Steps in the Right Direction - Build Thread for my two Lightnings

Seat recliner... I finally did another one last weekend, so here's a few pictures of the process. It's pretty easy, takes about 15 minutes.

- Move the seat all the way forward and release the recliner so the seat flops to the front. Remove all the junk from behind the seat.
- "Open" the interlocking strip on the side of the seat with the lever. I use a long screwdriver and just run it across the seam. It'll pop right apart.
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- Dig around in the middle of the seat where the upper meets the lower and find the zipper. It doesn't have a tab on the zipper, so I put a zip tie through it to help pull it. Need something to do with these old yellow zip ties.
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- Remove the three screws that hold side cover/control panel onto the seat and let it fall out of the way. All the pneumatics are attached to it, so don't yank it around too much.

- Carefully peel back the seat cover to expose the four fasteners. The foam is pretty fragile at this point in its life and will probably tear a little, but it doesn't seem to be a big issue.

- The two upper fasteners are T45 Torx and the two lower ones are 13 mm bolts. All four of them are long, so a ratchet or a power drive makes it go a lot quicker.
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- Installation is the reverse of removal. No secrets or tricks required. The worst part of it is getting those long screws through the holes in the back of the deep recesses on the side panel.
- I painted the new recliner and put grease on the slide areas.
 
Good write up Jeff! Thanks! I’ve bought the Explorer recline handles and put them away for safe keeping. I know I’ll have one break at some point and with them and this write up, should be a snap to fix!


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Found that worrisome vibration that's been bugging me... There wasn't a single needle bearing left in the cap, only powder.

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Nope, red one. I was worried that something about the torque converter was out of balance or had damaged the transmission because I could feel the driveline vibration. Saturday I had driven the truck and when I backed out of the parking spot and then started forward, it made the tell-tale rhythmic squeak/shriek. I drove it gently and hoped it would make it home one last time.

108K miles on it, hundreds of quarter mile passes, thousands of miles of towing, a couple hundred miles with a really bad pinion angle, so I'm definitely not surprised. It was due. I'm glad it didn't give up on me when during one of the times punched it on the highway and leave the driveshaft hanging in the loop.
 
Universals are always overlooked. When I was tearing into the Crown Vic; I pulled the driveshaft to change them out. The rear universal was seized into the yolk and I had to use the balljoint press to get it out. When it did start moving; the cap exploded and sent shrapnel (yes, you're reading that right) into my basement. Couldn't imagine having an emergency and having my mechanic do that. He woulda cussed me out when I would go to pick up the car.
 
Nope, red one. I was worried that something about the torque converter was out of balance or had damaged the transmission because I could feel the driveline vibration. Saturday I had driven the truck and when I backed out of the parking spot and then started forward, it made the tell-tale rhythmic squeak/shriek. I drove it gently and hoped it would make it home one last time.

108K miles on it, hundreds of quarter mile passes, thousands of miles of towing, a couple hundred miles with a really bad pinion angle, so I'm definitely not surprised. It was due. I'm glad it didn't give up on me when during one of the times punched it on the highway and leave the driveshaft hanging in the loop.

Not bad! I’ve got to change mine too. I’m feeling the a vibration at about 90. I’ll be going with the Spicer heavy duty u joints and installing the copperhead loop while I’m at it.


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Universals are always overlooked. When I was tearing into the Crown Vic; I pulled the driveshaft to change them out. The rear universal was seized into the yolk and I had to use the balljoint press to get it out. When it did start moving; the cap exploded and sent shrapnel (yes, you're reading that right) into my basement. Couldn't imagine having an emergency and having my mechanic do that. He woulda cussed me out when I would go to pick up the car.

When I did the joints on my former 4x4 last year, they were seized like that. I was pleasantly surprised how easy the caps came out this time. A few solid taps on a 19mm socket and they all popped free.
 
Rebuilt the rear brakes on the white truck last week, had to replace the wheel cylinder on the driver's side. It was only putting pressure on the secondary shoe, so it wouldn't generate any kind of stopping power on that side.

New PowerStop shoes for it.

I have a set of Dillon's rear disc brakes to go on the red truck, but I'm going to pull the rear end out of it, do a complete rebuild, get the axle tubes welded and check to see if the axles are true because one of the rear wheels is wobbling. Swapping wheels between trucks, the wobble stays in the same place. Hopefully a bearing. I really can't imagine that I twisted a Strange axle with my cushy launches.
 
Rebuilt the rear brakes on the white truck last week, had to replace the wheel cylinder on the driver's side. It was only putting pressure on the secondary shoe, so it wouldn't generate any kind of stopping power on that side.

New PowerStop shoes for it.

I have a set of Dillon's rear disc brakes to go on the red truck, but I'm going to pull the rear end out of it, do a complete rebuild, get the axle tubes welded and check to see if the axles are true because one of the rear wheels is wobbling. Swapping wheels between trucks, the wobble stays in the same place. Hopefully a bearing. I really can't imagine that I twisted a Strange axle with my cushy launches.
And the side with the wobble was the side that took the brunt of the hit when you went 4 wheeling right? I mean I know you didn't hit anything substantial, but that seems to be the only thing that makes sense??? Looking forward to your review of the disc swap :)
 
Yeah, but that was two years ago and about 6000 miles, and the vibration has only started recently. I guess it could still be a bearing that finally got tired because of that.
 
Out with the old, in with the new. Also installing BajaHID projectors in the same Spyder housing model housing that I had before.

BTW, Chinese body parts are terrible. Guess I'm going to have to start looking for a truck hit in the side so I can find an OEM stone guard.

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Thats probably the most common rust spot on these trucks. You have came a long way with that truck.
 
All wrapped up except for the fog lights and tweaking the alignment of the panels a little, which I'll get done this weekend.

Those HID projectors are mind boggling. When I pulled out onto the street last night, I had a bit of a panic moment because they're so bright, and even though I'd spent the time to aim them properly, they reached so far down the road. So, I got Cherie to drive the truck while I drove her car, both driving towards each other, and her following me. The cut-off is so sharp, that, except when the truck hits a bump, there's far less glare and impact to other drivers than with the regular lights. All of the details of the other running lights and city lights can be easily seen.

Phenomenal difference. High beams are almost an afterthought.

I did have to fiddle with the high beam solenoid connectors, and one of the conversion installs was a little loose, so the required some "finishing," but overall I'm very happy.
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Those look cool, I am now interested them for my L. I need bright, I have TOO many critters near the roads that I drive.
 
Those look cool, I am now interested them for my L. I need bright, I have TOO many critters near the roads that I drive.

Yep me too! I installed LED bulbs which are much brighter but don’t really like the way they project light.


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Yep me too! I installed LED bulbs which are much brighter but don’t really like the way they project light.


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My housing are clear with no metal reflector for the bulbs, and they dont reflect/project the light good, and I have LED bulbs (cheap ones, but they are bright)
 
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