Project: Getting the paint on before the paint goes bad...

I've finally cleaned out a space in the garage and limped the truck over to the driveway. Due to the fact that I'm driving on one front tire and the track bar bracket has issues the drive was a bit disconcerting. But anyway...

To do: :wrench:

-Figure out why the alternator isn't getting power to the battery.

-Fix track bar bracket (new specialty bolt has been ordered)

-Fix exhaust hangers (broken due to rust)

-Fix fender

-Install new shocks (rears require new upper and lower mounts)

-Assemble and install new leaf packs (from 2wd MJ and Explorer packs)

-Replace front minispool with locker (dang I hate that minispool)

-Figure out what to do with rear axle situation (go all out with new axle? Install good center section into old axle?)

-Get the extra braces welded to the rocker guards

Some random pictures:

The hole in the axle bracket is just cast steel and the hole becomes oval in time.

I'll be taking the main Explorer leaf and sandwiching it under the 2wd MJ main leaf and using the rest of the MJ pack. Essentially making a rust-free version of what's under the truck right now.

My new-to-me rear axle has disks installed, but the guy never fixed the issue of slop around the lugs. This isn't good if I'm to drive the MJ to Indiana. Maybe Lowes has some spacers I could use. :hmm:

Need to grind off the perches and get them welded on in the right spot.

If I have time, I should probably do something about this if I'm to drive it on the road.

you thought that's alot?

troubleshoot running issues with my 87 4.0 (CPS? fuel delivery?)

build UCA's and LCA's and swaybar links

4wd front axle install with front lift

4wd trans install with shift linkage and 231 tcase

SOA dana 44 rear install

remove and clean A/C box

wire brush floor then bedline it

re-install dash and interior minus headliner and carpet

flush coolant

reinstall header panel

install new windshield

build front bumper and install

new rear bumper

helluva lotta stuff to do. i hope everyone can get their stuff done.

I didn't say it was a lot, only that I wasn't expecting this much required effort. I had forgotten about the exhaust and the fender and the trackbar, and on top of it all now I have to figure out why the alt isn't charging the battery (or this is going to be one very short drive). :(

Oh, and the radio blew a puff of smoke at me last time I fired up the engine. Guess I should add "remove the radio before it burns my down truck" to the list.

Progress has been made, albeit small.

I've finally wrestled the perches off the axle (new cutting blades for the circ saw and air grinder did the trick). And while I was at Lowes I looked through the hardware isle and wha-da-ya-know, I found some small cylindrical spacers that looked perfect for the lug-to-disk gap. Turned out I was right and tomorrow I'll cut them to size. :D

Next up is building my new leaf packs and finding someone local to weld on the perches onto the axle. Once those two items are accomplished, I'll be pulling the truck into the garage to start swapping.

My new trackbar bolt arrived in the mail today. :D

The longer conical wedge is fixed in place. The smaller one slides on the thread and the trackbar mount gets pinched between them. The trackbar affixes to the left hand side. The end result should be no more slop in the Ford axle's trackbar mount. :D I still need to find a 2044 tapered reamer before I can install it.

The leafpacks are complete.

Just a shot of the new axle. The perches aren't burned on yet (nor are they at the right angle since I don't own an angle finder yet). I've decided to take my own advice and bolt the whole thing together and then drive to the shop to get all the welding done at once.

And I successfully pulled the truck into the garage today before the downpour hit.

But rumor has it my friends are hitting the bars tonight so further progress will have to wait until tomorrow.

My new trackbar bolt arrived in the mail today. :D

The longer conical wedge is fixed in place. The smaller one slides on the thread and the trackbar mount gets pinched between them. The trackbar affixes to the left hand side. The end result should be no more slop in the Ford axle's trackbar mount. :D I still need to find a 2044 tapered reamer before I can install it.

Is there a way to create a double shear track bar mount on the axle end? I was never a fan of how Ford designed that. The track bar receives a huge amount of stress there.

Willy

I've thought about that. But the bracketry would be pretty involved since there's a bunch of stuff in the way. :(

I've used that same "track bar fix" many times on well abused fords with good results.Question; wats wrong with the mini spool,I was thinking of using one in the waggy axles I'm preping for my truck? should I go for full spools or just weld the stock spiders[thats what I have now with stock axles]after all I only have the"crappy"2.8 and don't plan an engine swap? :D

Turning can be a real pain in the arms. If the drivetrain binds up enough it won't move at all. :( So I'm going with a regular ol' locker up front. A cure for the spool is adding a power assist ram up front, but I don't have the money or resources to pull that off right now.

Like the Jeep Grease (which magically binds itself to your skin, and nothing short of dish soap and brake clean will remove) Jeep rust is a special breed.

