Tow Rig / Shop Truck

[SwedeSport]

I have a Dayco belt on it now, and heard they have a tendency to be squeally. I bought a Gates, which is supposed to be a better quality rubber. Hopefully that does the trick.

[SwedeSport]

I removed the Saab Bosch fog lights from the truck, and replaced them with a set of Hella 550's. The 700's are switched by the high beams, and the 550's by the low beam. I am going to add another set of lights up high, probably a smaller amber fog, and a turn signal outward of the big lights.


Replacing the factory headlights with something that can utilize H4's is next. I am also looking at some clearance lights, auxiliary backup lights, and possibly some work lights in the bed.

[SwedeSport]

Finally did an oil change on the shop truck. It was loooooooooonnnngggg overdue.

Installed a 3 tone Hella air horn. ( Fringe benefits of supplying shirts to the Hella distributor).

Working on installing some auxiliary backup lights to the rear half of the truck, and replacing the factory headlights with some aftermarket housings. Looking at upgrades for the 9007 bulb. There is a 9007 HID upgrade setup that I am looking into. Shopping for some clearance lights and work lights to add to the rig as well.

Pulled the half cap off the truck to finally finish the bodywork and paint the thing. I pulled the bedliner while I was at it, and cleaned underneath it. The PO used limo tint (poorly) on the cap windows, so I removed that. I am going to use those interlocking foam tiles on the floor and cut a piece of automotive carpet to cover it. And of course I need to install an interior light inside the cap. I want to come up with some sort of upholstered panels inside it to cover the exposed wiring. I found an extruded rubber gasket that will work well to seal between the cap and cab. I plan to remove the cab rear glass to make the opening more permanent.

I am looking for a set of seats out of a Bronco. They use bucket seats with a center console, instead of a full bench. I will surely have to modify the seat frames. This should make it easier to climb into the cap, and will make for better access to the storage at the back wall of the cab. LMC truck sells kits to reupholster them to match my rig.


I have begun to source the bits to replace the drivetrain. The motor is getting tired, so I am going to upgrade the 302 short block to a mildly built 351. I am going to try to source a set of Edelbrock aluminum heads, and a conservative cam. I am hoping to find the intake setup, and ECU from a 99 Ford Explorer V8. I'll run a set of long tube headers, and a true dual exhaust. I would also like to eliminate the crappy clutch fan and replace it with a twin electric setup.

I am planning to do a 5 speed stick shift swap, as well as replace the transfer case with a manually shifted unit. I am hunting for a complete rear with a factory LSD. I want to rebuild it, and then just swap it out. The rear suspension has already been gone over and all the bushings replaced. The front currently has the split beam axle in it, but I am researching what it takes to swap in the straight axle and suspension out of a 70s truck. If I cant get a factory LSD to fit in one, I will likely look at ARB air locker setups. All front bushings, bearings, and seals will be replaced, as well as the steering box at this time.

It needs a rad support and front body mounts in the worst way. I should probably replace and upgrade the radiator at the same time. The rear bedside (arches) are getting rusty, so I will have to put in some patch panels. I will probably be able to get away with just painting the bedsides, but will do any necessary paint touch ups at the same time.

I am going to go with Federal Couragia MT tires this time. I am going to go with a 31-10.5-15. A little bigger, and much more aggressive than the last set. Should get around well in the snow.

[Geoff]

Those tires look terrible for snow/ice. I picked up a set of American-made Nokians (Vatiiva) for my van for about that price.

What's wrong with the split beam front axle? Other than it being weird...

[Crazyswede]

Those tires look terrible for snow/ice. I picked up a set of American-made Nokians (Vatiiva) for my van for about that price.

What's wrong with the split beam front axle? Other than it being weird...

Horrendous for ice..better than a summer tire in snow but not great. There are some decent all season designs out there that will do a lot better. Those tires will also likely be incredibly loud going down the road.

I have Michelin LTX's on the sprinter and if I have weight in the van they work pretty well and are pretty quiet going down the road. They are considered to be a snow tire but I run them year round.

[SwedeSport]

I do printing for a bunch of Landscape contractors that plow snow in the winter.

I asked what they liked in terms of plowing tires, and several said they like the Hankook DynaPro. But at 225.00 each I think Ill pass.

The Federals are about the same level of aggression in terms of tread pattern, along with the side lugs, and soft compound, should do ok while plowing. Keep in mind that I typically work in snow at least 6" deep, and maybe as much as 10-12" I agree that they probably won't help on ice. But these are much less $$ than the DynaPros.


As far as the front axle is concerned, I read the Ford f150 forums and this is the hot setup if I ever decide to do any wheeling. Apparently it is a tighter setup, that eliminates the camber problems associated with the split beam. It is really the only way to go if I ever decide to do a suspension lift, and is capable of more articulation. There are less joints to break which means less binding when turning. And the entire setup can be had at the U pull it for very little coin.


I am working on a deal for a parts truck with a relatively fresh 351. It comes with a set of classic aluminum wheels that have the 5 oval slots. If I get the truck I may use the extra set of wheels to put summer tires on.

[Crazyswede]

what size tire do you need? I have a set of 4 studded snows that my friend left with me when she went back to Colorado this May. They came off of her Nissan Pickup and would probably work well for you. She only ran them in the winter and didnt drive that many miles on them. They have good tread depth still. $300 for the whole set. I will get some pictures and the exact size tomorrow when I am at my parents.

