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Project: Amazing Grace


adsm08

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Transmission is back in. Once I get the clutch hydraulics finished and the exhaust back in she will be able to move under her own power again.

I can't wait to get this thing buttoned up so I can get back to my non-RBV project.
 


adsm08

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Wow, keep forgetting to update this.

Trans is in, working, as the 4x4 is manual shift, auto hub now. All works right too.
 

adsm08

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Big post!!
So look what I found waiting for me in the basement the other day…






Important: this harness contains an internal fuse that cannot be serviced. BS. I service these fuses all the time.
So now we’ll just take some stuff off this thing

Like the lenses


And the wiring.

Bath time


Gotta keep the dogs away from it




Eww!!

Dirty.

Dirty bathwater.

And a nice clean red visor. Gonna have to fix that.




Alrighty, on to the wire-work.




I love these little harnesses. Best mistake Ford ever made. A paired set of plugs and a fuse holder, with about 4 inches of wire to each. I can actually buy the new style of these things that has an extra fuse holder in it for about $15. A single pigtail kit will run at least $25 or $30. Can’t beat that.

Just cut the tape, remove the plastic wrap, and cut to length.

I didn’t take any pics of the paint process. I figured nobody really wants to see another piece of fiberglass getting spray-bombed. I know it’s a 20/20 job, but it still looks better than the rest of the truck.



Alright, I didn’t take any good pics of my wire-up job, but it’s pretty simple. I ran some wires off the visor harness, soldered one of the connectors taken from my little cruise jumper harness to it. Then I put an eyelet on one wire of the other side, and scotch-locked the remaining wire to the power for my marker lamps.



Shoved the visor harness under the door seal and down behind the dash. Just ran it along with the wires for the 4x4 push buttons and the map lights, then put the A-pillar trim back over it.


And, viola, I can now just unplug the lights for my visor if I ever find a need to take the dash out.



Here she is with her new hat.

And the siblings. I know, only 3 lights are working on the visor. I tested it before I bolted it to the roof and found the two burnt out bulbs and moved them to the ends so they are easier to replace once I get new bulbs.

I think the one on the passenger side might actually have a bad socket, but I have a spare harness that I can take a new one off of. We had a truck traded in with a Moonvisor that was broken in two. When they took it off I grabbed it to scavenge some of the undamaged parts. I got the harness with all the plugs, and 4 lenses with 4 pairs of screws.
 
Last edited:

adsm08

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Ford
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Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
Broke the Bronco tonight. I was trying to get ready for this impending possible snow storm next week so when I got home I "fixed the window on the Ranger" (Reads "slammed door and held switch until window went up"), did a 4-wheel burn out in the front yard to check the hubs) and then went to convert the B2 to manual hubs.

Started taking things apart and forgot about that little retainer pin in the nut. Long story short, if you don't take that out and use a 4 foot ratchet you can shear the teeth off the pin, crack the nut, and get the pin bound up in it. Then if you are dumb enough to just force the nut off you strip the spindle pretty bad.

Good thing I have 2 more that I just have to pop off my other D-28.
 

country0001

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Don't break the B2. If you need any other D28 parts, let me know. I've got a spare I'll probably scrap soon.
 

jhammel85

Guest
I almost did the same thing on a D35 this past weekend. I remembered at the last second...Whew...I would of been screwed if it happened.

Speaking of the impending doom of the FrankenStorm / Snowicane that's headed our way, You just reminded me that i need do my passenger side Spindle Needle Bearing before ever hitting 4wd unless I want a chewed up axle shaft.
 
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adsm08

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Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
Pulled the engine out today to throw the hipo 2.9 from the Ranger in. What a PITA!!!

Y-pipe wouldn't come off, rounded bolts, so I cut it. While I was cutting the problem side the other side rubbed through a fuel line. :annoyed: That's not a huge deal, I can steal that line off the truck which still isn't running and then fix the damaged one with a compression fitting.

Then it wouldn't come out of the vehicle. First it wouldn't separate from the trans (yes, I once again ignored my own advice tried to leave the trans in :buttkick:). Once I got it off the trans I couldn't get the fan past the core support AND get the clutch past the firewall at the same time, something I know I have done before.

So after fighting it for an hour, during which I hurt my bad shoulder again, I got it tipped forward, pulled the pressure plate and friction disc off, flipped it backwards and was able to pull it up enough to spin it sideways in the engine bay and clear the core support.

Also ripped one of my driveshaft CV boots that are only about two years old.

So a few lessons learned today.

1) Just pull the freaking trans.

2) Don't use the factory 2.9 lift points, they balance it too well and you can't get it to tip.

3) A 2.9 does not weigh 1 ton, and I should not use the 1 ton slot on the cherry picker because the boom is not long enough if I do that.
 

adsm08

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Engine Size
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Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
Well that was a bastard. Had to turn it sideways to get it out and tip it almost vertical to get it back in.

Old engine out


New engine in


Can't quite get the trans back up. Gonna wait until Saturday when I can get some help since I have hurt myself several times on this project and can barely use my right arm right now (I'm right handed, YAY!!).
 

adsm08

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4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
Looks like fun times
Pfff, shoot me.

I was originally hoping to get the truck running first so I could take my time doing this, but the way the BII has been running is just getting worse and worse. As I've said before I think the old engine has wiped cam bearings, plus it has this rattle around 2500 RPM that sounds like a wrist pin.

Then my wife had the baby and I took the week off to be at home, but since he sleeps most of the day I decided to pull the truck outside and get this done now while I have some time.

Kinda regretting that decision now.

I was also hoping to replace the fuel pumps right now, but the money just isn't there right now.
 

adsm08

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Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15

jhammel85

Guest
Congrats on the baby! They're awesome...

I hear you. Want to hear what I'm regretting? I replaced the pinion seal in my truck this weekend, which was very, very easy. No problems. Since I had the U-Joints, I decided to do them even though the spicers in it seemed fine. Of course, an ear broke off the yoke at the rear end. Bought a used one but it was for the bigger 1310 U-Joints.

So...I have a brand new one in the mail and will try to sell the other one. Hopefully someone will want it. S*** happens.
 

97RangerXLT

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Congratulations on the baby! You now have a helper in a few years.


AJ

Sent from the Galaxy to the interwebs
 

adsm08

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Location
Dillsburg PA
Vehicle Year
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Make / Model
Ford
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Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
Yay!! It's out.







But I feel like something is missing.
 

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