Pearl, the inexpensive squarebody truck swap
12-02-2018, 09:58 AM
#143
Um... are you trying to tell us that you are giving up the fabrication business and your next new venture is going to be a hair / Marilyn Manson tribute band?
This was funny as hell but thanks in advance for messing up my YouTube searches. I wonder how many similar videos YouTube will toss at me for watching this. Haha!
This was funny as hell but thanks in advance for messing up my YouTube searches. I wonder how many similar videos YouTube will toss at me for watching this. Haha!
12-02-2018, 10:32 PM
#144
man I have been spacing out on pictures lately. tomorrow for sure.
in the meantime, help me with my math.
I want to use the ford 8.8 abs tone ring as a VSS signal. It'll be helpful to have a VSS for cruise control and fan off, a/c disable, electric speedo swap etc.
The tone wheel is on the ring gear and has 108 teeth. The diff is 3.73:1
So with my math, 108/3.73 ~ 28.95
As the driveshaft makes one complete turn, 28.95 teeth have passed the sensor. That seems to work out in my head.
in the meantime, help me with my math.
I want to use the ford 8.8 abs tone ring as a VSS signal. It'll be helpful to have a VSS for cruise control and fan off, a/c disable, electric speedo swap etc.
The tone wheel is on the ring gear and has 108 teeth. The diff is 3.73:1
So with my math, 108/3.73 ~ 28.95
As the driveshaft makes one complete turn, 28.95 teeth have passed the sensor. That seems to work out in my head.
12-03-2018, 12:08 AM
#145
TECH Senior Member
Your numbers check out.
12-03-2018, 09:05 AM
#147
he's just been really busy.
negotiating on buying a '79 malibu (went nowhere, no title) and a '77 k5 2wd blazer (maybe happening)
finishing a turbo swap and tune on a diesel landcruiser
now my wife is missile locked on getting a bigger house so I'm finishing some upgrades on the current house
every time i go to the garage i know I'm only gonna be there for an hour, so I leave my phone inside the house to avoid distractions.
Today should have at least some pics of whats been done if not any action shots
negotiating on buying a '79 malibu (went nowhere, no title) and a '77 k5 2wd blazer (maybe happening)
finishing a turbo swap and tune on a diesel landcruiser
now my wife is missile locked on getting a bigger house so I'm finishing some upgrades on the current house
every time i go to the garage i know I'm only gonna be there for an hour, so I leave my phone inside the house to avoid distractions.
Today should have at least some pics of whats been done if not any action shots
12-03-2018, 02:42 PM
#148
well my camera man didn't get any better with his time off....sorry for the crappy pics
8.8 is in, spring and shock perches welded out, driveshaft in with adapter joint from the stock chevy 1310 to the ford 1330 size joint. E brake not connected yet, looks like I forgot to grab one of the brackets for the cable
scabbed together some exhaust leftovers. gonna try and tuck it really tight above the trans crossmember
then I need to zap this pile of stuff into an exhaust I can live with. Still on the fence about putting a turbo in this one, so I don't want to invest a bunch of money in the exhaust just yet.
and finally I have the fan on, rad in and trans cooler lines run. my first time using copper nickel in this size. Not really pleased with it. Very easy to kink. I think I'll leave it for brake lines, and continue to use aluminum for trans cooler and fuel lines.
at this point, I need to finish the exhaust and do a bunch of wiring and she's road-worthy. I might be able to blitz it out before the next fab job comes along.
8.8 is in, spring and shock perches welded out, driveshaft in with adapter joint from the stock chevy 1310 to the ford 1330 size joint. E brake not connected yet, looks like I forgot to grab one of the brackets for the cable
scabbed together some exhaust leftovers. gonna try and tuck it really tight above the trans crossmember
then I need to zap this pile of stuff into an exhaust I can live with. Still on the fence about putting a turbo in this one, so I don't want to invest a bunch of money in the exhaust just yet.
and finally I have the fan on, rad in and trans cooler lines run. my first time using copper nickel in this size. Not really pleased with it. Very easy to kink. I think I'll leave it for brake lines, and continue to use aluminum for trans cooler and fuel lines.
at this point, I need to finish the exhaust and do a bunch of wiring and she's road-worthy. I might be able to blitz it out before the next fab job comes along.
12-03-2018, 07:44 PM
#149
I feel better, I thought I was the only who had people trying to sell me vehicles without titles from time to time.
