81 F100 flare side custom with 300 six & T18

Steve83 wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

this is for the bed side panels...

In general, Ford uses a ~1" (~25mm) long ~3/16" (~6mm) diameter ~5/16" (~8mm) hex-head bolt with large captive washer, and a matching U-nut for joining body panels.  For panels with few fasteners, a larger 5/16" (8mm) bolt with 3/8" (10mm) head & matching U-nut might be used.

1 & 9 in this diagram are the larger later (metric) fasteners:



An earlier example would be the horn bracket to the core support fasteners, or the ones at the top of each front wheelwell holding the hard plastic to the fender (not the tiny screws around the wheel arch).

Here is why I could not use the U nut, it hangs out to far. The bolt is screwed into the U nut and into the nut / washer I welded in place.


To top it off I found 6 of the nutserts. I guess I ordered 8 from McMaster Carr when I ordered the carriage bolts, nuts & washers and were in the box with the other bed bolts I dug out today.
Dave ----

I welded a flange nut that the flats of the nut fit the ID of the washer and then welded the nut & washer to the bed floor.
 Someone said to use a U nut but the way the drop down is on the side panel for the running board I could not as it hung over the edge to far.
  
 There is a nut & washer welded there. I hit it with a little black paint.
 
 With that done I could then get the floor on the trucks frame. First was remove the rear bumper so the rear sill panel would not get marked up.
 The horses were far enough apart I could back the truck between them and was able to get the front of the floor high enough also but I came up about 6" to short for the bed bolts to drop into the holes. A little work and I was able to get the bolts thru the frame and the floor in place.

 Next came getting the side panels & front panel in place by myself, again with out marking them up.. I had all the side to floor bolts painted but none of the others so I used some un-painted ones to hold it in place till I got a game plan together.
 I was able to install all the side bolts with washers & nuts, the 2 top front panel bolts as you cant see them and the front panel to floor bolts.
 I cant tighten them down till I get the other bolts & nuts started as I may need to shift things around to fit them in but the panels are in place and not going anywhere.
 I did tighten the bed to frame bolts & nuts so that is not going anywhere.

 With that part done as far as I could for now I turned to the un-painted bolts. It worked out the card board I used for the bed side bolts for painting have enough holes for them.
 The other day on the way home I hit Lowes hardware looking for Preval sprayer kit, could not remember the name of it at the time. It's has a glass jar for the paint and the top is the propellant, they never heard of it.
 I hit the local hardware store to see if they had it and when I described it the guy lit up! I asked if they had more propellant and he did not think they made it but the whole kit was $6 so not a big deal if I needed more, they only had the 1. Got to say it works pretty good and sure beats needing to clean my HVLP spray gun.

 In between coats I looked over other bed bolts and braces like for the fenders and think running boards, could not test the board ones at this time.
 I did put the fender ones on the bed as I think they go on one of the bed side bolts.
 That moved me to the fenders and 1 looked like it had the stud broken in it, was lucky when I hit it with a drill bit the mudd turned to dust!.
 The other fender had the brace still on it because the nut was rusted. I was able to unscrew the whole assy. and take it apart in the vice.
 I hit the local hardware for the studs to screw into the glass fenders and take a 1/4" nut. The glass side was too long so had to trim them but they are installed with washers & locknuts when they get mounted.



 Dave ----

Looks good Dave! Glad to see everything coming together.

Lookin' good Dave! That red sure is pretty.

salans7 wrote

Looks good Dave! Glad to see everything coming together.

Rembrant wrote

Lookin' good Dave! That red sure is pretty.

Thanks guys.
Even the wife likes the red and said it again when she came out to the garage to see how I was doing.
Only thing I don't like about it is it is mostly clear with a red tint.
I used almost a gallon just on the 2 side and the front panels.
Think I need 3 more qt, to do the fenders, tail gate & running boards.
I hope that will all happen when I get back next weekend.
Dave ----

Excellent progress, Dave!!!  

Added Peel & Seal to the doors to make them sound less tinny when closing and for the speakers to sound better.

I gathered the painted bolts & nuts for the bed sides and got them installed and all tight.
It took me a lot longer than I though it would. I do have some touching up to do to them but not bad.

I than finished prepping the fenders and the 2 gas filler doors for white paint.
Yes we have white paint on the rear fenders and gas doors.
I don't know how I am going to paint the red yet. If they are on the stands I have then some of the edges may not get paint so going to have to figure that out.

As for red paint I need I think 2 more qt's to do the fenders, running boards, bolts / nuts & tail gate.
I will try and pick that up first thing in the morning so I get the red done but ..........

When I pulled my DD out of the house garage to put the pick up in the DD almost did not start.
I replaced the ALT. before I went on vacation and it was not charging like it should have.
The PCM controls / regulates the ALT. out put and I do not know where it is or how to test it.
AZ lists one for $220 but it has to be factory reset on top of that.
Looks like it has to go to the dealer and if they don't have a loner I am SOL during the work week getting to work or the wife is stuck at home.

Yep she is not happy as she wanted to get rid of the 02 Durango years ago but I say this is normal wear items like brakes.
Dave ----

P&S will make a big difference on the doors.  You'll like it.

Can't speak to the painting as I'm not au fait with that.

