A couple pics of my project.

[Naasau]

I needed a new steering shaft (mine was totaled) so I went with Flaming River PT# FR1518-1DD. It was expensive, but it was well worth it. It is a hardcore piece of engineering that is way overbuilt. That part # is intended for F-150's and as such the two piece shaft needs to be trimmed substantially to fit in a stock explorer. So if you need something longer, that's the ticket.

If you would like I'll post pics in the morning, for now it is off to bed.

 

[zjrog]

Very cool project. If I show this to my wife, she might divorce me just for thinking!!!

 

[SparkyJeff]

sub'd. Can't wait to see more. But I'm confused. with the big tires, it looks like you're making an off road machine. But, with a chop top? I'm in, I wanna take it for a ride.

 

[Erki]

sub'd. Can't wait to see more. But I'm confused. with the big tires, it looks like you're making an off road machine. But, with a chop top? I'm in, I wanna take it for a ride.

you got it....Im goin out on a limb and bein different with a chopped hot rod. It is going on big tires and keeping the 4x4.

 

[Naasau]

Steering Linkage Stuff

So, after I killed the entire steering assembly in my X, I did a bunch of searching and found this stuff to replace it all with.

AGR Power Steering Pump PT#809156 ($130.00 - Summit Racing)
Matching Pulley (plastic was all they had - $9.00 get two, just in case)
Pressure hose ($26.24 - NAPA)
Return hose ($15.22 - NAPA)
Rebuilt OEM Gearbox (From a EF member)
Flaming River Steering Shaft PT#FR1518-1DD (287.85 w/ shipping)

Pics in the same order:















And yeah... I painted the new gearbox red... I mean, why not?

Some notes:

I didn't measure the full length before cutting it down... alot, but i still have what I cut off each side and can measure it if you need, I ended up pulling the grease fitting from the outer tube and drilling and tapping a new one much closer to the end so that I could still get the full extension/compression of the shaft (about 3" total), it was a near thing. If you needed something longer than this shaft's full length, I would be very scared.

Also, to put on a new pulley, if you can, use a bolt/washer, then once it get it on strait with a breaker bar and it is getting hard to turn holding the pulley, switch to an impact and it will slide the rest of the way, no muss no fuss. (that took me about two hours to figure out... and I wrecked the first pulley by trying to power it on the hard way.)

Don't know if any of this helps, and sorry for the focus issues, my cell camera is the only one I have.

 

[Erki]

Thanks much for the pics and info. I'm only going to need to extend it I think 3" max. Looks like they definitely gave you enough length there compared to what you used. Thanks again.

 

[Naasau]

I hunted down the cut off parts in my agarage and measured them just now, it looks like I trimmed 7 1/2" off of the outer tube, and about 15 1/2" from the inner, with a overlap difference somewhere around 5". So I would say the total usable distance removed from that kit was somewhere around 17-18". Which works out great in a instance like yours or someone who is moving the gearbox, has a body lift, etc.

Oh, I don't know if I said this earlier, but what you've done so far looks damned good! I can't wait to see it and you out on the trails!

 

[MrQ]

Subscribing! I love the explorer rims in combo with the body. Dunno why, but it looks badass.

 

[Erki]

I agree the rims kinda fit the look. But the only problem is those tires I traded for are 16's, So Im in the market for some cheap 16's to fit the bolt pattern. Or i might end up buying some new wheels from summit or someplace.

 

[Erki]

So I found some cheap 16" wheels off of a jeep. They are currently wrapped in 265/75/16 geolandars, But the 285 open countrys will get on there sometime. Atleast the truck has a more truckish set of tires on it now. Cab and fenders are about in place and I hope to get to modifying the rad support and getting that back in monday.

 

[SparkyJeff]

that is the ugliest/most beautiful thing I've seen all week, that 4X4 holding the hood up is just plain awful. green treated wood is for suckers that don't know how to finish.
You said the wheels were cheap, I was gonna say over cosmetic and gross. But if they are 'affordable' (cheap) and in good condition, I'll climb on board.
I like your philosophy of just keeping things cheap or inexpensive. I like keeping my money just as much as I like anything else.
Please keep going, and please keep up with pictures.

 

[Erki]

that is the ugliest/most beautiful thing I've seen all week, that 4X4 holding the hood up is just plain awful. green treated wood is for suckers that don't know how to finish.
You said the wheels were cheap, I was gonna say over cosmetic and gross. But if they are 'affordable' (cheap) and in good condition, I'll climb on board.
I like your philosophy of just keeping things cheap or inexpensive. I like keeping my money just as much as I like anything else.
Please keep going, and please keep up with pictures.

haha, I'm very cheap. I use what I got and find what I can afford. When its all said and done I will get some nicer wheels but for now, to roll it around the shop and mount some free/traded tires on, they should do the trick.

 

[BobWiersema]

I kind of like the Jeep wheels. Im thinking black powder coat from Turtle would look great.

Looks great so far.

 

[Naasau]

I kind of like the Jeep wheels. Im thinking black powder coat from Turtle would look great.

Looks great so far.

X2. But I think the gold has to go. Turdle does a black matte crinkle powder coat that would make those rims look downright sexy. And as a bonus you wouldn't notice when you scraped them.

 

[davidhicks16]

wow what a great idea, this is so cool.
it kind of reminds me of my neibours build

That old power wagon is killer, My girlfriends dad has 4 of them things

 

[deamon3]

I don't know if I hate or love this project.

 

[Erki]

the jeep wheels are in pretty rough shape so spending money to actually make them nice is not going to happen. I might rattle can them but thats about it. Id like to eventually get some nice simple black wheels when I'm finished but thats a ways off.

 

[Erki]

Just a little update. Sorry no pictures since it still looks about the same. But I have chopped the front of the frame off back to just behind the rad support mounts. Moved the rad just over that cross bar about 3" in front of the fan, and dropped it down a bit to fit just under the top of the fenders. Made a couple mounts for the front of the fenders/grille. Thats about it for now. More work Thursday evening.

 

[deamon3]

So is this going to be an off road car or like a hot rod or like a resto? I'm just confused because it really screams hot rod thus far because of the chopped roof , yet you bought like off road wheels for it so....

 

[Erki]

Offroad is the plan for now. It actually started out a street rod

but I missed going off road with my 4runner and I wanted a second vehicle I can go out and play and still have a vehicle I can drive to work Monday morning if I break something on the weekend. The chop top all started because I like the look. The truck being 1947 wasn't the most desirable hot rod truck with the front end it had, so I went custom. Also being where the streets are not that great and winter lasts bit longer than summer. I like something with a little more ground clearance than an air bagged hot rod. Besides how often do you see hot rods with big tires and 4x4. I like to be different.