Dan Wheeler's 69 4R70W/Atlas Build Thread

[markperry]

Thanks! It's sweet on the inside, a little sour on the outside. ;D

A serious Trans Am fan will recognize that last pic shows the wrong bird for the 79 year but I prefer the older bird decal over the 79. Lots to be done still.

very cool! I love older cars and trucks...I own a 67 mustang and a 76 eb...but I love all the old ones ford,chevy,mopar

 

[DanWheeler]

OK - the stock crossmember is a no-go. As OsideDave mentioned, you just can't clock it up far enough with the stock crossmember to get it out of the way.

I'll be building something like what OsideDave suggested:
http://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=128188&d=1238039127

Max angle WITH stock crossmember:

Max angle WITHOUT stock crossmember:

Stock 90s Ford Explorer front driveshaft on the rear:

Lars, driveline length is 30" from U-joint center to U-joint center.

Driveline angle is 20 degrees. Not great, but any lower and my Atlas is hanging very far below the frame.

Stock Ford Explorer front driveshaft seems to have more angle available then my Wild Horses driveshaft

Same 90s Ford Explorer works in front AND rear?!

well it's really close. It's just a little too long in the front and maybe not quite long enough in the rear

front:

rear:

should make for a great $10 emergency trail spare though.

 

[DanWheeler]

and for reference, here's the 90s Ford Explorer front drivehsaft taken apart:

 

[av8rds]

yeah if I remember right my front and rear shafts are within 1/2" of each other.

 

[Tito]

That looks like a quality shaft to pick up at the boneyard for rebuilding.

 

[lars]

Ooohhh yeah... I remember that crossmember issue myself now. I never paid too much attention to it since I was given an AA crossmember to use, that sidestepped the front driveshaft issue.

X2 on the driveshaft lengths. One driveshaft just about works as a spare. I'm at about 30" in back, running at about 17 degrees at the CV.

Speaking of which, I will be curious to see how your driveline holds up. My Bronco doesn't get driven a lot, ~5000 miles a year, but insofar as I don't commute by car much (mostly I ride a bicycle on the 3.5 dead-flat miles of bike path) it truly is my only driver. It sees lots of 70+ mph freeway miles. I'm getting about 5-6000 miles out of new rear driveshafts before the CVs & splines are toast. I'd love a Tru Hi9 but that's not happening, so next time I'll probably fork out for a 1 ton setup from High Angle Driveline. And yes, pinion angle, all the other stuff are correct. Been through all those things. It's the extended high speed stuff that kills it.

 

[av8rds]

I'd love a Tru Hi9

yeah me too!!!

 

[carter2772]

Why cant you clock it more? Is it because of the frame?

 

[DanWheeler]

Crossmember V2 in progress:

 

[DanWheeler]

Why cant you clock it more? Is it because of the frame?

yep, thats as far up as it goes unless I grind my engine mounts a little more to get the engine further over to the passenger side.

 

[carter2772]

What about notching it? I did mine, it wasnt that hard. Obviously easier with the body off though..

 

[DanWheeler]

Crossmember finally complete

hangs a little low but not too bad.

now I just need to mount the Atlas, finish my exhaust, install the new radiator, install the transmission cooler, finish the new starter wiring, plug in and program the Baummanator and I should be ready to roll

 

[OsideDave]

Looks good.

 

[DanWheeler]

ATLAS installed

it's a little tight next to the frame but not touching. About 1/4" away

clearance is good

shifters are in and work great

clocking angle is good

brand new tom woods driveshaft. Angle is about 18 degrees

 

[DanWheeler]

Hurst ratchet shifter (modified to eliminate lockouts) is installed and working perfectly

Derale transmission cooler is mounted and wired up

The fan is setup as a pusher fan and vents out into the fenderwell. It is connected to a relay that is only live when the ignition is on.

I would have had the exhaust started by now but I had a problem with the Hedman headers. On SummitRacing.com it says the collector size was 2.5" which is true but the ball/flange piece they supply reduces down to 2" and my exhaust is going to be 2.5". So I ordered a 2.5" to 2.5" flange piece which should arrive tomorrow then I can get going on exhaust.

still need to install the transmission controller, plumb the cooler, fill the atlas, attach the drivelines (maybe shorten the front driveshaft)

This morning i bought some 3/8ths hard line and a couple fittings to run hard lines up from the transmission to somewhere on the firewall. The exhaust will be very close to the transmission hoses so I didn't want to run rubber hose all the way to the transmission.

 

[DanWheeler]

new exhaust in progress

One problem I ran into was the transmission lines pointed straight out to where my exhaust was going to be. When I bent the 3/8ths hard line I couldn't get a tight enough bend to clear the exhaust without kinking the hard line. I bought these 1/4" male NPT to 3/8ths female inverted flare elbows that worked perfectly:

This is my first attempt at exhaust work so I'm pretty happy with how its coming along. That entire piece actually slips up into place (just barely) without removing the crossmember.

 

[DanWheeler]

I'm very happy to report that this project is done and it is:

aaaaawwwwweeeesssssooooommmmmeeeeee.

I will post all the final pics tonight. There are still a few little things to be done like welding together the shortened front drive shaft (or buying a new one) and finishing a tailpipe.

I used the default Baummann controller shift points for the 4R70W which seem to be OK. I did have a problem with the TPS i bought. it's voltage reading at its lowest level was slightly higher than the minimum allowed by the software. I need to call them up and see if there's anything I can do about that. I'm not sure if it really matters because I'm only missing out on throttle position zero. (it idles at throttle position 1)

I also need to wire up some backup lights, an overdrive cancel switch/LED and maybe a switch for an alternate shift table and I'd like to tinker with the lockup converter settings a bit. it would be cool if the 2nd shift table could lock up the converter at above 1MPH so i could flip that switch when going down a hill and get some engine braking. I'm not sure how lock up torque converters work so I'll have to talk to Baumann about that.

I'm planning on doing a writeup - i wrote a letter to webmaster@classicbroncos.com but haven't heard anything back. Anyone know how to contact the webmaster so I can discuss a writeup?

 

[Bronchole]

Dan,

From what I understand you could install a momentary switch and hook it up so that it will enguage the lockup function of the torque converter. I think broncobowsher has it done that way. I kinda like your idea of using the alternate table though, it sounds like a good way to get to the same end and with the 1 MPH lockup speed it should release just befor you are stalling the motor. I wonder if you can put in 0.5 MPH?

Dan

 

[DanWheeler]

here's some final pics of the exhaust and other stuff:

Version 1:

Version 2:

elbow fittings needed to aim transmission hard lines upward so they dont conflict with the headers: (1/4" pipe X 3/8" Female Inverted Flare)

still need to finish the exhaust but it works OK for now

hangers and clamps from summit

Stock shifters installed through side of tunnel:

Had to re-weld on some new straight round stock to get everything to fit and still allow the boot and boot ring to fit. Welded the threaded tops back onto the top of my straight round stock pieces:

tunnel covers:

computer velcro mounted behind the glove box. I can see the gear indicator LED on the computer through the old dash speaker holes from the drivers seat:

new radiator I purchased after leaving the transmission on a tranny jack overnight which lost pressure and pushed the engine fan into the old radiator and ripped a hole in it:

Explorer transmission dipstick mounts perfectly:

headers driver's side above:

headers drivers side below:

crossmember - hope it holds - might need some reinforcing

 

[markperry]

Very nice work Dan! It looks awesome!