Kyle's 4406 T-Case swap!

[turboexplorer]

So I got the front shaft back and he put in a non greaseable style u joints ( two new free u joints $70) and it has much tighter tolerances. So it feels nice and solid again. So I went to put it in everything is fine then on the very last little 8 mm bolt on the front yoke the sucker snaps. Not even right at the head where I can get some pliers or something to get it out its in the yoke a thread or two. So guess I can't test my freeway yet. I swear the front shafts on this truck are going to kill me one day. So will be fun tomorrow to try and get it out. But on a better note before I put that in I got my 4high and low light switch wired up and wires run into the truck so just have to tap them into the GEM with a relay and fix this bolt and the thing is DONE!!!! 100% If I can find a new bolt with everything being closed tomorrow I will be all done tomorrow!

 

[410Fortune]

awesome! good luck with the bolt, that is the one thing that will slow you down huge.
If you have a welder would it be possible to weld a nut onto the little end of the bolt that is left?
drill and tap?

 

[turboexplorer]

No it broke off inside the pinion flange so its under flush even if that makes sense? Anyways I GOT IT OUT!!!! Was a huge pain in the A**. Probably the hardest one I have ever had to get out. But its out and it made my day took just shy of two hours this morning. I will have to show a few pics of how I did it I went through four screwdrivers to do it. Then I finished up the dash lights with relay and the CONVERSION is 100% done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So good when you finish a project it looks great runs great and you can step back and be proud of it and also knowing that you didn't cut corners or anything. Always a good feeling for me!

 

[ben97532]

i had one last question before i order everything i need to do mine(hopefully next weekend).What rear drive shaft did you use?The interchange book said the air ride shaft is not the same as std suspension expedition.I looked but didnt find a answer.Hope my front drive shaft makes it another week,i've been pumping grease through the ripped cv boot but its not feeling good lol.

 

[turboexplorer]

Mine was from a 99' std suspension one fit perfect! You will love the swap!

 

[410Fortune]

Nice! and I know that feeling VERY well
it keeps me going LOL

how did you get it out?
I am curious about those new reversible cordless drill bits that extract stuck bolts... one side digs a small hole, the other side fits the hole and extracts the bolt (SURE!! LOL)

 

[Four0Sport]

ive wondered about those too.. been seeing commercials on tv for it, i cant remember the name.. sears has something similar

 

[turboexplorer]

Sorry was a busy weekend. Anyways I got it out by drilling two pretty small holes into the bolt that was broken and stuck in the flange. They were small enough that you could drill three across the width of the bolt so they were small. It was deeper than it looks in the pic. Then I took a file and ground down the screwdriver so that it would fit into the two holes which now is a slot. I broke two small screwdrivers and filed one down to do it and it broke so I got a bigger one and filed it down and it worked it had to bump it in with small hammer and then it turned out. I had to pull it out twice while turning the bolt out to hammer the head flat again. Cause I was having to twist so hard it kept bending or twisting the end of the screwdriver rather. Anyways it worked and I was VERY happy it did. Also update on the new shaft, it now has nongreasable u joints in it and it is smooth as glass even at 90mph Now vibrations are gone lights are up everything is perfect with the swap!!!!! Left front wheel bearing is going out again though, o well its under warranty.
Here are some pics


Bolt

Filed screwdriver

 

[Four0Sport]

thats similar to how i got the broken tab from my lock cylinder out of my column. got my drill/driver and drilled a small hole in the tab stuck in the column lock, tapped a small screwdriver bit in the hole, and it turned right out. good job! lets see some pics of the lights!

 

[410Fortune]

Nice work!

so non greaseable u joints in the driveshaft fixed your vibration? front or rear d shaft?
My 88 BII vibrates like a SOB at 75 mph, it has greaseable u joints everywhere, LOL
takes a tube of grease a month between my two trucks!

 

[turboexplorer]

The front. Really 410fortune it did. It had the greaseable ones and at anything over 70 it would get bad in a hurry. I pulled and pushed on the shaft and there was a little play, mind you it was not a lot they were new joints. My good friend (after all my front shafts & conversion has been done) at Six States says that since the front shaft is spinning and UNloaded that it can cause a shaft to "chatter" and the joints he said would probably be fine in a loaded shaft but since its not loaded it chatters because of the little play in it. So yeah he switched to the other joints and gone can go 90 and is still smooth My rear has nongreaseable ones to. They are more money but last like three times longer with better performance the whole way. After this whole truck endever I wont ever put greaseables back in any shaft.

