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Big Blue's Transformation

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Gary Lewis

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

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This post was updated on .

SUCCESS!!!!

Plan B was to throw the book at it. Three boomers and one come-along, each as tight as I was capable of making it. (And don't look at the scratches on the boomers, about where they say not to use cheaters.

)

I put the chain on running from the right side of the crossmember to the left spring mount and tightened it as much as I could. But that only got about 5/8" of movement at the end of the frame horns when I needed 1 1/8", and most of the 5/8 was sure to go away when the tension was released. So I added another chain & boomer. Not enough. So I added the last chain/boomer combo as well as the come-along. And with all of them as tight as I could get them the outside/outside measurement on the frame went from 41 1/8" to 38 1/8".

Here's what that looked like:

Then, when I took all the tension off the measurement was 40" - exactly where it is supposed to be. And with just a bit of pushing Sky's bracket went on, as shown below.

Now, I don't know for sure where the movement came from, meaning whether it came from the left side or the right side. But, I don't think I care. The bracket goes on and that's the key. I'm happy!!!!!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

85lebaront2

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

I would still go recheck the earlier measurements to see where the movement came from, if it was the right side, then the front sheet metal may give you some problems when you reassemble everything.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

grumpin

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Good job!

I hope Bill is wrong!

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

salans7

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Thanks for the measurements Gary, I confirmed that my F250 LD frame shares the same width as the HD frame.

Glad you got it pulled out.

Gary Lewis

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

Bill - I still have the string under there, so do plan to check it out and see where the movement was. Would have done today, but we had an appointment that got moved up at the last minute.

Dane - Yep, me too.

Shaun - Glad yours is wide. That'll make it easier.

All - Forgot to tell you that the bearing strip (F6TZ-5D033-BA) came in today. I didn't get a pic, but it is a strip of plastic maybe 1" x 4" x 1/16", and is supposed to ensure that the joint doesn't make noise, even if it moves. I'll have to slip it in soon and then torque it down again.

But when I do that I'll pull the bolt and cut it off to length so the end will be flush with the nut when all is said and done. That'll make tacking it easy when the time comes, and then I can paint it.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

Quick update as WelderScott is due any minute and we are going to weld a crossmember.

But I just had to check the measurements from the outside of the frame to the center line:

Driver's side: 20 1/16"

Passenger's side: 20"

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

Sounds good, now you can add frame straightening to your resume'

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

Yep, I can straighten the front at least.

And, with WelderScott's help, I can repair frames. (Actually, Scott did all of the welding and the vast majority of the grinding.)

First, he put the patch in place and welded it from the bottom all the way around, as shown here:

Then, with a thin cutoff wheel followed by a carbide burr he cut a large vee in the joint on the top, as shown here:

Then he welded the top very thoroughly, and then ground it down flush on the back side so the perch will fit. Here he's grinding it back:

And here's the back side:

And here it is from the front side:

So, tomorrow I can start the Sky RSK installation.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

salans7

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

It's almost as if

never touched it.

I'm excited to see the Sky kit go on!

Gary Lewis

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

Almost. Soon it'll have the radiator support that Jonathan supplied, so there's only the doors left to show that

was ever there.

Yup, I'm stoked to put the Sky kit on as well. Hope to start tomorrow, although I need to install the rub strip in the huck bolt stack, and cut the bolt itself off as well so when the time comes all I have to do is to re-torque it.

However, once I have things sorted on the Sky kit I'm going to take them off and powder coat them. So there will be the initial phase of drilling and grinding rivets, followed by fitment, and then media blast and powder coat them. But I need that phase as well as the installation of the u-joints and wheel bearings in the front axles to be done in order to have the truck on all fours. And that needs to happen before the show so's I can roll Big Blue out of the shop and load Dad's truck on the trailer.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Steve83

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Banned User

Gary Lewis wrote

Yup, I'm stoked to put the Sky kit on as well.

Remember to let them know it wasn't their part that was wrong.

