5spdman's slow and cheap XLT build

[5spdman]

Now that I'm thinking about it, has anyone switched out the steering box with one from a 2nd gen, or won't it fit? I would assume a newer box would be a bit stronger, and I'd be able to fit the FD600.....just thinking with my crazy hair here....

 

[5spdman]

Sway bar extensions, camber bushings and a mustang drive shaft spacer (til I can locate someone who can do an extension) have all been ordered, brake hoses are being packaged up, with instructions for the manufacturer, to ship off to Cali where new ones will be made. Front drive shaft, rear diff cover, license plate light wiring and shock tabs installed later tonight...pics to come

 

[mr cribb]

It will be sad to see that pretty paint all boogered up by the Ohio salty roads.

Love the progress.

 

[5spdman]

It will be sad to see that pretty paint all boogered up by the Ohio salty roads.

Love the progress.

Haha! That'd be why I used rattle cans...trail damage (and road damage) can be fixed quickly and cheaply...I have been so amazed at how clean this Ex has been, it'll receive multiple cleanings during my time at home in the snow and salt! I'm not letting this one get away!

 

[mr cribb]

Rattle cans huh?

Well you fooled me.

Maybe I didn't read well enough, and I have been guilty of missing some important details while reading in the past, just ask my wife.

 

[5spdman]

Maybe I didn't read well enough, and I have been guilty of missing some important details while reading in the past, just ask my wife.

Hahahaha! I'm sure my better half could probably say the same thing!

 

[Rick]

Why do so many Explorer guys move AWAY from Arizona

Sigh...

 

[5spdman]

Haha! Aww, cheer up! I'll be back!

Actually I moved out here on a temporary basis for a job...turns out, what I thought was only going to be one year, has turned into three, but I'm glad it did. If I'd only stayed one year, I wouldn't have met my girlfriend, built this truck, or even found it in the first place!

There's a Moab trip in May correct? I've always wanted to go there....not to mention, with my moms side of the family living in Phoenix, I'll always have an excuse to come out after I move back!

 

[5spdman]

Before I put pics up, have some news and a question...stopped by NAPA and grabbed an actual arm puller (that I didn't have to "modify" and only cost me $15) and replaced the pitman arm. I'm still waiting for the MOOG bushings to come in, so my camber is still wacky, but after I got all of the steering linkages hooked up, I figured I'd start the truck and turn the wheels.....

When I turn to either side, the side I turn to raises up about 1 1/2", and if I turn side-to-side quickly, the truck rocks around like a 14' fishing boat on the ocean.....is this normal with a lifted truck, is it a result of my linkages not being completely level, or does it have to do with the fact that I still don't have the sway bar on the front?

My gut is telling me it's because there are no sway bars at the moment and because my camber/caster is off.....

 

[5spdman]

OK....updates on the progress!!

I replaced the valve cover gaskets the other night...they had been leaking enough that oil was running down the exhaust manifolds and wye pipe and causing plenty of smoke to come out from the hood....the black spots on the heads are where the leaks were coming from, and this is just the driver side.

When I got the new axle, the diff cover had a hole punched into it. Took my body hammers, folded the metal back to close the hole, and welded it together. Not sure what I'm going to do now with it though....there's a slight leak where it was welded back, so I think I'll be throwing a bit of JB Weld on there in hopes to seal it up....should have done that from the start.

The first shock tabs I fabed didn't have an angle to them and wouldn't work at all, so I grabbed some steel bar and re-made them....still not quite right, but I should be able to drill a hole where the sway bar connected to hold it at the bottom too.

I also went ahead and wired up the light for the relocated license plate.

Pitman arm was replaced today, and steering linkages put back on. The FD400A doesn't quite drop the bar enough, but it's close...sway bar drop brackets were also placed on the truck, but I didn't happen to snag a pic. The sway bar helped the rocking motion when the wheel is turned, but it still seems to me that it rocks more than it did before....could be that it's been so long since I drove it last and I'm so desperately hoping everything is in order by Wednesday that small things are going to my head and worrying me...

