V8BoatBuilder's Off Road Buildup: Spring 2008

Here are my plans for my 1997 Mountaineer V8, and the official buildup thread.

The Goal: Fitting Interco TrXus MT 33x12.5R15 with style and offroad prowess.

The Plan:
Front Suspention: Superlift 4"
Rear Suspention: SOA, stock springs, warrior shackles.
Rear Axle: Originally belonging to IZwack, it's a 1998 with 4.56 gears and SOA perches. Limited Slip.
Front Axle: 1995 Explorer, with Central Axle Disconnect. Being regeared to 4.56. Open, perhaps an Aussie Locker.

New tire mounted on rear axle:

New 33" TrXus MTs vs 31" BFG ATs:

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Progress Progress!!

A bit of a to-do list for getting her back on the road and ready for wheeling this weekend. Might as well post it as it's 11:30pm and I'm wiped.

Front:
1) Cotter pins for castle nuts
2) Cut Torsion adjuster skidplates to fit & Attach
3) Reattach front radiator skidplate
4) Build, install, test front driveshaft
5) Install t-case skidplate
6) Front axle electronics, run wires to cab
7) Reattach front license plate, fog lights.


Rear:
1) Reflare brake hardline, attach flex hose and run axle hydrualics, bleed brakes.
2) Clean out pumpkin, RTV cover and fill.
3) Remove spare tire winch
4) Get spare tire mounted and stowed

All:
1) Mount tires
2) Road test
3) Alignment.... (next week!!)



Keep your fingers crossed for good weather, I need it!!

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Damn IZwack, you left me with some pimp dady ebrakes!! This was a great discovery after about 15min of propane torch to get the rotor off.

Shock mount options, what do you think? Lower? Higher? I put them on the axle mounts, but open to suggestions. The shocks are about 1/2" to short, and as such limit the axle's downtravel.

 

[IZwack]

LOL sorry v8boarbuilder

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

LOL sorry v8boarbuilder

I'm now wicked fast at doing Explorer rear brakes... 30 min/side included pulling the old ones off my axle and swapping them on.

But more frustration on the hydrualic line, my tubing cutter broke and everything is now closed, plus it's raining. Looks like I'll be down to the wire tomorrow night, I hope I can make it to RC!

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Seems like I finally solved the rear brake issue, with made in the USA tools and a bit of practice.

The Craftsman double-flare kit was a night and day difference from the Autozone renter (I'm not surprised) and I found a fantastic tubing cutter at my local Ace Hardware (also made in the USA) that blazes through the steel line nice and clean. I also prepped the lines with 220grit sandpaper and some tiny modeler's files.

Almost completed flare, just needs a bit more sanding of the bumps:

Finished and not leaking during repeated brake pedal holds:

The joint/union accomplishes two things:
1) It allows for the retention of the stock bracket
2) It allowed me to put a "factory" flare against my new brake line, and let the female-female union take the "brunt" of my homemade flares. They're good, but the steel is softer in the union and allows for a margin of error.

Notice my pimp energy suspension bumpstop, I had to cut off the Ford one to get the bracket out.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Hardline looks really good. Nice bump stops also.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

It's back on 4 legs!!! She drives! (well, only in my driveway)

The rear SOA is HUGE. With the 31s back on, the rear fenderwells are at about 41" from the ground. With the front t-bars cranked all the way, I'm only at about 38 1/2". Looks like I'll be sticking with the ass-high look.

Pictures tomorrow when it's light.

Any tips for removing the u-joints on the double cardan? It's giving me fits!

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I used sockets and a bench vice- I don't remember the specific sequence though There is definitely a trick to it.

 

[CDW6212R]

You start with the end I believe, not the middle joints. I didn't need to salvage my section from the shaft where the tiny tip is. Be careful with that, it's the most fragile part, and needs to be tight fitting in the ball portion. I had a shop rebuild my DC joint onto a custom shortened shaft.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Front Driveshaft is in!

Hybrid shaft from a 1st gen Explorer w/TTB and a new yoke for the double cardan to meet to the 4406.

Comparison with my "old" F150 shaft for the 4406 swap. This new shaft can be shorter or longer, so it would be a great system for future 4406 swappers looking for a double cardan.

Double Cardan mounted to 4406:

Clearance between x-member and shaft:

Driveshaft to diff pinion attachment:

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Central Axle Disconnect Wiring

Ran most of my wiring for the central axle disconnect:

I just need to add the switch and indicator light in the cab, as well as find the stupid 2-pin connector for the diff sensor.

Here's how it'll work:
Both solenoids are connected to a common hot that's on with the ignition, and then one wire from each is connected to the relay. The relay common is connected to ground. By default, the "disconnect" solenoid will be engaged. When a simple on-off SPST switch is pressed to on, the relay will shift the ground to the "connect" solenoid, and voila.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

That's exactly how I wired mine- I just put my relay behind the dash and ran 5 wires to the controls.

It all looks good and really familar :scratch:

 

[CDW6212R]

Those are good pictures Aaron. Here's one from my front suspension work, the BW4406 to be done next. This shows my old AWD shaft and the compressed new front shaft.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

It all looks good and really familar :scratch:

Well I had to steal some of your ideas, seeing as how you stole so many of mine.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Those are good pictures Aaron. Here's one from my front suspension work, the BW4406 to be done next. This shows my old AWD shaft and the compressed new front shaft.

Your parts are always shinier than mine, Don!

I haven't run the truck on the road yet, but I think the DC front driveshaft is the way to go for the 4406.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

That's what we are all here for

Lookin good on everything- keep up the good work.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

That's what we are all here for

Lookin good on everything- keep up the good work.

Indeed!! And thanks

 

[CDW6212R]

The man who built my front shaft left the used parts untouched. I had the front section come from a fabricated AWD shaft. Doing my front suspension made me look at a lot of the underside of my truck. Coming from Milwaukee for 98k miles, it has a bit of corrosion in body seams. Look into killing rust when you get some free time.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Had her out on the road today for the first time!! Went up to 50mph on the speedo, (so more like 40mph true) and it was awesome to be back in the Mountaineer. The 4.56s and 31s give some neck-snappin' torque off the line. I love it.

Everything seems ok, but I am getting a "whirring" noise from the truck that I need to isolate. No vibration, but it is speed dependant.

The pinion on the rear axle looks a little high for a non-double cardan shaft, but my CVs are at too steep of an angle right now so for starters I'm going to try backing off the t-bar adjuster bolts.

On another note, does anyone have a spare wiring harness plug for the front diff sensor? I can't find the one I yoinked from the junkyard.

 

[joshuaj0214]

31's? Why not 33's?