5spdman's slow and cheap XLT build

[5spdman]

IT'S ON THE GROUND!!! Still have some work to do...hoping to have the drive shafts back on, the parking brake hooked up, diff cover fixed for now and shock tabs made and mounted tonight. Still need to order brake lines, camber bushings and a pitman arm to finish it all off.

 

[cloaked_chaos]

I have a FA400 pitman arm for sale for $50 if you think that will be enough drop for you

 

[rkh58]

Looking good. Nice to see the transformation from a $200 backyard find to this. Keep up the good work.

 

[5spdman]

Feels good seeing how well it's come along! cloaked_chaos, I see in your signature you have a 5.5" lift...if it fit for you, it'll probably work for me...send me a pic with measurements if you can and we'll go from there!

 

[Rick]

Looks great Can't wait to see it with some offroad tires on there.

 

[5spdman]

Looks great Can't wait to see it with some offroad tires on there.

Same here...trouble is finding some within my budget...been checking Craigslist for Flagstaff and Phoenix for 31's and been coming up with nothing. If I can find the cash, thought about going with Treadwrights, but who knows.

 

[5spdman]

Alright guys and gals, it's crunch time.....

Original deadline on this build was to drive it home for Christmas break to move a few things back to Ohio. As I had ran out of money, the plan changed to "get it done ASAP after break".....just got word from my fam that I'm running into about $800 from the church.

I have 10 days to finish as I'm hoping to leave early morning on the 18th...major things I need to do is that I need to order lengthened brake hoses and install, extend the front sway bar and install, replace a wheel stud, purchase and install a drop pitman arm, order and install camber bushings and get an alignment. I will be ordering parts in the next day or two and installing them as they come in. Installing those new parts should be simple enough...

I need some help though. For the 2nd gen rear axle swap, whats the easiest, quickest, cheapest way to hook up the parking brake? Thought about getting 3-4 small cable clamps and clamping the 3" overlap of cables together, but was also looking at another idea; there is a connector just under the front of the front door that I could open up to take the line out of...if I could get a section of cable with ends that is 5" shorter, everything would hook up real easy...just a thought.

Tonight I fabed new shock tabs for the rear and threw on some primer...they will be drilled, painted and installed tomorrow. Tomorrow will also bring the installation of the front drive shaft, wiring for the relocated license plate, mounting of the rear "roll pan", old exhaust being thrown on for the time being and rear diff cover installation. Fluids will be added Wednesday to the diffs, along the valve cover gaskets being replaced and the rear axle brake lines being reinstalled.

I have full confidence that I can get it done AND get an alignment before heading home....if not, looks like I'll be driving the Escort again......wish me luck?

 

[cloaked_chaos]

This is the stock, Skyjacker FA400 and FA600 pitman arms. I went with the FA600 to get rid of a bit of bump steer but other than than the FA400 worked fine for me. I also have the front sway bar extensions that came with my Superlift that I don't use.

 

[Maniak]

<snip>major things I need to do is that I need to order lengthened brake hoses and install <bigger snip>

Since you have a 1991, you are going to run into an issue finding brake lines, well, specifically the driver side...

Thread from when I went through this..

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2149258&highlight=brake+fitting#post2149258

I'm currently running the factory funky looking fitting on the driver side that I drilled and tapped. I know that isn't DOT approved, but it has been like that for many, many years without issues.

~Mark

 

[5spdman]

Since you have a 1991, you are going to run into an issue finding brake lines, well, specifically the driver side...

Thread from when I went through this..

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2149258&highlight=brake+fitting#post2149258

I'm currently running the factory funky looking fitting on the driver side that I drilled and tapped. I know that isn't DOT approved, but it has been like that for many, many years without issues.

~Mark

Actually have that figured out already...I'm not gonna take the chance of something going wrong if I were to make them myself. Hose & Fittings, Etc is a company out of Cali and Nevada...mail the old hoses to their Sacramento store with a description of how long I would like them extended and $70 bucks later they will make new rubber hoses that same day and mail them back to me.

 

[Maniak]

Actually have that figured out already...I'm not gonna take the chance of something going wrong if I were to make them myself. Hose & Fittings, Etc is a company out of Cali and Nevada...mail the old hoses to their Sacramento store with a description of how long I would like them extended and $70 bucks later they will make new rubber hoses that same day and mail them back to me.

That's just wrong.. you can't do it the right way..

I went with the drilled method only because I didn't like the idea of the block that the extended brake line people were using. I actually never thought of paying someone to make longer, custom lines for me.

One of the reasons I normally don't do things like that is I want to be able to replace parts using off the shelf parts. I guess you could always buy another brake line and toss it in the spare parts pile. I actually have spare brake lines in the X when I'm wheeling..

BTW.. I'm really impressed with the cleanliness of the build. I really should have expected you to go all out on the brake lines..

~Mark

 

[5spdman]

I also have the front sway bar extensions that came with my Superlift that I don't use.

How much are looking for with that bar extension?

