The Tricky EcoBoost Early Bronco Build

[Tricky Dick]

Before I knew Jon @ JBFab I bought triple cable shifters out of Vancouver, BC a long time ago.

After the outfit in BC warranteed 3 cables due to inferior quality, I knew Jon by then, ordered some quality cables and have never looked back.

Hope the B&M stays together for you. My pre‐JBFab cables only failed when I used them.

Your setup looks great, liking it. Keep the posts coming.

Something to think about and I might learn the hard way. I see that JB has bare cables for only a few bucks more, should have done that instead.

I would prefer rod linkage but I don't like how anything is laying out when I mock it up.

 

[nvrstuk]

I can relate. I'd always built rod shifters but with 4 shifters (2 tcase & 1 doubler) back in the day I thought cable would be soooo much easier. I tried the BC, Canada ones- they'd fail.

Nothing like crawling under your rig trying not to get burnt on the scorching exhaust pipes and using a screw driver to try to move your shift forks with your wife helping inside...at Moab and in Colorado. What a disappointment!


Jon & Rhonda make quality stuff.

 

[Scoop]

I prefer rod shifters as well. All my shifters on my trail rig are rod shifters - C4 (using a dirt track shifter), twin sticks and I converted the Northwest Fab Black Box-I from cable to a direct shift arm. All have been working very well for almost 10 years now. Go simple when you can!

 

[nvrstuk]

I remember my KISS theology... but I abandoned that decades ago with SEFI, EDIS, USShift6 etc... lol

 

[Yeller]

The b&m cable should be fine shifting the doubler, they shift very easily, or should anyway lol.

 

[nvrstuk]

Good point. I was too fixed on the number of failures I had and wasn't thinking how easy the dblrs shift.

Heck, the Klune used a bike shifter!! No joke.

 

[Tricky Dick]

Then it's decided, cable for the doubler.

I'm going to try another filthy J**p part to actuate it. It may end up near the passenger so I was thinking the gates might be nice to prevent inadvertent shifts.

 

[Tricky Dick]

This is the bushing/lift kit I bought. I like that it has factory style hardware, but the 2 rear bolt could stand to be 1/2" longer. I'm giving up and buying 2 new bolts, I just can't get one to catch and the other was a f*****.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3257844949...d=link&campid=5335857059&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

 

[Tricky Dick]

Body bushings done. 1/2" longer bolts in the rear did the trick. Gained 1/2" of rubber lift and 1" of pucks.

Put the trans in to see how things lay. I need to find the sweet spot for clearance. I think it's time to set the engine in and see how the firewall fit is, I want it pushed as far back as possible to minimize floor trimming for the T-case.

I could clock the 205 down to the OEM position and make life easy, but I'm a sucker for belly clearance.

 

[Tricky Dick]

I have the block side motor mount brackets for the engine but no isolators. From what I gather the stock Mustang mounts aren't solid rubber or hydraulic, but some sort of vacuum mount, but I don't have them. Good photos of what the other guy did for his 2.3 are hard to come by but I know he did reuse the Mustang stuff. I'm trying another C**** part instead of the $200 each Mustang mounts, a hydraulic 97-13 Corvette mount which goes for $20-30.

 

[Tricky Dick]

Not 100% where it needs to be but ballpark. Space sure gets eaten up fast. Probably going to delete the vacuum pump since I won't need vacuum for anything.

 

[Tricky Dick]

I'm thinking about chucking a NP241 on there for now and calling it good, save the doubler for the next wave of mods with the new suspension and axles. I'm hoping it will fit the frame better. I searched the site for people using 231s or 241s and they are far and few between but I did see one that had a frame notch to clear the 241.

I found a 2008 Wrangler non-slip yoke 241 for $100 locally that I'm picking up tonight.

 

[Tricky Dick]

I'm actually second guessing the Ecobox/NP205 so that will give me time to think about that too. I do want that much gearing, I like the ~100:1 range with a manual, but maybe an Atlas would make more sense.

 

[Tricky Dick]

Getting somewhere. It's within 1/2" of it's final resting place in any direction. I want to push it back to the firewall another 1/2" but to do so I need to remove this nipple and tap it for a threaded elbow.

 

[Tricky Dick]

Got the 241. It will work but needs to be clocked down to clear the floor. It's pretty compact with the fixed yoke. I'll swap both constant velocity cups to 1310 double cardan.

 

[Tricky Dick]

The sweet spot is 2" off center, about 1/2" more than the crossmember is set for so once I get it exact I'm going to drill new holes next to the slots.

A little bit concerned with oil pan clearance, but the Mustang pan is one of the bigger pans. Miata is the slimmest, but has a built in slant on the bottom since they lay the block over a bit more.

 

[Tricky Dick]

Some of the options. That Ranger one looks promising. That would be from the old body Duratec Ranger.

 

[Tricky Dick]

I'm going to order the Ranger pan and likely still cut a chunk out of it. That will require a balance shaft delete, which some say is a good idea anyway. I may or may not need the Ranger pickup tube. Mustang first, then Ranger:

 

[Tricky Dick]

Taking advantage of Mountune's Black Friday sale and getting the vacuum block off and coolant outlet. I think I could work around both if I had to but it will make fitment easier all around.

Mocked up the brake booster and it's also tighter than I expected but does clear everywhere.

 

[davisjstone]

Intellitronix suckered me in with a big sale. $308 for their gauge cluster, I went with white.

I was looking at these clusters and can’t find much info or feedback. Have you had a chance to install it? Seems like a much more affordable option when compared with a Dakota.