After a day and half of messing about with the motor mount adapter plates, the engine fits! I used 1/4" thick steel plate for the adapter plates. Stock Dodge Dakota engine mounts, bolted to a LS block. The cross member will require another adapter plate. The 4L60E tail cone came up just a little short. I will use the same plate stock and make a plate with 4 holes, and scoot the urethane pad rewards. Four bolts later and the engine/trans mounts are completed.

 

This LM7 truck motor had the only stock oil pan that clears the front cross member on a Dakota. It hangs around an inch bellow it, though. I am going to lower the front end, so I may need to change it. I not slamming the truck, but I need to prevent anything impacting the oil pan.

 

I finished the trans mount adapter plate as well. I just need two high strength bolts and the engine and trans mounts are complete!

 

The Hooker Blackheart cross member has nice clearance to tuck the exhaust up into. Great product design. I finally have my pinion angle - 6.55 degrees. With that number defined, I can start on the rear suspension while the trans and motor go out for rebuilding.

 

I had broken studs on my 3.9. I discovered there is an extra 1/2" of threaded hole past the end of the stud. Which helped me as I had to bork the first thread on one.

 

I decided to open the diff on y '98 Explorer rear axle assembly, and see what I got from the junkyard. Sometimes it's a crap shoot on what you get, and what condition it is in. Winner, winner! Chicken dinner! From the tag codes it is a 3.73 gear ratio, limited slip, 8.8" axle assembly. All of the teeth inside are spotless, and nothing in the oil! Time to hack off brackets, and get to welding! Once this rear end and 4 link suspension are in, I will swap out the front rotors for some '90 Dakota 5 bolt ones and ditch the stupid 6 x 114.3 pattern. All four corners will have 5 x 4.5, and I already picked up four used wheels and tires with that pattern to turn the chassis into a roller again.

 

I know photos can be deceiving, but the innards on that differential look brand new.

 

It's in much better condition than I was expecting, for a 25 yo rear axle assembly. One of the calipers looks like it was replaced as well.

 

I changed out the gear oil in my diff a few years ago. First time in the history of the truck. Had 27 years and some 175,000 miles on that gear oil. I was kind of expecting the oil and diff to show its age. Nope. Clean as a whistle. Looked like your photo. Not a metal shaving to be found. I believe the manual said changing gear oil is unnecessary. I never believe in anything that claims to be maintenance free. But this challenged that belief.

 

There was a second metal tab on one of the bolts. That tag listed the type of oil to be used - only. A fully synthetic oil, something like 5W-30 (I don't recall and I am not in my shop). The plan is to clean and seal it, then lots of grinding and welding.