[SwedeSport]

I currently have 30-9.5-15 on 15x8 rims. They are a little small for a lifted truck. I was hoping to upgrade to a 31-10.5-15 this time. I can probably squeeze a 33 on those rims, but any bigger, and I would start having gearing problems.


I had originally wanted to put a narrow steel rim on it with skinny tires for the snow, but there are not many skinny off road/ snow tires that fit the bill.

[SwedeSport]

Big improvement.

The factory headlights on my truck SUCK! I installed the Hella 550s to power up on low beam, and the Hella 700s to power up on high beam. While there is a noticeable improvement, it is still not enough. I had been looking into finding an upgrade for a while, but outside the l.e.d. style halo shit there really was not much available. I would prefer to switch to something with a glass lens, but no luck. I was going to just replace the factory stuff when I came across "Diamond Crystal" faceted housings. Yes they are plastic, and yes they are cheap Chinese parts. (70.00 for a pair shipped to the door) They clip in place exactly as stock.

The factory bulbs pop in and your off. They use the 9007 style bulb. I am however looking into bulb upgrades, but not so much as to need rewiring. I am considering one of the H.I.D. kits you can buy on ebay, but have a little homework to do. I am going to talk to Wil at Susquehanna Motorsports and see if he has any upgrades.

Without a bulb upgrade, having clear new lenses makes one hell of a difference.


I also replaced the factory underhood lights with a pair of l.e.d. lights on a toggle switch instead of the mercury switch that never works. The lights are made in China, but do the trick. The lights were 6.00 shipped to the door and the switch was 3.00. Great upgrade for under ten bucks!

[Geoff]

Those headlights look pretty good for the $. The biggest change is probably the clear lens. The light is aimed by the reflector instead of refracted through the lens which does help too.

The nice thing about the E350 that I have is I was able to back date the lights to earlier style rectangular lights and put in glass IPF H4s. I don't think that can be done with your truck.

If you want some driving lights you may want to contact Simon or Kieran Wright. They ran some CREE LEDs on their rally car at STPR and they were real bright.
http://usukracing.com/USUK_Racing/LED_Light_Bars.html

[SwedeSport]

The truck has been out of commission since last week. Took it apart to do the headlight refurb, and while positioning the truck against the garage door for rough alignment, the shifter broke. I had to bypass the neutral safety switch to start it. Starting it in gear by jumping the pins on the solenoid, it wanted to overcome the parking brake until the idle settled. It took a couple of maneuvers in forward and reverse to get it to a convenient spot to work on it. The shifter went into drive, but would not go back to park. It would flop around between 1 and 3.

After googling for info about the shifter, it seems the common problem is the shift tube on top of the column. I proceed to remove the column, and disassemble it on the bench to find that its not broken. So at this point it is apart, and I can clean some gummy inner workings, and put some fresh lube in it. I guess its a good time to swap the clock spring for a new one. Hopefully that will clear my SRS faults, and get the steering wheel controls (cruise) working again.

Turned out to be the shifter cable was broken off about 8 inches into the sheath. Had I found this first, I wouldn't have removed the steering column. I'm gonna pick up a cable and spring, and put it all back together this weekend.

I have been doing some homework and have decided to build or buy a 351, and do a stick shift swap. I am going to a yard over the weekend to begin gathering parts for this. I am going to locate the intake and possibly the ECM/harness from a 99 Explorer. I am working a deal on another truck that has a recently rebuilt 351, to raid it for the short block. It will probably get a mild set of Edelbrock heads/cam, and some long tube headers. Exiting thru a true dual dumping in front of the rear wheels. Just a simple setup. I found that the ZF 5 speed is the trans to get, but I need the one for 4X4 and the right bellhousing for the 302//351 gas engine. It has enough grunt to go behind a 460 or a big turbo diesel too. At the same time I am going to change the transfer case to a manually shifted one. I can do the entire stick swap for the cost of the rebuild on the E4OD automatic that is in there now.

[Geoff]

Why the swap? Is your engine or transmission bad?

I think the E04D is supposed to be pretty strong, isn't it?

[SwedeSport]

The 302 in it now is tired,... the truck has 320k on it, but I'm not sure that the engine is original. It knocks, piston slaps, and smokes a little until it warms up. The 351 will bolt right in, have more power, and with the Explorer parts should improve fuel economy a bit.

As far as the transmission is concerned, the E4OD was rebuilt before I got the truck, but it sometimes has a long delay before it engages in gear. When it is cold it can take 15 to 20 seconds for it to shift into a forward gear, and it does it with a hard lurch. I could probably continue to drive it for a while like that, but it can be a bit annoying.

I had a ton of problems with the electronic shift transfer case and associated componentry. I changed the shift motor 3 times til I had one that would work. The controller for the shift motor was giving me problems, and would not allow it to engage 4wd.

I want a little more power, and at the same time want to use 4wd on demand. I originally wanted a stick shift truck, but settled for the automatic. Now that I realize how easy the swap is, I can keep this truck and make it what I wanted.

[Geoff]

That all makes sense then

I have the E4OD in my van, it was rebuilt by Jasper. I'd love to do a 4x4 conversion to it but it's not high on the priority list. I should probably get some type of limited slip first...

[SwedeSport]

The PO rebuilt the trans in mine, he was a mechanic at the shop I take my vehicles to. I am beginning to suspect that the "rebuild" was probably more of a "repair" fixing only what was broken.

4x4 vans are pretty cool. Even cooler when outfitted like a camper 4x4.