Got rearended and leafsprings are buckled, need new ones.

[essendon22]

How'd I miss this thread?

Me too! Glad you are ok man. Hey, new parts new parts! Sucky way to get them though..

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Ya, really bad way to get them since they're SO hard to get. The truck sitting for 2 weeks now is killing me and Matthew (my 6 month old) isn't liking it very much either, he loves riding in it, hearing and feeling the loud rumble of the exhaust. Everytime we go somewhere he looks right at it as I put him in my wife's '97 V8 AWD Mountaineer. He stare's at the picture of the Trac on the laptop and on the picture's on the walls.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

O.k. so thanks to the awesome family (site members) I already have the impossible to get upper shackle/frame bushings from Vince (Sporty97) and will have a set of leafsprings soon from Steve (ncranchero).
Huge Thanks again guys !!!

Here's some picture's of the new bushings installed...

For future reference, those of you who don't have a Balljoint tool kit (which I do but didn't feel like getting out of the shed) you can use a BFH (Big Fudging Hammer) and a 1 1/16" box end wrench to beat in the bushings.

 

[gmanpaint]

Those look like so much fun to install!




NOT! :

 

[xsportx]

For future reference, those of you who don't have a Balljoint tool kit (which I do but didn't feel like getting out of the shed) you can use a BFH (Big Fudging Hammer) and a 1 1/16" box end wrench to beat in the bushings.

I used threaded rod, some nuts, big fender washers and a big axle nut socket and it sucked them right in....

 

[Karpiel73]

Did you get them out with a BFH? I've read they are a nightmare to get out

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Yeah, you can see in the one picture the old one is all bent up. I used the BFH and a air chisel cutting bit to get them out. I'll probably put two tack welds on each side to make sure it stays put. I don't have to do this but I'm a safety nut.

 

[Karpiel73]

air chisel

Thats the other tool I read about having to use! My drivers side is just about seized in there.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

If you want, bring your truck down one of these weekends and we can replace the bushings on it.

 

[Karpiel73]

I appreciate the offer ALOT and that'd be awesome, but I should probably change my location. I'm in Charleston, SC for a few years. I don't want to change it because this place sucks!

Thanks alot though Midnight

 

[MidnightRebel07]

With the help of Sporty97 and ncranchero for impossible to get parts my Trac is now road worthy again (suspension wise). I still need to align the bed, reweld the exhaust hanger that was broken and design a steel rear bumper so I can remove the plastic bumper and bent tow hitch.

I left the bumper cover off so I can take measurements and make templates to design a steel rear bumper.

On a side note for anyone who as the a body lift installed on your 1st Gen Sport Trac or thinking about doing it I have a helpful idea to save your fiberglass bed. Those of you who have body lifts know the bed have thin fiberglass drop down brackets (part of bed) that rest on the body lift pucks. When your in a accident or haul alot in your bed the brackets will get crushed down into the BL pucks. To solve this problem you'll want to either go to the hardware store and get a really big washer the same diameter as the pauck or cut two pieces of metal to the diameter of the puck to stop it from getting crushed and broken.

 

[Karpiel73]

Good to see it's up and running again!

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Couldn't have happened without the great members here. This is why I always offer as much help as I can whether it be in person or online.

 

[sport97]

Glad to see you got back on the road. Is it me or does it sit higher now? We need to work on some sort of meet. I'm working on my car little by little this weekend. Finally got my new rear diff cover on...it took 11 pints of synthetic fluid...talk about expensive!

 

[corkey]

11pints ?? omg is that too full,

 

[sport97]

11pints ?? omg is that too full,

Thats what I thought, but from what I saw you fill to the fill plug with an aftermarket cover... its just a deep cover.

Edit: plug on the cover, the regular plug is stripped and rusted in place...hence a new cover.

 

[corkey]

8.8 fill is on the diff housing by the pinion,, that is what you fill it to,
the plug on the aftermarket cover could be too high,

 

[sport97]

8.8 fill is on the diff housing by the pinion,, that is what you fill it to,
the plug on the aftermarket cover could be too high,

Its stripped and rusted in, so I filled up to the covers plug. Ive read the "solid" covers can take 10 pints (5 quarts) so I only have half a bottle over that... now you got me worried...

 

[corkey]

is the solid diff plug higher ?

 

[sport97]

is the solid diff plug higher ?

Not sure. I'll start a new thread to get thoughts on this... don't want to trash up this thread.