Gary Lewis Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Does the 2049 fan need to be centered in the radiator? I ask because when I had a serpentine belt system from a later ('90s?) F-150 on my Bronco I had very little room between my water pump shaft and radiator. The only way I could fit any fan was to offset the fan so the thickest part of the fan didn't fall in the area with the least clearance. Good question. But, if I remember correctly Cory said he had to offset the engine. So does the water pump shaft actually hit in the center of the radiator? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 Good question. But, if I remember correctly Cory said he had to offset the engine. So does the water pump shaft actually hit in the center of the radiator? No, it does not. The engine is offset to the passenger side by 1.625", so the fan will have some more room depending on where I place it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Good question. But, if I remember correctly Cory said he had to offset the engine. So does the water pump shaft actually hit in the center of the radiator? No, it does not. The engine is offset to the passenger side by 1.625", so the fan will have some more room depending on where I place it. 1 5/8" isn't a whole lot, and if the rear of that fan is more than 3 1/4 in diameter it doesn't really help. Right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kramttocs Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 1 5/8" isn't a whole lot, and if the rear of that fan is more than 3 1/4 in diameter it doesn't really help. Right? Looks like the 2049 will be too deep. The fan itself is 3.45" so guessing you'd need to add at least 1 1/8" for the shroud sitting off the fins and the thickness of the shroud itself. 1516 itself is 2.44". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted July 1, 2022 Author Share Posted July 1, 2022 Good question. But, if I remember correctly Cory said he had to offset the engine. So does the water pump shaft actually hit in the center of the radiator? No, it does not. The engine is offset to the passenger side by 1.625", so the fan will have some more room depending on where I place it. Things have been moving VERY slow with this project, although I now have some of the big jobs taken care of. Today I finally swapped in the Explorer 8.8 disk brake rear diff. I wanted the new spring pads to be bang on as they say, so I made up a little jig and squared it all up on the old spring pads on the 70 year old Dana rear end. I then used this jig to place the new spring pads on the 8.8 diff, and it worked out great. The "new" 8.8 popped right in place. Old 1952 Dana diff making the jig... Lining up the spring pads with the jig on my "new" 8.8... Spring pads tacked in all four corners for test fitment under truck: That part worked out great. With the diff installed under the truck, I can now swing the shocks back into approximate location, and weld new lower shock mounts on to the axle. I'll tack them under the truck and then pull the whole thing back out to properly weld it all later. In any case, the 8.8 fits pretty well. It raised the truck by only 1/8" all together, but it doesn't matter as I do intend to lower it a little bit later on. I also added 1.25" adapter spacers on each side...one to convert from the 4.5 bolt pattern to the truck 5.5 bolt pattern, and to "correct" the overall width. All done and swapped in with the wheel spacers the new 8.8 is only 1/2" wider overall, so only a 1/4" extra on each side which is nothing. I have a factory Explorer swaybar to go with it, so I'll be installing that later on to stiffen things up. Poor old truck is covered in dust and not moving. It wasn't bothering me much (to not be driving it) with gas hovering at $8/gallon here, but I am missing it now. I wish it was on the road. Oh well, I'll get there. That was all the good news... There is bad news...lol. I bought this diff last year from a junkyard 800 miles away. It sat in storage at my work all winter, and I only just unwrapped it this spring. I went to turn the pinion a couple times and it was really sticky and notchy feeling. I pulled the diff cover, and it was full of rust inside....frown!! I don't know if it came out of the axle tubes or if it was sitting in a puddle in the bottom of the pumpkin and got thrown all around with me moving the diff everywhere (or in shipping), but it's in the bearings and gears everywhere. I'll have to pull it all apart and clean it up and swap in new bearings and seals, etc. I was hoping...and you guys can correct me if this is crazy, but I wanted to disassemble and install new bearings and seals, and put it all back together as it is. I shouldn't have to re-shim anything if I don't change the gears, right? I'll install a new crush sleeve for the pinion bearings, etc...but hoping I can kind of leave everything else alone. Thoughts or comments appreciated;). That's it folks. Enjoy the long weekend. Happy Canada Day here...July 1st (Used to be Dominion Day). Happy July 4th to the majority of you. Hope you have a nice long weekend with family and friends. Cheers, Rem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 1, 2022 Share Posted July 1, 2022 Things have been moving VERY slow with this project, although I now have some of the big jobs taken care of. Today I finally swapped in the Explorer 8.8 disk brake rear diff. I wanted the new spring pads to be bang on as they say, so I made up a little jig and squared it all up on the old spring pads on the 70 year old Dana rear end. I then used this jig to place the new spring pads on the 8.8 diff, and it worked out great. The "new" 8.8 popped right in place. Old 1952 Dana diff making the jig... Lining up the spring pads with the jig on my "new" 8.8... Spring pads tacked in all four corners for test fitment under truck: That part worked out great. With the diff installed under the truck, I can now swing the shocks back into approximate location, and weld new lower shock mounts on to the axle. I'll tack them under the truck and then pull the whole thing back out to properly weld it