Trust me I get it with the camera vs. time vs house maintenance. We're looking for a different place with a larger shop too but I'm not moving anything anywhere until it gets warmer. I just don't function in cold.
I use NiCopp on everything (fuel, transmission, brakes) and I love it but you need to be careful bending it. I still lay it out mostly by hand but I have access to a really nice bender if I feel the need to make tight radius or symmetrical bends.
Trust me I get it with the camera vs. time vs house maintenance. We're looking for a different place with a larger shop too but I'm not moving anything anywhere until it gets warmer. I just don't function in cold.
I use NiCopp on everything (fuel, transmission, brakes) and I love it but you need to be careful bending it. I still lay it out mostly by hand but I have access to a really nice bender if I feel the need to make tight radius or symmetrical bends.
12-09-2018, 01:27 PM
#153
o2 bungs didn't show in the mail so I had to come up with a work around
some m18x1.5 jam nuts did the trick
next it's time to align it. I need it in the air, with the weight on the tires at ride height.
so I made up some dunnage blocks
14ga sheet metal top
counter sink the bottom plate for wood screws
grease 'er up
slap another plate on top
and stab it under the tire.
I have been doing it this way for a year or so now, and until I get a real alignment rack I'll continue to do it this way. I have been burned too many times by lazy and incompetent alignment techs....from firestone to the local trackside performance auto shop. This way I know what numbers are actually in it, and what differences each change makes. Keeping a log of your setting is a good idea. I write mine on the wall by my toolbox lol
some m18x1.5 jam nuts did the trick
next it's time to align it. I need it in the air, with the weight on the tires at ride height.
so I made up some dunnage blocks
14ga sheet metal top
counter sink the bottom plate for wood screws
grease 'er up
slap another plate on top
and stab it under the tire.
I have been doing it this way for a year or so now, and until I get a real alignment rack I'll continue to do it this way. I have been burned too many times by lazy and incompetent alignment techs....from firestone to the local trackside performance auto shop. This way I know what numbers are actually in it, and what differences each change makes. Keeping a log of your setting is a good idea. I write mine on the wall by my toolbox lol
12-09-2018, 01:48 PM
#154
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (7)
Being able to do your own alignment is invaluable. A. it saves money, B. you know it is done right. Most shops won't touch old cars or do anything outside of "factory specs," which for a stock Cougar is crap. I am sure the stock specs for that truck don't call for much caster to keep steering effort low. But as you have pointed out, having more caster is more better for a number of reasons.
Andrew
Andrew
12-09-2018, 08:07 PM
#155
Nice setup on the alignment deal Doug. I use stands like that all the time and I could just make two toppers for the front wheels that do what you did to modify my current stands.
I have also been burned too often by lazy alignment techs and given nearly every excuse in the book so I started doing it myself but on the ground. This will make my life much easier because most of my stuff is a little low!
I have also been burned too often by lazy alignment techs and given nearly every excuse in the book so I started doing it myself but on the ground. This will make my life much easier because most of my stuff is a little low!
12-11-2018, 04:03 PM
#159
Can you elaborate the process on alignment? I have a lowered 06 rcsb at a 5/6 drop. Camber isn't too bad since it's lowered with DJM 5" lower control arms and matching uppers. I wouldn't mind trying this since most places local to me won't bother with a lowered truck
12-11-2018, 04:11 PM
#160
little baby update on the technicals
had an intermittent miss on cyl 3.
It showed good spark with a light, toned the injector wires---all okay. cylinder balance (injector disable) test showed no change when it got to cyl 3. I guess it was plugged. swapped in another from the pile and it runs like a champ now
trans wouldnt shift into 3rd. pulled out the 2-3 governor, cleaned it up, checked function, reinstalled....works now. weird.
got a bad leak at the prop valve. The bore is too rusty to reseal after I removed the piston ring for the residual pressure valve for the drum to disc swap in the rear. Ordered a "PV4" valve for $40.
had an intermittent miss on cyl 3.
It showed good spark with a light, toned the injector wires---all okay. cylinder balance (injector disable) test showed no change when it got to cyl 3. I guess it was plugged. swapped in another from the pile and it runs like a champ now
trans wouldnt shift into 3rd. pulled out the 2-3 governor, cleaned it up, checked function, reinstalled....works now. weird.
got a bad leak at the prop valve. The bore is too rusty to reseal after I removed the piston ring for the residual pressure valve for the drum to disc swap in the rear. Ordered a "PV4" valve for $40.