Gary Lewis

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

Thanks for the reminder, but I did that on Saturday as soon as it was obvious it was my truck rather than their part. Sent them an email explaining what I'd found.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

Ok folks, I need more guidance. The TSB says "With the wedge still in place, insert the Bearing Strip (F6TZ-5D033-BA) between the #1 crossmember and frame liner."

But, here's a pic of that intersection, and the frame liner and the crossmember don't meet:

However, the TSB offers this drawing, and I'm struggling to understand it. Where do you think the bearing strip goes?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

Gary, I was trying to find where you referenced and linked to the frame TSB but couldn't track it down. Could you email it to me when you get a chance please. Then I can see if the reference to the wedge makes sense.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

Bill - It is here: TSB's/Brakes, Steering, Suspension, Wheels/TSB 97-3-10 Frame Creaking/Popping. You can download it from there if you want, but you can also blow it up as much as you want.

(We really need a better way to catalog these things.

)

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Steve83

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Banned User

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis wrote

Where do you think the bearing strip goes?

Do you still have the huck sleeve? Look at where it's worn to try to decide which parts were sliding relative to each other, and put the strip between them.

If you can't tell that there was any movement, then I wouldn't mess with it - I'd bolt & then weld the 3 layers together so they could never move again. No bearing strip to allow movement (including as the strip compresses over the coming years).

85lebaront2

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

I looked at Darth today, and I see the "window" in the side rail (it's covered by the spring tower) and on the front outer location on the crossmember, it looks like a plain rivet, not the Huck Bolt?? Is the Huck Bolt on the back of the crossmember?

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

salans7

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

It's right on the other side of the "window", on the inside of the frame rail.

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

I've had some 'connectivity' issues of late. Plus been working 4AM- 8PM, so....

Gary, I look at these pictures of Scott fixing the cross member, and your pulling the frame together, and think "there's no better time to have done a SAS & RSK on this truck"

Look at the TSB, and you'll see where they tell you to drive the wedge. Obviously this is where the slip sheet has to go.

I would never weld the joint.
You know how much these frames flex if you've ever seen the bed to cab alignment when the truck is crossed up.
By welding any joint you create a hard spot, and all that movement has to go to the next joint, or the frame itself flexes and ultimately tears to accommodate the movement.

We had some biblical thunderstorms and flooding yesterday afternoon.
The paddock is a mess, but I do have a front suspension plan for 'Lil Red's TTB that I'll outline in wdydtytt

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Big Blue's Transformation

Administrator

Steve - I'll check the huck setup and see if I can tell where the movement was. As for welding, I'm going to follow the TSB as closely as I can, and all I need now is to find where the little plastic strip goes.

Bill - Perhaps Darth doesn't have a huck bolt, just a rivet? It is the very front, driver's side fastener of the crossmember/frame/frame liner interface. But I'd be curious to know if Darth's piece go together in the same order that Big Blue's do, as shown in the pic below.

Shaun - If Darth has a rivet that really does away with my "heavy duty" theory.

Jim - Yes, this was obviously "the time" if I was ever going SAS/RSK. And, having found the frame tweaked I'm glad I'll have the extra strength of the front bracket from Sky. That's going to tie left to right in a much stronger fashion than the little crossmember Ford used at the bottom of the frame.

As for the TSB, I've looked again and still do not see anything that helps. Here's what it says about the wedge:

After removing the rivet, verify the noise came from this location by pounding a wedge between the crossmember and the frame liner, then driving the vehicle to reproduce the noise. The wedge will lift the crossmember off of the inner frame liner and eliminate any noise if the lower left front #1 crossmember joint is the source of the noise.

So, with that wording I'm going to assume that it is the interface between the crossmember and whatever it touches, which happens to be the frame on Big Blue, as shown below. And, in thinking about it, the frame and liner are welded and riveted together, so they aren't going to move in relation to each other. So it has to be the crossmember moving in relation to that pair.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

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