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Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

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Gary Lewis

Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

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Years ago when I started this website I didn't know what I was doing, and I didn't have the tools I have now, like tabs in Weebly or the pdf scanner. So the way I captured information was not well thought out and, frankly, poor.

And as I've played with some areas of the website I've been very disappointed with the way I did them. For instance, "air cleaners". The old way has the information spread out across 8 different pages, and to add the Ford documentation I found yesterday I would have had to add another 1 or 2. And that made everything painful as to go from one of the pages to another you had to go back to the menu, scroll down to Fuel Systems, scroll to Air Cleaners, and then pick the page you wanted.

Given that I've spent two days completely revising the air cleaner area in order to get it on 1 page. And I'd like your feedback on how well you like it. Is it enough better that I should spend time cleaning up other areas?

Here's the test. Please go to Documentation/Fuel Systems/Air Cleaners. Yes, click on Air Cleaners. And check out that page. Then go to Documentation/Fuel Systems/Air Cleaners/Air Cleaner Check Valves and scan that page. Then Documentation/Fuel Systems/Air Cleaners/Air Cleaner Illustrations. And right on down the menu.

And then go to Air Cleaners in the top menu (yes, it'll get dropped down in the menu later) and see if you like the way I've crammed everything on one page. Is it logical? Is it easy to navigate? What can be better?

Oh, and there are a few things to notice. First, there's the Testing tab that has two documents I found yesterday in the 1980 shop manual. They aren't in the "old" air cleaner stuff and were the impetus for the complete revision as I'd have to have had a page for them in the old style.

Also, the Mityvac document that was on the original Air Cleaners page in poor jpg scans is now a pdf on the Operation tab. Take a look at how hard the original version is to read, and then scroll to the bottom of the new version's page, click the 100%, and make it 200%.

Anyway, how much better is it? I'm not looking for kudos, but just need to know if it is enough better to do on other areas of the website.

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: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

Looks pretty good as far as all of them are together. One thing I didn't see, and it may be in the text pages, is the auxiliary air inlet for the 460 air cleaner.

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

Gary Lewis

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

Thanks, Bill.

You are right, the illustrations don't show the rear trap door. I'll see if I can find something about that. But do you know of anything Ford published about it?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Ford F834

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary, it is hard to comment on whether the change is “worth it” since we don’t really know how much time it took you to make the changes. I don’t think the old format was bad, my only comment would be that I missed the overview that became the “description” tab on the new single page (I didn’t think to click on it at the highest level). The new format looks and works fine, but you really have to scroll around with a mobile device as not many tabs are displayed at once on a phone screen. Not an issue, just an observation. On the root menu in documentation I might prefer to see “air and fuel systems” instead of just “fuel systems” because my too-literal brain wouldn’t think to look there for air cleaners. That might be my defective system grouping though 😅

SHORT BED 4-DOOR DIESEL: 1986 F350 4x4 under construction-- 7.3 IDIT ZF5+GVOD

STRAIGHT SIX 4X4: 1981 F150 2wd to 4x4-- 300 I6 close ratio diesel T19, hydroboost brakes, Saginaw steering

BIG F: 1995 F-Superduty under construction— converting to 6.9L IDI diesel ZF5+DNE2

Gary Lewis

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

Jonathan - Thanks for the feedback. And you are right - you don't know how hard it was for me. But, while it did take most of two days, it was rewarding as I think it is dramatically better.

And yes, not everyone knew to click on "Air Cleaners". We have a mix of un-clickable pages and pages that have content, and that is a bad thing as people don't know to click or not. And clickable ones that have sub-pages don't work for Jim, and probably others.

On the tabs, are you viewing in landscape or portrait mode? On my iPhone X the portrait view just shows 2 tabs and part of the 3rd, landscape shows all 5 tabs. And I'm careful to keep it to only 5 tabs - which is why we have a tab named "Other" as there are 3 different topics in there.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Ford F834

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

You are right Gary, I did not have my phone in landscape mode. And I do agree the new format is better. Is there a way to make the click-able and non-click-able text different colors? Or add a colorful bullet or icon to differentiate which text has content? I’m sure you have thought through this… I’m just curious what options there are.