As for the alternator and PCM, the new stuff is a pain.  When it works it is great, but when it breaks it is tough to fix.  Good luck!

FuzzFace2 wrote

The PCM controls / regulates the ALT. out put and I do not know where it is or how to test it.

This site now requires an actual e-mail & login to access, but it's still free, and they're not spamming me (yet):
http://www.bbbind.com/tsb-wiring-diagrams-database/

If it's a ~'02~11 Ford, the PCM just raises & lowers the "sense" voltage going into the VR to tweak the output.  But without the PCM (true B+ on that circuit), the VR just behaves like an older VR and works like you'd expect.  I put a later PCM-controlled alternator on my '98 MGM for a while (just switched 2 wires in the VR connector) and it worked the way the car's original "dumb" alternator was supposed to (while the original was being rebuilt).  So you can bypass the PCM to diagnose that circuit; and you should make sure the case ground & output terminals are clean & shiny; if it still doesn't work, the new alt. is bad.

Steve83 wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

The PCM controls / regulates the ALT. out put and I do not know where it is or how to test it.

This site now requires an actual e-mail & login to access, but it's still free, and they're not spamming me (yet):
http://www.bbbind.com/tsb-wiring-diagrams-database/

If it's a ~'02~11 Ford, the PCM just raises & lowers the "sense" voltage going into the VR to tweak the output.  But without the PCM (true B+ on that circuit), the VR just behaves like an older VR and works like you'd expect.  I put a later PCM-controlled alternator on my '98 MGM for a while (just switched 2 wires in the VR connector) and it worked the way the car's original "dumb" alternator was supposed to (while the original was being rebuilt).  So you can bypass the PCM to diagnose that circuit; and you should make sure the case ground & output terminals are clean & shiny; if it still doesn't work, the new alt.

There is only 2 wires or 1 wire and 1 cable.
The cable is the out put and goes to the battery so a no brainer there.

This 1 wire is maybe a 14 or 12 gauge wire and as a guess must tell the PCM, where ever that is, to raise or lower the out put of the ALT.
Thing is I don't know if it works by grounding that wire thru the PCM or what?

I tried to Google this for my 02 Dodge Durango but all I found was for 2000 with a 4.7 mine is a 5.9, and all the wires were different colors.

I am going to throw a battery in it as it is at least 5 years old and went dead just sitting in the garage.
This should give me enough juice to get it to the dealer so it does not need to be towed.
They would most likely put a battery in it any way.
Dave ----

Well installed a new battery in the Dodge DD and the volts came from 13.5, low side of ok, to 14 volts so I call that good and no trip at this time to the dealer. I have no clue how old that battery was but I have been in NC summer heat for 4 years now, cold & heat kill batteries.

With that out of the way I went to the next town over for paint and all of down town stores are closed for "Mule Days" so no paint. I have about a qt of red and after I prep the fenders, tail gate & running boards I will paint the fenders & gate and if I have enough paint will hit the boards.
I also need to find the running board bolts as they need to get painted also.

If I don't paint them there is a lot more that needs to be done putting the truck together.
Dave ----

Mule Days?  I think I like the sound of "Pioneer Day" better, which is what we have.  

There's ALWAYS more to be done.  So many layers to these onions!  Good luck on getting some painted and some installed today.  

FuzzFace2 wrote

Thing is I don't know if it works by grounding that wire thru the PCM or what?

You have to study & analyze the wiring diagrams to try to figure it out.  If you can find a factory EVTM, it sometimes explains the circuit in that much detail.

Steve83 wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

Thing is I don't know if it works by grounding that wire thru the PCM or what?

You have to study & analyze the wiring diagrams to try to figure it out.  If you can find a factory EVTM, it sometimes explains the circuit in that much detail.

Yea and that makes my head hurt
With the new battery it is now charging at 14 volts and I am happy with that.
If I feel or see it not charging again I will let the dealer deal with it as I need it or a loaner to get to work at 3am. Wife dose not want to take or pick me up from work and I don't know if I would be able to bring the work truck, trailer truck, home every night till mine was fixed.
Dave ----

My grand son give me his flu so I never made it out to the garage yesterday or today and that just killed me as I wanted to get the last of the red done.

I dread going back to work right after vacation, not felling 100% and they say low to mid 90's for the week

Maybe during the week if I get out early I can get more paint to be on the safe side I have enough for next weekend.
Dave ----

Bummer!  That's a shame.  But, it is the journey, not the destination.  So take it easy and get well so you can do a good job.

I got home from work early, went in for 1am, but it was to hot when I got home, got to 100* here to day so did not even try getting out to the garage. It is to be cooler this weekend and will get the rest of the painting done.

I ordered the Grote tail lights and the Butyl tape seal for the glass and all should be here next week but I have a lot of work that can be done once the painting is done.
Dave ----

The cool down here was dramatic.  I'm glad I waited to unload Blue from the show as it is now NICE outside.  Hope you get the same change as well.

Gary Lewis wrote

I'm glad I waited to unload Blue from the show as it is now NICE outside.  

Need help?

Sure do!  Someone LOADED that back seat of the truck.  I hadn't opened the door to it since getting it home, but was placing my jump-start battery pack in there yesterday.  Opened the door and did a double-take!  Man, there's LOT'S of stuff in there.