1999 Mounty 5.0 aka My Great Bad Idea

[Turdle]

@allmyEXes , using ECT data to scanguage live time readout.

Different ects, thermostats, radiator. No change.

 

[410Fortune]

Lower ball joints are soooo easy to remove on these trucks
Once you have everything remove just put the uca on a jackstand and with a ball pine hammer smack the ball joint from the top right in the middle. They fall right out

 

[97Sandbox]

Thanks for the input, guys!

For the trans tunnel cover, I'll put together a better annotated image with screw hole positions noted and hole dimensions called out. I'll wait until I know it works first though. I've been waiting for the paint to cure on my 4406M linkage before I start mockup/fab work. The parts should finally be ready for reassembly tomorrow night.

 

[97Sandbox]

Lower ball joints are soooo easy to remove on these trucks
Once you have everything remove just put the uca on a jackstand and with a ball pine hammer smack the ball joint from the top right in the middle. They fall right out

I like the sound of that! You meant LCA though, right?

Can I just detach both BJs and the TRE then swing the knuckle out of the way with it still attached to the axle?

 

[410Fortune]

Yes I meant Lca whoops

You can undo the ubj and the tie rod gets access directly to the lbj

If you are doing g outer tie rods I always recommend inner tie rods at same time
You can remove them as an assembly and match the length with the new parts, this keeps your toe alignment

 

[97Sandbox]

I'll have to see if I feel any play in the inner tie rods. I didn't order replacements, but understand what you're saying. Of course, this Mounty probably hasn't had an alignment in a decade or two, so I'm planning to get that done regardless. I also really don't want to pull or reinstall the tie rod boots haha -- that was no fun on my Sport and it doesn't even have a front dif or CV axles.

 

[97Sandbox]

Thursday night I started removing UCAs. The UBJs are really stuck in the knuckles, I'm going to try the hammer drill (with rotary setting off of course) to break them loose because the regular hammer hasn't been enough.

Surprisingly my tie rods feel solid. Boots are both in tact too.

I think I'll leave them alone and save the new outers for when I need them and then replace the inners at that time.

I wrapped up my 4406M linkage refresh last night after giving the rustoleum a week to cure. Everything slides really nice now with the fresh bushings.

Now I can bolt it back onto the M5R2 and start making a shift lever to work with the 1354M boot/bezel.

 

[97Sandbox]

Too windy to work outside while holding a sleeping baby, but at least I can wrench one-handed in the barn. I bolted on the tcase linkage and mocked up the trans cover at about the right height (judging off of pictures from @410Fortune 5.0 trac build).

There seems to be plenty of room height wise to jog the lever over. I measured about 4 to 4-1/2" offset will be needed. That jog will require the lever to tilt further (from the knob's perspective) in order to go into neutral, but I don't think it'll be too bad. I'll start mocking something up, but will wait to go further than tack welds until the trans is installed when I can be sure of placement in the vehicle.

 

[410Fortune]

Remove the pinch bolt
Smack the knuckle on the sides around the ubj pin to break the bond
Then smack the uca upwards with 6# sledge it will come right out

It helps if you put a jack under the Lca so the ubj is not at the extreme range of it’s travel

 

[410Fortune]

Don’t forget the trans big wiring plug wants to live in that area of your shifter
Also under the floor is 1” thick heat Matt
Your shift lever will be z shaped to make that turn

Looking fantastic!

 

[97Sandbox]

Remove the pinch bolt
Smack the knuckle on the sides around the ubj pin to break the bond
Then smack the uca upwards with 6# sledge it will come right out

It helps if you put a jack under the Lca so the ubj is not at the extreme range of it’s travel

That's what I tried with my heaviest ball peen, maybe it's just time for a bigger hammer haha

Don’t forget the trans big wiring plug wants to live in that area of your shifter

Yep, that thought already went through my mind, but thanks for looking out for me! Middle of the Z just needs to leave room for the wire loom.

You mean the heat mat is on underside of the trans tunnel?

 

[410Fortune]

Yes under trans tunnel that heat Matt doesn’t live long around your new t case shifter
It’s nice to cut the holes in it first and use heavy duct tape to wrap the edges, then put everything in. That way it doesn’t fray or act
Like a sponge

 

[97Sandbox]

Sounds like a good situation for dryer tape, super sticky and keep the heat out.

 

[97Sandbox]

Been spending most of my weekend with a sick/sleepy baby in my arms or in a carrier so I haven't done any more work (she finally turned the corner today though). I started looking at old 4406M swap threads for pictures to help me understand how best to execute my Z shift lever. I wish I'd read those threads a long time ago! Would've been nice to mod my tank bracket when I had it out for the fuel pump...oh well at least I know how to drop the tank now.

This has me wondering what other things I should do with the 4406 and M5R2 before I start the swap. I know grinding off the ears on the top/sides of the 4406 case is helpful for clearance but is there anything else?
EDIT: what safety precautions do I need to take before I start grinding on the magnesium case?

I have the full trans/tcase/O2s harness from the donor F150 and I'd really like to make use of the OE bulkhead connector instead of routing random wires through the floor. I'm assuming I'll have to repin quite a bit and make a "hybrid" Mounty/f150 harness but that's worthwhile work to me if it avoids stray wires that could become gremlins in the future.

 

[410Fortune]

The only thing left ina 5 speed harness (at the big grey plug) will be 3ea 02 sensors and the reverse wires
You can unpin everything else

The neutral safety loops back to itself and will be handled now by the 3 pos clutch switch

So the big grey plug could “go away” if you want to just eliminate it

 

[97Sandbox]

Sounds good. Once I pull the exhaust and the 4R70, I'll lay it all out and I'm sure have some questions!

Here's the stock f150 grey plug:

I don't expect it to match the Mounty, but we'll see.

Here's the plug on my RWD M5R2 as well.

There's a handful of differences I assume are all related to 4x4. Should be a helpful reference for me.

 

[97Sandbox]

Finally got the driver's UCA off last night. I remember having to flex the EVAP line in order to pull the rear bolt out on my Sport, but on the Mounty I actually had to unbolt three of the clips holding the EVAP line. Wish I'd done this job before the headers went in! Better yet, when I still had the PS pump and steering shaft out. Oh well, at least the passenger side will be a breeze in comparison.

 

[allmyEXes]

Too bad that the driver's side is a one piece upper, and the passenger side is a two piece. Of all of the uppers that I have changed, the actual control arm bushings have been in good shape.

 

[97Sandbox]

I prefer the one-piece design due to its simplicity, I just wish you could replace the upper ball joints.

Odd question: can you flip the inner part of the two-piece passenger's side UCA to make it into a driver's side?

 

[allmyEXes]

I have no idea...