12v Excursion Redo

[therabbittree]

Thanks for the Data info. . its good stuff . this one pulls hard. . The plan is to sell the 8" BDS suspension. . I have the stock 5. 4L gasser excursion springs, stock pitman arm, stock tracbar bracket, and sway bar end links etc... but I'm sure it will be 'ol saggy and ride like crap... I drive a F250 for work every day and it rides worst then my W350 first gen. . this BDS 8" lift rides nice. . I'm looking at two options - the 4" bds springs , - or modified factory springs like they talk about over at the DieselPage . . etc they mix and match soem different factory spring codes and supposedly the ride is nice and they get 2-3 inch lift. . the reverse arch stock front springs seem to make it ride worse... it could be mental thing though ha... any one have a line on any stock take off springs from a F350 Superduty etc? im almost at the stage of pulling all the 8" lift parts off and bolting the stock 5. 4 stuff in and going from there ha. .

thanks,

Deo

 

[therabbittree]

well I decided to test start the engine. . argh . . the starter turned it over once or trwice but didn't sound right. . and third time it won't turn over. . I think its a problem with the engine adapter I had test fit the G56 with a 2nd gen engine adapter and the 2nd gen starter on a extra engine in my garage. I was nervous as South Bend said the FE clutch was set up for a 1st gen engine adapter and 1st gen starter?. . and I used a 2nd gen starter and flywheel adapter. . mummn. . the gap betwen the starter and ne the fly wheel was kinda big but when I pulled the starter gear out manually it meshed with the ring gear... . mummn. . in the truck maybe the starter doesn't extend as far as i manully pulled ?. . the first gen adapte ris thinner etc. . seems like the only 2 solutions are to :1- pull trans and clutch flywheel and swap a 1st gen starter & 1st gen engine adapter in . . or 2 -pull trans and have South Bend send me a flywheel for a 2nd gen FE and G56 trans... argh. . ha I had already sent the FE 13" flywheel back to them before, when I decided to use the G56 trans ha... . not sure what is the best choice... not happy about either right now. . and no one was available at South Bend when I just called. . I'll try a little later today...

Oh well gotta love it...

Deo

 

[therabbittree]

:-lafOo. well I got the starter off and measured from the face till the tip of starter gear = a hair under 2". I measured from mounting surface of transmission adapter to the ring gear and just about 2" maybe a hair more. I measured the starter gear extended , and the gear meshes perfect with the ring gear. . huh... ??? then it dawned on me... . I had disconnected the engine ground to paint the engine . . ha ... I reconnected it and viola. . perfect. Starter and engine turn over fine. . ha. Gotta love those moments . . pays to sit back and double check the simple common sense things. . ha. .

Deo

 

[FordCummins]

Gotta love the simple solutions.....

 

[therabbittree]

Not a lot of time lately to work on the truck . . and it seems when I have time its raining outside ha... any how I managed to fab up the fuel filters and mount them, and finish the rust treatment and prime / paint the front end. . almost ready to bolt the front end back on etc . I still have to drop the rear fuel tank and check how the previous owner converted the gas tank, and run new synflex lines forward etc etc. . When I drop the tank I will prime and paint the back too. . any how heres some pictures of the filters and front end . .

Thanks,

Deo

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[moparguy]

Nice, very nice. I'm enjoying reading along. Good luck,



RR

 

[therabbittree]

Thanks, I really appreciate that.

 

[goater]

Nice build I hope to do something similar if funds ever allow me to. Would you mind posting some more on that fuel filter setup. That looks like a slick way of doing things whether its a dodge or a ford. Mainly part numbers. Thanks and good luck!!

Edit: Found the numbers i was looking for must have missed it the first go round.

 

[goater]

Alright thought of a few new questions for you. Whats involved in removing the fuel and water filters from the motor? How are those tracking bars attached? Are the mounts welded directly to the frame and axle?
Thanks Ryan

 

[therabbittree]

thanks,

the fuel filter bases are Cummins / Fleetguard Part # 3930618-S $25. 80 each

from Cummins Metropower in Newark NJ. they take The fllet guard filters & water separators they cost like $10-13 bucks each. I got the Idea from Competition Diesel web forum 2 years ago, when I built my '92 Dodges Fuel tank. . I used same setup there. . I probably will do the same setup on my dads 2002 dodge. It works great and partsa are easy to work with and available...

as for removing the filter setup from the engine. I will take pictures and post my fix for that. its easy to unbolt the filters atc. . but the fuel return lines are gonna be tricky. . I am debating how to handle that. . either cut the banjo off the injector return and flare it and use a union to pipe thread to synflex , same with the inj pump return. . then T them together... and maybe get rid of the banjos on the injection pump feed... oh well. . keep it simple a little at a time. The traction bars were made by the previous owner Shaun Dance. they are bolt on the outside of the frame and bolt on to the rear axle with large u bolts etc. . I may redo them as they do stick way down below the pumpkin etc...

 

[therabbittree]

I have about 300 picture up on my picasa Web album for the excursion. any new pictures get synced up to the web album . . its a public album etc. . pictures of the traction bars are there...



