Pugly

The Good, The Bad, & the Pugly

1994 Purple Explorer XLT 4wd

I decided to have a registry for my "Other" rig so I can post things done and have a reference for it.

Pretty much stock drive train.

4.0 OHV-A4ld-1354e.
D35 front 4:56 Yukon gears, Aussie Locker.
2nd gen disc 8.8 rear 4:56 gears, Spartan Locker.

Front C-Clip eliminator Mod.

Slight lift with 2" Skyjacker coils & rear F-150 hybrid leaf packs.

3" PA body lift
Helpful thread with pics for the front body mounts
Pics of front body lift mounts

Swapped to manual hubs.
Double U-joint XJ steering shaft.

33" x 12.5" x 15" Cooper Discoverer ATX3, mounted on 15"x10" AR Outlaw1 alum wheels - full size matching spare.

Shocks:
Front Rancho 9000xl
Rear Rancho 9000xl
Duff Stabilizer shock.

Sway bar quick disconnects front & rear.
Custom tube sliders w/kickouts

22" LED light bar.
18w amber fog Led pods.
55w rock lights--2 front--1 rear over diff.
8 LED pods for rocker lights.

Full brush guard.
2.5" Fender Flares.

TTB Diff guard & Skid plate.

Custom roof rack with 48" Extreme Hi-Lift jack.

Flipped Tow hitch & front hooks for tow points.

Cobra19 CB & rear hatch mounted firestick antenna.
Rear view HD camera.
JVC DVD/CD/MP3 Head unit with 7" HD Monitor.
Sony 6.5" front speakers.
Rockford Fosgate 5.25" component rear speakers.
8" JL Audio sub in 2001 enclosure with 500w amp mounted on enclosure.

Custom made center console with CB/Rear view color monitor/2-12v outlets/ in-out temp display. D cell Maglite mounted on cargo panel. Truck bed liner on cargo floor.
Custom Cargo storage box with topside spare tire mount.

'99 Eddie Bauer Front Leather buckets.
'94 Limited Rear leather split bench.

 

[CDW6212R]

Is it possible they are smelling and tasting various parts, due to the places you drive the truck? My mail truck is very interesting to every dog that gets near it, they love the right side of it, from me driving along the road edge and in yards etc.

Bam, my power just went out. I have about 30 minutes of backup left, I'm going to go take a nap. Snooze til later.

 

[Spudhut]

Is it possible they are smelling and tasting various parts, due to the places you drive the truck? .

Haha - I had a crazy image of animals bite testing everything until they found what was pleasing to their taste buds.

@gmanpaint - I feel your pain, I get a lot of mice that burrow in both of mine. I hate and wonder how they bring in a full sheet of newpaper in under the dash without me opening the doors or glass....hmmm.

 

[Dono]

Here's more of whats needed. The mice police. A bit heavy handed, but effective.

 

[Turdle]

Yeah, if you had a dog or cat hanging out in the driveway those squirrels would go somewhere else and chew rubbers

 

[gmanpaint]

I don't ever see mice here. Rabbits are even scarce. Probably because I have 3 cats that hang around in the yard. I think they sell the crack to them brain fried tree rats.

 

[gmanpaint]

Hired some muscle, for them tree rats.

 

[gmanpaint]

Pugly developed a hard pull to the left on braking. Removed the wheel to inspect, and found 2/3 of the lower caliper slide sticking outboard. The caliper was ****ed. Why it did this, I have no idea. All calipers, pads & rotors, are only a couple years old, and not that many miles on them.

I went and got new slide pins, and the synthetic grease for them. Pull went away, but since the reason why it happened is unknown, I will keep any eye on them.

I swear this rig isn't happy, unless something is wrong with it.

I am on the search for a new intermediate steering shaft as well. The Jeeper mod has failed. The outer shaft rounded out, and has a good amount of play in it. It works, just not acceptable as is. I will more than likely bite the bullet, and just buy a new U-joint /shaft setup for it, and be done with this mickey mouse crap.

 

[Dono]

Are you thinking of going Flaming River stuff?

 

[gmanpaint]

Are you thinking of going Flaming River stuff?

Either them, or one of the other brands out there. But yes, to that style of build. Flaming River is pricey as hell. Guess that's how they got the name?

 

[Dono]

I'll be interested in what you come up with.

 

[CDW6212R]

There is a company that makes steering shafts, and also sells most components you can use, to build one with.
I don't recall which brand it was, but the pricing was a lot better than Flaming River etc. I just got a new Borg and Warner shaft for my Lincoln, they are nice in hand, but still high.

 

[gmanpaint]

I have to find the spline count and measures for this rigs setup still. I want to say it is a 1" DD x 36 spline, but I could be wrong. Need to research it again.

Advanced Adapters sells parts or kits you can cut the shaft to size with.

Here is one example

716862 : Steering Shaft Assembly (slip shaft, boot, U-joint) | Advance Adapters

I know there are others out there too, I have some research to do still.

Ok, I was wrong, it's a 3/4", not a 1", and top is not spline.

 

[5spdman]

Hired some muscle, for them tree rats.

That's what a pellet gun and a slow-cooker are for lol!

 

[gmanpaint]

Gross!!! I don't, and won't, eat rodent.

Ever!! Just nasty.

 

[5spdman]

Just a product of my raisin' I guess lol.

 

[KurtECV]

 

[gmanpaint]

Here we go again!!

Had to replace the spindle. I can get the frozen race off of it, but the threads took a beating. Luckily I have a couple spares. These are 6 month old Napa SKF premium bearings that failed. I have checked the nuts on this rig once a month since. The nut kit and rotor is also 6 months old. I have to replace the $45 rotor as well. All in all, these parts run right at $100 to replace.

I am taking all of it back to Napa, as they have a 3 yr warranty. When I called to order the new parts, I told the chick on the phone that these failed in 6 months. She ignored me, and said the exact same new parts, come with a 3 yr warranty. I said great, see you in a bit. She is about to become stressed, as I am not taking this **** lying down, and demand full replacement from them. The premium bearings are more than twice as much as the normal units, and have 3 times the warranty length. If they don't honer this, I am complaining to Corporate. Tired of this **** hole town and the ******** people here. Grr......

I swear, Pugly is out to kill me sometimes. Blown out wheel bearings on a crowded Hwy, is downright scary to deal with.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

How many in/lbs are you torquing the bearing nut to??

 

[KurtECV]

Been there done that. I was replaceing wheel bearings every 6 months on the pearl. Left me stranded a few times. At the end i started to torque everything down using my snapon torque wrenches and that still didnt help.

Wheel bearings are a big reason why i went SAS, plus all the other perks.

So i know the feeling

 

[gmanpaint]

35 ft lbs to seat the bearing, back off 1/4 turn, 16 in/lbs to set inner nut.

Outer nut, I max my torx wrench out at 150 lbs, then a grunt extra with the breaker bar.

I lost count how many sets of bearings I have gone thru on this rig now. But this seems like the third set in the last year.