1996 Ford F150 4.9L (300ci) I6 5MT 4x4

[nemesis]

Originally Posted by Christ

If that's the attitude you want to have, you're more than welcome to it. Frankly, I think it's fairly improper, but that's your perogative.

The fact is, you're telling me to do something I simply can't do effectively. I'm not going to spend money to get a custom aftermarket gear set made, plain and simple, when I can get gears in stock axles to match what I need.

Before you get pissed cuz I don't like your idea, maybe you should take a second to realize why I shot you down.

I have a 4x4, and I intend to keep it that way.

So in this case, you can either "put up or shut up", as it were. Point out a 2.73 that fits in the Dana 44 (8.5") case, or get over it and move on.

Don't whine about it, though. It's very unbecoming.

I am not whining about, I just said that I am wrong and you're right, did you read that? I tried replying to 2 of your posts, you told me the same thing, Find me this for this price, sorry, but if you're too lazy to look I can't help you there, you can polish a turd all you want, at the end of the day it's still a turd, is that clear enough for you.

[Christ]

In both posts, you were advising beyond your knowledge, as well.

Did you read that? Maybe it wasn't clear enough for you?

Talking about using a GSX-R frame on a Katana, because someone told you that it was a better choice, even though in the same series of posts, I showed you that it's not, as they're basically the same frame as the Katana.

Now, you're talking about using a 2.73 differential on my rear axle, and you're obviously completely oblivious to the fact that there is no openly available 2.73-comparable ratio for the front axle on my truck.

I tell you to find it for that price on the Katana frame because you're telling me to buy something that is a more expensive item than I've already got access to, which is just friggin dumb.

I told you that on this occasion because, plain and simple, it's not going to happen. Like I said just a little bit ago, you're advising beyond your knowledge.

If you're going to try to give someone advice, maybe you should make sure it's actually USABLE for their intended purposes?

And yes, when you say things like: "OH, you're right and I'm wrong." in the way that you appeared to use it, you're whining. Oh my, too bad it was true, and you actually were wrong. Both times. Have we finished?

[nemesis]

Originally Posted by Christ

In both posts, you were advising beyond your knowledge, as well.

Did you read that? Maybe it wasn't clear enough for you?

Talking about using a GSX-R frame on a Katana, because someone told you that it was a better choice, even though in the same series of posts, I showed you that it's not, as they're basically the same frame as the Katana.

Now, you're talking about using a 2.73 differential on my rear axle, and you're obviously completely oblivious to the fact that there is no openly available 2.73-comparable ratio for the front axle on my truck.

I tell you to find it for that price on the Katana frame because you're telling me to buy something that is a more expensive item than I've already got access to, which is just friggin dumb.

I told you that on this occasion because, plain and simple, it's not going to happen. Like I said just a little bit ago, you're advising beyond your knowledge.

If you're going to try to give someone advice, maybe you should make sure it's actually USABLE for their intended purposes?

And yes, when you say things like: "OH, you're right and I'm wrong." in the way that you appeared to use it, you're whining. Oh my, too bad it was true, and you actually were wrong. Both times. Have we finished?

I am very sorry, I didn't realize that you were on a rag, I think you should go with anything that you can get for free for your truck.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by nemesis

I am very sorry, I didn't realize that you were on a rag, I think you should go with anything that you can get for free for your truck.

Do yourself a favor and stop while you're behind.

You still can't show that there's a 2.73 for a D44 axle, so get over it and move on. You were wrong. It's not the end of the world. Don't be immature about it.

[Christ]

Found the fuel leak...

After removing the bed to inspect the tank/pump assemblies, I found that the front tank has rust perforation around the lock ring. Total of about 6 holes, with a total area approximately that of a quarter piece.

After the above posted annoyance, I started looking through some old magazines and checking around online. There is a Dana 44 axle that comes with 2.73 gears, but I don't think they'll fit in my front axle. I don't think they're reverse cut gears like the Ford D44IFS uses, so they may not work for me.

They can be found in Wagoneers from 80-92. I'll look further into it, but I doubt I'll pursue it, because I'll also have to find 2.73 gears for the 8.8" Ford as well, and they're not easily had.

[Clev]

Subscribed and following with interest. My dad had a '91 2WD with the 300 and a 4-speed with granny low. He got 16 mpg even with the engine fairly roaring at 65 mph, and could pull the ski boat out of the water by putting it in first and letting the clutch out without touching the gas. (He eventually traded it in on the Ranger I now own, and which didn't get any better mileage at the same speeds.)

