Almost Complete

[Jay'94]

Hey Frank the Tank,
Heard ya had a good date the other day?
Why didn't ya fill us in?
Still waitin to meet ya and see ya at TB!

 

[RangerSVT]

Hey Jay, you forgot to drop off some parts
SVT

 

[Jay'94]

Nope didn't forget at all, knew you were getting sidetracked once ya got to the "Love Nest"!
I just delayed delivery for a day!
Ain't like ya got motor mounts and going to have to put that cooler on SVT before tomorrow anyway!
And that stripped axle needs a heap of parts before it'll go in the BII that ain't even here yet! Speaking of heap, have ya taken up heap fixin again??
You'll never get SVT and Bullit done now!
Guess I better not move so I still got a shop!

 

[Jay'94]

overdue update

Well, it's been a while and time for an update.
The 8.8 31 spline disc brake rear axle is in!
It's got 5.13 R&P!
Also put in Explorer leaf springs!
Got enough clearance for the 37" IROKS in the shop!
The speedometer is way off! reads 85 doing about 50-55.
Ranger SVT did the work for me as I''ve been down for a total left hip replacement and will be unable to drive it for about 3-4 months.
And holy crap I watched a video and talked to sawbones. They use an air hammer and chisel to remove the old femur end, an air drill with a reamer to ream out down inside the femur, and an air hammer to drive the implant down into the thigh!
I drove it right before I went under the knife and it'll crawl!!!
Just ordered:
lock right for the 8.8 and nodular iron diff cover
DANA 44 Master rebuild kit
Dana 44 Chrome moly lifetime axles!
Actually going to make it to the shop next weekend and see if I can get anything down.
Oh don't want to leave out, Brother Railman went and took a peek and picked up some 15x8 Aluminum ole school looking centerline wheels for me, since I'm down. I found em on craigslist! Cheap too!
I may be down a while but I'm no where near out for the count!!
Thanks to my Brothers RangerSVT and Railman for keeping my project going and progressing during my own personal improvements to the driver program!!
Oh, Sawbones gave me a 1/2" lift on the left side, I was a little off camber!!!

 

[Bennybooster]

PICKS NOW!!! AHah but glad your back

 

[RangerSVT]

Pics to come...next weekend when Jay crutches his way over to the shop I'll put him on camera duty while I do surgery on Almost Complete...I do have a pic of AC with a Dana 60 FF under the rear with a pair of 36" goodyear's although its not staying under there...anyone interested in that one??
SVT

 

[Jay'94]

So I make out like a Bandit!! RangerSVT beng the great TRS Brother that he is drives my Ranger up to Salem, IN to pick up a 44 and a 9" axle! Come to find out that 44's got Flat Top Knuckles!!!
The axles are for my BII as they're fullwdith, but them knuckles are coming off and goinng on the 44 going in my Ranger!!! I search some more of them once it's time to SAS the BII!!
Now to find the rest of the histeer components!!!

 

[RangerSVT]

Jay, you forget the bare 44 we got from PAP has the knuckles, brake caliper bracket and spindle, all you need is a rotor, brake caliper, and locking hub and that one is good to go....BTW, I think I just sourced another set of 44"/9" for about the same price you just got this set for, and they are still under the frame
SVT

 

[Jay'94]

Holy Crap! this is getting crazy. A couple months ago we was looking like crazy and everybody wanted gold for these things! Now we're picking em up for a little more than pennies on the dollar! Getting to the point we're going to have to start finding more RBVs to put these things under, then we could sell SAS RBVs but it just don't seem like anybody's buying anything! What are we starting here the Indian Mound Axle Graveyard!
I get much more shit stored at Rick SRs I'm going to be renting an acre for storage space..
Hell, once I get retired going to take me 3-4 months to get the shop cleaned & organized to build all this stuff. Then I'll have storage space around my own shop, well except for the 66, 67, 68, mustangs and the 69 stang w/the Mickey Thompson motor I got to restore to go back on the drag strip, plus the 85-86 4x4 chevy got a new crate motor in it, a corvair, and well heck I can't remember what else Ernest showed me that needs restored/rebuilt down there. Maybe I'm building hotrods and RBVs instead of Harleys!!!

 

[Jay'94]

Jay, you forget the bare 44 we got from PAP has the knuckles, brake caliper bracket and spindle, all you need is a rotor, brake caliper, and locking hub and that one is good to go....BTW, I think I just sourced another set of 44"/9" for about the same price you just got this set for, and they are still under the frame
SVT

Yeah but I don't remember that one having flat top knucks?? I do know we're minimally stripping whatever to get the 44 in my RBV, then start figuring out the rest. We going to have to get a dang dry erase board in the shop or build a computer program to organize inventory and prioritize projects!! We got so much stuff now, we can't keep track o' what we got or going on?????

Oh, Liberty's got a little a/c for running paint guns, nailers, etc... that has a screwed up drain plug in the bottom. He'd like ya to come by and look at it or pick it up and R&R it for 'em. I took a look at it, looks like it just needs the old brass removed from the screw bung that's welded into the bottom of the tank and a new one out in. But he couldn''t get it out, and I didn't attempt anything with the minimal tools here. Might need a tappin to R&R.

 

[RangerSVT]

Not a problem, I'll swing by tuesday after work and check it out...If need be I'll bring it with me to the shop and drop it off the next day...
SVT

 

[Jay'94]

We stopped for lunch last week and RangerSVT decided to see how much better the 8.8 31 spline axle with explorer springs flexes. Limited by shock travel now.

Yep right in front of the Bar-B-que joint on Pembroke road near Hopkinsville, KY. We went in ate, I went to pay the bill, only to find out they only take cash or check! Well crap, had to leave RangerSVT & Sam there for collateral while I ran to the ATM! It was either that or both of us leaving the other guy (Sam) to pull KP duty! Yeah they fell for it. As I was pulling out to go and getting back every vehicle going by was breaking their necks to look. And a truckload of construction guys were discussing my truck either being stuck, "that drunk guy ran off in the ditch last night" or his axles' bent. One leaned down and said nope, still straight as an arrow.
So I get to RangerSVT's shop today and my trucks up on the jack and the old exhaust I been wanting to replace since I bought it is coming out the back! He'd hacked it off in front of the CAT. We took some 2 1/2 pipe that came off his dually, measured, cut, then I welded on one of the NIB Thrush Turbo mufflers I had got from Copperhead85 for a little more than a steal! It ended up with a turn down on it right at the junction of the cab and bed. Yep nothing up around the rear axle, no pipes coming out the back, no side exit. Just a turn down to blow the dust around in the summer. It's got a little deep rumble, but not obnoxious! Sure it flows better as the factory CATs were slightly clogged. Thanks again Copperhead85! And RangerSVT for welding it up under the truck since this new hip still won't quite let me roll around on the floor yet.
Tomorrow I'm butchering a wall in the bathroom to install a medicine cabinet in the wall behind a mirror.
Thursday it's strip the DANA44! Yes, it's finally gonna happen! Gonna clean it up, Prep & etch it, then put some coating on it!

 

[RangerSVT]

Yep, Poor old SVT is pouting in the back of the shop again!! Need to get the exhaust done on him and get him out for some road time!!
SVT

 

[Jay'94]

Yep, Poor old SVT is pouting in the back of the shop again!! Need to get the exhaust done on him and get him out for some road time!!
SVT

He's used to it, been there a while. At least he ain't sitting outside like he was for so long and he has been massaged a little!

 

[RangerSVT]

Yeah, at least SVT is happy with the new heart transplant he got
SVT