BTW, does anyone have measurements of camber/caster ratios? The new MOOG bushings should be waiting for me at the post office that I can put them on and get an alignment by Tuesday...

Also, before I scraped the Sport, I liberated a string of three relays back near the rear washer fluid reservoir...any ideas what these are for? Been looking through my Haynes manual to see what they were used for in hope to use them for my fog lights and driving lights...

 

[cloaked_chaos]

Also, before I scraped the Sport, I liberated a string of three relays back near the rear washer fluid reservoir...any ideas what these are for? Been looking through my Haynes manual to see what they were used for in hope to use them for my fog lights and driving lights...

I think they are only used when you have the towing wiring pigtail plugged in to power trailer lights.

 

[Maniak]

When I turn to either side, the side I turn to raises up about 1 1/2", and if I turn side-to-side quickly, the truck rocks around like a 14' fishing boat on the ocean.....is this normal with a lifted truck

This is caused by caster. The more caster you have the more pronounced the leaning of the tire when you turn it off center. When I had 11 degrees of caster (way too much) I could turn the wheel when sitting still and drop the side of the vehicle more than a few inches. This did make it easier to get the Mother In law in when they would ride with me.

Even now that I've gotten some of the caster out (I "think" we are at 7 degrees now) I turn the wheel all the way to the left while holding the brake and then release the brake a bit, hit the e-brake and then shut off the truck when I want to fill the truck. I am able to squeeze more fuel in easier this way..

BTW, does anyone have measurements of camber/caster ratios? The new MOOG bushings should be waiting for me at the post office that I can put them on and get an alignment by Tuesday...

What are you actually looking for? Off the top of my head, you want 0 toe, 0 camber and 2-6 degrees of caster. You can play with caster split if it pulls to one side.. Remember, it will pull to the side with the LEAST amount of positive caster.

Here is the chart from SPC that shows how much adjustment you can actually get from the cams. Remember, 4wd gets less adjustment than a 4x2. http://www.spcalignment.com/instructions/23180-INS_WEB.pdf

There are charts out there that I don't have any more (and can't find right now) that will tell you how much camber and caster adjustment you will get from a cam as you rotate it. For example, a Cam that gives you 2.75" of adjustment is 2.75" when you use it all for camber but if you rotate it some to use some of the adjustment for caster its a funky formula to know how much it adjusts each part.

Personally, when I align my own explorer I use any left over adjustment and just toss it at caster and try to keep it "around" 2-6 degrees, closer to 6. If it pulls more than I like I move the cams around so I change which one has the least amount of positive caster...

Oh yea, I use an SPC 91000 so I can do my own Camber adjustments... I haven't found a shop that really knows how to do alignments in years. All the ones around here just do what the computer says which only understands a stock suspension.

Hopefully that helps..

Oh yea... the relays you found in the back IIRC are for the tow package, but I'm not 100% sure on that anymore.. I've slept since then.

~Mark

 

[5spdman]

I just needed to know how much caster there should be, as I figured camber and toe should be zero...as long as the parts come in, I'll be putting in the new bushings tomorrow night along with the brake hoses, and I will be taking it to a shop specializing in modified 4x4 vehicles for the alignment, but as I don't have a trailer, I wanted to get the tires as close as possible to aligned before I drove it into town on Tuesday. I'll also have measurements to give to the shop to get it done right.

I kinda figured that's what the relays were for, but wanted to make sure. They would be okay then I assume to use for fog lights and the like? I would use them for the two fogs, the two rear facing lights and the two driving lights (which are getting replaced sometime soon with a 22" Rigid Industries LED bar from a friend back home who happens to be a Rigid dealer...lucky me!!) The four roof lights I'm assuming I will have to get a better relay for...

 

[Maniak]

<snip> but as I don't have a trailer, I wanted to get the tires as close as possible to aligned before I drove it into town on Tuesday. I'll also have measurements to give to the shop to get it done right.

