Gravy's Prerunner build

[Gravy]

Dangit. Wheel bearing failure. I got a tow home. All 3 miles. Thanks @mbryson for the suggestion; it was so much smoother than trying to get it loaded on my flatbed and it turns out I have tow coverage with AMA. Never done that before, seriously first time using a tow truck in my life!

We shall see if the spindle is ok in the morning. Here's hoping. It did screw up the brake pads and cracked the caliper bracket so it could have gone much much worse!

Also I got a ticket for an incomplete stop sign 300 yards from my house ( he quote: "wanted to see the bump of a full and complete stop") on my way back to meet the tow truck... so my evening is going really really well at this point... LOL

 

[Kevin B.]

Well that's no good.

 

[mbryson]

Glad you got it home. Wreckers are kewl

 

[Gravy]

Spindle looks ok! Hooray!

 

[TRD270]

Little JB Weld that caliper bracket will be fine

 

[Gravy]

 

[Bart]

Looks like a promising helper.

 

[Gravy]

I think I found the root of the problem: a caliper slide was seized on that driver side. I'm thinking that introduced a lot of heat into the Hub and melted the grease out of the bearing causing it to fail.

So both sides got new wheel bearings and races, new greased slides and hardware, new brake pads and LCA bumpstops (these rubber snubbers didn't hold up).
And I did a new high pressure steering line (a nylon washer failed) and fluid and one new caliper bracket.

AND I had to rebalance a wheel because some wheel weights got torn off. All because some previous owner/ (or brake shop) skipped high temp brake grease.

[/SPOILER]

 

[Gravy]

I forgot to post some stuff from earlier. (July 6)
PRP limits straps from Midnight 4x4

Quick release fire extinguisher mount also from Midnight 4x4

 

[Gravy]

I raced it at the Lucas Regional in July. I wasn't expecting much and surprisingly I ran in 2nd with about a half lap on 3rd all day until on the last lap the caution flag came out and 3rd got to erase my lead while we followed the pace car a half lap. Then my transmission got hot and started to slip on the last corner 3rd walked around me as I floored it and I went nowhere fast....
But I was super excited to finish on the podium my very first race in the truck!


As soon as it cooled off it worked fine again and I've been driving it quite a bit since without any slippage but I knew the trans was hurt.

.

 

[Gravy]

So I've got some upgrades going in and a full rebuild.
It's got the 5R55E 5 speed auto in it so already the best auto offered in the Ranger.
I priced out remanufactured transmissions and I think rebuilding this one is the right choice.
We're doing the V8 Explorer upgrades like 6 pinion planetaries and better valve body, better seals, and better drive and reverse clutches.

I'll check what stall torque converter (this blue one is) but it should be better than stock too (for the tire size I'm running).

After talking to the builder here I'm pretty confident in spending some bigger money than a standard rebuild.

I also snagged the driveshaft from them and threw in new 1330 greasable ujoints while it was out.

Should be done Friday!

 

[2002maniac]

Congrats on the podium! Seems like in a short course race you would want to drop the spare tires to save some weight. Would this negatively affect the handling?

 

[Gravy]

Thanks!
Regarding removing the spares- You know I kind of thought that but I wondered if it would make it more nose heavy and not fly as flat when I jumped. And I did spin out in practice when the track was wet so I thought if I had less weight in the back I would have less traction too.

I think some time I'll try and drive it a little bit without the spares to see how it handles: generally I don't like to change anything right before a race.

 

[Gravy]

Next on today's episode of: "What's wrong here?"

 

[BCGPER]

I can see the problem just to the right of your pressure gauge. They even circled it for you!

 

[DAA]

Ruh-ro...

- DAA

 

[I Lean]

Is that a compression test gauge?

 

[Gravy]

I can see the problem just to the right of your pressure gauge. They even circled it for you!

Exactly.

Ruh-ro...

- DAA

...ish

Is that a compression test gauge?

Fuel pressure. I should be seeing 35+ish psi.


I went to pick it up from AAMCO and it would idle but would fall on it's face and nearly die with almost any throttle.
Turns out they knocked loose a couple vacuum lines but the darn thing still has way too little fuel pressure to run well. I guess the pump was on its last legs. I had thought it was the pressure check valve because sometimes I had to key it a few times to build pressure in the line, but turns out it was the pump...

I babied it home and luckily the fuel pump is super easy on this truck! 5 bolts and the whole bedside comes off Ha!

 

[I Lean]

Oh. Meh... I thought you said you had a PROBLEM.

 

[Gravy]

Oh. Meh... I thought you said you had a PROBLEM.

Not able to drive isn't something wrong?

Now it runs great! It shifts quickly: nice and crisp. Launches much better.
I'm pretty pleased with the new transmission so far. We did better seals, better drive and reverse clutches, transgo shift kit, 6 pinion planets, better converter, bla bla bla.