Joe's '94GT money pit

[joemomma]

Mach460 tweeter pod fab and install

Got the tweeter pods modified and installed. I had to make a mounting plate for the
new RF tweeters. The first plate I made was from 1/8th inch ABS plastic, but it was
too thick and causing the Mach pod grill not to seat all the way. So, I cut new plates
from the thinner ABS I got from maintenance previously.

This stuff is messy as heck when working with it, BTW.


The RF use a "compression" mounting system secured with one screw through both pieces.



Here you can see where I trimmed the bottom of the pods to make room to fit with
the stock (non-Mach) door panels. It is mostly out of view, so it doesn't have to be
perfect.


Even with the thinner ABS I was still getting interference from the Mach grill, so I
had to do a little trimming inside and remove the beauty ring from the tweeters, which
just pop off.



Mounted and installed:


Pro-tip - install door panel before mounting tweeter pods. Ask me how I know....

I also went to work on the rear seat delete back, to get a port of some sort to allow
some bass through. I ended up turning the sub around (facing the rear) and that helped some too.

My thought was to cut/lift the carpet, cut the ports, and re-glue.

Cut lines marked out:

Carpet cut, and ports marked:

Ports cut and carpet with spray adhesive ready to go back down:

This is the back side of the seat back (the trunk side). I just hit it with some satin black
rattle can:

I didn't get a pic of the front, but it looks OK. I might get some kind of graphic to go over the seams.

 

[badass98svt]

A piece of screen would have been good to glue over those holes before you glued the fabric back down. I bet the fabric will stretch/eventually show the outline of the 4 holes. The screening would have helped prevent that.

 

[ttocs]

did ya try flipping the box direction?

 

[joemomma]

did ya try flipping the box direction?

I did - sounds better

 

[joemomma]

Detailed the daily over the weekend:

 

[joemomma]

Wow, where to begin. It nearly ended with me pushing it (more on that later) over the hill and putting a match to it. I took Friday off to work on the ujoint install. Got the car up on jackstands front/rear on Thursday night. Friday morning, dive in under the car. Go to drain the trans, and promptly spill 1.5q of fluid on the floor. Sweet. Grab my Dewalt 20V cordless impact. No joy on the driveshaft bolts. So, I get the old breaker bar out and manage to get two of the four busted loose. Also, with the car on jackstands I checked the driveshaft rotation in relation to the wheel - turns out I have either 3.73 or 3.90, and not 4.10s. I'd have to bust open the pumpkin to verify, project for another day. So,m not dropping the trans to change the gear. Anyway...

After only getting two of the four loose, I give up. Can't get leverage on the other two (I'm tired of trying at this point, anyway). Leave and go buy an electric impact at China Freight - still no joy. Dad, who is supervising, recommends jacking the car up more. I'm done with the car for the day at this point. Saturday morning comes, I end up jacking the car up more, and am able to get the last two out via breaker bar and remove the DS. Transfer shaft to workbench, and begin replacing the ujoints. Working on the trans side first, get the old one out without issue. While installing the new one (using the balljoint tool I purchased), I can't get the bearing caps in far enough on the second side to get the c-clip installed. So, I crank down some more with the tool and the cordless impact. As I'm cranking, the whole kit busts loose. I managed to break the DS - where the c-clip groove is machined or cast, whatever it is, that whole outside piece shot off, so it's now flush with the clip groove. So, I just ruined my DS.

The current situation - shopping for a replacement DS. I found a NOS for a V6 auto on eBay, but I'd have to swap my trans yoke over and potentially ruin it too. The Ford aluminum DS are out of stock (expected back on 2/28), so I'm not sure what to do at this point. I'm sure the NOS is fine, but I'm leary of having to swap my yoke over as I'm likely to mess it up too. It's about half the price of the Ford aluminum shaft, however. Also, I'm not 100% sure that the DS are the same between the V6 auto and the 5.0 manual. Per my LMR research, the aluminum DS fits both and you have to reuse the factory trans yoke for the auto, so it seems it would fit. I'd hate to spend $200 and be stuck with a DS that I couldn't use.

 

[07GtS197]

I’d wait for the Ford Racing one if you can. It’s a guaranteed fit and an upgrade.

 

[joemomma]

I’d wait for the Ford Racing one if you can. It’s a guaranteed fit and an upgrade.

That's kind of where I am too, honestly. At this point I just want it done and back on the road. After this fiasco, I'm not sure I want to mess with dropping the trans for the speedo gear. I can put a cable gear on quickly or hold out for the Abbot or Dakota piece.

