So...I guess this is it. I haven't been very active lately on the forums.

I spent most of last summer building my dream workshop. But that's finished now. So onto the truck projects? Well at least until this summer. I promised my better half that I'd build her the dream kitchen. At least I got the garage first

Anyway, first project: 4WD swap with Dana60. I've had everything for some time now. I just didn't work on it. I've torn down the Dana and 10.25. I've rebuilt them both with new seals/bearings and added TrueTrac to the 10.25. Nothing new there I know. I can post up more information about the build (I take a ton of pictures), but I think there's plenty of other people who already have. Next I plan to tear into my very used BW1356 XCase. I'm planning to rebuild that with new seals and bearings and the pump if necessary. I also have a used ZF 5S-47 to put in. I was going to rebuild it, but now I'm thinking I'll just try it first. By the time I bought the rebuild kit, and all the special tools, I was going to be in way too much. I was told it only has 95K on it. We'll see.

Plan for after the swap is horse power! I've been waiting long enough for that. But I'm afraid that will have to wait until the winter.

And now, some pics (because we all love them)!
First off, my new workshop




Yes, I also own a Ranger.

As they came into the workshop



What was left of the axle seal on the 10.25




All wire-wheeled, and washed


First coat of Rustoleum primer


2 coats of primer, 2 coats of POR15, and a coat of Rustoleum Gloss black


XRF ball joint kit (if only they made the drag link kit for the 94 to 97 trucks)


Dana getting the knuckles put back on


Trutrac in the 10.25.


Hopefully this week I can finish the axles and move onto the XCase.

 

Nice shop Nick. Looks like you're making good progress on parts too! They look good.

 

Thanks. I think I'm working too slow and making things perfect. I've never setup axles before (also makes things feel slow), but the workshop manual pretty much laid everything out. We'll see if I get it right.

 

Nothing wrong with making sure you get it right the first time. Setting up axles isn't that easy.

 

Nice shop Nick. I'm looking forward to following this. I'd like to throw a truetrac in my rear as well. And I know my trans needs some synchros so may as well do bearings and with it that far the xcase is out so may as well dig into that too. But not yet. I want to enjoy this summer so maybe that can be my winter project, next year lol

 

Hey Nick! Good to see you on here again! Nice shop man! I have hopes of building a bigger one this summer, but we'll just have to wait and see how that works out.

 

Thanks. Yeah it's good be back...until I get side tracked again. I always lurk though, just don't always take the time to post and follow up. I'm gonna really try with this thread though.

Yeah I'm looking forward to the TruTrac. If I don't get the Dana in this spring before construction season, at least I'll have that. These 2WD trucks with open diffs are about helpless off road (and sometimes on).


Quick update, got the spindle bearings and seals in. Front axle shafts are prepped. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, I think I can get the axles pretty much assembled. I'm still waiting on brakes, so the front hubs can't go back on quite yet. But at least most of the parts will be off my work bench.

Any thoughts on rolling the dice and not rebuilding the ZF? I could probably hook a drill up to the output shaft (via the XCase) and spin it up and try to change gears. Think that puts enough load in the system to actually see if the synchros still work?

 

If it really just has 95'000 miles on it, I would take the chance and throw it in. You can turn the input shaft by hand and run it through the gears and see if they all feel good. Check the case up around the bell housing, and the tail housing back around where the t-case bolts on real good for hair line cracks. If it all looks good and feels good, it wouldn't bother me a bit to put it in like it is.

 

Looking Good Nick! That's a great looking shop you have there. That should serve you well. It looks like you're doing a great job with the axles as well. Keep the progress reports coming!

Wait....What!?

...says the guy that can now install a ZF5 in his sleep, with one hand, while drinking sweet tea with the other hand....

Seriously though, I wouldn't hesitate to install it and run it if you're pretty certain that the mileage is correct. These are some tough gearboxes, and unless they've really been beat, it should be good to go. You could always drain the fluid into a pan and see what it looks like. Heck, run it through a paint strainer funnel when you dump it and see if you catch anything. If you don't and the fluid looks good, then I'd toss it into the truck and give it a go. Aside from being a heavy sunofagun, they're not a bad job to install and remove (just ask Bill).

Keep up the good work, you'll be 4 wheelin and jamming gears in no time at all.

 

Its nice to have a rear that tracks true!

 

I know I sure hate it when my rear gets out of line!

 

Sweet shop! Start looks great and good photos! Looks like you are using a decent camera.

 

Thanks. Actually it's a Cannon Powershot Elph 1501S. It wasn't terribly expensive. But anymore, 10 megapixels is pretty common. My wife got it for me for documenting this project (my old one died).

Got the front brakes mounted onto the rotors. I also bolted lots of things into place for real. I went to build out the rear brakes only to discover that my new wheel cylinders did not come with the bolts (OK maybe...) or the rods (not OK!). So, it's off to NAPA tomorrow. I also damaged one of the wheel seals for the front hubs (grr....stupid me). Anyway, pictures as promised.





New slotted and drilled rotors. Dana60 coming together.





Rear waiting on brakes.





Spindle bearings and seals.

Question of the day, recommendations on diff covers for front and rear? I was thinking of getting the ones with the fins and extra capacity. I just didn't know where to buy them.

 

Looking good Nick. Lots of options of aftermarket diff covers. Do some looking and go with what you like. I have a riffraff extra capacity one on my rear diff, but its not cheap.

 

I don't know if it still is or not, but it used to be that the cheapest thing you could do for the rear is to get a cover for the newer trucks' 10.5. The cover fits fine, is aluminum and has the cooling fins and all you need to do to run it is get some longer bolts. I think you can get them through the internet for less than $100 through places like Tousley Ford (or White Bear or whatever it is called now). Aside from that, if you want matching covers, yeah, there are a lot of options out there.