85lebaront2

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary, I would have to look at my information. Owner's manual doesn't say anything about it. Maybe one of the emission ones might.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Ford F834

Bill - The shop manual doesn't say anything about it that I can find. I'll have a look at the '86 emissions manual.

Jonathan - I like your idea about making the clickable pages stand out, but I don't know how to do it. I just placed :-) in the title of the original Air Cleaners page, and sure enough when you actually get to the page it has those characters in the title, which isn't what we need. Then I put :-) at the end of the Page Name and the URL doesn't show that nor does the menu.

Speaking of the menu, that's really where we want the clickable pages to be different. So I'll research that. But perhaps the best thing is to do away with them completely?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

grumpin

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

I think it’s fine. I didn’t have trouble navigating. Makes sense to me.

Interesting what Bill mentioned about the 460 air cleaner.

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

Machspeed

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

I went through and looked this over. Took me a bit to figure out what you were trying to say. Honestly, while the changes are probably better, don't know that I'd spend the time re-doing it all. I can navigate easily through both. So, I guess this just depends on how much time you want to commit to the change. Do appreciate your continued desire to improve the website though.

John

"Blackie" - 1986 F150 4x4 - Mildly warmed over 351W HO - Original owner

Gary Lewis

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

In reply to this post by grumpin

Dane - Thanks. And on the air cleaner, I don't have one of the 460 air cleaners to show. Maybe Bill does?

John - I really like the new layout. And while it took ~2 days for this one, now that I have thought through the how-to I think I might be able to do others more quickly. However, I'd really like to get back to working on my trucks, plural, so may give the website a rest for a bit.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

grumpin

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Gary Lewis wrote

Dane - Thanks. And on the air cleaner, I don't have one of the 460 air cleaners to show. Maybe Bill does?

I have that air cleaner if you need a picture let me know. Unless Bill has one already.

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

Gary Lewis

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

I'm not sure Bill does, so if you could post some pics that would help. And especially of the rear trap door.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

grumpin

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Ok, I’ll get them as soon as I can.

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

Gary Lewis

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

Thanks, but there is no hurry.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Jim has my old air cleaner, he needed a working trap door vacuum motor for his truck.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

Machspeed

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis wrote

John - I really like the new layout. And while it took ~2 days for this one, now that I have thought through the how-to I think I might be able to do others more quickly. However, I'd really like to get back to working on my trucks, plural, so may give the website a rest for a bit.

That's great, Gary! Let me know if I can be of help in that. No problem making a day trip to Skiatook!

John

"Blackie" - 1986 F150 4x4 - Mildly warmed over 351W HO - Original owner

Gary Lewis

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

Thanks, John. May take you up on that, but a bit later.

Right now I'm just finishing up the move from the old air cleaner pages to the new page. I think I'm there. Old pages deleted and redirected to the new page. And the name of the section has changed from Fuel Sytems to Fuel & Air Systems and the old URL has been redirected to the new URL.

So I think I'm done. But if anyone finds a glitch please let me know.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

BigBrother-84

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Gary, from time to time, when I'm looking for some parts, I give a try at my local Ford dealer (we never know). Usually they don't have what I am looking for. The guy at the parts department knows very well his stock, he works there for almost 40 years.
Last time I went, talking with the guy about BigBrother's restoration, he told me that he kept at home all the original parts catalogs instead of throwing them to garbage. Not sure about the exact nature of these documents, but I surely can ask more precision, if you think this could be interesting.

Jeff / 1984 F350 Crew Cab 4x4/5.8L w351 4V/ T18/ D50 4.10 front/ 8' bed.
Restored 2019-2022.
Nicknamed «Big Brother 1984», due to its soooo-looong shape & nod to George Orwell's 1984 famous novel.

Gary Lewis

Re: Thoughts On New Approach, Please?

Administrator

Jeff - That is VERY interesting! Anything he has could be helpful, and since I am friends with Keith Dickson, who runs the FORDification site, basically anything he has could be used. Keith's site appears to start in 1961 and runs through 1979, and ours starts in '80 and runs through at least '96.

Of special interest would be the master parts catalogs in either microfiche or printed form.

So please talk to him and see what he has. Or what he might be willing to part with.

Thanks!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile