What's a roller and what's the big deal about that? Um, everything! It means that all the tedious work of getting it ready to build up is complete. For quite a long while it was a frame, just a frame sitting there on the floor then on jack stands. It looked good all powder coated and all, but it was a frame. Then we moved it to the center of the shop and put the axles on and the springs, this was the beginning of the build up. We built the rear end, put in 373 gears (from 411 gears) these higher gears are for better road travel. I felt I didn't need low gears for 4 wheeling because as I have been told (several times) you better not take this out mud bogging😇. Besides 373 gears and 35" tires will be better for road traveling. Brake lines are going on, speaking of brakes with the 1977 Dana 44 front axle it will have disc brakes. We had to buy a conversion kit for the Dana 60 rear axle, but it will be disc brakes also. Both axles have all new gears, bushings, races, seals and a new Warn hubs for the front axle. 4 all new Rancho shocks and a matching Rancho sway bar shock.
373 gears. there is some real work to getting the gears right and they are heavy too.💪
Rear differential and drive line yoke (powder coated)
Rear axle with rear rotors and brake pads. (this was a conversion kit)
Rear axle and rear Rancho Shocks. (Rancho just sounds cool)😎
Another Shot
Rear wheels on half a roller
Looking from the front to rear, on the upper right facing to the rear is the steering box.
You can see the modified cross member for the motor
Another look at the steering set up, springs and axle.
Jeremy trying to learn more from George
It's a roller, you can see some of the brake lines, front shocks, and differential.
I'm now looking at what tires and wheels I will use. I'm thinking LT 285 75 R18. That should be a 35" tire 10.5" wide on 18" wheel. Another reason I need it rolling is when the motor is done I need to be able to roll it on the trailer and haul it over to pick up the motor so we can slide it in with the transmission and transfer case. I don't want to set the new motor in the trailer to slide around as it will be freshly painted and polished. Here is what the motor looks like while it's getting cleaned and set up.
I sent the motor out to a young man named Cody
I met Cody one day when I listed some parts for sale from the pick up.
He came by and we talked about what we were doing and it was the first time I had heard about others doing a Cummins swap into a Ford. Since then we have been in contact talking about issues that come up. So when I decided to rebuild (some what) the motor
I called Cody. He sent me theses pictures with the caption "under all that grease and dirt was a motor".
Still looks a little beat, but it's getting a new face lift too.
Cody's working on it
