89 CC build thread Frame off resto!! - Bad Idea

junk

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I've had my 89 Crewcab torn down for quite a while now.:dunno I figured I would put up a build thread to document how it's going.

As you can see I started with a pretty decent truck that definitely needed some work. I had put close to 70K miles on this truck since I bought it in 1998. It also started as a 2wd auto truck, but that changed.

Mechanically the truck was pretty solid. It got a drop-in diesel about 10 years ago. The 4-speed has been rebuilt and got a new clutch. The US gear was new when installed.

Body wise I had a rustfree box and minimal rust in the cab. The cab does have several stress cracks that need to be fixed. Nothing visible, but the welder will get a workout. I rounded up a different set of front doors as they were just beat and rusty on the skins. Front fenders, hood and radiator support were shot. Either rust or stress cracks. I have no clue how many miles are on this truck, but it had a lot of stress cracks.

In the last pictures you can see that it has had the frame powedercoated. I powdercoated every bracket that I could. The axles got painted as I didn't want to remove the gears for powdercoating. It's coming along, but taking a lot of time. Before I had the frame powdercoated I reworked the front suspension to be 2000 superduty mounts and springs. When I converted it to 4wd the 1st time we cobbled in f250 springs and mounts from an 83. It was ugly, but worked for a lot of miles. The new stuff looks a lot better. We'll see once it's on the road.

I'll add more pictures as I keep working on this. The engine and transmission still need cleaning. I set them back in the frame so i could easily move them when we put concrete in my shop this summer. Next move is to build a new transmission bracket and start loading all the fuel and brake lines back onto the frame.

Jeremy
 

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junk

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OK I started planning for the new transmission crossmember. My question is with the US gear OD and changing to a NP205 transfercase do I need more support. My concern is if I only support on the US gear as I had been I'll have too much weight on it. In the picture you can see the rusty original crossmember for the t-19 4 speed. I ran it for a short period of time, but removed it as the front driveshaft hit it. The greasy crossmember under the US gear is what I have been running. It seems pretty weak and I don't like how I mounted it.

My plans are to support under the US gear again, but wondered if anyone has experience with this much length and weight on one mount? Probably OK, but has me concerned.
 

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hesutton

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I have a '86 F350 4x4 crew cab. The US gear and T-case have lived behinde the stock trans support for over 11 years. No signs of stress/cracking of the US Gear underdrive unit or the T-case. I just replaced the C6 with a ZF5. The crossmember was moved only an inch toward the rear of the truck, but I don't plan on adding any additional crossmembers for the underdrive or t-case.

I said all that to say, you should be fine with a single, but solid support. Again, with just the stock transmission mount, the set up on the crew cab has worked very well.

Heath
 

LCAM-01XA

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The 205 in its Ford application has its own mount on the driver-side, least the one in my '78 did - it has a rubber bushing there and bolts to the frame, thus acting as a second transmission crossmember of a sort. If I ever go with my C6+DNE+205 plans, or just C6+205, that mount will most definitely be utilized, the 205 is one heavy bear and leaving it unsupported is just asking for trouble IMHO.
 

LCAM-01XA

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the 435 is a cast-iron case tho, right? What's the adapter between the 435 and the 205 made of, iron or aluminum?
 

Dieselcrawler

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true, mine is cast iron adapter. i dont play with the autos, forgot they are aluminum adapters.
 

junk

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My 205 came off the end of an aluminum cased C6. It appears to have had no other mount to it. I did check and the crossmember for the donor truck just mounted to the C6. I'm thinking that if I support under the US gear like I had been I will be OK with the weight, but cast iron t-19, Cast iron US gear, and Cast Iron NP205 are going to be some pounds. The adapter after the t-19 is an aluminum housing. The adapter between the US gear and NP 205 I believe is aluminum also, but would need to verify that.

Hopefully I'll start putting this new mount together this weekend.
 

IDIDieselJohn

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I'm not surprised to see a long crew cab truck with lots of stress cracks. Must have been on un-even roads alot in it's life.

Heres one I noticed on my truck not long after going in some forest trails a couple months before retiring it.

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Diesel_brad

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Nice project. Not a fan of the brick nose but i like the white and gray

I am curios as to why you are running a 205? What was wrong with the 1356
 

Fordman75

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I'm switching to a NP205 in my project just because it's a hell of a lot tougher then a NP208,BW13-45 or 13-56. Plus it can be twin sticked.:D

Here's a pic of mine when I was test fitting it in a 84 F250 chassis. You can see the three bolt holes on the NP205. That's where the side mount bolts to. I strongly suggest you run one on it. That's a lot of weight hanging there. If you are using an aluminum adapter it's mandatory! If not you'll eventually be replacing that adapter and possibly picking your 205 off the ground!LOL

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Mine came out of a 78 F250. The side mount is basically two L shaped brackets with a body mount type of isolator between them. Here's a crappy drawing of what the side mount looks like.


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Alex S

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I would definitely add more support! 205s are heavy and think about that 205 bouncing around on bad washboard! Just do it!, The cab is off everything is easy to get to and probably wouldn't take more then a couple hours. For how easy it is and for the piece of mind, it would be foolish not to. I have broken a 208 off a TH 700R4 once from a long bad washboard road. and 208s are relatively light
 

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