Bullnose Enthusiasts Forum

Dad's Truck Build

Classic

List

Threaded

575 messages Options

123456 ... 29

FuzzFace2

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Gary Lewis wrote

Ok guys, thanks a bunch.

Cory - Your description fits some of the things I have, but somehow I'm one short.

Dave - See if yours have #'s on them. Some of mine have #'s or lettering. One pair is obviously the ones for the front of the radius arm bushing as they say Front on one side and To The Rubber on the other. But I may have the wrong cupped washer to the rear of the radius arm bushing.

Steve - Thanks. I'll amend my MPC with the right torque values. And your pics look a bunch like some of the cupped washers I have. As said, I may be using the right ones in the wrong places.

I want to say the lower spring retainer washer and the radius arm washers are 2 different OD's?
I will go out in a bit to see if I can find the washers, hope they are still on the arms & beams, and see if I can get pictures of them.
Dave ----

Dave G.
81 F100 flare side 300 six / AA OD / NP435 / 2.75 gear
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1980-Ford-F100?page=1
81 F100 style side 300 six/SROD parts truck -RIP
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1981-Ford-F100

FuzzFace2

Re: Dad's Truck Build

This post was updated on .

FuzzFace2 wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

Ok guys, thanks a bunch.

Cory - Your description fits some of the things I have, but somehow I'm one short.

Dave - See if yours have #'s on them. Some of mine have #'s or lettering. One pair is obviously the ones for the front of the radius arm bushing as they say Front on one side and To The Rubber on the other. But I may have the wrong cupped washer to the rear of the radius arm bushing.

Steve - Thanks. I'll amend my MPC with the right torque values. And your pics look a bunch like some of the cupped washers I have. As said, I may be using the right ones in the wrong places.

I want to say the lower spring retainer washer and the radius arm washers are 2 different OD's?
I will go out in a bit to see if I can find the washers, hope they are still on the arms & beams, and see if I can get pictures of them.
Dave ----

Well I was off a little and here is what I found.
Back ground: from 81 F100 4x2 truck don't know if they were factory or after market?

The OD's of both washers were the same (did not measure)

The ID's were different (did not measure). The lower spring washer had a smaller ID than the radius arm washer and would not fit over the threads of the radius arm.
The only radius arm washer that was cupped was the one closest to the axle / beam (first thing installed on the radius arm) the other was flat.

I did see the lower spring washer has a deeper cup by about a 1/4" (not measured)

In short: lower spring washer has smaller ID hole and a deeper cup than the radius arm washer.
No pictures as it would be hard to show the above.
Dave ---

edit: I used a wire brush on the washers. With the rust pitting I did not see any numbers or "front" on them.

Gary Lewis

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

Thanks! I'll take some pics and post in a bit to show what I find. (I'm still working on my first cup of java.)

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

FuzzFace2

Re: Dad's Truck Build

LOL I am going to start my 3rd cup of tea with breakfast here in a bit.
I did fire up the heater and hope it is a little warmer in there than the 40* when I walked out.
It is drizzling, fogy, cold that just goes thru you.
Dave ----

85lebaront2

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

Gary, I can't completely help on the F150 TTB springs, but when I replaced the lower rubbers (some guy in OK sent some good used ones to me) and installed the anti-roll bar end brackets I do have a picture of the pieces when I had everything apart.

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: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

Dave - It is 37 here today and headed to 50, with bright sunshine but with a breeze. Not bad at all compared to the misty, drizzly 30's we had a few days ago. Yes, that goes right through you, and at my age it takes quite a while to go away.

As for warming up, I'm sipping my second "cuppa" as the Brits would say, and I'll see the furnace kick on in the shop in a few minutes and it'll be at 65 when I go out. And today I'll probably leave it at 65. Lately with all the computer work I've been doing I've been jacking it up to 69. But yesterday that was way too much with all the activity involved with installing parts, torquing things to 200 ft-lb, etc.

Bill - Apparently the people in Oklahoma are helpful. Friendly even.

And thanks for the pic. That helps and I hope to post some myself here in a bit.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

Ok, I think I got to the bottom of it. And the bottom line is that I had too many parts, surely from two different trucks, and I was looking at the wrong illustration.

First, here's a snippet of the illustration I was using, which is labeled Front Suspension & Steering Linkage - Dual Shock - 4W/D. And, since Dad's truck is a 4wd with dual shocks it should be the right one - right? And, notice that I've circled 389227-S2, as it is the issue here.

But, here's a snippet of the illustration labeled Front Stabilizer Bar & Related Parts - 1980 On F250/350 2/W/D and F-U 4WD. Note that there is no 389117.

Here is the illustration for the radius arm and bushings applicable to Dad's truck. I've added the dimensions for the front cupped washer (3B186) and the rear flat washer (379572). How can I be sure? Because one of my cupped washers says it is 3B186, and because the MPC has the dimensions of 379572.

So, you can probably see where this is going - I used the flat washer (379572) between the spring seat and the stabilizer bar's mount. And, I then used 5B300, which are cupped washers, in place of the flat washers. But they are supposed to retain the springs.

And now I'm trying to figure out how to document this for those who dare to follow in my footsteps.

Any suggestions?

And, of course, several things have to come apart.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

To help those following in my steps, I added a "Retainers" tab to this page: Suspension/Front Suspension. Please take a look and let me know how it can be improved. And, if you happen to have a 389117 laying around I'd like to have the dimensions off of it.