Picasa Web Albums - Deo - excursion



Thanks

Deo

 

[therabbittree]

Well I broke my Digital camera last week argh, do no new pictures yet. . any how I picked up some stock springs at a junk yard. . rears were B codes and fronts are mystery ones. . I'm probably not gonna use. . looking for V or X codes. I modified the B code rear pack by taking the stock G code excursion rear pack apart and adding the lower two main leaves into the b code pack and also I used the 1/8" aluminum spring spacers from the G code pack etc cleaned em up and painted them . . I also removed the rear 8" BDS springs, and dropped the fuel tank to see what the previous owner did for the fuel feed and return. I want to clean up the rear frame and paint it too while the tank, springs and rear end are dropped down etc. . I also found out the passenger front ball joints aree bad. . argh

so maybe I'll go pick up a new digital camera today after church. . then add some new pictures.

Thanks

Deo

 

[therabbittree]

well I went out and bought a new digital camera ha. .

Here are the painted modified B codes. I'm debating on attempting the top OEM helper spring install. . I read some one said they will not fit and another saying they will but they won't be needed? I like to have excess capacity.

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Pulled the 8" BDS Springs out, and the 44 gal fuel tank ...

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the 4" exhaust got pulled too. . hopefully it fits when lowered. . the bend s are close to the leaf springs

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any a discovered this little gem. . notice the welded diff cover?. . mummn I had changed the speed sensor on top and the old one had a groove ground into it. . not supposed to happen. . I bet some one either backed into it and put a hole in it, or blew the diff and rebuilt it. . I plan on swapping to 3. 55 gears any way and the diff is quiet so I'm sure it was fixed . . I'm gonna pull the cover any how to check.

Thanks

deo

 

[therabbittree]

I also got dirty taking the rust and grime off the rear frame and undercarriage. . i hope to rust treat it , prime ,and paint soon.



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The wire wheel attack me. .

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this stuff doesn't taste good either ha#ad

 

[Flying_gage]

Good thread! Please keep the pics and info coming. It is guys like you that I admire and appreciate, using simple and straightforward engineering that you can't learn in school.



Are a firefighter? Have to ask because of the Survivor light in one of the pics? Looks like the one that is on my bunker gear today.



Finally, not trying to bust your chops at all but I noticed in one of the pics your jack was positioned on the mounting tab for the hitch..... I am sure you had others placed as that looks precarious.

 

[therabbittree]

thanks for the compliments... . painted the frame today... argh... messy work... yes I'm a Volunteer Firefighter. . those lights work awesome and last forever...

thanks

Deo

 

[therabbittree]

I did a few things on the Truck... some pictures from the prime and paint ... #ad


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I hung my modified b code rear springs.

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It looks / sits pretty decent. . it is sitting on the 2 1/2" rear excursion blocks in the rear. . I have a set of 3 1/2" f250 rear blocks to try if the front sits too high etc. . I am getting new u bolts too ... . just using old ones to mock it up etc. .

I got fed up looking for v or x code front spriongs and no one can seem to answer my question about the front mystery springs I had picked up at the junk yard. . So I modified them too ha. . added the 1/8" alum leaf spacers (like a excursion g code rear spring pack has)

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, & I added one of the leaves from my excursions stock g code rear pack #ad
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. . primed 'em tonight, I'm gonna paint em tommorrow morning, and try to pull the front lift out tommorrow afternoon. .

Thanks,

Deo

 

[therabbittree]

I painted teh front modified springs and installed them . . the front springs were nasty to remove . . the lower rear shacklebolt had to be beaten flush witht the shackle. It still wouldn't come out . . so i had to air chisel / hammer it the rest of the way out. . argh. The track bar almost makes a clean attachment. . I may have to buy a adjustable bar or fiddle with it... looks like its 1/8" or so off. I have to check the ride height . . if I like it, I'm going to take one u bolt from the front and one from the back and bring em to Newburgh, NY - Macdonald &Macdonald Springs, and get new U-bolts made. . then install etc... here are some pictures . .

here are some pictures . .

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[therabbittree]

I removed the front bumper when I removed and installed the front springs. I planned on building a custom steel bumper to improve deer protection. Especailly since the previous family vehicle VW Eurovan got totalled froma 75mph deer hit on I-81 in Pa. . want a bumper that will hold up to that ha... I met a Logger who fabricated his own and I like his design alot . . He was really nice, and let me check it out snap some pictures etc... It uses the three bolts per side that the factory tow hooks use for attachment. . I will probably base mine off of his and modify it. . Thanks Ford!.

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[therabbittree]

Last night it was raining on and off. . I was fed up, so I decided to clean up soem parts and prep em for painting. . obviously the paint theme is Cummins Beige ha. I luccked out as the rain stopped and I could paint and install some of the newly painted parts. I did have aset of the cummins B series breather valve covers . . I was going to try and fit two of them on this engine. Wel one 1 will fit . . The cowl overhang is way large, its is a royal pain. . I have thought of cutting it out . . ha. It may work, but the wipers may need the extra support . . its a thought. . The rear valve cover is a real bear to remove and install. . I am not sure if you could install valves springs in that postion. . I hope they are 60lbs springs ha. . Woodruff diesel rebuilt the head and o ringed it and installed a 4k gov spring kit . . so it should have em...

I installed the Mack rack plug too. . I heard on Comp D you could grind the front case down and install without unbolting the Injection pump. . well I checked a extra p pump gear case I had in the garage. The plug recess has solid metal to the out side of the case. I marked it and taped it off. I used a 4" aluminum grinding disk to rough it in. Then used a small cutter head on a 3/4 drill to finish it. . it worked. The hardest part was starting the threads.

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Here are some pictures of the paint. . got to install the alternator, fan hub, serp belt tensioner, & a/c. But before I do that, I want to fabricate the rear turbo support bracket and get the 2nd oil drain figured out.

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