MountaineerGreen's Front Suspension Rehab / Diff Swap

[Hokie]

So I just called Superlift and spoke with Dave. He is going to send me some of their limiting straps no charge.

Customer Service Excellence ladies and gentlemen...

Superlift just gained alot of credibility in my book

 

[jobunn]

Customer Service Excellence ladies and gentlemen...

Superlift just gained alot of credibility in my book

No kidding Hokie. Superlift has always been good. At the same time as the limiting straps I told them that I needed new swaybar endlink bushings and hardware because I blew them out and he is sending those no charge as well.

 

[Hokie]

No kidding Hokie. Superlift has always been good. At the same time as the limiting straps I told them that I needed new swaybar endlink bushings and hardware because I blew them out and he is sending those no charge as well.

If a Cummins customer feels the same way about our engines and support, then my role as a Service Engineer is fufilled.

Its always refreshing to see other companies demonstrate it as well.

 

[CDW6212R]

Evan, buy new outer tie rod ends also if they have any amount of miles on them.

Are upper control arms from Moog any better than Ford arms? I have uppers from 76k miles ago, and I'm replacing everything else. If I do need uppers again, is another brand better?

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Well your problem got be worried because I have the same lift and with no swaybars, the manual 1354 tcase and a front Powertrax I am all locked up all the time when I go into 4low, though I have had no problems yet. So I just called Superlift and spoke with Dave. He is going to send me some of their limiting straps no charge. He said the straps are now included because people were running longer travel shocks than the Superlift shocks that come with the kit and breaking axles.

To clarify, the primary part of my problem is a bent bracket- a Superlift bracket that the guy who had the lift before me apparently bent. It is only out about 1/2", so I think I can put it in a press and put it back like it needs to be. I don't think limit straps will hurt anything though.

so you drove home from moab with no CV? i thought the bearings would seperate if the CV and it's 32mm 175 lb/ft nut weren't together?

i've been running around for the past year with no diff and half CV's. i chopped them so there is no axle shaft or upper joint on them. just enough to pop em in and secure that beastly nut on it.

I have both sides of the CV in my truck now, not the middle shaft. I paid a guy with a chop saw to cut the shaft off of the intact side so I could get home. You have to have the spindle and nut in the bearing to hold it all together.

Evan, buy new outer tie rod ends also if they have any amount of miles on them.

Are upper control arms from Moog any better than Ford arms? I have uppers from 76k miles ago, and I'm replacing everything else. If I do need uppers again, is another brand better?

My outers only have 6-10k on them, they are Moog parts- the boots I ripped on my dust shields after I installed the superlift knuckles. I looked into replacing them, but they are $30+ each.

I don't know if the Moog arms are better, but they are a one piece design on the passenger side, I'd like to have the cleaner look since my arms show so much now.

 

[CDW6212R]

Gotcha, I wondered if there was a better upper ball joint in those. I'm on the street only, but those seem prone to failure before 100k in normal use.

 

[mynameisaric]

I have both sides of the CV in my truck now, not the middle shaft. I paid a guy with a chop saw to cut the shaft off of the intact side so I could get home. You have to have the spindle and nut in the bearing to hold it all together.

OOOOOOOOO... ok. that is exactly how i have been running for the past year. it sucks in the white stuff known as snow.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Yeah, I can imagine it would- Does it help with your MPG's any?

I am collecting all parts needed to do my front diff conversion, I am waiting on a few suspension parts, when I get it all, I may do a CV removal/install thread for the benefit of others.

 

[FAT CAT]

I don't know if the Moog arms are better, but they are a one piece design on the passenger side, I'd like to have the cleaner look since my arms show so much now.

The Moogs are the one piece??? I think I sent the wrong ones to Jefe

Let me know when you get them, I think I sent the split arm for one side. I thought they were the ones I just bought...

Let me know...

 

[MountaineerGreen]

The Moogs are the one piece??? I think I sent the wrong ones to Jefe

Let me know when you get them, I think I sent the split arm for one side. I thought they were the ones I just bought...

Let me know...

Well, as long as the ball joints are tight, I don't care at this point. I need to get my truck back together and get an alignment.

The fun begins today. New inner tie rods, vac diso diff, and drivers side CV all go in before I go to bed tonight. Its 3:15 now......

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Its all done- well, most of it. I have the vac diso diff installed, a passenger and drivers side CV, new boots on my tie rod ends, new Ford inner tie rods.

I will never use aftermarket inner tie rods again, the ford parts are clearly superior.

I still need my upper arms- they should be in transit, an alignment and connect and wire the front diff. I am waiting on the solenoid from Karl on that one.

I will post some pictures tomorrow.

 

[Turdle]

Man Evan--your Mounty is going to have all the cool mods--
one of a kind that's for sure

 

[MountaineerGreen]

With this diff, I should be able to get around 20 MPG like I did on the way back from Moab- not too shabby for a pushrod v8 lifted on 33's eh?

 

[mynameisaric]

good job on all that work in that little time. i know the Explorer's IFS like the back of my hand. you could show me a bolt and i could tell you where it goes. I must have had my front end apart 20 times over the past 3 years for this or that. usually something to do with the brakes. diff or the CV's. once it was hub bearings, and that was the only time there was a serious problem with the IFS.

but I think having the front diff out of my truck helps mpg's a little but nothing greatly noticeably. i did the brown wire mod as soon as i lifted the truck almost, so the front end was disengaged almost since i lifted it. and i did not notice a huge difference with the diff completely out.

hopefully next time i tear down the IFS.... i dont have to put it back in.
your truck is one mean green machine. keep it up!

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Ifs is back in- Pictures!

The bent bracket-

This is supposed to be flat on the floor- This really shows how much was out of whack-

After 3 minutes in a press-

The vac diso probably wouldn't fit without the drop brackets- check out the oil pan clearance!

I have a wiring plan for the diff, hope to have it in place when I get the solenoids from Karl.

I am only going to replace the drivers side upper control arm, my passenger side is still OK. I will have the passenger around for a spare though.

I got some Daystar tie rod end boots, nice and thick material, fit perfectly over the tie rod ends. No pictures though I will get one soon.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

All the vac diso stuff is in and wired up- works great! I put a switch on the radio bezel, wried it to a relay. I even hooked up the sensor on the diff so I know if it is engaged or not. I'll get some pictures up later-

 

[MountaineerGreen]

It keeps getting better. I still don't have my parts, but that's another story. I took my truck to get an alignment hoping that I could squeak by without replacing the upper- no dice. I also was told my passenger side lower is bad, its only two years old. Its Moog, so I will replace it and get my money back under warranty.

I am going to go out and replace it now, a write up of how to do it will be up soon using a ball joint press, if there isn't one already.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Lower ball joint in- piece of cake with the press. I even stopped for dinner and cleaned up and its only 2 hours since I started. Wasn't hard at all.

I am going to do a detailed write up on how to change the ball joint- I took lots of pictures.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Front diff switch pictures;

Off, normal position

On position

The red light is not associated with the position of the switch, it is the indicator of the position of the disconnect on the axle.

The power to the switch is constant, so the ground signal from the diff controls the light. You can see now the light is on even though the switch is in the off position. This is because I was in 4hi and turned to bind the front axle, then turned the switch off.

After I released the truck from the turn, the light went out as the truck rolled a little bit.

And, finally the new tie rod end boot:

 

[kert0307]

Nice, so are you coming on the Badlands run to "test" it out?