Oddly enough, the dimensions I think are wrong are the same in both the MPC as well as Ford's Standard & Utility Parts Catalog.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Dad's Truck Build

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis wrote

But, here's a snippet of the illustration labeled Front Stabilizer Bar & Related Parts - 1980 On F250/350 2/W/D and F-U 4WD. Note that there is no 389117.

While the drawing may correctly reflect the parts for the sway bar assembly on both 4x2 and 4x4 trucks, the illustration is of a 4x2 assembly...which is why there is no 389117. That part doesn't exist on the 2wd.

1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

Gary Lewis

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

Hadn't thought of that. But there's no need for 389117 when you put the sway bar bracket in there. It is roughly as thick and, therefore, will spread the load as well as a washer.

You don't happen to have a 389117 laying around that you could measure and photograph?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Gary Lewis wrote

Hadn't thought of that. But there's no need for 389117 when you put the sway bar bracket in there. It is roughly as thick and, therefore, will spread the load as well as a washer.

You don't happen to have a 389117 laying around that you could measure and photograph?

That particular swaybar bracket was only on the early kingpin trucks. On the later versions with ball joints, the sway bar "bracket" was part of the spring seat casting.

I'll check the 85 4x4 frame/front end tomorrow and see if that washer is there. I don't think it is, but I'll check. It has the brackets that are similar to the quad shock set-up, but without the quad shocks. Not sure if that is factory or not...it may have been changed.

Gary Lewis

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

Dad's truck is an '81 F150 with ball joints. And according to this page it looks like it (5486) was used from '81 to '86: Suspension & Steering/Sway Bar. Maybe I'm not understanding what you are saying?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

FWIW, Gary, remember when I was looking for the information on the front sway bar for Darth, who is late kingpin truck (1986) the brackets needed were stamped as in the drawing. The 1990 F250 parts truck had the cast ones that were part of the lower spring seat.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

I'd forgotten that, Bill. But now that you mention it I do remember. That certainly does look like the same part, which fits what the catalog says.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Dad's Truck Build

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis wrote

Dad's truck is an '81 F150 with ball joints. And according to this page it looks like it (5486) was used from '81 to '86: Suspension & Steering/Sway Bar. Maybe I'm not understanding what you are saying?

Ooops, sorry Gary. My bad, I stand corrected. I was confused between what was on the 80-86, and 87+.

Gary Lewis

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

No problem. I was confused that you were confused.

Seriously though, it looks like all Bullnose trucks used:

EOTZ 5486-D Front-R.H.-bracket-link assy, to radius arm
EOTZ 5486-E Front-L.H.-bracket-link assy, to radius arm

However, Ford did a really good job making it difficult to figure that out. All the brackets, both front and rear as well as for the axle and to the frame are 5486-BRACKET (STABILIZER BAR). And the applications aren't neatly ordered. And, they do a mean little trick of having right and left in different orders.

Someone could spend a lifetime re-ordering things to make it easy to find them. But, it isn't worth it. And there's the potential for errors. Plus, it is good to be able to tell people "That's Ford's documentation."

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

I even have an extra, don't remember if it is left or right. When I ordered them from Green Sales, they sent two of the same as one was mislabeled. When I called them, they sent a replacement and told me to keep the wrong one.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

This post was updated on .

Today's report: The left suspension is together and torqued, with the exception of some of the shock fasteners, which hadn't been blasted nor powder coated. And here the culprits are. You'll notice that there are extra parts as I'm trying an experiment.

But wait! There's more! Along the way I scanned in the 4wd front suspension instructions from the FSM and put them up on the website as I wanted to be able to easily refer to them. But, they looked lonely so I put up the Twin I-Beam ones as well. You'll find them on the Instructions tab here: Suspension & Steering/Front Suspension.

Then, as I started using the 4wd instructions I ran across lots and LOTS of anomalies. Try these:

Page 4 says the rear shock bolt should be installed "with the bolt head installed towards the tire". But the illustration on Page 5 says the bolt "Must be installed in the direction shown" and shows the head on the outside.

The illustration on Page 5 shows the nut holding the lower spring retainer on as being torqued to 30 - 70 while the specifications on Page 10 says 70 - 100 ft-lbs. It is a large nut so I torqued it to 85 ft-lbs, right in the middle of the range I suspect is correct.

That's just two examples of the many I found. I originally thought I'd correct things as I found them but with as many as I found I'm not sure I have the time to do it. Plus it is hard to tell what is correct. Who knows on the shock bolt?

But the torque specs are fairly easy to figure out as you can find similar, if not the same fasteners elsewhere and determine what the torque probably should be. However, I think I'll just strike through the ones I'm pretty sure are wrong and let the reader find the spec in the table at the back.

EDIT: I WAS WRONG! The first point about the bolt head was right and I was wrong.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Steve83

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Banned User

Gary Lewis wrote

Page 4 says the rear shock bolt should be installed "with the bolt head installed towards the tire". But the illustration on Page 5 says the bolt "Must be installed in the direction shown" and shows the head on the outside.

Uuuuhhh... Isn't the tire on the outside? Sounds like the same direction to me.

Gary Lewis wrote

...the specifications on Page 10 says 70 - 100 ft-lbs.

That's correct.

Gary Lewis

Re: Dad's Truck Build

Administrator

Yes, the same direction. That came to me later, which is why I edited the post.

But, one out of two?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

123456 ... 29