 

[07GtS197]

That's kind of where I am too, honestly. At this point I just want it done and back on the road. After this fiasco, I'm not sure I want to mess with dropping the trans for the speedo gear. I can put a cable gear on quickly or hold out for the Abbot or Dakota piece.

I’ve never heard of this one but it seemed interesting

UNIVERSAL SPEEDO SPEEDOMETER CORRECTOR CALIBRATOR, 1.5% to 6000%, 2-BUTTON SETUP | eBay

"On the fly" programming allows easy trimming of alternator-driven tachos with the engine running. The buttons and display are waterproof and the device can stand 225 degF, so it's as comfortable living in your engine box as under your dash.

www.ebay.com

 

[ttocs]

Wow, where to begin. It nearly ended with me pushing it (more on that later) over the hill and putting a match to it. I took Friday off to work on the ujoint install. Got the car up on jackstands front/rear on Thursday night. Friday morning, dive in under the car. Go to drain the trans, and promptly spill 1.5q of fluid on the floor. Sweet. Grab my Dewalt 20V cordless impact. No joy on the driveshaft bolts. So, I get the old breaker bar out and manage to get two of the four busted loose. Also, with the car on jackstands I checked the driveshaft rotation in relation to the wheel - turns out I have either 3.73 or 3.90, and not 4.10s. I'd have to bust open the pumpkin to verify, project for another day. So,m not dropping the trans to change the gear. Anyway...

After only getting two of the four loose, I give up. Can't get leverage on the other two (I'm tired of trying at this point, anyway). Leave and go buy an electric impact at China Freight - still no joy. Dad, who is supervising, recommends jacking the car up more. I'm done with the car for the day at this point. Saturday morning comes, I end up jacking the car up more, and am able to get the last two out via breaker bar and remove the DS. Transfer shaft to workbench, and begin replacing the ujoints. Working on the trans side first, get the old one out without issue. While installing the new one (using the balljoint tool I purchased), I can't get the bearing caps in far enough on the second side to get the c-clip installed. So, I crank down some more with the tool and the cordless impact. As I'm cranking, the whole kit busts loose. I managed to break the DS - where the c-clip groove is machined or cast, whatever it is, that whole outside piece shot off, so it's now flush with the clip groove. So, I just ruined my DS.

The current situation - shopping for a replacement DS. I found a NOS for a V6 auto on eBay, but I'd have to swap my trans yoke over and potentially ruin it too. The Ford aluminum DS are out of stock (expected back on 2/28), so I'm not sure what to do at this point. I'm sure the NOS is fine, but I'm leary of having to swap my yoke over as I'm likely to mess it up too. It's about half the price of the Ford aluminum shaft, however. Also, I'm not 100% sure that the DS are the same between the V6 auto and the 5.0 manual. Per my LMR research, the aluminum DS fits both and you have to reuse the factory trans yoke for the auto, so it seems it would fit. I'd hate to spend $200 and be stuck with a DS that I couldn't use.

there are not any local driveshaft places that could swap it?

 

[b1pig]

Understand your troubles... had my share this weekend.

When finance allow, I like to stick to the Jeep rule of parts replacement....
If it breaks, it needs to be improved/upgraded anyway... because it was clearly not sufficiently strong enough at the start.

If it helps for reference, Steeda lists their Ford performance drive shaft at fitting GT 79-95 and V6 94-04

Ford Performance Aluminum Mustang Driveshaft (79-95 GT / 94-04 V6)

This heavy-duty driveshaft is 6 lbs lighter than stock shafts to improve acceleration, and is balanced to eliminate many driveline problems.

www.steeda.com

From the listing:
"This heavy-duty driveshaft is 6 lbs lighter than stock shafts to improve acceleration, and is balanced to eliminate many driveline problems. It has improved welds versus the old part M-4602-G. Available for all 1979-1995 5.0L Mustang with T-5 / SROD / C-4 / AOD transmission 1979-1993 with Tremec transmissions and 7.5" or 8.8" differentials and 28 spline yolk. Also fits 1994-2004 3.8L / 3.9L V6 with T-5 & can fit 1996-2004 auto transmission V6 provided factory yoke is reused. Comes complete with slip yoke and new u-joints."

I think the trick is in their fitment. Some V6 drive shafts would be a direct fit?

 

[joemomma]

Yeah there are some shops around that could swap the yokes, but I'm not 100% sure that the eBay DS will fit. From my research it seems like it's the same, but that's not a $200 gamble I want to take. If it didn't fit, I'd be stuck with it more than likely.