all later. In any case, the 8.8 fits pretty well. It raised the truck by only 1/8" all together, but it doesn't matter as I do intend to lower it a little bit later on. I also added 1.25" adapter spacers on each side...one to convert from the 4.5 bolt pattern to the truck 5.5 bolt pattern, and to "correct" the overall width. All done and swapped in with the wheel spacers the new 8.8 is only 1/2" wider overall, so only a 1/4" extra on each side which is nothing. I have a factory Explorer swaybar to go with it, so I'll be installing that later on to stiffen things up. Poor old truck is covered in dust and not moving. It wasn't bothering me much (to not be driving it) with gas hovering at $8/gallon here, but I am missing it now. I wish it was on the road. Oh well, I'll get there. That was all the good news... There is bad news...lol. I bought this diff last year from a junkyard 800 miles away. It sat in storage at my work all winter, and I only just unwrapped it this spring. I went to turn the pinion a couple times and it was really sticky and notchy feeling. I pulled the diff cover, and it was full of rust inside....frown!! I don't know if it came out of the axle tubes or if it was sitting in a puddle in the bottom of the pumpkin and got thrown all around with me moving the diff everywhere (or in shipping), but it's in the bearings and gears everywhere. I'll have to pull it all apart and clean it up and swap in new bearings and seals, etc. I was hoping...and you guys can correct me if this is crazy, but I wanted to disassemble and install new bearings and seals, and put it all back together as it is. I shouldn't have to re-shim anything if I don't change the gears, right? I'll install a new crush sleeve for the pinion bearings, etc...but hoping I can kind of leave everything else alone. Thoughts or comments appreciated;). That's it folks. Enjoy the long weekend. Happy Canada Day here...July 1st (Used to be Dominion Day). Happy July 4th to the majority of you. Hope you have a nice long weekend with family and friends. Cheers, Rem Wow, that jig worked out great! I like that. On the sway bar, I'd drive it first and see if you need it. You might not. Bummer on the rust. But I think you are right that you can put it back together and not have to change the shims. However, I would still check the mesh just to make sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted July 1, 2022 Author Share Posted July 1, 2022 Wow, that jig worked out great! I like that. On the sway bar, I'd drive it first and see if you need it. You might not. Bummer on the rust. But I think you are right that you can put it back together and not have to change the shims. However, I would still check the mesh just to make sure. Oh ya, I'll check it for sure. I'm just hoping I can leave it alone and not get into redoing all that set up. Even if it was not perfect, we're talking about a truck that will likely only see a 1000-2000 miles per year, so it's not like a daily driver or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted July 1, 2022 Share Posted July 1, 2022 Wow, that jig worked out great! I like that. On the sway bar, I'd drive it first and see if you need it. You might not. Bummer on the rust. But I think you are right that you can put it back together and not have to change the shims. However, I would still check the mesh just to make sure. Oh ya, I'll check it for sure. I'm just hoping I can leave it alone and not get into redoing all that set up. Even if it was not perfect, we're talking about a truck that will likely only see a 1000-2000 miles per year, so it's not like a daily driver or anything. Great job Cory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share Posted July 24, 2022 Wow, that jig worked out great! I like that. On the sway bar, I'd drive it first and see if you need it. You might not. Bummer on the rust. But I think you are right that you can put it back together and not have to change the shims. However, I would still check the mesh just to make sure. Oh ya, I'll check it for sure. I'm just hoping I can leave it alone and not get into redoing all that set up. Even if it was not perfect, we're talking about a truck that will likely only see a 1000-2000 miles per year, so it's not like a daily driver or anything. Took me a little while to get to it, but I rebuilt the 8.8 differential for my truck. It was my first time doing anything more than a gear oil change, or a complete rearend swap out. I bought a complete kit with all new bearings and seals, and it went pretty well. I re-used the original 3.55 gear set, so I took the chance that I could also re-use all the factory shims in their original set up locations, and it worked out well. I got the pinion bearing pre-load almost perfect, and the backlash ended up being almost bang on also at 0.0135". I painted the gears to check the mesh pattern just for kicks, and while it wasn't perfect, it wasn't bad either. It was good enough for this old truck;). Now to get it installed under the rear of the truck, and to get some brake parts on order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 24, 2022 Share Posted July 24, 2022 Took me a little while to get to it, but I rebuilt the 8.8 differential for my truck. It was my first time doing anything more than a gear oil change, or a complete rearend swap out. I bought a complete kit with all new bearings and seals, and it went pretty well. I re-used the original 3.55 gear set, so I took the chance that I could also re-use all the factory shims in their original set up locations, and it worked out well. I got the pinion bearing pre-load almost perfect, and the backlash ended up being almost bang on also at 0.0135". I painted the gears to check the mesh pattern just for kicks, and while it wasn't perfect, it wasn't bad either. It was good enough for this old truck;). Now to get it installed under the rear of the truck, and to get some brake parts on order. That looks good, Cory. I've never done that, so am in awe of those who have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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