Yea , I seen that "Black Hole" pic - Can't really tell what that was. I had a few thoughts cross my mind , similar to tech-docs

At least I gave you a better picture of it - Anyway - YUP! Mines more bettuh - It's just as smooth inside - as the out.

 

Evar get that tharr EGR fancied up?

 

Figured out what the occasional popping noise was after the gear install. Rear U-joint is SHOT...lots of slop. Front seems fine. These were AC Delco (I know, that's the problem right there) Super Duty serviceable u-joints that I put in about 30K miles ago and serviced them every oil change. They had the needle zerk in the end of 1 endcap rather than having the normal zerk in the middle of the joint...supposedly stronger.

...so, any idea why the premature failure? Should I have the driveshaft balanced? What u-joints should I go with this time? Any reason to switch to an aluminum shaft? They're $100 at the junk yard.

 

What failed on the U-joint? The needle bearings? Is the yoke cracked? If it is just the U-joint just get a better brand. I always have the shaft rebalanced after new U-joints. They can check the shaft for true and cracks while it is being balanced. I see no reason to switch to an aluminum shaft other than a weight savings.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

Looks like broken / possibly somehow missing needle bearing(s). Any recommendations on replacements? How much you payin for balancing? Thanks man.

 

Found 2 local shops that will do Spicer u-joints, parts, labor, and balancing for $100 - $150 if I bring them the driveshaft. Question is, do I want Spicer u-joints...

 

I would do it if it were mine. That isn't too bad of a price, considering labor charge now days...

 

Sounds like a good price, I went with MOOG u-joints last time and they have lasted over 80kms. They come with a lifetime warranty.

Just my 2 cents

 

Yea, Egr fixed - Those BIG Troyer high flows welded directly onto the headers now. Problem was , the cat and header together were 2 1/4" to long and you can't have that on a 4x4. - I had to chop the front of the cats 2.5 ID flang off / notched the heat shields back so I had the room to run a bead around a 3"OD replacements. Should have purchased the barrel HF's instead.Took about 3/4" off the 3" ID LT Flange. Everthing is welded solid all the way back to the tailpipe. Next time the system needs to come off - It's goin in the garbage..

 

Got the driveshaft back today with non-serviceable Spicers, but they look beefy as hell and I think are the Lifetime Extended Service parts. Anyway, still have some sort of issue I posted here:

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=340395

 

Alright, it's about time to "finalize" this bad boy...the only thing left (aside from a blown 5.4 conversion) is to do the full body Line-X encasement.

Love it or hate it, it will be different. No more waxing or worrying about dents / dings, or scratches. It will add about 120 lbs., but that's nothing. I've taken more factory parts off of it than that I'm sure. Also, I'm talking Xtra here, not the standard bed coating that looks like dog shat after a year. If you have any personal experience with Xtra, good or bad I want to hear it.

I have been trying to decide which way to go with it. I considered just spraying the tailgate, roof, hood, and rocker panels in black or a really dark charcoal. Then I thought about charcoal racing stripes and rocker panels. Today I'm back to full body spray, but can't decide on color.

I figure if I'm going to drop this kind of coin on a 10 yr. old vehicle with 88k mi. on it, I should change the color too. What do you guys think?

- All black Xtra, EVERYWHERE
- All dark charcoal Xtra, EVERYWHERE
- Metallic charcoal
- Charcoal body with black fender flares, maybe rocker panels and other accents

Here is a link to several very much dated pics of my truck...feel free to photoshop if you're sitting at work getting paid to be bored.

http://s493.photobucket.com/albums/r...ackalAR/Trucks

Here is a gallery of vehicles with Xtra on them done by a site sponsor:

http://www.linexfortworthtexas.com/photogallery.htm

Here is a sample of what the texture would look like:

 

Will the underside be done too?

.

 

Probably not...don't you basically have to strip it down to the frame for that?

 

Don't do it, your truck looks good the way it is. Concentrate on the blown 5four

 

Damned voice of reason.