Gary Lewis

I know right where to send you 'cause I went to the same page for Rene: Steering Columns & Steering Wheels. There you'll see this: HOWEVER, the link to the Ignition Switch page in the EVTM just takes you to the forum, and I'm not seeing what I'm looking for in any of the EVTMs. So go to Page 13-06-8 of the Factory Shop Manual that's on that tab for instructions. I'd lube the tumbler and then, if that doesn't do it, pull the ignition switch itself and lube it. And for instructions on that go to Documentation/Electrical/Ignition and then the Ignition Switch tab.

Jeff - Jein. (You know French and English, so maybe German?) Janey can't hear it if I crank the music in the shop. And we tend to like the volume set about the same level for the TV. But in the car she doesn't like it as high as I do. So I don't crank it until something special comes on, like American Pie. Cory - I love that song, and played it via that Youtube since I'd never seen the video itself. As for 80's and later "music", is there really any such thing? I'm of the opinion that Don McLean was off by about 10 years. American Pie was about February 3, 1959 - The Day The Music Died:

All is well, Cory. But I can't say things are quiet in my shop at the moment as I'm doing a serious cleaning ahead of company coming in over Thanksgiving. And while I'm cleaning I'm rocking to 60's music via satellite radio. The shop inherited the amp, speakers, and sub-woofer from our surround sound system some time ago, and I crank it up a bit while out there. And yes, I like that thread about the Flareside beds. But if you find more pics or information I'd love to update the page.

I'd have to go look it up, but I believe the bed floor change was late in the 1982 model year, like July 1982. The 1987 Flareside bed was identical to the 1980-1986 bed. It was a one year only offering, and the only thing that was different was the fiberglass fenders had a slightly different wheel opening to match the Bricknose front fenders. Otherwise, the beds were 100% the same. No Flaresides from 1988-1991. The Flareside came back out in 1992, and it does have a steel bed, but has fiberglass bed sides that bolt on to the steel sides. I have a 1994 Flareside now, and while I do like the truck, they don't have the same curb appeal as the Bullnose trucks in my option. I have always wanted the one year wonder 1987 Flareside. A 4x4 with a 300 and stick would be really nice. If I ever come across a nice one I'll have to think hard on it;). The change was in July of '82, as shown on the snippet from the MPC below. But note that the replacement strip couldn't have been E7TZ 8312605-A, which came out in '87. It probably was E2TZ 8312605-A, so there was a change there as well although I have no idea what it was. And there's information on this topic on our page at Documentation/Exterior/Beds, Tailgates, & Components and then the Flareside Bed Floors tab. And that's where this snippet came from.

You apparently have a tilt wheel and that is the infamous 3E715. It is a known problem for starting, and your description of using pincers/pliers to pull up on the rod is very common for that problem. But I wasn't aware that it could also cause you not to be able to shift into gear. Our page on Steering Columns discusses the problem and there are at least three links to how to fix it. Here's one, but you can go to our page for the others. That's one of the reasons I took the tilt column out of Big Blue and put a fixed column in. I already had an intermittent no-start problem, and everything I read said that it would quit completely at some point. And the cause is using the steering wheel to hoist yourself into the truck, which I do all the time. So I decided that the ability to start in the back of beyond was more important than comfort.

Sorry, but Huck's steering shaft is going in 'Lil Blue, my SiL's 83. As for Dorman 31008 replacing E8TZ 3B676-A, not a chance. The Dorman unit is to rebuild the rag joint on a steering shaft, and an E8TZ 3B676-A is a complete steering shaft. And I'm not even sure the Dorman unit is the right diameter to rebuilt the rag joint on that shaft.

Clips on both sides? Yikes! I've used small things like cotter keys to hold a clip up, things that don't have a handle and, therefore, enough weight on the other end to rotate it. Another favorite is a 1/4" male disconnect, that's just right to slide under there and hold the clip up.

Another instance of P1506 today. I'd been idling in 1st gear and eased off the throttle. Apparently the momentum caused the RPM to go above the target. I need to research this to see if there's something I can do in Binary Editor to prevent this.

Gary, when I replaced Big Bro's lower shaft, the NOS part came in its original box. On the picts: • The original joints zoomed • The original and replacement shafts • The Ford box with the part number of the NOS: Yep, that's exactly what I expected. The boot is split on the original one and I'll bet the rag joint was loose. And the box for the new one says "E8TZ 3B676-A", which is the Bricknose one and is what I recommend we use - unless you have deep pockets and want to buy a Borgeson, or want to create your own like Jim did.