Caster is not a wear item. If you don't have enough you will get that floppy shopping cart wheel syndrome. If you have too much, steering gets heavy AND you get the excessive tire lean when the wheels turn but caster on its own doesn't cause tire wear.

Since you are doing a short drive, get the toe right. If the camber is off it won't hurt the tires on a 100 mile drive... If you're toe is off (say 1" toe , negative or positive) you will rip through the tires in 100 miles.

~Mark

 

[5spdman]

It may not be a wear item, but I have a 3600 mile round trip coming up to get home for the holidays and back to finish up work here for the school year...toe was my #1 concern followed by camber, but for a comfortable highway ride, wanted to get the caster right too. I'll be taking my dog home with me and moving a bunch of non-essential items back so I don't have as much to take this summer, or else I'd be driving my car (which I may have to do if I can't get this finished up.)

 

[Maniak]

It may not be a wear item, but I have a 3600 mile round trip coming up to get home for the holidays and back to finish up work here for the school year...toe was my #1 concern followed by camber, but for a comfortable highway ride, wanted to get the caster right too. I'll be taking my dog home with me and moving a bunch of non-essential items back so I don't have as much to take this summer, or else I'd be driving my car (which I may have to do if I can't get this finished up.)

I was more talking about trying to get it "close" before you take it to the alignment shop. Just get the toe right.

If the shop knows lifted vehicles they will know to try to give you enough caster to help control the front tires (more caster without going too extreme). If they ask you what specs you want, personally, I'd go with 0 camber, 0 toe and 5-6 degrees of caster.

However, most shops don't care much about getting the caster correct, or even getting the caster split correct..

And, again, personal preference. If I have to live with a little pull (I don't have tons of different sized shims) I prefer it to pull to the right than the left. That way when I drive with my left hand (elbow on the door) I can simply hold the wheel down and it goes straight.

~Mark

 

[5spdman]

I was more talking about trying to get it "close" before you take it to the alignment shop. Just get the toe right.

I was as well...I'd rather not kill the tires in the "short" drive to Flag, so toe was my biggest concern. Figured I'd at least get camber close so I don't have to wait long at the shop (and I'd feel better about the short trip), and caster for that added comfort...I'll just have the shop make sure it's 100%.

Bushings should be waiting for me in the mail today, but I'll find out for sure once the office is open. I'll also head out and get the toe aligned sometime this afternoon...right now I have a Christmas program to set up for!

 

[5spdman]

Brake hoses and camber bushings came in today...brake hoses are on, brakes were bled (still spongy, so I'll bleed them again tomorrow) and I got to drive it around a little tonight. Tomorrow, the camber bushings will be replaced and an at-home alignment will be in order! Looks like I'll be home for Christmas!

 

[cloaked_chaos]

What did you end up using for brake hoses? I have the ProComp extended brake lines, but they aren't long enough for full droop for me.

 

[5spdman]

I went with a company out of California/Nevada that makes custom brake hoses: Hose & Fittings, Etc. Went through their catalog of parts, measured the length of the stock hoses, and faxed them the info of what parts I needed to be on the hoses, which order they needed to be in, and the length of hose needed. $120 later for 3 hoses and new copper washers, I have brake hoses that are 9" longer than stock to accommodate for the 5" lift and an extra 4" for any 'extreme' droop I may get on the trail (still hoping to do extended RA's sometime. )

If you still have the stock rear axle under your first gen, it'll be even cheaper. Since the rear hose connects to the hard line near the left frame rail and then goes to a block on top of the diff, I had originally planned on just ordering an 18" piece of bendable hard line, making a bracket to support it, and relocating the hose connection to the spare tire support. The only time your hose would be stretched then would be if your truck was floating off the ground. The hard line for the rear along with the front hoses would have been about $70 (before shipping.)

I have all the part numbers and whatnot if you want them...