Lessons learned from installing the HOSS 3.0/74Weld steering rack

[Dusty]

@userdude what engine do you have? I’m STRUGGLING!! Has anybody installed one of these with the 2.3L and M210? There simply doesn’t seem to be enough room to stab this thing in there. I’m wondering if the 2.3L is a tighter fit and that’s why I’m struggling more than the scant few videos I’ve seen of the 74Weld Stage 3 rack. Anybody got any pointers?

Sponsored

 

[userdude]

@userdude what engine do you have? I’m STRUGGLING!! Has anybody installed one of these with the 2.3L and M210? There simply doesn’t seem to be enough room to stab this thing in there. I’m wondering if the 2.3L is a tighter fit and that’s why I’m struggling more than the scant few videos I’ve seen of the 74Weld Stage 3 rack. Anybody got any pointers?

I have the 2.3. It's a tight fit; I remember twisting and turning and smashing my hand. lol

I actually felt like it went in easier than it came out, since I think it's little svelter. I think also, you want to maybe start a little passenger maybe, and twist it and go up, left? When it went it, it just went in.

@mpeugeot do you recall if we did anything to get it to go into place? Did we loosen something? I vaguely remember something...

 

[Snacktime]

Make sure you have the front diff mount completely unbolted and the differential down as far as it will hang.

 

[Dusty]

Finally got it. Thanks guys. In the end the best strategy was to not try to stab it all the way in, in each heft, and setting it back down each time. You simply can’t see all of the areas it’s hitting at once, while you’re trying to hold that heavy ass thing up there and also trying to maneuver it with finesse. After a long beer and cigar break I went back at it with a plan to take it slow. Used my telescoping trans jack to hold it up in there as far as I could get it on the first stab, then took the time to walk around it and see every place it needed to get by something, and how it would need to be twisted or swung or pushed at each step. Used the trans jack as I went so I didn’t have to strain to hold its weight, leaving me to concentrate on threading it through the needle. A couple of pry bars, a spud bar through the bolt hole to rotate it with, a tap with the dead-blow here and there, and hauling on those pry bars finally got it. I think I was actually pushing the engine upward in its motor mounts at one point. Then the final boss fight was getting that thick wire loom up and over the pinion shaft. Good times!

 

[userdude]

Finally got it. Thanks guys. In the end the best strategy was to not try to stab it all the way in, in each heft, and setting it back down each time. You simply can’t see all of the areas it’s hitting at once, while you’re trying to hold that heavy ass thing up there and also trying to maneuver it with finesse. After a long beer and cigar break I went back at it with a plan to take it slow. Used my telescoping trans jack to hold it up in there as far as I could get it on the first stab, then took the time to walk around it and see every place it needed to get by something, and how it would need to be twisted or swung or pushed at each step. Used the trans jack as I went so I didn’t have to strain to hold its weight, leaving me to concentrate on threading it through the needle. A couple of pry bars, a spud bar through the bolt hole to rotate it with, a tap with the dead-blow here and there, and hauling on those pry bars finally got it. I think I was actually pushing the engine upward in its motor mounts at one point. Then the final boss fight was getting that thick wire loom up and over the pinion shaft. Good times!

Did y'all do a video?

 

[Dusty]

Did y'all do a video?

yeah but I’ll have to edit out the cursing

 

[Fordified1]

yeah but I’ll have to edit out the cursing

I want to see the uncut version lol

 

[mpeugeot]

I have the 2.3. It's a tight fit; I remember twisting and turning and smashing my hand. lol

I actually felt like it went in easier than it came out, since I think it's little svelter. I think also, you want to maybe start a little passenger maybe, and twist it and go up, left? When it went it, it just went in.

@mpeugeot do you recall if we did anything to get it to go into place? Did we loosen something? I vaguely remember something...

We just kept f'ing with it until we got the right angle, it wasn't easy, but it was doable. Glad you got it in.

Sponsored