I say do a chrome and Stainless dip before we put them back on the road :D

Actually that particular rust isn't "Jeep rust", that's "Ford rust" and it was that Bronco's previous owner's fault for leaving the poor thing parked under pine trees next to his neighbors lawn sprinkler for 15 years. :roll: I fear the day I have to do ball joints on that thing. :(

I thought those radius arms looked a lot like Ford. Now I know why.

I hate rust. I hate rust. I hate rust. I hate rust. I hate rust. :rant:

So my tried and true technique for getting the bolts out and freeing up the leaf springs has backfired today. For those who don't know, I like to use my balljoint tool and a press to push the bolts out that otherwise won't budge, even with the 3 pound sledge. It has worked great, until today.

This time the rust was so bad, the bond between the sleeve and bolt was stronger than the sleeve and rubber bushing.

Creating this oversized hole in the frame. Which I'm not certain how I'm going to fix. :(

Why don't you drill the hole out and weld you a thick spacer/collar in there??

On second thought,, nope that won't work... maybe a plate on both sides and use a longer bolt....

The washer should work if you could weld around it real good.... :dunno:

No welder here capable of accomplishing that. :( That's the big dilemma. My best guess is to grind down the raised area and fab up a plate to be welded to the truck later when I drive it to get other items welded. sigh...

You could put a block of wood in there to hold the shape and then use a ball pein hammer to tap the lip back into place. Might have to heat it up a little, but if you do use heat, place a piece of metal on the inside with the wood to prevent a fire. Once it's back flat, use a washer to help spread the load of the bolt and keep it centered in the hole. Just a suggestion.

:cheers:

I tried a big hammer. Didn't dent it. I even went as far as to haul my big bench vice down in an attempt to crush it down. No dice. I'm done for today. Tomorrow I might try using the balljoint press. Heck, it was strong enough to do the damage in the first place, right? :roll:

Finally. Some progress worthy of photos.

On that top lug you can see the spacers I made up. They tuck in very nicely and should prevent any movement.

I was able to reuse my custom U-bolt plates. The bumpstop and spacer will be removed in favor of a taller bumpstop. Notice the YJ shock mount that I left on the axle. Turns out it juuuust doesn't quite line up with the stock MJ upper mounts, but it got me thinking...

And this is now how I'm mounting the shocks. Previously I wanted to pop a hole up through the bed and mount them to the rollbar, but that became really complicated really fast. This should provide me with full movement (something the truck has never had).

Still working on the brakelines, leaf spring bolts, and whatnot. Then I think I'll be ready to move on to the front axle.

Brake lines are done. Shocks are installed. Will take some pics in the morning. Only a few more details in the rear and then I can flip the truck around and start work on the front axle. :D

the truck looks good. i like the future rear shock mounts for the rear. i wouldnt mind doing a similar setup for mine. i dig the 9 in. rear. i almost went that route, but the 9 in. i hed needed alot of work, so I opted out.

Yeah yeah, I know I owe some pictures. Been having difficulties with the rear driveshaft. The new axle has a 1310 U-joint yoke (not the 1330 the old one did) and the old U-joint in the driveshaft has been a real pain. And then, after successfully removing the old joint, I've changed my mind and won't be using that shaft anyways. It's 45" long (for some reason there's very little "in" travel with the old driveshaft now) and I've decided to go with the 44" one that's in the 90 (which is getting a 43" one for the same reason). That has to wait 'til tomorrow due to the 90 not being at the house and it's now dark outside.

Well, you'll have to trust me that I have pictures. We can't seem to find the camera cable at the moment.

Update: The truck is out of the garage! Yay! And then it stopped running and won't fire back up. Boooo! But back to the good news, all four mx-6 shocks are fully installed, the brakes need to be bled again but are finished, and the rear driveshaft is of the right length (or at least close enough). Turns out there's a 1/4" difference between the TJ yoke and the MJ yoke but more on that once I get pics. Tomorrow will be spent trying to figure out why the fuel pump suddenly won't do anything (and looking for the camera's cable). I've got power up to the connector right by the tank, but it still doesn't do squat. Boooo! :headpop:

How'd the new track bar bolt work out? Pics of the final product please! :chillin:

Camera cable... :dunno: ... I thought everyone had computers with card readers by now...

"Sounds" good Pete. I'll be curious to see how you like the MX6's. I have always run the ES9000's, but was affraid that the MX6 was going to be too stiff even on the lowest setting.

How'd the new track bar bolt work out? Pics of the final product please! :chillin:

That's part of the next phase. There's only so much room in the garage and so I tackled the rearend first and then I was going to flip the truck around and work on the front (track bar bolt, front locker, alternator, etc). but now I have a bigger problem... :(