PlumCrazy's Build

[Ranger44]

I might have to take you up on that offer.lol I go back to school on October, the GF of 4yrs left me, so I have the rest of my summer to make my own plans.

-PlumCrazy

Dude, that sucks!

 

[railman]

I might have to take you up on that offer.lol I go back to school on October, the GF of 4yrs left me, so I have the rest of my summer to make my own plans.

-PlumCrazy

well....if it makes you feel any better....the GF i had for a long time and was living with broke up...2 weeks later met Vanessa....6 weeks later we were married....Monday was our 19th anniversary.....so it could be better than you realize....

and whenever ya ready to come down let me know ( i really wouldn't want you to fix my rust...make my trail rash look worse )

l8r, John

 

[PlumCrazy]

SInce I have all sorts of extra time on my hands now, I decided to redo my dual battery setup. I didnt like the look of both batteries crammed into the front corner anyway not to mention it made the driverside front corner sit low.lol, so I put the stock battery tray back in.

I had to pull the bed to replace the fuel pump-to-tank seal, so while I had the be off I made a frame out of 1x1 tubing and stainless tray to hold my second batt. I think the side terminal battery actually works out better in this situation. I ran 4 gauge wire along the frame rail and bolted it on the always hot starter solenoid terminal. I ran a 4 gauge ground cable to a bolt for the spring hanger.

I also added in some auxiliary terminals for jump starts and anything else that requires high amp 12 volt power. (like a receiver mount winch).

I looked at the price on real remote mount terminals and at 15 bucks a piece I decided I could make something work with what I had laying around.lol

Heres what I came up with, I used a 1/2" coupling nut as a terminal, and I found a couple plastic bushings (I have no clue what they were from.lol) to make the insulators with. I cut the bushings in half with the band saw then used a belt sander to sand down the out edges and leave a ridge the stick trough the hole in the bed to keep the bolt from grounding out.

Hopefully the pictures will better explain:

I used side post battery cables between the batt and the aux terminals, and grounded out on the same hanger bolt.

Bottom of the terminals

I kinda liked the truggy look.lol

I also found a cool brake upgrade for all of you out there running Exploder disc brakes. It was time for new pads and rotors in the back so I pulled everthing off and readjusted the p-brake (which now actually works) And after I got the new pads on I noticed that they only utilize 2/3 of the rotor surface. I recalled that newer Crown Vics/Grand Marquis use very similar calipers and rotors (I work in an auto parts store, so I see a lot of them.lol) So I took my Expo pads back and pulled out a set of 2000 Crown Vic pads (non police, the only difference is the size of the clip thats slips inside the caliper piston since police cars use thicker walled phenolic pistons) The Crown Vic pads are the exact same shape, but are about 3/8" wider. They are a little thicker too.

Here are a few comparison pics.

Expo pad

Crown Vic pad

Expo pad on top

The Crown Vic pads may look short, but it is just because they are Wagner pads, so the edges are beveled more since they are a thicker pad.

With the added thickness of the Crown Vic pads the caliper is almost maxed out on inward inward (toward the rotor) travel.

-PlumCrazy

 

[Ranger44]

Sweetness.

 

[railman]

nice find on the Crown Vic pads....

maybe submit it for the Tech Library......

keep up the good work...

l8r, John

 

[PlumCrazy]

I picked up an air tank and enough fittings to get my on board air underway.

I mounted the tank by the aux battery and made a manifold to mount a gauge, quick connect, and a valve place to charge it with shop air in the bed.

The first draincock I tried was a cheap POS and the handle was just pressed on, so when you tightened it up it broke loos and just spun, so I picked up a nice one with a one piece handle. It hangs a little lower than I like so I will probably weld a guard around it.

I still need a compressor, but everything else is plumbed and holds 120 lbs with no probs.

I found boot for my tcase shifter that was in good shape too. Finally no hot air rolling in when I have the windows down. (BTW, if you didnt know, if you have an open hole in your floor hot air from the engine bay will pull through if you drive with the windows down.)

-PlumCrazy

 

[94bigsteele]

looking good bro.. like the on-board air idea

 

[railman]

man that is comming together so nice....

glad you decided to mount a guard to protect the drain cock...

keep up the good work

l8r, John

 

[Ranger44]

Uhg.....something i know all to well. Been that way for the past month, and with air heated by the drivetrain and catalytic converters.......and it's already 90-100*F out.......it's crazy hot on the feet and legs.

(BTW, if you didnt know, if you have an open hole in your floor hot air from the engine bay will pull through if you drive with the windows down.)

 

[PlumCrazy]

Got some work done on the truck this weekend. New ball joints and repacked bearings, new RA bushings, and put the 4.10 pig on. I am still looking for 8.8 gears, so I can't use 4x4 for a while, but I had the knuckles off and it doesnt get much easier. I also finished removing the last of the ABS stuff, the tome rings and sensors.

I made a push bar to add a little more protection up front, but Im not sure if I like it or not.

-PlumCrazy

 

[Grunizzle]

Your remote terminals and on board air setup is just plain badass man! Loving the truck

 

[PlumCrazy]

Your remote terminals and on board air setup is just plain badass man! Loving the truck

Thanks. I still need a compressor though. I tried a compressor from a Lincoln Towncar with air ride, but it took 10 min the fill the tank, and the compressor got pretty hot. I dont think the compressor was meant to run for no more than 2-3 min at a time. I may try to run two of them in parallel and see how that works.

-Plumcrazy

 

[FrankBoss]

This is great I was just drawing my On board air for my Shop Truck and i was stuck on what pump to use, I'll PM you if I find something better.

FrankBoss

 

[PlumCrazy]

I finally struck it rich at the JY. lol

I picked up a mint set of FX4 Lvl II seats, torsen locker and 4.10's for the rear, and I grabbed the chrome shifters. I was hoping to get the cluster, but it was already gone. and the one peice rear shaft was bent from the dumbass that picked up the truck with the loader.

The seats are black and red which kinda sucks, but they are mint and way more comfortable than my ripped, burned, and broken down old seats. I went ahead and put them in my truck, but I am probably going to try and sell them or trade for all black or black and blue Lvl II seats.

I am going to try the shifter in my truck tom (I think it may move the knob to a little more comfortable position, but IDK) I cant use the Tcase shifter, so if anybody wants it I will be listing it soon maybe with the tranny shifter too.

I think I am going to sell my Quick locker and run the Torsen carrier since the truck is my daily and sees a lot more asphalt miles that I would like it to.

And the UPS man brought me this today. M50D rebuild w/ synchros

I think i may go back and pull the cover off the M50D HD tomorrow and see if why it earned the HD title. (I think it may just be the extra bolt hole, but IDK)


-PlumCrazy

 

[legoms013]

Plumcrazy what u-bolts did you use to replace the straps on the front pinion? I need to do the same thing, just wondering what you picked up.