Won't need that pit arm...I have a ProComp FD400, brand new still in the box, but like and idiot I had purchased it based on the fact it said it was for a "2-4 inch lift" without looking into it more. American Spring Inc. in Flagstaff has exactly what I'm looking for (FD600, talked to them about it when I got the new leaf center pins last week, but forgot to ask for a price)...trying to get a hold of them now and will try to work out a deal where I can "sell" them my FD400 and get a discount on the pit arm I need.

Any tips on getting the old pit arm off? It has been soaking in PB Blaster for over a week now, has had a gear puller on it for a day, heat was applied (not for long as I didn't want to burn up any seals) and I STILL can't get the stupid thing to come off...I had read some where to put a cutting wheel to it, cut through about 3/4 of the way and then get it to separate with a cold chisel and hammer, but with the space to work with and the size of the only grinder w/cutoff wheel I have available to me, I'd rather just pull it off than try to get in there and cut.

 

[5spdman]

That's just wrong.. you can't do it the right way..

I went with the drilled method only because I didn't like the idea of the block that the extended brake line people were using. I actually never thought of paying someone to make longer, custom lines for me.

One of the reasons I normally don't do things like that is I want to be able to replace parts using off the shelf parts. I guess you could always buy another brake line and toss it in the spare parts pile. I actually have spare brake lines in the X when I'm wheeling..

BTW.. I'm really impressed with the cleanliness of the build. I really should have expected you to go all out on the brake lines..

~Mark

Thanks! Still trying to keep cost down, otherwise I would have gone with stainless (extra $30.) If I were ever to need to replace just a fitting, I could probably send it back to them and have them do it, but I could just purchase a single fitting if I needed to.....I think...

 

[cloaked_chaos]

How much are looking for with that bar extension?

I'll take $20 local pickup, but I might be able to squeeze them into a $5.95 flat rate shipping box if you're not able to make it down to the Phoenix area.

Won't need that pit arm...I have a ProComp FD400, brand new still in the box, but like and idiot I had purchased it based on the fact it said it was for a "2-4 inch lift" without looking into it more. American Spring Inc. in Flagstaff has exactly what I'm looking for (FD600, talked to them about it when I got the new leaf center pins last week, but forgot to ask for a price)...trying to get a hold of them now and will try to work out a deal where I can "sell" them my FD400 and get a discount on the pit arm I need.

Keep in mind that while the Skyjacker FA400 and the ProComp FD400 are basically the same thing, the ProComp FD600 WILL NOT fit on your explorer.

Any tips on getting the old pit arm off? It has been soaking in PB Blaster for over a week now, has had a gear puller on it for a day, heat was applied (not for long as I didn't want to burn up any seals) and I STILL can't get the stupid thing to come off...I had read some where to put a cutting wheel to it, cut through about 3/4 of the way and then get it to separate with a cold chisel and hammer, but with the space to work with and the size of the only grinder w/cutoff wheel I have available to me, I'd rather just pull it off than try to get in there and cut.

I just put my slightly modified autozone pitman puller on as tight as I can make it, then hit the pitman arm with a small sledge hammer (being careful not to break the steering shaft), and it comes right off with a pop.

 

[5spdman]

I'll take $20 local pickup, but I might be able to squeeze them into a $5.95 flat rate shipping box if you're not able to make it down to the Phoenix area.

Keep in mind that while the Skyjacker FA400 and the ProComp FD400 are basically the same thing, the ProComp FD600 WILL NOT fit on your explorer.

I just put my slightly modified autozone pitman puller on as tight as I can make it, then hit the pitman arm with a small sledge hammer (being careful not to break the steering shaft), and it comes right off with a pop.

I'm about 4 hours north of Phx, so mailing would be best...PM me and we'll work something out on that!

The FD600 won't fit? Every site I've visited said it would.... :scratch: Looks like I'll be running into Flag sometime real soon to visit Flag 4x4 and American Spring with pit arm in hand to see if we can get something figured out...still waiting for them to call me back...

I tried the puller/sledge combo already, multiple times, and haven't made any progress....

 

[5spdman]

Guess if I HAVE to, I can live with a little bump steer....I'd rather not though.

 

[cloaked_chaos]

The FD600 won't fit? Every site I've visited said it would.... :scratch:

The sector shaft diameter went from 1.3125 inches to 1.375 inches in ~1999, and up to 1.625 inches in ~2005.

 

[5spdman]

The sector shaft diameter went from 1.3125 inches to 1.375 inches in ~1999, and up to 1.625 inches in ~2005.

Awesome.................and there's really no cheaper alternative for the SkyJacker FA600 from all that I've read, correct?

 

[cloaked_chaos]

Not that I've found.

Here is what my linkages look like with the 5.5" superlift, F150 coil seats and the Skyjacker FA600 pitman arm.

Note: I don't normally run with sway bars, and I only have the bar installed like that to limit travel. Otherwise my limiting factor on travel is my extended brake lines which would be a very bad thing.

 

[5spdman]

Well I'm right at 5", so the 6" drop may be too much anyway...the guy at American Spring just called, told him I was hoping to find something cheaper than the $200 Skyjacker arm, and he looked through what they have....

Literally JUST got another call, and Skyjacker is the ONLY way to go. He offered to let me come in with my old arm and look through their stock of arms to see if I could find something...may take him up on that in the future to save myself and others some headache if I can.....ProComp FD400 it is then!