Jeff - Yes, that's an E8 part number and came out for the Bricknose trucks. It is much improved over the Bullnose lower columns for two reasons. First, the upper u-joint is sealed and doesn't need the boot - that always fails. Second, the "rag" part of the joint is improved and appears to last longer. The rag joint actually performs a vibration reduction function. In fact, Borgeson has introduced a version of their shaft that has that function built in. But at $313 vs $273 for the one w/o it I'm not sure it is worth it. I have the less expensive version and have no complaints.

I can't find any numbers that make any sense at all on any of them. But I'm fairly sure the one w/o the other side of the rag joint, the bit I sent you, is the one from Dad's truck. The Bullnose one with the smaller rag joint is the one from the '85 F150 I parted out, and the E8 is from Huck. The only other truck I've parted out was Brownie, the '82. So it is possible that I'm confused as to which was from Dad's truck (81), Brownie (82), and the blue '85. But I don't have any more lower shafts, and I'm sure the E8 came from Huck. So the other two have to be from Bullnose trucks.

I'm not disagreeing, but where did you find that, Jim? It agrees with the E8 I have on the bench that came off Huck, the 1990 F250, which is shown at the bottom of this pic. But it doesn't agree with the one I took off the '85 I parted out that has a 2 5/8" rag joint riveted on, meaning it probably hasn't been repaired. It is the middle one of these:

Let's,at least, post the picture in the thread. Here are pics from the Rock Auto catalog showing the Dorman 31008 rag joint - for a 1990 F150. The first is a screen grab of the options for a steering coupler, and that includes the Lares 206 kit of parts, their 204 that is most of the rag joint, and then the Dorman 31008, and pics of the latter are below the screen grab. But the Lares 206 says it is for a 2 5/8" coupler and the 204 says it is for a 3 1/4" coupler. That is very confusing as I measure the new coupler I have at roughly the 2 5/8 #. So were some larger?

I understand! I built a 460 a few years ago and the heads were quite a challenge on the engine stand. There's no way I could put an intake on by myself in the truck.

Jim was saying that if you were to order the new shaft for a 2009 F150 you could cut the fittings off of your Bullnose shaft and have a welding shop graft them onto the new shaft. I was saying that the detachable rag joint in your screenshot isn't going to help you for two reasons:

And there are errors in the MPC as well. But Ford says the detachable one was for 1980 & 81 and the rag joint was "Part of 3B676 after 2/81".

I use a small bead of RTV around the coolant passages and on the china wall. On it I put a 3/8" bead of RTV, and some in the corners where the wall meets the head. But make SURE the china wall and the intake are CLEAN so the RTV adheres. I use brake cleaner on a rag to clean them before adding the RTV. And I cut the heads off bolts to use as guides for the intake so you don't move it side/side or fore/aft as you lower it and mess up that RTV. But you still have to be careful that you lower it evenly as you can get it cocked on the block & heads.

I measure the newer rag joint at 2 3/4" and the larger one at 3 1/8". So the holes won't be at the right place. And, btw, the 2 3/4" measurement appears to be the same for the later E8 shaft's rag joint. But instead of what looks like a tire's sidewall the E8 joint is solid rubber, or a rubbery material.

Right. He could have one made using the fittings off the shaft he has. And the point I was trying to make, but didn’t, is that the removable rag joint is a different diameter to the non-removable one. So you can’t easily order a new removable one and use the rag out of it to replace the rag on the fixed-joint shafts.

Remember that the rag joint isn't removable in the later shafts, which yours should be. The joint in your screenshot is for the early 1980-81 shafts that have removable rag joints.

Yes, Ford knew that the details make the difference so they didn't change things much along the way. But the Bullnose truck were the thin end of the wedge to become "softer". Less metal, more plastic and upholstery.

Looks staked to me.

Pretty! Worth a fortune! Those are not being replicated and there aren't many available. IOW, the value will continue to climb as these trucks come into their own.

A cap as in something protective, or something needed? I don't think it is replaceable.

You don't need to do anything to the multifunction valve. I'm still running mine. And, by the way, the issue about the speed control that is mentioned in the RA catalog isn't an issue on a Bullnose. Our speed controls don't use the switch, so there's no need for it but it doesn't hurt to have it.