it was a bad u joint or something but I stopped in a parking lot and all the lug nuts were barely on! Spun them finger tight and made it the remaining 5 blocks home. I was just glad I hadn't lost a wheel...let alone on the way to the inspection hahaha

 

[CDW6212R]

View attachment 445629View attachment 445628

Off the factory Downpipes, I had to extend one it was cut short
Be kind all welding was done in the truck upside down hahaha and I ran out of gas. It’s all mounted with clamps so can be removed

Flowmaster dual 2.5 in single 3” out muffler from summit
Dual 2.25” pipes in single 2.5” out
View attachment 445630


Came out pretty good and sounds nice!
Truck is very impressive with the lift and all accessories from her old trac. I will get more pics when they wash it and fit the front bumper

I learned the 04-05 tracs had the darker plastics
The 05 has a unicorn instrument cluster, it is a one year thing.
So far I have no speedo or tach. I believe I can make the speedometer work with the Dakota box, I am not sure I can defeat the microprocessor in the cluster and make the tach work, ever? I’m going to try.
Also very little hope I can ever get the digital odo working as the sohc pcm went bye bye
We do have a coolant gauge which is odd because I could never get it to work on other 04-05 rangers I have converted to 5.0
If we cannot get a full cluster on this 05 it is no problem I can always wire in a 02-04 cluster… I have done this a couple of times now in rangers

I am also planning to start making my own custom gen ii cluster (will fit gen ii dash) I want to incorporate aftermarket gauges with the factory dash pot… and some Neato aftermarket digital stuff

Cool, I have my cluster on my long list to modify. I want to install aftermarket gauges behind the dash, unseen, altered to output their display signal, to LED's or similar installed behind the OEM gauge faces.

I want a small hole cut into the fuel gauge face, to display fuel pressure. Same for the water temp, a little slot showing the digital display of the actual coolant temp, plus the voltage, and oil pressure. I hadn't decided if another tach display would be helpful or easy enough to do.. I love the original cluster, I don't want a massive appearance change, make it just subtle.

 

[oklagp1200r]

@410Fortune
You have any decent center caps that fit a 01 sport trac on a stock wheel?