1999 Mounty 5.0 aka My Great Bad Idea

[97Sandbox]

Crossmember will be ready to go in today! I tried a new (to me anyway) duplicolor product that's supposed to be something of a rust encapsulator and undercoating all in one. It seemed to fit the bill and I needed to use an O'Reilly coupon anyhow. Conveniently it cures in only 48 hours.

I got my Tcase shift lever done last night and will paint it today. Probably just Rust-Oleum for that, then leave it to cure for a week. No biggie, I've got plenty of punch list items to take care of.

 

[97Sandbox]

Tcase shift lever is complete and installed.

I had to add an extra 2-1/4" jog in it. Works well now though.

I added an access hole with a plug for installing it

Crossmember is in too.

I need to rework the exhaust hangers, then the 4406 will go in.

 

[97Sandbox]

Can anyone with a stock exhaust under their 5.0 Ex snap a picture of how the hangers on the downpipes fit where they slide into the bracket on the trans?

I neglected to take a picture before disassembly and now I'm struggling to find how the two downpipes route without the right downpipe's hanger running into the left downstream O2 sensor. Thanks!

 

[410Fortune]

Can do this am I have a few outside

 

[97Sandbox]

Thanks! Might be good for posterity.

I realized last night though that the trans mount location for my M5R2 is slightly further back than my 4R70 was and I think that was part of why I was confused. I'm just going to make new hangers further back. Need to pick up more 1/2" bar though...

 

[97Sandbox]

I was gone for a long weekend, but got hangers tacked last night and welded tonight.

Everything is loosely installed for now because I'm changing up the exhaust a bit by adding resonators between the crossover and mufflers to hopefully reduce the low rpm drone I had.

The second resonator should arrive tomorrow along with another front shock to replace this one:

Looks like it bent right at the weld? This shock only has about 100 highway miles on it...

I also got the relay wired in for my 4x4 lights.

The punch list is getting shorter. Other than the Tcase going in, I'm four u joints and a few misc items away from first startup!

 

[mountaineer2004]

Wow, what some of you guys do is simply incredible. I consider changing a bulb to be a day's work.

 

[97Sandbox]

Just do a little whenever you can and eventually it adds up to something!

I've been chipping away at this Mounty for over a year and collecting parts longer than that. That's the way it goes when life is busy. But without some kind of side project, I'd go nuts lol.

 

[97Sandbox]

I got the re-revised exhaust laid out tonight, ready to tack and weld tomorrow.

Did some clearancing for the 4406, it'll be ready to go in once I have the exhaust pinned down.

Started soaking the Ujoint retainers so I can hopefully pop them out tomorrow and start replacing Ujoints.

With some luck, I may be test driving this weekend!

 

[410Fortune]

Excellent!!

I have a tiger tool
U joint press dealio it has made my
Life soooooooo much easier u joints are done in minutes no hammer needed

What brand is that shock? What a wild failure!!!

 

[97Sandbox]

I use a ball joint press and sockets, it shouldn't be too bad.

It's one of the Gabriel shocks, not the $8 closeout rears, but the $22 fronts. I wonder if having the front suspension drooped for so long contributed?

 

[410Fortune]

I have like 8 Gabriel shocks nib that looks just like that lol lol fingers crossed!!!

 

[97Sandbox]

The drivers side is fine, I honestly think it was a fluke. They seem like good shocks overall.

 

[97Sandbox]

Ran into a couple snags tonight:

Some may recall I got my rear shaft from a Navigator. Navigators have 1350 Ujoints in the rear DS which is a mild nuisance because it forces me to run a conversion joint at the rear axle, which takes a 1330. I have a conversion joint, but the grease zerk is in the crossed section of the joint (not in a bearing cap) and it hits the rear axle flange. My other 3 Ujoints all have the zerk in a bearing cap...not sure why the one had to be different (all 4 are Moog). Anyway, I guess I need to track down a different Ujoint. Maybe I'll just get a non-greasible one.

I also tried jacking the 4406 into place and I'm stuck between the trans and the fuel tank bracket.

I did preemptively bend/hammer the bracket and it looks like everything may clear once the case is in -- do I need to drop the tank and take off the front hanger bracket while I slide the Tcase in?

At least the exhaust is almost done!

 

[97Sandbox]

I refreshed myself with the 4406 how to thread and realized I do need to remove the tank bracket before I put in the Tcase. I also read that some floor pan "clearancing" is needed. The pics don't load anymore though...hey @Turdle, do you still have pictures of where to hammer the floor?

I'm going to see if I can find a lower profile Zerk fitting or just a screw to put in the rear Ujoint.

 

[410Fortune]

No floor hammering needed

Just modify the fuel tank bracket
We use a bfh and a concrete curb
Take bracket out of truck
Hammer snot out of it
Re install

I think I used a grinder on the most recent one to clearance it. I cannot remember
I know back in the day in my “410fortune goes low range thread” I showed all mods needed

Can you get or use one of the other u joint caps on this u joint w the grease zerk in the correct place? Plug the other hole w small
Bolt

Better yet use spicer lifetime joints,
Far superior seal no grease zerk

 

[97Sandbox]

I don't know if it's just something about the 1330/1350, but it seems like all the ones I see online have a Zerk in the middle. If I can't find a low profile fitting like the other 3 joints have, I'll just grease it and pop in a screw. In hindsight, I should have really looked for an Expedition shaft and stuck with Spicer 1330 joints throughout.

 

[410Fortune]

I’ve had good luck and many many miles on the good ol conversion joint. Get the lifetime series (white seals) or better and they won’t need a grease zerk
Autozone has been able to get me spicer u joints or the local carquest

 

[97Sandbox]

I will give those joints a try in the future!

For now, I found I'm able to order the lopro Zerk I need through my local O'Reilly. I'll pick it up tomorrow.

In the meantime, the 4406 is in and I'm making the adjustments to get the tank bracket back in.

Now that the case is in, I'll tighten down the exhaust. I think I'll want to adjust the tailpipes in the future, but I'm going to run them as-is for now and see how annoying the clunking against the frame and leaf shackle bolt is.

I'm beyond ready to have this thing running!