Jurassic Park...The SUV! | Page 23 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Jurassic Park...The SUV!

My RedHead box and power steering pump conversion fixed 90% of my steering issues.
 



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It's not leaking, it's marking it's territory..
 






Finally getting around to this, as we're supposed to go to Big Bear this weekend.

Out with the old and in with the new. Was in there for 15 years after it was pulled from a junkyard truck. Never rebuilt. It served well. :salute:

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And here is the new box. I'm installing all new lines as well.

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The red top has to be worth 10hp. :D
 












Best money spent!!
 






I keep meaning to post some feedback on the Saginaw conversion- idk if you are going that way- but there is a negative. With my manual when it really lugs and idles down, the power steering just stops working. As long as I keep the rpm’s over about 600ish it is fine, but below that it just drops off. That might not be a problem for you- and it also might be related to the small pulley, but it is definitely a reality in my setup.
 






I keep meaning to post some feedback on the Saginaw conversion- idk if you are going that way- but there is a negative. With my manual when it really lugs and idles down, the power steering just stops working. As long as I keep the rpm’s over about 600ish it is fine, but below that it just drops off. That might not be a problem for you- and it also might be related to the small pulley, but it is definitely a reality in my setup.

I'm leaving this alone. The truck is what it is at this point. Just Maintenance going forward. Maybe a cross brace for the shock towers, but have no other plans for it.

It works and is reliable. You can't ask for anything else.
 






I keep meaning to post some feedback on the Saginaw conversion- idk if you are going that way- but there is a negative. With my manual when it really lugs and idles down, the power steering just stops working. As long as I keep the rpm’s over about 600ish it is fine, but below that it just drops off. That might not be a problem for you- and it also might be related to the small pulley, but it is definitely a reality in my setup.
What is this Saginaw conversion? I run ram assist and would love to run a Saginaw pump.
 






Box is in....I forgot how little space there was to work in there. It's like it wasn't designed for a steering box to be there....oh wait...it wasn't 😛

New hoses come in tomorrow, and I still have to put the pitman arm back on. TRE's are ready to be replaced, but I'm going to wait till after this trip. I'll get them ordered though, so I have them just in case.

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All back together. I was also able to reset the pitman arm so it doesn't hit the track bar anymore, so I should have full steering again, vs I could only go so far one direction for the last 15 years 🙄

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Actually got it out and working today...it still works, but I broke a hub for the first time ever😳


 






Well in prepping JP for KOH, it's time to let the original grill go. I cut the center out and installed expanded metal mesh in the center. I think it was one of the first mods I did, (it's here somewhere documented) but after years of abuse it's practically falling off and broken in multiple places. I'll never be able to match the paint, so I'm just painting a factory chrome one I had hanging in the garage black.

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Well in prepping JP for KOH, it's time to let the original grill go. I cut the center out and installed expanded metal mesh in the center. I think it was one of the first mods I did, (it's here somewhere documented) but after years of abuse it's practically falling off and broken in multiple places. I'll never be able to match the paint, so I'm just painting a factory chrome one I had hanging in the garage black.

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I completely forgot about KOH!!! Wish it was closer so I could do a day trip too late to do time off or anything, dang.
 






Started working on replacing the Chevy TRE's today. Haven't changed them since I built the truck. They are pretty much rust welded to the tubing at this point, so I think I'm just going to build a whole new one, and keep this as a spare.

Unfortunately this screws up my KOH timing and probably will not take her to KOH. 😕

This has inspired me a little to go through all the suspension and clean it all up.
 






I recently used hammer down enterprizes for aluminum links. They are pretty sweet.
 






Not sure how I didn't notice this and still trying to figure out, how I even did this. 😳

That is 1/4" wall DOM and a level table. How did I bend that? I guess it's been like that for a while.

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Not sure how I didn't notice this and still trying to figure out, how I even did this. 😳

That is 1/4" wall DOM and a level table. How did I bend that? I guess it's been like that for a while.

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I bent a few chrome moly tie rods which is why it was changed to aluminum. The aluminum will return to it's original shape.

Carnage list from 2005.:laugh:

"My tie-rod is now made of aluminum instead of Chrome Moly. I bent 3 or 4 of the thick wall Chrome Moly tie-rods. The aluminum is supposed to spring back to it's original shape after hitting or laying on a boulder. We'll see..."

I guess they work as advertised. Haven't bent one yet. I ditched the aluminum hex tube tie-rod I had run for many years and changed it out to a round tube version just before COVID. I did it as a precautionary thing since I had so many runs on the original aluminum tie-rod. Haven't used the new one off-road yet. :(
 



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I have had a bad clunk I have been trying to track down, since we went to cougar buttes a while back. Could not find it, as didn't make much noise on the street, but could feel it sometimes.

Well found it this week out at KOH finally.

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