Project 4x4 Commuter Mazda

[Bennybooster]

Where at in CA are you?

 

[legoms013]

Around the Auburn foothills area off the I-80. About 40 min east of Sacramento.

 

[legoms013]

Ordered these from RockAuto. Cheap insurance against breaking the factory straps. Gonna drill out the holes on the pinion yoke to accept 'em.

 

[legoms013]

Front left inner bearing went out. No rollers left. Fried the rotor, pads and goobered up the caliper mount, and ground down my ABS sensor.

 

[escort_gts]

Oops, that sucks.

 

[legoms013]

Yeah it does. Took apart the other side and it looks like its on its way out as well. Gonna pick up another rotor, set of bearings and seal for the right side.

If all goes according to plan I can start my new steering setup sometime next week.

 

[legoms013]

Now both sides match, new seals, Timkin bearings, new rotors and new brake pads.

Next week icon_confused: hopefully) I'll be able to pick up the 3 TRE's, and tubing for my steering setup from WFO in Auburn. Within two weeks I hope to be driving around with a little less bumpsteer and a whole lot stronger of a steering setup that won't eat draglinks every 10K miles...

Things to do:
Steering (see above) (Running total around $300)
Change straps to u-bolts on D35 pinion yoke ($9)
T-case/Transmission fluid change (<$50?)
New driveline, custom, smaller diameter ($300?)
Swap curved overload leafs for flat stockers (Free)
Change mounting system for front winch bumper, its weak (Cheap-Free)
New windshield ($260)
D35 Skid plate (???)
Tires ($900)
Gears ($1500?)
Rear bumper (<$100)
Headache rack (<$100)
Synthetic winch-line. (>$200)

 

[88_Eddie]

how much for the old tires?

 

[legoms013]

Edit. Not really for sale gonna run them till they are bald. Maybe $100 though if I were going to sell them as is.

 

[legoms013]

Strap Delete Mod:

Tools needed:
1/4" drill bit
5/16" drill bit
cutting oil
13mm end wrench or standard equivalent
external #25 torx bit
pry bar
3/8 drive or bigger drill gun (battery or corded)

Time needed:
Less than an hour

Parts:
Precision 534-10 U-bolts (got mine from RockAuto, $9 shipped)

 

[legoms013]

1 ES2027L LH Threaded Draglink End
2 EX2234L LH Threaded Tie Rod Ends

Tubing is at shop getting milled, & tapped.

All ends are now LH thread for simplicity.


This weekend will be fun.

http://www.trail-gear.com/ram-assist-rock-assault-front-axle-housing-bracket

 

[legoms013]

My 6' of tubing, going to be cut into two pieces.

Note the updated boot collection.

 

[88_Eddie]

lookin good man, how much have you invested in this steering setup so far?

btw, the boots were the first thing that caught my eye, lol

 

[legoms013]

I have one last thing to buy, and that is the 1" bolt for the bracket/heim. With that my grand total is $360 or a little less, I'll know today.


$100 TRE's
$100 Tube, tapping
$25 bracket
$25 for heim/jam nut, weld in bung, spacers
$15 for the adjusting sleeve
$80 Xcut 1 ton chevy reamer
$15 (or less) for the pivot bolt.


Yeah this time I made sure MY boots were in the pic...

 

[88_Eddie]

i've been real busy with work, so i've just been skimming through the pics and posts you've put up lately.

why are you regular tie rod ends instead of heims?

i'm doin the same u-joint fix for d35 as you also, got mine back when i was still with autozone, $5 for both. the stock ones are so crappy, cant beleive ford let that out the door