The Next Big Thing....

cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 11:27 pm

Is that the rugged unit? I though about doing this same thing in my wife's expedition

Post by **SteveG** » Sun Dec 14, 2014 12:11 am

Yes. Except it has RCA jacks instead of the intercom connector.

Post by **SteveG** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 5:56 pm

Man, It's been a loooong time since I've had to use ramps... Probably 14 years!

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tcm glx · Post by **tcm glx** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 6:31 pm

What's being done??

Post by **SteveG** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 9:03 pm

Nothing fun. Just reinstalling the front driveshaft. I never put it back on after replacing the clutch.

Post by **SteveG** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 8:30 pm

Had to dig this thread out of the cobwebs!

Time is at a premium, but I gotta make some kind of progress or else this thing will stay mostly stock forever....

The goal is still simple, simple simple. And cheap.

These shocks were slated for use in the Falcon but I threw some KYB's on it before a trip a few years ago and they work well enough, so these got reassigned. These will get fittings for a reservoir ported near the the rod guide and spherical bearings on the end of the can.

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Aaaaand, some new shoes. I still need some parts to complete the front lift (2.5-ish inches) but I might check to see if they'll fit as-is.

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cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 8:33 pm

I'm working on the lift for ya Steve. I should be able to get into Reno area in sept. Just need to find a way to get it to you from there.

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cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 8:34 pm

What size tires?

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Post by **SteveG** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 8:39 pm

cs_drums wrote:I'm working on the lift for ya Steve. I should be able to get into Reno area in sept. Just need to find a way to get it to you from there.

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Sounds good! Refresh my memory... did you have beam pivot brackets too?

Post by **SteveG** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 8:40 pm

cs_drums wrote:What size tires?

33x10.50r15.

Post by **SteveG** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 11:13 pm

cs_drums wrote:I'm working on the lift for ya Steve. I should be able to get into Reno area in sept. Just need to find a way to get it to you from there.

Disregard the bracket question... read through our PM's.

I just checked specs on the shocks Rancho used on their 2.5" lift and it looks like the shocks I have will end up super close to the same length... bonus! As long as their geometry was good, I'll be set. We'll see how it plays out.

Post by **SteveG** » Sat Aug 13, 2016 3:45 pm

As part of my recent quest to either get rid of stuff or use it, I'm finally gettin around to mounting this external GPS antenna for my Bad Elf data logger.

Out comes the drill....

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Post by **SteveG** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 9:42 am

Autofab pivot brackets... John's bracket for the right beam has always been bad ass. The left beam bracket was equally cool but was a modified stocker. It's now a fully-fabricated killer component. Well done! I'm looking forward to getting some parts on this car.

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Post by **SteveG** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 12:13 pm

Some goodies are rolling in. The Explorer has no cooling problems but the AC doesn't keep up in the high heat and I like to be shivering when I'm in the desert... adding a pair pusher fans to the front of the AC condenser as well as a high-pressure cut-off switch (not pictured) that I should have installed when I converted to R134a. If this works, I'm good to go. If not, I'll go back to R12.

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mounty71 · Post by **mounty71** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:07 am

I couldn't find those brackets on Autofab's site, at least on my phone right now. Those are stock-replacement D35 brackets right? All I could find are 2wd brackets and D44 conversion brackets. I'm assuming they go for around the same price as the D44 set...$600? Do they maintain the same mounting width to use the stock beam bushings?

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Post by **SteveG** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:59 am

These are the brackets Autofab uses on their D35 wheel travel kit. I think they're 1.5" or 2" drop compared to the stock brackets. They're the same geometry as the factory STX bracket. Not sure on price but probably the same as the conversion brackets as the amount of work is the same, just slightly different in geometry.

Beam bushings are stock, or you could use uniballs.

Post by **SteveG** » Sun Feb 19, 2017 9:57 pm

So the Explorer let me down the weekend before I left for the Parker 425... then KOH. It wouldn't start while running an errand. I had no time to work on it during pre-trip prep, so I had it towed to the house. Of course, it started when it got home but I didn't trust it so I left it to deal with later.

While I haven't diagnosed the issue (it hasn't failed to start again), but considering symptoms it exhibited previously, there's a good chance it's the fuel pump and I already wanted to cut an access panel in the floor, so get the panel done and throw a fuel pump, filter and relay at it.

Marking the panel.

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Check out this handy little sheet metal nibbler I got from Kelci's grandpa's farm shop when he passed. I seldom use this, but, damn, is it nice to have when I need it!

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Here's the final hole. It's just big enough to wiggle the fuel pump out of. The connector for the fuel pump module is sandwiched between the tank and body, so instead of trying to reach up there, I'll add another connector right at the module so I can get to it through the access panel.

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300 · Post by **300** » Tue Feb 21, 2017 11:28 am

Hey Steve. Probably don't have to tell you, but check the impact switch. Can't tell you how much I have chased my tail with this one, and how many miles I have run with one bypassed. Being near the coast is hard on them. When it starts one time and not the next, it's suspect.

tcm glx · Post by **tcm glx** » Tue Feb 21, 2017 11:31 am

More info on that nibbling tool.....?

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Tue Feb 21, 2017 11:37 am

quick google search came up with a couple different ones T. Ranging from $8-15 or so. Some available at Fry's & computer type spots. This one has good reviews on amazon and is rated to 18 ga. which should cover most of the body/sheetmetal on these trucks.
https://www.amazon.com/Nickel-Plated-Ni ... B0002KRACO