Gary Lewis

Welcome, Diego! Glad you joined us. You've done a wonderful transformation on the truck already. Looks great. We have a member's map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map) and I'd be happy to put you on it if you want. I hope you'll start a thread on your truck in the main section so we can keep up with your progress.

Jim - Thanks. We have to walk a fine line as we document since we have a very wide user base. (I spend time on other mediums and realize that many people don't know - and apparently don't want to know - what the correct terminology is.) We could be absolutely correct and use terminology that people may not understand but is correct in most, although rarely all, Ford documentation. Or we can use correct terminology as well as what people sometimes call the thing. One such example is the starter "relay",although most (myself included) call it the "solenoid". Relay is the correct term, but if that's the only term we use then many people will not understand. So we need to help them by adding "frequently called the 'solenoid'" to the sentence. The latter is where I'd like us to go for our documentation, so need everyone's help in getting the right balance of correctness and colloquialism. In other words, if you see something that isn't clear, please point it out.

I think you (both) would reduce your confusion if you use the designations that Ford uses. Nothing on the alternator gets "excited". The LG/R wire is the I (indicator) wire. Yellow is A (no name I've found in any Ford document). Wh/Bk is S (stator). Some of this caption is from the Ford coursebook for the Basic Electrical Diagnosis class: https://supermotors.net/getfile/843907/thumbnail/alternator3gvr.jpg Steve - That's why I used what is shown on the '96 EVTM, and why the Wiring It tab says:

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

When the trucks are relatively original like this one, I think it's pretty safe to assume they're leaking in some way or another...lol. I can't speak to the 300.6 that's leaking in this truck, but having both original 84 and 85 302 engines, I can say that they were both leaking oil badly enough they might as well not have had any valve cover gaskets at all...lol (or oil pan gaskets for that matter). Those original cork gaskets seem like they were really awful. Cork dries out and shrinks. So trucks that have set for a long time tend to have problems.

It sure would be. Looks like the rear fenders/wheel arches are still intact though, which is rare isn't it? Don't a lot of people cut the rear fenders out on the early Bronco's? I'm kind of torn on that modification. I like the look of it, but I also like them to look original. Since I couldn't have it both ways, I don't know what I'd do...lol. (I don't have a Bronco, so I guess that settles it regardless...lol). Rem Leave the fenders intact on one side and cut them out on the other?

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.

It certainly is a huge improvement. But it is really, REALLY difficult to tell colors on a monitor. And especially when I think you took the pics under fluorescent lighting. It is amazing to me how different lighting brings out different colors in even adjacent panels. So the main this is whether or not you are happy. If so, I'd do the other side the same way. I don't think everything was a perfect match originally, so the only way you'll get them to match now is to spray them all out of the same can.

Nice truck. The oil leak can probably be fixed easily/cheaply.

That's good to know. I haven't tried yet, but I found some spots of it today while pulling those retainers. Very gooey.

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. 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?

Looks like it was a bad day for several.

I've done a little bit of an update on the Tabbed page and on the Wiring It tab. Basically I traded the schematics to use the 1996 EVTM one. And, I revised the wording a little bit, but didn't get to the bit about the fuse - especially since the '96 EVTM shows a fuse link. Anyway, please take a look and let me know what you think.

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. 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?

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.

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.

Jim - If by "sense wire" you mean the yellow/white then it makes sense () to me that you'd wrap that right back to the output lug on the alternator instead of taking it up to the fuse link. That way the alternator won't run away with a bad or burned connection. Also note that even in '96 there's a fuse link and not a real fuse. That seems odd since I thought lots of the later trucks I've pulled parts off of had Mega-fuse holder on the power distribution box. And it kinda complicates telling the reader to use "Ford's fuse size". As for the "excite wire", that would be the light green/red one, and it does go to key-on power on an ammeter-equipped truck. So, basically the '96 EVTM schematic works for both trucks with a warning lamp and trucks w/an ammeter. Just tie the light green/red wire into the existing light green/red wire and you don't have to know what's further up the wire. Right?

Jim - Great minds, and all that. Here's what I was doing as you were typing. As for the stator wire being in the regulator plug and not the "charge cable", I was referring to the whole cable that you get from the salvage as being the charge cable. My bad. But here you can see the white/black stator wire coming out of the alternator, between the output terminal and the regulator plug, and wrapping back into the regulator plug in the middle position. And that's where you'd want to tap in to run the 7v choke, which is probably what we need to be saying on the 3G Conversion page. And, I scanned in a page from the 1996 EVTM which shows the alternator and associated wiring. I propose using this as the diagram for the trucks with lights instead of a voltmeter. But, as I look at the page I get confused. The wiring diagram on the page is for when you have a warning light. But to find how to wire it for a truck w/an ammeter you have to click the left picture of the cabling, which shows the regulator plug upside down, and it says that the "I" wire goes to the green/red-stripe wire in the old harness. Don't we need wiring diagrams for with a warning light, like the '96 one, and with an ammeter? Why rely on the reader clicking the proper picture to read the instructions?

Just FYI, I'm slowly working through your suggestions, Steve. To this point I've split off the choke verbiage into another tab, but need to finish that work and include a pic of the 3G charge cable, which I think I have. But as I think about it in the light of day (literally BRIGHT sunlight), I wonder if it is appropriate to have the discussion I'm envisioning about chokes here. Instead, why not put it on the Fuel Systems/Carburetors, Chokes, & EFI/Chokes page and refer to it on the Wiring It tab here? Basically nothing about the 3G conversion modifies the choke or its wiring, although it would be good to have the pic of the Ford charge cable on the 3G page so the reader can see which wire is the stator wire. Thoughts, y'all? Lots more to do. Thanks for the help....

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.

No, this stuff is clear. And I'm going to have to go over things with a rag and alcohol to see if I can get that stuff off. It seems impossible to get all the pieces in place and the parts shoved into the bracket on the frame w/o getting some on your hands and, therefore, onto the axle.

Yep, saw the comments on the Dad's Truck Build thread. Thanks. But the Prothane bushings do have the inner sleeve. And for anyone doing this, the tech at Prothane said to press the bushing into the outer sleeve w/o the inner sleeve in it. Then press the inner sleeve in. But use plenty of the special grease. I did and they went together quite nicely, although that grease is the stickiest stuff I think I've seen/felt.

Looks to be in nice shape, and for a driver in that shape the price isn't bad at all.

To remove the rubber part but keep the shell in the arm or beam or what ever you want to call it I used old gas & fire. Mine was a 4x2 truck so the bushings were in smaller end of the beams. I hung the beams from the rafters in a can of old gas and soaked for a few hours. I removed the arms and 1 match they were on fire. As the fire would die down I used an old screw driver to "stir" the rubber and it would flare up some. I kept this up till the rubber was all gone. A little clean up with a wire brush and paint everything before I installed the new bushings. Threaded rod, large washers and some nuts pressed the bushing into place. I cant remembered if I had to use the inner shell but if I did a little clean up on the bench wire wheel and were good to go. I have heard of others that drilled the rubber out but it was work. Dave ---- Apparently it is really difficult to get that rubber out 'cause the Prothane instructions suggest burning as well. I don't remember what I did, but the shells are nice and smooth, and powder coated.

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. 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.)