Mike's Guard GT

[MrMike]

Got part numbers for the console and knee pads? Looks great

Yep but you're not gonna like the console price. There's a reason I kept refreshing Midway Mustang looking for one.

Center console: https://parts.levittownfordparts.com/oem-parts/ford-finish-panel-jr3z63044e50ag

Driver's side kneepad: https://parts.levittownfordparts.com/oem-parts/ford-side-panel-jr3z6304609ab

Passenger side kneepad: https://parts.levittownfordparts.com/oem-parts/ford-side-panel-jr3z6304608ab

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[MAGS1]

Yep but you're not gonna like the console price. There's a reason I kept refreshing Midway Mustang looking for one.

Center console: https://parts.levittownfordparts.com/oem-parts/ford-finish-panel-jr3z63044e50ag

Driver's side kneepad: https://parts.levittownfordparts.com/oem-parts/ford-side-panel-jr3z6304609ab

Passenger side kneepad: https://parts.levittownfordparts.com/oem-parts/ford-side-panel-jr3z6304608ab

Thanks. Oof, yeah that’s a pricey console

 

[MrMike]

New diff is here. I’ve seen some instructions / guides do this without dropping the rear subframe. Ford suggests using a transmission jack to lower and raise the diff. Think that will be my plan.

 

[MrMike]

• Refreshed GT350 Rear Diff (7/5/24)

New diff installed.

Rear all taken apart, half shafts out.

New diff with old diff. I used a Harbor Freight transmission jack to do the swap.

New diff and new driveshaft in

The new driveshaft is surprisingly lighter than the old one, and had a nice black powder coat.

 

[HKusp]

For someone who has never wrenched on a car before, you are definitely jumping in with both feet. Amazing progress, and I am sure that car handles so much better than it did when you first got it. Keep up the good work!!

 

[MrMike]

For someone who has never wrenched on a car before, you are definitely jumping in with both feet. Amazing progress, and I am sure that car handles so much better than it did when you first got it. Keep up the good work!!

Thanks man. I'm just taking my time and kinda combining guides to meet my objectives. I also have a friend helping me as can be seen in some of my pics.

I make notes before I start working on the car with all the torque values, copies of the most important diagrams, that sorta stuff.

And yes, the car does handle very well lol.

 

[MrMike]

• Ford Performance Power Pack 3 (M-9452-M8) (7/13/2024)

Overall this was a fun install. I still had my sound tube before this, so I will start by conceding that the car does in fact sound better without it.

I am surprised by the different throttle tuning. It will take me a bit to adjust, but it's clearly an improvement.

I've only done one pull to test it, but revving out to 7500rpm is fun and it seems to pull all the way there.

For my other big mods I had someone helping me out. I decided to do this alone and I had no issues. Lots of good videos and guides that I watched and read. I really liked LMR's video specifically.

Getting started, fuel pump and battery disconnected.

Intake tube out, most PCV and brake booster lines disconnected. Heater brackets off. Fuel line disconnected.

Intake manifold unbolted, struggled with the connectors on the back for a while. You kind of have to unbolt it, lift it forward, then tilt from side to side to get them. Referring to the IMRC connectors.

I decided to remove the sound tube the "proper" way, I must be sadistic:

Assembling the new manifold and throttle body.

Adjusting the wiring harness on the back for the new manifold:

Plop

Also installed black coil covers to match the new intake manifold

All buttoned back up

 

[MrMike]

Second track day was a blast.

I like how friendly everyone is at track days. It's really easy to just walk up to total strangers and talk about cars and driving technique.

About half way through my instructor told me, “If you’re not scared, you’re not doing it right!” That was kind of the moment where I realized what people mean when they describe how you’re supposed to break on track.

 

[S550HPP]

Wow great job. A massive amount of work!

How do you like the Bronco...I've been looking at 2.7 2 door base for mods...

 

[MrMike]

Wow great job. A massive amount of work!

How do you like the Bronco...I've been looking at 2.7 2 door base for mods...

Love the Bronco. Fits in my garage, has plenty of space for my hobbies, and it's comfortable even on long trips.

I don't do serious off-roading so if you're a rock crawler I'm the wrong person to ask. I take it down fire roads and basic trails.

The first Bronco I test drove was a base 2dr actually. The only thing I didn't like was the lack of true keyless being part of the mid package. If you're going to spend a lot of time w/the doors off, that doesn't matter.

Personally would stick with the 2.7 as you are looking at, but a lot of people on B6G feel the 2.3 is sufficient.

Only purchasing advice I'd give is, if you want lockers get one with SAS. It can be a real pain to wire lockers up otherwise. Also get the factory aux switches.

 

[S550HPP]

Thank you. It's just for back country roads...

 

[GJarrett]

Thanks for this writeup. I have a 2017 that I will be swapping a 3.55 torsen into and your tips help tremendously!

 

[GJarrett]

Next mod currently in the works is a Torsen differential. I have a refreshed one coming from @JohnVallo who is a pro at S550 rear diffs.

There's a decent amount of parts involved in this swap if you're in a 15-17 S550 and want to move to the newer, better rear flange from the 18-23 S550s.

The differential mounting bolts are HB1 (W717748S439) and HB3 (W716983S439) in the below diagram.

A new 18-23 manual driveshaft is JR3Z-4R602-Y. Note that the bolts that mount to the transmission side are not included (HB1, W719298S439) nor are the mid-point mounting bolts (HB2, W717822S439).

The remainder of the parts (marked with the orange squares) are included and pre-assembled:

Regarding the bolts that are not included, can you confirm how many of each of those bolts are needed? Thanks!

 

[MrMike]

Regarding the bolts that are not included, can you confirm how many of each of those bolts are needed? Thanks!

You will need three HB1 bolts and two HB2.

 

[GJarrett]

Thanks!

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