PlumCrazy's Build

[WNY964x4]

Ford ones? I thought all M50D's were made by Mazda? Are the earlier shift forks made of steel instead of aluminum or something?

-plumcrazy

yea , i wasnt thinking there , just pissed at one kid in my class that keeps calling my truck a mazda

i know we had a M5OD out of a Secong Gen , and One out of a Fourth Gen apart at the same time , and the forks from the Second Gen seemed to be a little heaver built , but that could just be my skewed sense of size and weight , so they may have been made of the same

and good idea with the gear swap over , that will make quite the nasty trans set up

 

[PlumCrazy]

yea , i wasnt thinking there , just pissed at one kid in my class that keeps calling my truck a mazda

i know we had a M5OD out of a Secong Gen , and One out of a Fourth Gen apart at the same time , and the forks from the Second Gen seemed to be a little heaver built , but that could just be my skewed sense of size and weight , so they may have been made of the same

and good idea with the gear swap over , that will make quite the nasty trans set up

I consider Rangers with TTB or TIB to be a Ford, after 97 I dont care what you call it.lol

I havnt heard of anyone else making a 4.0/2.5 Hybrid so I thought I would try it. Ill be sure to let everyone know how it all works out.

-plumcrazy

 

[WNY964x4]

I consider Rangers with TTB or TIB to be a Ford, after 97 I dont care what you call it.lol

I havnt heard of anyone else making a 4.0/2.5 Hybrid so I thought I would try it. Ill be sure to let everyone know how it all works out.

-plumcrazy

he calls my 97 a Mazda

 

[PlumCrazy]

That is just wrong

-plumcrazy

 

[WNY964x4]

well i just laugh at it because he drives a dodge neon and a Dodge Daytona , though i would rock the Daytona , 86 Daytona Turbo Z Carrol Shelby edition with T-tops

 

[crawlin91]

I used a 1 1/2 inch holesaw and a lot of cutting oil. I kept the RPM's low and it cut like butter.

-plumcrazy

what kind of radius arm bushings did you use? stock rbv size? I went this route as well and when the cuts were all finished the bushings didnt fit. (I tried both the old ones and new ones and 1 1/2" was just too small) I had to make another set of plates and cut using a 1 5/8 inch holesaw. guess I shoulda measured first.

 

[PlumCrazy]

I used Moog OEM replacement bushings, they are a little bit different design, but they are the same size. I think I actually used a 1 3/8 hole saw. I did take a die grinder and taper the front of the hole a little bit, but I only did that so the edge wouldnt cut into the bushing when the arm droops.

-plumcrazy

 

[Downey]

i want to build a tranny like yours. let us know how it works out when you get it installed

 

[crawlin91]

Oh, just a different design then. i cleaned mine up with a die grinder as well, but tapering it a bit is a good idea. im taking off work tomorrow to work on finishing it all up.

 

[PlumCrazy]

Oh, just a different design then. i cleaned mine up with a die grinder as well, but tapering it a bit is a good idea. im taking off work tomorrow to work on finishing it all up.

The only thing I would change if I did it again would be to lower the RA mounts a 1/2 inch, when the arms droop all the way the nut comes close to the frame. I may end up redoing the brackets to except heims.

-plumcrazy

i want to build a tranny like yours. let us know how it works out when you get it installed

I will be sure to let everyone know how it works out. Then I can call myself the originator of the 4.0/2.5 Hybrid M50D.lol (well that is assuming no one else has done it before)

 

[PlumCrazy]

I picked up my 1354 manual t case, but I still need linkage. It will be interesting trying to figure out how I am going bring the shifter through the center console.

I pulled the 2.5 M50D apart and swapped the gears and syncros onto the 4x4 output shaft. But I wont be able to put the trans together until my new bearing comes in. (next weekend)

Here are some side by side shots of the two cases

I snapped some pics of the shift forks that I pulled out of the 4.0 trans. They have about an 1/8 inch ground out of them.

 

[PlumCrazy]

I have no classes on Veteran's Day, so I came home to work on the truck. I picked up my new bearing for the tranny, but I got distracted and never got to putting it in.

I finished one of my RA brackets. I decided to remake them so the caster anlge would be a little better, and because I wanted to gusset the bottom anyway.

I had to cut a little off the RA busings so they would tighten up on on the 1/2 plate they are running through.

before

after

I also finished up painting my second emblem

I put on the first one I made

And the most important thing I have done to the truck yet...... I am expecting some big horsepower gains.lol

The decal curved a little on me as I put it on, but I will leave it for a while.lol

-plumcrazy

 

[crawlin91]

plumcrazy

Well there is the million dollar photos right there, wish they were up a week or so ago. I like the new gussets.

I had to cut a little off the RA busings so they would tighten up on on the 1/2 plate they are running through.

before

after

-
My original plan was to use two .25" plates for the thickness of the bushing but I knew it would never allow the nut to be tightened properly. How does it ride, flex etc. with the bushing cut up like that?

 

[PlumCrazy]

My original plan was to use two .25" plates for the thickness of the bushing but I knew it would never allow the nut to be tightened properly. How does it ride, flex etc. with the bushing cut up like that?

It seems to flex just fine, the droop was limited before, because the nut and washer that hold the bushing together would hit the bottom of the frame. Thats part of the reason I remade the brackets to lower the hole that the arms go.

-plumcrazy

 

[PlumCrazy]

The 2.5/4.0 M50D is complete.

My tailgate made the perfect place to stand up the trans and bolt it down while I torqued the counter shaft and output shaft nuts.

I put it in the truck and took a test drive, it engages smoothly into all gears and is a lot quiter than my last tranny that had aluminum shavings for lubricant

The shifter from an older M50D and a newer on cant be interchanged. The base with the wedge bolt is clocked 90* and the newer shifter is about an inch further back. Which of course was enough to hit my center console when I shifted into 4th and reverse, so I made a temporary shifter to hold me over until I can get my Hurst in there.

The 1354 Manual also went in with the new trans, both got full synthetic merc. but I still dont have a tcase shifter

I put on my new redesigned RA mounts with gussets.

I tapped a hole in the shift plate and ran a breather hose to an old clutch master reservoir so the trans wont blow any seals when I get the Hurst in there. The hurst shifter doesnt allow the trans to breathe through the shifter like the stock on does.

I also added some "puddle" lights under the doors. I they come on with the aux. back up lights. I am also going to wire te relay into the door switch so they come on when the doors are opened.

I got a few poser pics in the back yard too.

-plumcrazy