The root of the problem is the asshats that did the gears put the DS bolts back in with an air impact I have no doubt. They had their German torque wrench on it, which only reads "gooduntite". It was all I could do to bust them loose in the tight space under the car with a 1/2" drive breaker bar. And to top it off, I'm not even certain the ujoints are the culprit of the slop in the drivetrain. It almost has to be unless there's something amiss in the pumpkin, which I'm not so sure based on the fact that they put it back together without proper torque. I don't have any noise or anything, but it makes me wonder. Hell, it probably needs rebuilding/refreshing anyway with 160k miles.

 

[b1pig]

degrees-wise (thinking 360 circle) how much slack or take-up is there when you rotate the pinion? If I remember correctly, there was a spec of allowable freeplay in the pinion gear. My experience is mainly with Dana axles, so not sure with a 8.8. In my experience if there is minimal freeplay, then it "should" be fine. If there is absolutely zero, I would be concerned that he axle wasn't set up properly.
After a quick look at this "official" Ford doc:

https://performanceparts.ford.com/download/instructionsheets/FORDINSTSHTM-4209-8.PDF

... it looks like the only thing that matters is the ring gear backlash. It has been a few years since I regeared an axle it it may have been the same. Definitely have to remove the cover to check the backlash.
One thing I did experience on a Jeep. I had excessive slop in the rear axle. There would be a bit of banging during part-throttle gear changes. Bangs when going between drive and reverse. Bangs when on/off throttle...
ALL of that banging was from a "lunchbox locker" I installed in the original D35 in the ZJ I had at the time. I had installed a Aussie Locker in the front D30 and liked it so much, I got a locker for the D35. I dont recall if that one was a Aussie or another brand, though. All I DO remember is that it caused so much slop inside the rear diff, the cross shaft slapping back and forth against the sidegear ramps is what caused all the noise. It wasn't long before I found a OEM limited slip to put in it.

I said all that to just say... the slop could come from worn side and spider gears or a worn cross shaft inside the diff if it's an original part. sorry....

 

[joemomma]

Honestly I didn't even check it. I haven't been back down to the car except to spread some cat litter to soak up the trans fluid. I'll get back under there and check to see if there is any play in it, if I can check by the flange. I can say there is definitely some slop in the driveline, just not sure where it's coming from. For example, when parked and you go to take off, there is some "slack" before everything engages. You can certainly feel it.

The rear end isn't stock, PO had it geared. They're either 3.73 or 3.90, and not the 4.10s as I originally suspected (confirmed with turning wheel and observing DS rotations - it was less than 4, but more than 3.5 so I can't really tell what is in there without some trigonometry or some other math).

 

[joemomma]

I'll be doing pads on the daily F-150 this weekend while I wait on the aluminum DS to come back in stock (hopefully by next week per LMR). I might pop the Mach "tweeters" back in and see how they sound compared with the RF. They are still mighty harsh to my ears. I also need to set the gain on the amp again since replacing the front components.

 

[joemomma]

LMR has now gone from "expected on 2/28" to "we don't know". I emailed their CS this morning. Dude was helpful, but didn't have an ETA. I guess I can focus on getting the brake kit together (got the '94 Cobra calipers on the way - thanks @oilspill!) so I just need to grab some new Cobra pads, rotors, and lines. And some fluid.

 

[oilspill]

LMR has now gone from "expected on 2/28" to "we don't know". I emailed their CS this morning. Dude was helpful, but didn't have an ETA. I guess I can focus on getting the brake kit together (got the '94 Cobra calipers on the way - thanks @oilspill!) so I just need to grab some new Cobra pads, rotors, and lines. And some fluid.

some pads are in the calipers, they arrive tomorrow so check them out before you spend the coin on pads. Ill look to see if i can remember the spec on the pads.

 

[joemomma]

Will do - thanks again!

 

[Michael Plummer]

LMR has now gone from "expected on 2/28" to "we don't know". I emailed their CS this morning. Dude was helpful, but didn't have an ETA. I guess I can focus on getting the brake kit together (got the '94 Cobra calipers on the way - thanks @oilspill!) so I just need to grab some new Cobra pads, rotors, and lines. And some fluid.

Have you considered a driveshaft from Denny's Driveshaft? https://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/c587_all_with_ford_7.5_inch_or_ford_8.8_inch.html

I had a Ford Racing aluminum driveshaft, but I had a terrible vibration at 70 MPH. I had it rebalanced, and the vibration improved, but it still existed. I upgraded to the NR3.5 aluminum driveshaft from Denny's, and the vibration disappeared (my experience).

I hope this helps
Michael Plummer

 

[joemomma]

I've not heard of Denny before. I did find the Summit Racing aluminum driveshaft in stock, so I've got one of those on the way finally. If it doesn't pan out, I'll look into Denny. Thanks for the info!