[Christ]

Tomorrow should be filled with:

Oil - 15w40 Delvac 1300 (for the detergents, just one change with it to clean the engine out)

Transmission - Mercon V ATF (Wally World brand)
Transfer Case - Mercon V ATF (Wally World brand)

Spark Plugs - Autolite Copper (OE heat rating)

I intend to run a compression test while I'm changing the plugs, because it's something I do every time I change plugs on any engine. (Which I seldom do).

Coolant Flush

Possibly replace the 30x9.50R15LT's with LT235/75R15

Install front driveshaft U-Joints, reinstall front drive shaft.

Remove driver's side carpet/rubber floor, install patch metal temporarily.

Install washer pump.

Figure out how to install the hitch I have, if I can make it easy. If not, steal one from my Father and replace it with mine. (Do you think the leaf spring shackles will mind being pushed away from the frame by 1/8"?)

Since the truck is down until I get the tank fixed, while it's down, I'm going to hook my trailer lights to it and drive it home to park it here so I can keep working on it. Work will include:

Clean up rust and coat the "bad" spots.
Rub down the frame with a cup brush and clean off dirt/scale/etc and coat it to prevent further rust.
Rear tank delete (has more holes than the Ozone layer) and spare tire delete, prepare frame for larger (~30 gallon) rear tank to be used for a transfer tank for diesel/oil/WVO, etc.

While the bed is off, I'm going to look into lowering it's mount points ~1", then also lowering the cab ~1" over the frame. Not sure how that's going to work out, so don't expect much from it.

Whatever else comes to mind. I'm sure there'll be more.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Clev

Subscribed and following with interest. My dad had a '91 2WD with the 300 and a 4-speed with granny low. He got 16 mpg even with the engine fairly roaring at 65 mph, and could pull the ski boat out of the water by putting it in first and letting the clutch out without touching the gas. (He eventually traded it in on the Ranger I now own, and which didn't get any better mileage at the same speeds.)

Clev -

So far, thanks to a massive fuel leak, it cost me nearly $40 to go 125 miles. That's really bad, if ya ask me... LOL.

I was playing around a bit today (the truck still isn't legally inspected, so I keep it to back roads and such), and found that it's actually very easy to take off in 2nd gear with the 3.55 rears. And the more I drive it, the more I realize that I just don't like how short 1st gear is. I'm drooling waiting for the 3.08 rears, but I'm still not sure that the 8.8" I have on the other truck is actually a 3.08, since the rear was changed at some point in the past.

Guess we'll see?

[Christ]

Welp, here's what got done:

Shocks
Oil/Filter.
Rear tank removed. (whoa. Just whoa.)
Leak fully exposed on front tank (it's a smiley. Didn't take a pic, though.)
Removed cold-air snorkel (wasn't on list, but it was there anyway)
Checked air filter and beat the dust out of it. (also not on list)
Scraped some rust off the frame
Fixed the trailer light harness (4 pin connector)
Hooked up/zip tied a set of towing lights to the rear frame horns to make the truck "appear" legal so I could get it home.

Lost license plate on a back road, spent 2 hours searching for it.
Found it.

EOC'd most of the way home as much as I could because I had 13 miles to go and fumes in the tank (sputtering on acceleration).

Far cry from the nice list I had planned out for today, but those shocks were a friggin PITA. Actually, just one was. The passenger side. It wasn't rusted to the eye of the shock, it turned freely, but no matter how much I hit it, it wouldn't come out, and there was only about 8 inches of room to hit it with a hammer, so I couldn't get a good whack at it.

Finally walked away for a few mins, and then went back at it and just wailed the hell out of that bolt. It finally gave way.

Both shocks are now installed.

Found that the rear bumper "hitch" is made from 1/4" plate steel bolted directly to the frame, and should be roughly equivalent to a class II/III hitch. Sold my hitch to my Father, plan on having a better one installed later.

Pending local search for a new fuel tank. If I can't find one, I'll order one from AutoZone (Spectra replacement metal tank) and have it shipped to my door to be installed.

I also have to bring 4 tires back and mount them. I've got the week to work on it now.

I may have sold the bed off the truck, too. If the guy wants it for $500, or $400 and his bed (rough shape) I'll probably end up with a flat bed/stake body.

[Big Dave]

I think since I did my 3.08 gear mod, 3.08s have become very rare in the aftermarket. For bigger trucks using Dana 60s or 70s or Sterling 10.25s, 3.55 is about the limit these days.