Betty's "I want to be a mule" progress log thread

[Turdle]

Huge Thanks to Stang5lgt

Took a little cruise over to Parker Colorado, where Stang5lgt and I swapped a lever and true 4x4 into this thing.

What a great guy. When I suggest "we" did it, well, that is a stretch. Josh is pretty quick. I know i slowed him down but he never even flinched about it.

Thanks Josh! It was an honor to meet you!!!

Oh, my hair is pretty silky tonight. Turns out used transmission fluid is a great leave in conditioner-

Who'd have thought?

 

[Happy Jack]

Sure nuff is conditioner Jon. Don't know bout smell though. Some of that old fluid smells purdy bad.

Can't wait to read about how well the t-case works on the trail.

 

[rizzjc]

Wow, you did that in a day?! Come out and do mine. I haven't been looking real hard, but haven't come across a case yet.

 

[Turdle]

Low range works well, kthanx

 

[vroomzoomboom]

was just looking at the other thread you made of the trip. it coughed out a trans mount already? may i suggest this

i know when i was talking to you this winter when i was doing the 5L swap you had warned me about that happening. what i did was cut the factory cross member and re welded a plate into it so it would be lower and could fit a poly mustang mount into it. a road trip from my door, to PA and back (roughly 3000 miles, not counting 3 trips up to lindsy's from tara's and going to carlisle and back as well), many brake stands, and neck breaking shifts from the shift kit later and it is still rock solid.

 

[Turdle]

Thanks for posting that Tim. Now I can find it easily.

was just looking at the other thread you made of the trip. it coughed out a trans mount already?

Actually--it was the stock mount . It was pretty well worn out, so bad I could flex it with one hand. It just could not hang in there with the heavier transfer case. I should have taken a new one to the swap.





4406 shifter = mouse entry point. All it took was a camping trip to discover this

It was a brand new box too Bought it for camp snacks.

I got up to git rid of some liquid nature at about 3:AM 2 nights after this and saw one on the dash. He squeaked to warn his friends, then flew off across my leg and onto the ground.

OK it's on.

I shoved a bunch of TP in the gap of the shifter cover.

When we woke up there was a pile of chewed up toilet paper under the truck. So, I did find the entry.

We stuck a bag of trail mix that had gone a little moist --right over the spot the next night before we turned in. The next morning all the peanuts were gone, but the raisins and M&M's were still there. ( I later set the bag outside and we forgot about it until mice came up in the conversation. when I went to it it was empty. )

We boxed everything in tubs tightly the next night. Except for a roll of TP. Little bastages started eating it, discovered by the missus when she went for a late night outing to the porta potty. lol



So, the plan is to shove some steel wool in there and seal it up with some duct tape, then re position the shifter cover and boot. Nothing I can do about a shifter hole in the floor board.

No Mice ever got into our tent, it seals pretty good, however, the folks with us had visitors running over them in a pop up. Since we plan to get one f these, I think we'll take the dogs with us next time. Mice won't stand a chance.

I updated the first post,as it skipped my mind all the pictures there were of dirty gal--

 

[Turdle]

Long story short--new battery new alternator.

The 6 year old battery got us home and failed to start for Sheri when she left work Wednesday evening. It got us home 600 miles, the next day I drove it to an appointment and back. Wednesday morning it started fine. She had to get a jump from a co worker Wednesday night.

I checked it out when she got home. Battery voltage was 12v with engine off, but engine running was only 13. So, I got another alternator-and stuck a new battery in. After sitting a couple days the "old" battery read 8.6v. Maybe it got bumped on a rough road, it may have damaged the alternator driving on that for so far. There is a slight bit of fluid leaking from the old battery, so it is toast.
I may have not needed to replace the alternator, but hey, it's done.

 

[Turdle]

I finally installed the upper F150 transfer case shifter boot.

 

[bronchole]

I think i need to keep my eyes open for that F150 shift boot setup (inner and outer). Thats pretty good looking.

Besides, I have found that wheeling with the Hurst boot that Jim installed on this thing doesnt seal up real good so I get allot of heat coming up from it if I wheel with the windows open.

 

[TekMan05]

Looks great Jon. Nice clean finish too. I hope to maybe make this change too at some point down the road. Especially if I can keep it neat like that.

 

[ford99_1979]

Wife just happened to be standing beside me when I was looking at the shifter boot picture which looks great by the way. Helps to sell her on the idea of the 4406 swap. That also leads to well I got 4x4 now so I need tires.....and I need.... Etc.

 

[Turdle]

Wife just happened to be standing beside me when I was looking at the shifter boot picture which looks great by the way. Helps to sell her on the idea of the 4406 swap. That also leads to well I got 4x4 now so I need tires.....and I need.... Etc.

Ha ha, one member ( who will remain nameless here) wanted a dana 44 in place of the ifs in his sport trac, so he took a plasma cutter to all the brackets, showed his wife the bare frame and said " this just isn't going to work anymore"

 

[GRNMACHINE]

Not sure how I missed updates on this thread, Mounty looks great Jon! Love those sliders. Great work as always. I have those wheels but polished. Sure cant wait to see what color you end up powder coating them, come on you know you will!!

 

[Turdle]

Not sure how I missed updates on this thread, Mounty looks great Jon! Love those sliders. Great work as always. I have those wheels but polished. Sure cant wait to see what color you end up powder coating them, come on you know you will!!

I would like to do the fine lines and Dick Cepek signature in red, the spoke faces black, holes and inner rim graphite

 

[vroomzoomboom]

nice jon! did you guys also get the lights for the 4x4 hooked up as well? i need to find that thread and do that before winter.

 

[Turdle]

nice jon! did you guys also get the lights for the 4x4 hooked up as well? i need to find that thread and do that before winter.

Have not wired the lights to the GEM yet. I need the range sensor connector for the transfer case,

 

[bronchole]

Jon, I think you need to make the rims the same color(s) as my intake manifold. Rainbow is purdy!

 

[Turdle]

Jon, I think you need to make the rims the same color(s) as my intake manifold. Rainbow is purdy!

It has crossed my mind--

 

[Turdle]

I had noticed a slight resonating vibration, especially at highway speeds.

So, of course I had been blaming it on the "new to the truck" front drive shaft with the double cardaan joint.

I decided I should change the transfer case fluid and while down there checked the front drive shaft out.
The 4 bolts holding the shaft flange to the transfer case were pretty loose. I probably should have checked them before heading home from Colorado, eh?

I also took the time to pull the yoke splines apart and rotated the front yoke 180 degrees.
After MLB drove it she said it felt a lot smoother.


'

 

[Turdle]

Well, ol gal is slippin'.
What was great fuel economy has slowly deteriorated to less than 14mpg on the highway.
The average displyed "was" around 17.6 with MLB driving, slowly going down, I thought it was my imagination but after resetting the trip computer several times, we're at 13.8.

I'm guessing the 02 sensors are going kaput--however my gut tells me the cats could be clogged also. Poo. Going with the most logical 02 sensors first, I'll report back once I get them changed.