So since the rear engine mounts that fasten to the flywheel housing are no longer being used, I needed to figure something out for the passenger side mount that incorporated the slave cylinder mount. I was going to make something, but then found that a 60 series bracket appeared to attach in a similar location on the flywheel housing, but with 10mm diameter fasteners. I removed one that I had at the shop, drilled it out to .50”, and it fit like a dream, and works great! You can also see the 1982 and later style gear reduction starter motor that was installed and new 00 positive starter lead.
The following are pictures of the modifications that were done to the tunnel cover piece that the shifter boots are attached to.
The range selector was pretty simple really, just had to cut it out, move it back and weld it back in place. The transmission boot uses one hole that is used to secure the later tunnel cover, and I drilled three holes and welded three 6mm nuts to the bottom of the cover. I created a lot of extra work for myself with cutting the shifter boot-mounting ring out of the cover, but I had originally thought that I would just move it rearward and turn it a bit to make it stay on the cover, but after cutting it out and looking at things, the second idea seemed to make more sense. Oh well, it is only metal! So tack, tack, tack, grind, grind, grind, and a few hours later, it was black, installed and looks fine.
Before mods, the little wonder air saw, and the cover...
When the H55 install was going on, I had told John that we would replace the Warn lockouts with OEM pieces.....That opened up a real can of worms....
Removed the lockout from the passenger side, no big deal. Removed the lockout from the driver side and was greeted with a combination of grease and gear oil. No biggie, change out a couple seals and gaskets, remove the axle, clean the bearings and fing birf, repack and back together....or so I thought.
I needed to use a four-foot pry bar to get the driver side axle assembly out of the axle housing! We have a bent housing, oh goodie! The truck appears to have been a plow rig at one time, as there are holes in the frame and wear marks on the axle housing that are consistent with others that I have seen over the years.
So out with the junk and in with a 1982 40 series front axle housing, total rebuild/re-bearing/seal and gasket.
John has the truck and REALLY likes how it drives/works. We went for a ride in it together last Saturday (21APR07) and he was VERY HAPPY with it. I like how it drives, and the fifth gear really seems like it is something that should have been there from the get-go. We are going to go play with the trucks on Sunday at his farm, I know that he will like the lower first gear/low range off road as well.
Sure did....I was tearing around the back few acres of the shop area, some field, some woods trails, all rough, and I was very impressed with how nice the ride was in that thing...
Looking at the mounting brackets for the gearbox cross memeber, these are a little lower than standard, this is how you have lowered the gearbox to fit?
Also do you think this will put un due strain on the engine mounts with the extra angle causing premature failer or have you angled the engine mounts too?
What soloution did you use for the handbrake drum?
Looking at the mounting brackets for the gearbox cross memeber, these are a little lower than standard, this is how you have lowered the gearbox to fit?
Also do you think this will put un due strain on the engine mounts with the extra angle causing premature failer or have you angled the engine mounts too?
The slight static angled load these see at rest and the little increase in loads it may see while in use, will be nothing like what mine have been subjected to securing my 1982 2F between the frame rails of my Red truck. I really do not see that as being an issue. I do not really think that the front engine mounts are seeing that much more stress with the rear of the drive train being lowered like that, at least not to significance that is something to really worry about. But you can rest assured Matt, that you will be the third to know if something happens.
It was on, and is still on, and is working fine. I decided to reduce the diameter of the parking brake drum just a bit to give it a little ‘cushion’, just in case.
