Mountaineer Build

[nobodyspecial]

Yeah, 18-20 is more common, with 22 being the best so far (I had tail wind help) but I think I just happened upon the right combo with the 302 and 3.73 gears with these tires. I was planning on gearing lower, but that is not gonna happen with the mileage I am seeing.

 

[y5e06]

cool truck and very interesting.
Can you share what was needed to swap to the BW4406 transfer case? What did it come out of? direct fit except for the shafts? did you just have to get a pair of new shafts made? can you clock it to fit as necessary? what about the shifting? manual or electric?

non-ford guy

 

[nobodyspecial]

I went with a BW 4406 manual shift out of a 2000ish F150. I used factory driveshafts, front is from a 97 F150 4.6L, and the rear is out of a 5.4L Expedition. Kinda funny how that worked out to not need custom shafts.

It was the same bolt pattern, and with a little bit of coercing with the sledge (clearance the floor pan, but only a little) it bolted right up. No need to clock, it tucked up in there nicely. I needed to use a conversion u joint on the front shaft at the differential end. The manual fits better than the automatic, as the shift motor would interfere with the gas tank.

 

[nobodyspecial]

The KM2s are working surprisingly great in winter conditions. We got a little over 6" of very heavy, wet snow on top of a layer of ice from the last few days of rain. The combination of tall skinny tires is magic in snow. I can't wait till we get some real deep snow to really test it out.

Here is a pic of when I got to school. There is not much snow here (where I took the picture), but everything is ice. I already had to help a teacher push his lowered beemer with low pro racing tires into his parking spot.

 

[nobodyspecial]

Traveling home for Thanksgiving, I had a 50+ mile stretch of unplowed road with anywhere from 1 foot to bumper height snow to plow through. Put it in 4x4 and put the hammer down. About 45 mph tops, and about an hour and half later, we were through.

I am really liking the KM2s in winter conditions.

 

[chilliwak]

Sounds like a wicked winter tire! Keep us posted with pics of mile high snow drifts that you force your way through!:victory:

 

[nobodyspecial]

It has been a long time since this thread has been updated, but there have been a few minor changes, so I thought I would share:

 

[fjatheart]

I dig your build. I love when creativity takes over and so much is accomplished without mucho $$$!

 

[jturkey69]

So you never did the sas? Im currently searching for parts for our 98 explorer 5.0 awd to convert it to 4x4, and also adding a third row seat.

 

[nobodyspecial]

I haven't, but I am getting ready to. Doing some off roading has worn my front wheel bearings. I don't want to put any money into the IFS, so I am getting ready to rebuild the solid axle I have laying around.

I am trying to figure out a way to keep my abs sensors with the solid front axle...

Sent from my modded Galaxy.

 

[jturkey69]

good to know...I have added a third seat, and it worked perfect! Im currently looking at a couple 4406's and im torn between that and a guy over on explorer forums selling a 4406 with 5spd on his sport hes parting out. If we have a good winter with snow the extra money will be used to do a sas starting with just a d30 from a jeep....just to get started

 

[nobodyspecial]

Well, I decided that the D30 would be a better fit in my '46 CJ-2A, along with the 8.8 from my Mountaineer, so I have to figure out how to get these guys put under the Mountaineer, now.

Its a D44/9" combo from my now retired 79 Bronco. I have 4.56 gears to put in them, along with a Detroit for the 9". I still need to decide on a locker for the D44. I am gathering parts for a disc brake conversion for the 9"

 

[jturkey69]

Awesome! I was browsing CL and found a rolling frAme from a 79 f150 with rebuilt axles...I am seriously contemplating going that route with some deep flares, or custom flares