tires are mounted and balanced I will have them tomorrow!

Last edited on Mon Dec 9th, 2019 09:42 pm by 410customs

testing phases
needs alignment pass side is 1.75 degree neg camber
will likely level the truck too
otherwise so far so good!!
So exciting!!









She runs sooooo smooth sounds so good nothing like a Flowmaster behind a 5.0
4 low is awesome!

Last edited on Tue Dec 10th, 2019 03:28 pm by 410customs

Last edited on Wed Dec 11th, 2019 09:18 am by 410customs

Last edited on Tue Dec 17th, 2019 03:29 pm by Eddie Money

No neighbors with helicopters yet?... lol.
Guys on gold rush move those huge washplants in Alaska on crappy dirt roads. You can do it!!!

Last edited on Wed Dec 18th, 2019 01:51 pm by Eddie Money

NEWS for the black truck

Transmission is BAD
Not sure what happened. This transmission was a known good unit I was keeping in my collection with 15K miles on it since rebuild! It was in a friends truck when he wrecked it, light roll into a ditch on the snow. Then I had the truck for about 6 months before we moved to Idaho, I pulled the drivetrain and crushed the 98 Eddie. The drivetrain made the move with us and has been in the shop since. I drove this truck around even after the rollover all was well! 

So we installed trans in this truck and it was awesome until 3rd gear....1-2 shift silky smooth, no 3rd gear shift. Tried to troubleshoot for two weeks, ohm solenoids, triple checked wiring, even tried a different PCM. Still same result, tons of clutch material and shine in the trans fluid after only 12 miles of testing. Something went out?? It will not shift past 2nd, and when it did it was obvious something was broken (like engine braking) I suspect a bad torrington bearing in the planetary based on my research and our symptoms. 
We will find out, this 98 trans is now a builder core and will be sent to Colorado.

So yesterday I pulled the transmission.
In goes a different 4r70w, this time it is a Ford reman from the 104K mile truck. Some of you will say "isn't that the trans from the 07 Ranger build?"
Answer is "yes it is"
You see, when this one went bad I contacted my trans builder and good news he has a fresh 4r70w ready to go. 
So we are going to use the full custom rebuilt unit in Eddie Moneys 07 Ranger build and put that low low mile Ford reman in this truck.
So today I pull the trans from the 07.........and stab it into the 98. This time the valve body is being rebuilt by Brett.
The good news:
The 4406e shift t case just got a nice 12 mile flush and fill. I KNOW all the wiring on the 98 truck is perfect :)
The 07 is getting a NEW 4r70w with a few tasty mods to make it work with the 07's cam, headers, and Holley PCM.

Bad: I'm out 14+ quarts of Mercon V and a Motorcraft filter = sucks! plus tons of time troubleshooting and much extra labor to pull/stabs trans multiple times.

12 miles on this fluid! Yikes







Black truck also got some more updates
we removed and fixed the bad factory battery terminals, upgraded to copper lugs and battery posts.
I made some body lift gap guards for under the rear bed
We replaced the column shifter bushings, they were toast. Also adjusted the orange gear indicator needle to be perfect.



bad bushing


ABS plastic body gap guards




The running boards came out awesome! They do such a great job of protecting the side of the truck from mud/snow I love these things on a body lifted Ranger, they really update the looks






These tires are so awesome, while testing in 4low we went places lesser tires would not take a Ranger.
This truck runs, feels and drives like a brand new truck! 
Just need to get past 2nd gear....sheesh



Welcome to the game! We shall persevere!!!

Last edited on Sun Dec 22nd, 2019 11:13 am by 410customs

all right whew its almost February and SH*& happens so its been a while but the black truck is back in the shop!
We ripped that old POS core transmission out and installed the reman from the 07 truck. The 07 truck (Eddie's) will be getting a fresh CUSTOM built 4r70w built by my friend Brett....more on that in the 07 thread as it progresses.
So the reman 4r70w from the 07 project if you guys remember is a Ford reman that came with our 104K drivetrain donor. I sent the valve body off to Brett to have it upgraded. Brett finally finished the VB and sent it back to me...now today I can finally install it into our black 99 Ranger along with new Motocraft filter and Mercon V. I will be cleaning out the trans coolers and lines again along with a pressure test to verify there was no water entering the old BAD transmission......





The VB has been upgraded by Brett,  shifting mods and some gasket/passage/check ball upgrades were done to bring this thing up to Brett 4r70w standards, also we are using the 98+ style internal wiring and solenoids even though our PCM is a 97 model :)
Once this is done and the truck is driving again we can finally road test it up over 45 mph to make sure our home brew rear driveshaft is good up to speed
I can finish wiring up the headlights, fog lights and license plate lights...the kid who owned it before had HID and blue LED everywhere...we are returning it back to stock lighting (Let the new owner do the upgrades)
I am fixing the radiator, the way it was mounted for the body lift is bugging me, I am going to raise the radiator up and lower just the fan shroud. This works really well on body lifted rangers it should have been done that way to begin with
After this we will vacuum and charge the AC system and get a new windshield installed. Then it will finally be listed for SALE and we shall see if there are any potential buyers willing to make the drive and fork over the mula for a wicked 5.0 4x4 custom Ranger........ this thing drives so nice you guys, I wish I could keep it but I already own 5 builds/daily drivers and this shop needs to start making some $$$$$$ so we can build more cool trucks

Last edited on Sun Jan 26th, 2020 12:55 pm by 410customs