 

[turboexplorer]

thats similar to how i got the broken tab from my lock cylinder out of my column. got my drill/driver and drilled a small hole in the tab stuck in the column lock, tapped a small screwdriver bit in the hole, and it turned right out. good job! lets see some pics of the lights!

Lights?

 

[storlied]

When I replaced my front drive shaft, I installed it... wrong.... a lil bit...lol....

Anyways, the vibration started only at 60mph+..

Fixed my lil user error on the front ds install and it's smooth at any speed.

 

[turboexplorer]

So I pulled the front end apart today to check that bearing. Its fine the CV is fine and the bearings in the front diff look great. Only thing is the lower ball joints are a little bad, will I get the rubble from that? Maybe trans mount to it looks okay but has small cracks in it. Then my power steering is all being dumb now. It shutters when turning, mainly the more its loaded so when your stopped and turn back and forth its pretty bad. No leaks and all mounts on rack and tie rods are great. Fluid is dirty so will try and flush it some tomorrow.
So plans now are tranny mount, power steering flush, tranny flush, front diff fluid change, rock sliders,

 

[Four0Sport]

wait.. i think i mislead myself.. do the awd trucks have the GEM and all the wiring for a selectable transfer case, you just have to tap into it?

my first and hopefully last stupid question of the new year!

 

[410Fortune]

no they dont

AWD 5.0L trucks are basically a 2wd explorer with a front diff and full time t case
The Gem is same as a 2wd and selectable t case wiring is not present
HOWEVER lucky for us the instrument cluster is the same and has the 4x4 lights in place

If your steering has a dead spot in it, it could very well be the ball joints and/or your intermediate shaft.
I am on my third intermediate shaft and I have only been driving this truck since 2005
This time I did it right!

My steering rack and pinion had 178K miles on it when it started to go south.
I had some dead spots in the steering from a worn intermediate shaft and the rack started to develop hard spots as well.
My truck has a 3" body lift and 33" tires, so that doesnt help!!
Over New Years I fixed everything....new everything, now it is a DREAM to drive!! I had no idea what I was missing fighting it to turn all the time...

 

[turboexplorer]

wait.. i think i mislead myself.. do the awd trucks have the GEM and all the wiring for a selectable transfer case, you just have to tap into it?

my first and hopefully last stupid question of the new year!

Lights are easy and well worth the time to hook up and I see what you mean by lights now so will post some.

Also 410 (intermediate shaft?) Shaft from wheel to rack?

 

[storlied]

no they dont

AWD 5.0L trucks are basically a 2wd explorer with a front diff and full time t case
The Gem is same as a 2wd and selectable t case wiring is not present
HOWEVER lucky for us the instrument cluster is the same and has the 4x4 lights in place

If your steering has a dead spot in it, it could very well be the ball joints and/or your intermediate shaft.
I am on my third intermediate shaft and I have only been driving this truck since 2005
This time I did it right!

My steering rack and pinion had 178K miles on it when it started to go south.
I had some dead spots in the steering from a worn intermediate shaft and the rack started to develop hard spots as well.
My truck has a 3" body lift and 33" tires, so that doesnt help!!
Over New Years I fixed everything....new everything, now it is a DREAM to drive!! I had no idea what I was missing fighting it to turn all the time...

Actually, my friend.. apon inspecting behind the panel where the radio lies.. (In a 5.0L) there's a spot where the plastic connector to (where the 4x4 switch Would be) the wiring harness. I don't know where it goes... but it is in there.

 

[turboexplorer]

Here are the pics of the working lights!!!

2WD

 

[turboexplorer]

I used this connector to hook it together. I took the small pins out of this clip, so then it was two separate ones I pushed it onto the pins of the 4WD switch then I took the case that I took the two pins out of and slid it backwards back onto the wires. It has to rubber grommets that holds the connectors to the case I pulled it out of. By sliding it on backwards the case holds the two wires apart. Now it stays is sealed and it is removable if I need to pull the case or anything like that. These connectors are on tons of fords and used for almost anything. O I wrapped electrical tape around it and the switch to make sure they stay together.
Here is the pics.